MightyRaze - Red Bandit

The booster fan is kind of not ideal for the transverse engine setup. The one on budgie liked to eat my shoe with the clutch pushed in. Even the screen on the wheel horse rubs the clutch pedal lightly when the frame is flexed right. The engine had to be just about as far over as it could be to get the belt in line.

Now that I think of it, @Wheelinhorse may have had a short shroud on the oppy on the B1 bomber, he didnt seem to have the engine as close to the clutch pedal as I do with mine. That engine does have a billet flywheel though, and he does have to run an oil cooler to stop from cooking the oil in the summer.

RichieRichOverdrive wrote:

The booster fan is kind of not ideal for the transverse engine setup. The one on budgie liked to eat my shoe with the clutch pushed in. Even the screen on the wheel horse rubs the clutch pedal lightly when the frame is flexed right. The engine had to be just about as far over as it could be to get the belt in line.

Now that I think of it, @Wheelinhorse may have had a short shroud on the oppy on the B1 bomber, he didnt seem to have the engine as close to the clutch pedal as I do with mine. That engine does have a billet flywheel though, and he does have to run an oil cooler to stop from cooking the oil in the summer.

LOL I ate my shoe on the kohler flywheel screen within the first few minutes riding it!

I do tend to use @Wheelinhorse 's rig as the bar to achieve.

(Imagine sad fiddles) Dearest kohler You will be missed you're long life has brought joy and tears alike. Now you may rest in pieces little guy. But jokes aside that oppy should wake it up nicely

That's the plan, but I was really dragging my feet to do so. Poor kohler could be revived but need a complete workover. In the end, it chugged to a stop then belched an oil/gas mix out the carb. Piston is getting wobbly. She's knocking. Not sure if I changed the rings when I had to change the busted rod last winter. I'm sure compression is passing by into block and pushing oil wherever it can. Up the fuel pump I'm guessing, probably why the sump gasket is weeping now as well as the governor cover.

Red Bandit is 100% going to Haspin this year. We are planning on a 3rd family member riding and Red Bandit is their ride. SO.... I need to get in gear and get it trail ready like NOW. Kohler will take too long to rebuild as it needs more than just a simple overhaul.

In with the briggs and finish building it in the tractor. Need to switch the ignition from points to magneto. Easy enough.

MightyRaze wrote:

Red Bandit is 100% going to Haspin this year.  We are planning on a 3rd family member riding and Red Bandit is their ride.   SO.... I need to get in gear and get it trail ready like NOW.  Kohler will take too long to rebuild as it needs more than just a simple overhaul.

In with the briggs and finish building it in the tractor.  Need to switch the ignition from points to magneto.  Easy enough.

All I can say is WOW!. That's one beautiful beast right there. Wish mine looked like that! Why not leave it points and adapt an MSD to it? 🥴

The turning back point has been crossed...



Almost burned the whole thing down in the process. Didn't notice I knocked the choke cable into the + post on the battery. Section discolored was glowing red like an Eddison light. Right under a 1/2 full gas tank. Smelled like burning candles.



Here is a more accurate representation of where I am going. All the ignition wiring pulled. Now to find my magneto style switch and wire it up for the Briggs.



That is all the progress for today. Tomorrow hopefully rewired and throttle/choke reconnected. Fuel is reconnected.



The new regulator the Kohler had was already starting to leak. Not sure if bad quality or bad alternator in the kohler.

OH, and one more thing. When I took the belt off, the transaxle pulley almost fell off too. Apparently, I forgot Loctite on the set screw and it is literally hanging by a thread.

No wiring today, I didn't realize I used my extra key switch on Bowser earlier this year. Had to order a new one, should be here friday, but we are expecting storms (maybe tornados) starting tomorrow through Saturday. Hopefully just some rain.

I did finish shoring up the engine in place. Made some ears for the flywheel side engine mounts.



I have removed them. Painted the same red as the frame and reinstalled. I don't have a pic of that.

Ifitaintbroke wrote:

All I can say is WOW!. That's one beautiful beast right there. Wish mine looked like that! Why not leave it points and adapt an MSD to it? 🥴

I just realized what you said.  The briggs engine is a magnetron coil engine. The kohler was a points system.  My key switch is what I was talking about needing to change out because they are not the same type of switch.

The finished product of the ears for the flywheel side of the engine.

Looks great mighty! Oppys are a perfect fit for these tractors. How close did the clutch pedal wind up to the flywheel?

RichieRichOverdrive wrote:

Looks great mighty! Oppys are a perfect fit for these tractors. How close did the clutch pedal wind up to the flywheel?

Not much different than the Kohler. I will have to bring the lower idler back into play as I got my 1" bore pulley today and the belt with the briggs is right on the foot brace rod.

Had some time wasted. ..... time to reset.

A day later...

Soon to test...

Oh yeah, 21mph! Up from the 15 the kohler did.

@MightyRaze looks good, I love the header it sounds nice

MightyRaze wrote:

Oh yeah, 21mph!  Up from the 15 the kohler did.

Wow, was the kohler really struggling that much on the top end? Or governed lower?

It was struggling a little, but I'm sure at least 4mph was the governor.  Kohler only could get 3200-3240rpm.  I haven't checked, my battery is dead on my hand tach, but I feel the Briggs is raking in about 3800-4k.  I did make that point where valve float hit.  

Now ya just need a trailer of coors and you’re ready for Haspin!

Finished up my muffler build. I think it came out pretty well. The exhaust I had on Green Machine was unfinished. Now it is on Red Bandit. It was open where the 2 to 1. That has been sealed, booger welded but good. Also a new more correct (possible spark arresting) baffle made.



Now I just need some heat paint and I'll be good.

Couple more little updates.

My hub on the left rear keeps sliding in, but never out thankfully.  So I fabbed up a spacer out of PVC.  Used a thrust washer from the old MST so it doesn't rub into the end of the axle shaft.



I also installed a tach/temp that I am checking out.  



Seems to work well.  Time will tell if it holds up.  A few reviews say the waterproof does not work.  Most say it does.  We will see on that.  The temp sensor on this model fits under the spark plug.  There is a version with an oil sensor.  That may have worked well too.

Changing out the exhaust on the Red Bandit.  What I had was from Green Machine and the tire hit it when sharp right turn with right front tire lift.









Yes I cut out the smaller pipe out (pic 1) for the larger one for better flow.




The end product will be a lot like Dirty Rat.

MightyRaze wrote:

Couple more little updates.

My hub on the left rear keeps sliding in, but never out thankfully.  So I fabbed up a spacer out of PVC.  Used a thrust washer from the old MST so it doesn't rub into the end of the axle shaft.



I also installed a tach/temp that I am checking out.  



Seems to work well.  Time will tell if it holds up.  A few reviews say the waterproof does not work.  Most say it does.  We will see on that.  The temp sensor on this model fits under the spark plug.  There is a version with an oil sensor.  That may have worked well too.

Tach looks nice. By oil sensor, you mean oil level, right? Your oppy is splash, isn't it?