Brianator's "Mud Duck"- Tractor Recovery Rig/Mudder

Brianator wrote:

After 20 mins or so I realized I wasn't going as fast as I was... reverse was fine but forwards had slowed down a bunch. I figured maybe the control rod bracket needed to be adjusted, I checked the hydro fluid and....

...it started puking out of the reservoir! Nice and pink and foamy so that's something to look into but I will say it was at it's proper level and color before I went for a rip! So I'm a little bummed about that but I'm doing some research so hopefully I dig up some goodness! Lol.

I found a similar problem with mine...reservoir/rear end was building air pressure, found aired fluid. The vent bolt issue is one I'm going to look into this weekend, need to set aside a good chunk of time to remove the fender pan. I'll keep you posted as to the results.

Flap cap looks mint! All stacks MUST have one IMHO, especially tractors.

Thank you fellas and I'll do the same for you @Rustbucket Garage, us Eaton guys need to stick together! Lol.

Here's a little something I forgot to add earlier in regards to the hydro fluid and some findings from research since.

First of all I don't believe the hydro unit was overheating. 10 mins after shutting it down I took a temperature reading (I wish I thought to do it right away) and it was 93F, from what I read of normal operating temperatures I don't think it could drop that far, that fast if it had overheated. Overheating temp about 170-180F/Normal operating temp 120-150F.

As I was watching the fluid run down the fender and onto the absorbing mat I noticed small beads of ? running faster than the oil. My first thought was water.


Just a little bit ago I took a sample of the Pepto Bismol looking ATF.


You can't really tell in the photo but around the edge its fairly clear like water. How did water get in there? One possibility is through the natural act of heat and absorption.


Another possibility is that ice was built up somewhere inside the unit?  The original reservoir hose was clogged solid by about 3/4" of ice, roughly in the middle of the hose which I found odd. So if there was/is some ice hiding somewhere inside the unit it would make sense that's its only now surfacing as I've only really been using and working it recently and the spewing also makes sense because water expands when heated.  I know I did state "foamy" in the above post but thinking and looking back (at photos) I was wrong with that statement it wasn't actually foamy is was cloudy... I was upset please forgive me!  Lol.

I have the Pepto Bismol sitting and awaiting highly unscientific testing for poops and giggles. I'm really hoping it is just water, that means a few flushes should take care of it!  

Wish me luck!

I bet it is water. If there was water in that line, there could have been water in the bottom of the sump. Can you drain it? I think it would be the best thing to do. Hydrostatic stuff is sensitive to any contaminant and you would guarantee no water or dirt if you can drain (and flush?) it.

I'm thinking it is water that's absorbed and emulsified but because it's suspended in the fluid it will NOT freeze or even crystallize when left in the freezer overnight! I'd like to try and steam it to see if I can evaporate it and confirm/debunk that's its water, ive only read one post online where someone stated air can cause cloudiness so I'm skeptical of that being the cause but won't rule it out yet. I checked the fluid in the tractor this morning, same color but the level has dropped back down I'm thinking I will start it up and see if the fluid starts to rise quickly, before it gets up in temperate as another test.

Funny thing is I learned there is no sump on this model (Eaton 10), it has a reservoir/expansion tank instead. Certain Eaton 11 models have a sump that's part of the transaxle and othes share the fluid with the transaxle... there's too many options just like looking at paint...why does there have to be so many different shades of grey ffs! Lol

**edit** no there isn't a drain plug but I have a plan to drain/suck in new fluid at the same time by using a oil filter and a pulley on a cordless drill.

i would agree that it is water. as a auto mechanic iv'e seen trans coolers in radiators give way and  that's what it always looks like ! the old pepto bismol. i wouldn't use it for that though lol.

diddie wrote:

i would agree that it is water. as a auto mechanic iv'e seen trans coolers in radiators give way and  that's what it always looks like ! the old pepto bismol. i wouldn't use it for that though lol.

