Dirty Rat - Sears

Some glamour shots to end the day.

As mentioned yesterday, I was able to do some more riding this weekend over at my in-laws.  I was hoping for maybe a mud puddle or two as they had some rain Thursday.  It wasn't to be.  Just a little surface mud.  Nothing spectacular.  Still no rain at my house in quite some time.  Anyways, like I mentioned yesterday, I had a headlight pop out.  I caught it before I lost any parts.  I am currently fixing the stripped-out screw hold right now.  Anyways, it was a fun time.




Oh... I did nail a tree today full speed in 2nd.  Har enough that is knocked the back end over about 4 inches.  No damage, cracks or bends detected.  This thing is solid.

@MightyRaze looks like a black eye ! lol

All fixed now.  LOL

For your viewing pleasure...

So, I am trying to work on a little add-on that I can remove easily.  Sometimes I may need something to carry some tools or whatever.  I'm making an "adventure pack" for it.  More details soon if I can work out the easy disconnect for it.

Got my disconnect worked out!  I am about 2/3 of the way complete.  Ran out of scrap material at the moment.  Should finish up nicely.

Here's a little more detailed version of what I have done.

The normal back plate I made months ago.



The removable adapter I made for the hitch.




The adapter attached!



Closeup of the adapter installed.




I do have the 2 bolts with a locking nut on the underside of the plate so they do not back out.

Rear rack built!  One pin and I can remove the whole thing.

Getting prepped for some work before play for tomorrow.  Need to weed wack some grass/weeds at my in-laws.  Shouldn't take long.

That's awesome @MightyRaze nice work!

Thanks,

Went riding today and was just basic trolling about.  Tried to record using the spot on the rack with an action camera.  The action camera just sucks.  No useful footage from an hour and 10 minutes of recording.

Anyways, I stopped at that point since it was just too hot.  106 to be exact.  We got home later. I decided to just use the tractor with a huge bolt to take the little trailer to the back.  Didn't feel like taking the pickup around the back.  Got the trailer to the backyard. In the last foot from where I park it, I turned a bit too sharp, executioner tire grabs the trailer. Picks it up and I hear crunch.  



Yep... I crunched off the taillight.  It was the original.  I wouldn't be too upset because a few years ago, they still made these and could be found at TSC or Walmart.  Some reason since Covid, these things have all disappeared. Got the last one TSC had for Phoenix a couple years ago. I have a rectangular one I can put on, but not sure I want to.

I believe this is it, but I can't seem to find them local anymore.

B827R | Incandescent Clearance Markers | Products | Blazer-International

Everything now has a pl-10 connector.  I want just an old school wire mount grounded light.

Thanks to @Brianator finding the Grote part number for the light.  I knew someone else made them.

Grote 45412  


Found several online.  I'll have it on Wednesday!

OK, while waiting for replacement taillight, I finally got around to the holey mod on the engine pulley.  I also decided to short change the oil at 8 hours since all but one day of riding this summer has been 105F+ (41C+) days. It was starting to turn black.  No glitters to be found.



Ignore that booger weld on the exhaust in the top right.  It was a quick fix and didn't realize my welder was on the wrong port.  LOL

Got my replacement light a day late and a day early?  Yeah, it was supposed to be here yesterday, but the reschedule was for tomorrow.  LOL

Anyway, I'm a little disappointed but yet OK.

Disappointed as in the light is a bit smaller than the original.  

New lense fits inside the old lense's lip.




About 3/8 of an inch smaller in diameter. Screw holes although was supposed to be the same distance came out about 1/8 inch narrower and required a bit of a modification to install.  Also, the light is designed to fit where the lightbulb dangles from the top instead of sitting from the bottom. My LED lightbulb has a bit of play in this light's base.  Could be an issue in the future.  I could easily mod the base to be flipped over.  I didn't do that when I installed, but probably should have.  As of right now, unless I get really rough with it, I think the LED bulb will stay in place.  As mentioned, it is about 3/8 smaller in diameter and about 1/4 shorter.

