Dirty Rat - Sears

I hadn't seen this mod before but it makes since ! i like it and see it in my future.

MightyRaze wrote:

that thing is looking so frickn cool man, i realy need to get my project going but work hasnt let that happen.

JittyJat wrote:

that thing is looking so frickn cool man, i realy need to get my project going but work hasnt let that happen.

Thanks  @JittyJat

Such a great job you're doing I love it! I like how you can active "Beast Mode" for extra offroad capability, great idea!

Thanks man! It's been a fun build!

I did finally got the last piece of the puzzle. The tether kill.

MightyRaze wrote:

Thanks man!  It's been a fun build!

I did finally got the last piece of the puzzle.  The tether kill.

I know your post was on the kill switch but i cant help but notice how nice you got that gas pedal to look. Alot of peoples gas pedals don't really mach the mowers them selfs love that little attention to detail.

I like the 7-inch engine pulley, but I am thinking about dropping to 6 inches.  Not like I am going to race this thing.

A Second video in one weekend!  Heck yeah!  (Li'l Red and now the Dirty Rat!)

What a bummer you caught a thorn in the tire! Those dirt track tires look like they're handling climbing and being off camber pretty well though!

Decided to pop in a valve stem and go tubeless with a plug.  All good now.




I think I would like to change my pulley ratio, but MAN pulleys are $$$ now.  They seem to have doubled.

Good stuff! You burn that plug down into the rubber? I always do for the best seal plus then there's nothing ugly sticking out.

I bought a steel weld-on pulley and hub today for about $30 CAD which didn't seem so bad, it's the idler pulleys starting at $40 that are driving me bonkers!

Brianator wrote:

Good stuff!  You burn that plug down into the rubber? I always do for the best seal plus then there's nothing ugly sticking out.

I bought a steel weld-on pulley and hub today for about $30 CAD which didn't seem so bad, it's the idler pulleys starting at $40 that are driving me bonkers!

Yeah, I melt on them a bit. 

right now, I have a 4-inch transaxle and 7-inch on engine.  I would like to do 5 transaxle and 6 engine.  I know I'll lose speed, but I'll have better belt grip and I know I'd have better clutching.

Now the belt has broken in a little. I think I will keep the current pulley setup. This thing is a beast! Rode it most of the day. It only gets better. I did bust the weld for the header from the exhaust nipple today. Other than that easy fix, no issues!

While spending more time for setup than fixing, exhaust nipple welded back on.

Video treat from this last weekend.

Nice video Jerry!

So, I took Red over to my in-laws today.  It's pretty dialed in now.  Pretty happy with it.  When I was putting Red back up in the building.  I had a change of plan for the extreme mode on the Dirty Rat.  Change the tire combo up a bit.  Maybe a swap of tires.  I'll get pix tomorrow.

I promised.... I delivered.




I could probably set the rear tires in about 1-2 inches.

Nice! Are those Executioners? They look awesome!

Scooched them in a bit. Yes executioners. I tire swapped with Green Machine.

I was looking at the hour meter and realized I've got 5 hours ride time on the dirty rat now!  I checked it over and found only 1 loose bolt.  Good to go!

I also noticed my key switch (the whole thing) was rotating in hole.  Realized the shaft is broken.  Pulled the switch from Kal and back in business!






I also did a flex test to see how much.  I also decided to add a bumper to the front of TDR.  Something to give the front some more protection!

PS 14.5 inches rise in that tire!

Wow that axle has got some nice travel ! all is looking good ! keep up the videos i enjoy watching them, not sure i'd be any good at it myself.

diddie wrote:

Wow that axle has got some nice travel ! all is looking good ! keep up the videos i enjoy watching them, not sure i'd be any good at it myself.

Thanks @diddie!

This tractor is QUICKLY becoming my goto when I want to go ride.  I like having the ammobox on the other tractors.  I hate to add one here and kill the look of the tractor. I have some dead space under the frame, but hate to chop up the frame to gain access or weaken the frame.  

I know there ought to be a way for some storage on this rig that doesn't pull from the look of the rig.

PS:  I finally fixed the hood and dash where the stock hood snaps work.  2x hood pop-up protection!

So, today I decided to look into my banshee belt when I went to clutch.  Also, to see why I was not getting good clutch action.  I quickly found a couple issues I can't believe I missed.

1st - The rod from the pulley bracket to the clutch pedal rod was hitting the belt guide only allowing me to press the pedal down halfway.

I cut off the excess rod piece that allows the clutch pedal to pulley depress now.  I removed where the little dash is in the circle.



Now the pedal goes all the way down like expected.

2nd - Issue I found.  Due to the minimal depression of the clutch/brake pedal I was engaging the brake at apparently 1/4 throw. Brake engaging before the clutch can clutch (hence excessive belt screeching) "Banshee belt" I call it.  Now the pedal goes all the way, I ended up taking out 9 turns in the adjustment rod to loosen the brakes.  It still locks up full on dirt and gravel.  I come to a very quick, but not lockup on hot asphalt.  I think that is about perfect.  Now I am getting normal chirping of the belt if any at all.

I'll probably perform the holey mod to the engine pulley.

Also, I'll be putting the fronts on narrower rims.  I figure it would get a little better bite.

Some glamour shots to end the day.