Thanks for your expertise on that! I've left it near my gas fireplace all day and it's slowly clearing up so that's some extra confirmation also!


Boy was I on some kind of mission today! The first thing I did was fire it up and drive it around for 10 mins, it worked exactly like it should've! It wasn't nice enough out to want to mess with the hydro and fluid but I did remove the seat and fender pan to gain better access to the hydro system for the next nice day. Then I dove in even deeper...


I never liked the homemade fuel tank bracket and knew I could make a nicer one. I also wanted to get the tire inflator installed and start figuring out some other stuff so I removed the whole seat spring assembly and screwed it down to my workbench.




I tack welded the fender pan mounting bolts in place...


...found some metal to use to make a new fuel tank bracket then trimmed and shaped it to fit the tank...



...tack welded it front and rear and cut a couple of little slots for the mounting straps in the tray...



... and had to modify the tray so the tank gets it's lean back and lines up with the hole in the fender pan properly. It's off center on purpose for clearance because the fender pan is mounted directly to the seat spring and when it compresses it moves backwards a little bit.  





Then it was time to start figuring out the tire inflator so I reconfigured the fittings and added a quick disconnect because I won't be able to store the hose under there as I hoped. I also needed to remove the gauge for clearance and think it will be more trouble than it's worth to try and relocate it so I'll just plug the port.  As you can see there's not alot of space between it and the seat spring, if it turns out to be an issue I'll figure out a solution!




Mounting was tricky to figure out but I came up with a plan! I marked and drilled 3 holes in the tray then used them as a template to mark holes in the base of the inflator and drilled them for some sheet metal screws. 2 of 3 were good but I had to notch the base of the spring for the 3rd. I could only do 3 because where the 4th would be it wouldn't be accessible when the spring is bolted down and that needs to be done before the inflator can be screwed down so it's a bit of a procedure! Lol



But the fun doesn't stop there! I wanted to start figuring out the rack but before I can do that I needed to get the tool box mounted because I'm going to have to slowly trim back the rack until it sits where I want it to.  It's going to be right over the fuel filler so I need it to be easily removable, here's what I came up with:

I marked and drilled holes in the toolbox then used them as a template to mark the holes in the rack.  


I tapped the holes for ease of installing the threaded rod(s), should give it a little extra support as well.



I welded the rods in place and fit the toolbox on the rack, I set it back just enough so the latch clears the bar and leaves enough room to be able to use it as a grab bar if needed!

These are the "nuts" I want to use to hold the toolbox in place as they can be screwed/unscrewed by hand AND they have little tie downs built in, they are from the trunks of cars and used to hold cargo nets in place! Now I just need to find 3 more! *edit* I've since found 3 more hiding in my stash!

Oh and look at that... just about enough real estate left on the back of the seat for a ATLTF banner sticker... hmm I wonder who could hook me up with one of those *cough cough* @MightyRaze? Lol

Wow, you got a lot done. Makes me feel bad for being so lazy.

Wow, you got after it there!  Nice update!

Ya I did and I hope you're ready for more because I got into more shenanigans today!


The first thing I tackled was the seat. I wanted to secure it directly to the fender pan so I devised a plan! I didn't want to trim the seat spring but it was the only way I could get it done the way I wanted so I made a couple of plates that kind of locks it all together.


With that out of the way it was time to get back to the rack!  To keep the seat at the same height I had to get a little creative and it couldn't have worked out better if I planned it that way!


I cut the front of the rack off...


...and drilled a couple holes in the fender pan to slide the rack in so I could figure out the depth. I wanted the toolbox to be as tight to the seat as possible and was willing to sacrifice the lid not opening all the way.



As I was cutting mounting brackets off the front of the rack I noticed that those bent pieces felt pretty comfortable in my hand and BAM it hit me! Grab handles!


I found that 5/8" round stock fit inside the tubing without much trouble so I made 1" long plugs for them to slide into the rack tubing...



