Dirty Rat - Sears

Really I’d say it just comes down to intended usage. If your planning on bigger solo or group rides with it I’d add one, if your just keeping it as more of a show type or street type rig I wouldn’t worry about it

Creepycrawler wrote:

Really I’d say it just comes down to intended usage. If your planning on bigger solo or group rides with it I’d add one, if your just keeping it as more of a show type or street type rig I wouldn’t worry about it

I did give it a possible fitment of my winch I have under the frame. It's more than 1/2 an inch too narrow for my winch. I will continue to look at this option. See if there is a "smaller" winch out there.

Iam having the same issue aswell, also want to have my winch hidden and don't need a big winch anyway.

If you find anything small let me know, most winches I find are oversized for our little dinky toys anyway

fbisurveilancevan wrote:

Iam having the same issue aswell, also want to have my winch hidden and don't need a big winch anyway.

If you find anything small let me know, most winches I find are oversized for our little dinky toys anyway

I hear ya.  I found a 750 that you could double up the cable with a pulley to double up the lbs., but it seemed to be the same size.  I figure a lot of these use the same carcass but different gear ratios.

I'm sure I could fab something up, but it is a need vs effort issue. I could also mount it in the front, heck even flip it under the bumper to hide most of it, but I really didn't want to add more length to the tractor.

MightyRaze wrote:

Another shot I made tonight with a little photoshop help!

Liked the pic so much that I made a poster of it.  Shutterfly had a sale  that allowed me to get a 22x28 poster for $15 and $6 shipping.  Walmart frame costs more than the print and shipping.  LOL



Came out amazing!

Nice ! Iwas a big fan of that pic as well.

That backlight over the engine is awesome.

So, I felt the pulley didn't fit the theme of the build.  Repainted.

Good news!  I figured out how to install the winch and still have it fit the theme.  I'll have pix when installed.  I've already had a test fit and it worked fine.  Just needed a 1" extension to the front bumper.

Pix as promised!



Now to find my wiring...  OOPS!  And the wireless remote? Uh-oh!

Both found and all finished!!

Only thing off the top of my head that I would like to change out still is the gas pedal.  I'll keep the mechanism as a whole but would like to change the pad part out to something more theme oriented.  Haven't quite figured that part out yet.  Then I will have changed enough that I'll need me a new completion video!  I'm hoping to get one of those in the works.

Well guys...

I decided to scrap the whole thing.  Hauled it to the junk yard...


NOPE!  Not that..  Here are some of my lists on building this thing.

1. Install tie rods - Did that....
   
2. install steering rod -  Yep... that's on there.
   
3. reinstall engine  -  Uh huh.... Did that a few times.
   
4. measure belt,  - Had trouble there, but that was the manufacturer's fault.
   
5. where to go from here?  (More body work?) -  Yep.  Did some of that.
   
6. new front rubber - Again, it's rolling on a set.  I also have a second set for it for more aggressive terrain!
   
7. blow it all back apart - Did that three or four times.  Did it just a month or so ago.
   
8. lock 2300 - Doc Lock for the win!  Thanks @Doc Sprocket for the destructions.
   
9. paint? - Yes and no.... Rust is good!
   
10. reassembly - Wait?  Shouldn't this just be a by-product of blow it apart?
    
11. wiring - Yep, it has some of those.
    
12. new lights - Nice LED's all around... then replaced the back because I like to smash things.
    
13. install horn - It has an oogah oogah on there.
    
14. acessories? - Made a removable rear rack... has a usb port, winch, tether kill, tach, hour meter, more things.
    
15. New Y exhaust - Yup, it has tubes that come together that pushes out hot gasses.
    
16. Continue to finish up the driveline - did that, even made some nifty belt guides.
    
17. Procrastinate some - LOADS of that.
    
18. Maybe create a foot throttle - Created one, scrapped it and made another, scrapped that one too then made yet another.
    
19. Eat a steak, maybe a burger - Several consumed over the course of the build.
    
20. figure out gas tank - used a stock one. Got it on flea-bay.
    
21. figure out rear, do I need something for a bumper? Keep the bare look of the transaxle? something else? - Decided I like my rear bare.
    
22. take a nap - Hard for me to take naps.  None taken.
    
23. Holey Pulley mod - Both pulleys are now swiss cheese.
    
24. Tree Kickers - Yep, those are nice and installed.
    

Well guys.... 

I got to say it.  the Dirty Rat is...

100% COMPLETE!!!!

Can't believe that I feel that this is 100%.  Sometimes there is always something else to think about.  I'm happy with the product and ready to Ride! . . . Some more.  




Before:


After:

Couple more photos from the weekend.

OK, no more updates from me until after the build-off for my entry.  

Cleaning in the garage and found my entry sign.  Thought I would have a before and after pic.

Before:



After:

Daughter and I are ready for our Dad/Daughter ride on the 12th!  Right now, the weather appears to be about 55-60F with about 20% chance of rain. (This will not slow me down!)

Ugh... If today's forecast holds, I may have to abort Dad/Daughter ride. The forecast has been running about 55-60 all week. Today, they are now forecasting a high of 33-37 and a winter mix. What the hey?

So, it is like 43 and raining right now. I asked my daughter, "Think you could ride in this type weather?" She said, "Yeah, if I bundle up a bit."

So... if it doesn't get icy, we will continue our quest. Now they are saying 51 degrees. Ugh, still a way out.

We're ready for Bowser and Dirty Rat's first trail rides at an actual ORV park.  Looks like it will be in the 40's tomorrow.  Going to start of the morning travel in the 20's and hope it warms fast.



Don't know about Bowser, but the Dirty Rat should come back totally trashed with mud.

UH... so this happened a few hours ago.  Shouldn't hinder tomorrow's ride.

Might even make it more interesting!

Didn't snow where we went today.  It was a good day for a great ride!

Some coverage of the day.



Here are some post ride shots of the tractor!  Brake rod has been re-attached with a new cotter pin.  Forgot I had a pull pin in there instead.  Crazy thing got knocked off while I was at the top of the hill.  I went to downshift and it was on!  I could not for the life of me get it back in gear due to speed of the downhill freefall.  I figured I had 3 options as I got faster and faster.

1 - ride it out and hope for the best maybe not get hurt
2 - use a tree to stop... Sounded like it would hurt.
3 - jump off and hope for the best... Also sounded like it would hurt.

So... Not wanting to get hurt nor destroy the tractor.  I chose option 1.  So, while on the wildest ride in my life, I would say I was hitting speeds of around 45. I was dodging trees, ruts, stumps and limbs.  About half way down, I guess I got over the fear of speeding up and dodging trees that I got into a zone.  I could tell I was going really fast, but I was thinking much clearer and was able to work up a plan to slowly without rolling turn myself more and more perpendular to the hill and finally came in to a gully that helped with the turn and was able to get the tractor pointed back uphill in that gully and evenualy stopped.  It was pretty exciting.  You ask, why not use the parking brake.  Well if you remember the murray brakes use a plate that joins the parking brake and the foot brake.  When the foot brake is disconnected, the plate rotates and parking brake is worthless.  That may be a future mod to look into, or just make sure I have split bend out cotter pins instead of hair pin style.  






Not near as dirty as I thought I would be.