JD LT150 ... continuation

So I tried out for the build off last year, I hope to do it again! I had all the time in the world to finish but somehow didn't have enough time... Figure that one out. There were still a bunch of things I wanted to do it and a confession. I was given a lot of grief about the way I extended the drive pulley and I didn't care- I was gonna run it anyways and fix it when it broke, it just needed to work "for now"... Which it did... Kind of. In my video I used in the build off, I got lucky that my daughter just happened to video me when she did because, NO LIE, 3 seconds after she stopped recording all hell broke lose! The axle is fine, thanks for asking . However, the tension from so far above (6.5") ripped the pulley apart on the axle. .
Enough about that- I recently cleaned my garage and I did the most hated thing ever, I moved the tractor to my shed. As I was pushing it to the back yard as I was telling myself"well, bud- this is the beginning of the end. I was not satisfied with it being the end and every day I think about what I needed to do to fix it and I am EXTREMELY happy to say I figured it out, ordered a bunch of parts and hopefully in the next couple of weeks I will be getting back to work on it!  

I am building a jackshaft kit this time with a smaller pulley in the top, down to a chain gear and I am replacing the original belt pulley in the axle with a gear sprocket to connect to the jackshaft. What I did here is I bought two different size sprockets  for the axle, a 9 tooth and 16 tooth. The drive sprocket is a 12 tooth so I can adjust for speed it creep .
I will be paying more as I receive my this and get ready to go to work.

My first package came in! #40 chain, sprockets, pillow blocks, collar locks and 1/4" keys. Still waiting for jackshaft, brake kit and chain tensioner. But when they come in- it's on

Excellent update!  I can't help but think that rig needs a fake radiator cap or hood ornament up front!  Pretty cool.

MightyRaze wrote:

Excellent update!  I can't help but think that rig needs a fake radiator cap or hood ornament up front!  Pretty cool.

You know what... I do have an old Ramcharger Hood ornament... Maybe something I need to look into.

BigPip wrote:

MightyRaze wrote:

Excellent update!  I can't help but think that rig needs a fake radiator cap or hood ornament up front!  Pretty cool.

You know what... I do have an old Ramcharger Hood ornament... Maybe something I need to look into.

Ramcharger ornament? Now we're talkin!

Really neat build, a unique look for sure. I like it a lot. Can't wait to see what you come up with, especially starting with this.

Here we have the belt pulley and the chain tensioner made for a motorcycle so it should work with no problem on this setup. Still waiting on one order that has the axle and brakes. Almost two weeks and they still haven't shipped it yet.

Well... It Feels like this is taking forever!
Today I want to swap the hydro-gear over and see if maybe I can weld the hood brackets on the JD so I can have a proper hood. The lever in the back of the hydro gear won't disengage so that will be the first order of business

Alright, got the transmission out- I'm going to drain the fluid in it and add clean fluid before I swap them out. Brake ended up being frozen on it, after I loosened the two bolts it was free so that was nice.
I cut the front of the Craftsmen off for the hood mount and had to cut about an inch off the JD to make it fit good


And of course I couldn't stop there, I had to custom the exhaust just a little... I will do more work to it later

Had to do some math today, originally I was going to connect the trans to the jackshaft with a chain but due to two things I had to change this up. The transmission input on the hydro only want to see 3000 RPM and the pulley on it is a spline for not a key. So knowing the motor pulley is 3" and the transmission pulley is 3.86" I had to figure out the sizes needed for the two other pulleys and I came up with 3.25" for both of them will run the transmission at about 2,800 rpm. I drained the oil today and will fill it and burp it tomorrow and maybe get it bolted on the tractor!

Shifter is going to be SOOOO much easier to connect, just need to figure out the bolting up the jackshaft and belt sizing.

Doing a great job!

5 speed out and the hydro is in! The new pulleys arrived today so hopefully I can start fabricating the mounts for the jackshaft tomorrow. Fingers crossed

I need to finish this build so I can start in my next build!
Today I finally stole since time to build my jackshaft mount. I will post some more pictures later once it is mounted in place.

The bracket is in! I got the measurement for the new top belt, when I pick that up I will buy the hardware to mount the bearings and that will be complete. Hedge that I have to make the linkage for the transmission- that will be super easy. Can't wait to finally drive this puppy! I will install the brakes after first drive... Of course

It's moving... FINALLY! JACKSHAFT is working pretty awesome, had a few issues to attend to after it was moving, alignment is the pulleys and had to add an extra idler pulley for clearance and ah, yeah- so glad I can finally ride this thing! Hydro trans is pretty awesome on this thing too. Need to finish the exhaust on it and maybe add the lights I bought for it

Looks good! I really like the rims.

Rustbucket Garage wrote:

Looks good! I really like the rims.

Thanks, they are golf cart rims- got then for a steal of a price on fleabay.

Short video of it moving

I have gotten a lot done in this past week, dang it feels good! Today I made a shift plate then added a muffler ( or 2) which helped because it was LOUD!

Do you plan to paint the entire machine or leave it like it is?

Paint is in the plans- probably JD Green though

BigPip wrote:

Paint is in the plans- probably JD Green though

Best color of green out there in my mind.

Looks good!  Good job not blowing holes in the fenders!

I gained a little progress on the tractor, she's sporting a bunch of primer and no more stickers
And she also has working brakes! Not that it is really needed with the hydro trans but when I attach my trailer to it I will be glad I have them. It didn't mount very pretty but it works, I had to weld the rotor to the hub because there was not a key groove that far back but whatever- it works!
I also found out that I installed a wrong pulley on my jackshaft- I knew I needed a 3.25 up top and a 3.5 on the bottom to give me a stock rpm of about 3000 at the transmission but I accidently put a 3.25 in both top and bottom which have a Max output of about 2700. At this point, I can't change the bottom pulley but I can change the top and the only extra pulley I had left was a 2.7 which would end up with about 3360 at the trans. So, what do you do? YOU SEND IT! and ask for forgiveness to the hydro gods too.. I think. Top speed was a neck breaking 8-9mph

I know I said I was going to paint it JD Green but I just wanted to get this project finished and I had some hot rod black (matte black) left over from my mustang so I just used thar. Honestly, I'm kind of digging it. I'll will get it all together tomorrow and and take a picture then.