...marked out where they will line up...


...drilled the holes and test fit them! Aside from that gap at the front they look pretty good to me!


So I made filler pieces and then welded 3/8" nuts inside so I could bolt them in at the front for a little extra strength even though I'll be welding them to the fender pan.




I also found a home for the mounting brackets I cut off, a little grinding on one side to account for the angle was all that was needed so I tack welded then fully welded them.



I cut back the 2 center tubes on the rack to make space for filling the fuel tank and was able to weld the piece that had been at the front of the tubes back on so there's no sharp edges to scrape myself on and give everything extra support!


Then I set it all back up, tack welded the whole shebang in place and shut 'er down for the night!


This is all that's left after all that cutting and that makes me happy I was able to reuse most of it!



I think it's turned out really well and I especially like the grab handles, they fit the look/theme really well and should be plenty rugged! I just need to finish weld it all and it will be functional!

That's a wrap for today!

This is pure brilliant! Nice work, great design and execution of that. PROFESSIONAL!

Plus, you have a duct tape seat! Couldn’t get better.

Well thank you very much @Nevadablue! As the old adage goes "necessity is the mother of invention"! Lol. The seat is the old one off my G10 and I'm sure I'll replace it at some point but that comes later!


Well I took yesterday off as a break but hit the auto parts store for supplies and the salvage yard with my friend so we could grab a few things but I got back into the Mud Duck today!


Turns out it wasn't a pain to relocate the gauge on the tire inflator, I got really lucky because the auto parts store happened to have the perfect fitting in a bin of assorted fittings with no home and I got it for free!


I also got all the welding done on the rack/fender pan and sprayed the bare metal and welds with black lacquer to protect it for now.


I also flushed the hydro system (sorry no pictures) and just HAD to get the seat/pan/rack installed so I could sit down and feel it out!



I have to say I hate it and am going to cut it up and scrap it... just kidding,! I love it! It turned out exactly how I envisioned and it feels really solid, once I get the tractor moving again (hopefully tomorrow) I'll put the grab handles to the test riding the snowbanks! Lol.

Lookin MINT!

Thanks dude!

Very nice!  Coming along great!

Just don’t end up UNDER that beast.

Thanks @MightyRaze and I'll try not to @Nevadablue but no promises, if it happens hopefully I'll at least get video of it! Lol

Well no work done today but I did make a YouTube channel and uploaded my first video to it! Here is the Build Off completion (quick) video I shot last week as promised! If it's not detailed enough @MightyRaze let me know via PM and I'll shoot another.



In other news the weather went from 54F and sunny yesterday to 30F and snow, LOTS of snow! What a wacky winter we're having up here!

That was fun! It is always neat to see where other folks live. You DO have snow!

The Duck needs a clear coat now.

Nevadablue wrote:

That was fun! It is always neat to see where other folks live. You DO have snow!

The Duck needs a clear coat now.

I have another video I shot doing a lap around my yard and may upload it in a week or 2. Oh ya we have plenty of snow and more in the forecast, it will probably stick around until April!

All that patina will get scrubbed off and painted over so I hope you're not TOO attached to it! It's actually how I came up with the name, a inside joke amoungst some friends is we call a wet fart (or shart) a "mud duck" and my Bolens looks like someone shart'd all over it so there you have it...mystery solved! Lmao


It was sunny and warm out today so once I dealt with the snow we got I went to work on the beast! I finished filling/bleeding the hydro system and did a few laps around the yard track, I'm still seriously disappointed with the Dunlop tires as they suck in the snow plus they'll chew the heck out of my yard once the snow has melted whereas the Kenda Turf Boss' shouldn't (as much) so I think I'll put the Kendas back on for now and try the Dunlops out again in the future.

Okay so... I never intended to carry tools or heavy items in the rear toolbox, because the rack/fender pan are directly connected to the seat spring I don't want a whole lot of weight hanging out back so that toolbox will be used for mainly lighter and bulkier items like rope, tow straps, ratchet straps, fuel line, some spare parts, snacks and water BUT I do need to be able to carry tools!