The ok,

It still keeps up the same appearance and the lense is a little bit more decorative so that is good.

Next mod complete...

What could they be?





Tree kickers!  May not need them here in OK, but you never know!





I thought they turned out well!  Bolt into the holes where the deck connectors use to be! I'm pretty sure they are strong enough that I could stand on the two at the same time.  I was pressing down on one best I could, and it was not flexing but the tractor was starting to lean over.  They are made with 16-gauge 3/4 tube.

Got some more riding today, and hopefully some more tomorrow.




Did a little recording, maybe I can get something to put up a new video.

Today I'll be using the dirt track tires.

All done riding for the weekend.



I am totally sold on the tree kickers for the Sears. Can’t tell you how many times they saved my legs today from limbs being tossed up from the tires. I didn’t make big ones but they were super effective.

OK, it's time to start making some no go back decisions.

First...


Let's face it.  I'm certain Kal as we know it is done.  I've been thinking of putting the rear 5 lug hubs on The Dirty Rat replacing the 3 lug hubs.  The 2300 on Kal has been hemorrhaging oil since post 2021 Haspin.  I already have them off.  They need cleaned.  For some reason I am minus a bolt on one of the hubs. ?!?!






Not sure how well you can see the inside bore, they are pretty gooped up with oil.  Heck the whole hubs are.


Anyways, I think I WILL make this happen in the next week or so.

Second thing.


Since sliding in the hubs for the Executioners. My axle shifts look plum goofy to me now.  I'm trying to determine whether I should go ahead and chop the excess and maybe grind in a snap ring groove.  



Third, 

this one isn't a no go back item.  This one is just a fix it item.  I lost 2 bolts and blew out the silencer 2 times this weekend.  I welded a nut on it because the self-tap hole is just worn out.

Well, I did it this evening.  I pulled the trigger on the 5 bolt hubs and chopping the axle.

As you can see, I also created a grove to put in a c clip or snap ring.  I've got the c clip in there right now.  This is in addition to the locking collar.





The tree kickers are great jack stand points!

Isn't this much better...



...than this?



It was much easier to do than I thought.  I just started it up and put it into 2nd and let the grinder eat.  I checked my cutting blade and it looked to be just perfect width for the c clip and it was!  

Also, with all this riding I have been able to do these past couple months, I realized I could use a little more cutout for 1st gear.  I could get it into first, but it fell out a few times.  So, I took out my Dremel and die grinders and notched the gearshift cutout a little so 1st is now a solid shift with some wiggle room.



Now to find 4 more lug nuts and I need to get some loctite.

MightyRaze wrote:

In other news, I am going to try this chicken chow-mien tach/hour meter.



It said 5 or more winds.  I went with 14. 

I never revisited this, but 5-7 winds are plenty.  Any more and the tach gets a little confused.  It was jumping all over the place never really nailing down the rpm.  I trimmed it back to 6 and now it is pretty fluid. Hand throttle seems to run from 1500 to 3400 rpm pretty steady!

Check chart says Idle should be 1400, so I am not too far off.

@MightyRaze love those tree kickers That's something that has long since been on my mind to build, there's been a couple times I've caught a tree with my tires. one time I was going between two trees that was too narrow and the next thing I knew I was staring at the sky LOL

Not too fun to stare at the sky on a tractor. lol

Still working on the little things to make the tractor better.  I finally created and installed a lower grill brase.  It should help protect the lower grill some.



I didn't notice it earlier, but the hood just clears the newer stinger bumper.



Phew!  That's a close one!  Now on to the next thing I can see or think of.

The tree kickers are flash rusting nicely.

 

Also, my adventure rack is back on as well.  I was tired of stubbing my toe on it on the floor. LOL

Hmm... I wonder which one of those bolts are new below on the hub?