I test fit a few small boxes I have and this little guy is the winner! Not only can I fit it where I want it but it will still give me room to access the fuse box, it's not very big but it will hold all the tools I need. I'll upgrade that latch though!



I used this pizza flipper thing to make a bracket to mount it,  all that's left to do is make a support bracket to go underneath it and it's ready for use! As you can see I've yet again compromised between clearance and function, the lid won't open all the way but it's fine,  I'd rather that then it hanging out past the generator/starter.
 




This is how it will look with the hood closed,  I'll gain another 1/8" of clearance to the hood once I've made the support brackets to go underneath.  



Now here's a little dilemma... do I mount the fire extinguisher here where I originally planned...


...or perhaps here...?




I'm still liking under the hood and mounted to the toolbox as it keeps it good and protected and clean but it would be quicker and easier access if needed in front of the seat, the drawback to it being there is that it's basically unprotected and has the potential to get kicked when getting on/off the machine. There are no other spots I've found that I like so it's basically down to those 2 options.... what would you do?

You can find a link to the fire extinguisher mounting bracket by clicking here.

Just take some staged beauty shots before you scrub the shart off. I plan to clear coat my Wizard but I too will take beauty shots before I make the low rider.

Now I have to study all those pics you posted.

IMO, the fire extinguisher shouldn’t be mounted in the heat under the hood. How about in your backpack. Must be a spot though, let me know, I am looking for ideas on that too.

U gonna paint the rig shart brown?


What about where the red line is? (Or on top of the tool box)

I feel it will be fine under the hood there's alot of airflow and that's the cool side of the engine as the exhaust is on the other side. As I'm testing it there I'll be watching for the pressure to make sure it doesn't get too high, I thought about making a heat shield for it as well. Good idea but no, I want it to stay protected and it will get dirty as heck there, possibly clogged and it could get hit there. I also can't put it inside the rear toolbox there won't be room and I not only didn't like how it looked on top of the rear toolbox but it's unprotected there as well. Under the hood or in front of the seat are the only 2 places I like for it and unfortunately as it sits in front of the seat is the only orientation for it or it will interfere with the levers (one can't been seen in the photos).

I'm not 100% on color(s) yet but no brown is not going to happen! The Bolens purists are cursing me as it is so no need to slap some brown on to appease them! Lol. If they only knew how far gone it was before I started they'd applaud me for giving it afterlife!

Brianator wrote:

I feel it will be fine under the hood there's alot of airflow and that's the cool side of the engine as the exhaust is on the other side. As I'm testing it there I'll be watching for the pressure to make sure it doesn't get too high, I thought about making a heat shield for it as well. Good idea but no, I want it to stay protected and it will get dirty as heck there, possibly clogged and it could get hit there. I also can't put it inside the rear toolbox there won't be room and I not only didn't like how it looked on top of the rear toolbox but it's unprotected there as well. Under the hood or in front of the seat are the only 2 places I like for it and unfortunately as it sits in front of the seat is the only orientation for it or it will interfere with the levers (one can't been seen in the photos).

I'm not 100% on color(s) yet but no brown is not going to happen! The Bolens purists are cursing me as it is so no need to slap some brown on to appease them! Lol. If they only knew how far gone it was before I started they'd applaud me for giving it afterlife!

I'm gonna say don't paint it at all, you might want to slap a coat of clear coat on there, but otherwise, the patina looks cool as heck

@Brianator on the fire extinguisher, I would run it in the open tube area below the dash. I got my fire extinguisher on my pulling suburban right next to the seat mount it works pretty snazzy and the fenders hide it a bit.

@MN mudder can you elaborate on "open tube area" please I don't quite follow

i'd say the best place for the fire extinguisher is where it is easiest access for emergency situations !