[c] [24] Mighty's Marshal

Rear tires are delayed for the 4th time.  Yee haw.

Interesting the white Teflon tape I buy is Mil-spec rated for gas and oil.  I have used it frequently on this exact same repair without any issues.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

Interesting the white Teflon tape I buy is Mil-spec rated for gas and oil.  I have used it frequently on this exact same repair without any issues.

This one I put on is suppose to be gas/oil safe and it's a yellowish/tanish color.  The white tape I had was cheap walmart stuff.  I used it on a gasoline fitting once and it dissolved on me.

Yesterday it was putting out a drip every 10-15 minutes.  I am 12 hours in and no drips or even weeping.  Hopefully it's still good after a few heat cycles.

Yay tires finally made it this morning!

I'll get them mounted later and if I get my belt guide finished, I'll take a pic of completed phase 1.

> I know gas will dissolve plumbers tape fairly quickly.

I usually use the yellow for natural gas, but, I have found the white RTV$ for hydraulic pressure lines works fairly well. I know the RTV for water pumps is some fairly resistant stuff to just about everything. Though with steel NPT threads, I would not be be adverse to wrapping in anything thin and soft such as lead or cooper. I usually do not have cooper around except in pipes and 1# blocks.

What I have done in the past, after well cleaning everything, is goop up the threads with red or black RTV, install it, and wait 24 hours before using. That has solved some problem leaks from bolts and pipes. Only caution is when using for a sensor that relies on the ground from the threads.

So far so good with the thread tape for now.  Here is a little TREAT for your viewing pleasure!

That looks beautiful, I like the ground clearance. What my charcoal Craftsman dreams about growing up into :-D Nice you could match the treads front and back.

Looking real sharp mighty!

#MarshalChecklist

Phase 2 plans:

• Front bumper  REQUIRED!  Don't want to mess up my front grill. 
  
• Like=Winch (not sure I need bumper lights, the LED replacements in the hood are GREAT)
  
• Skid Plate
  
• Permanent idler mount
  
• Like=Tree Kickers.
  
• Has to happen: Rear trunk/bumper of sorts. (ammo box)/hitch
  
• Tether Kill - REQUIRED
  
• Horn
  
• Rubber cap replacement for parking brake rod.  Little sharp without.
  
• Holey Pulley mod
  
• Foot throttle
  
• hood latch
  
• fender handles
  

I failed to mention the other day when I did get it out, top speed was 14mph @ 3000 rpm.

-updated feb/6/2023 - marked off list items.
-updated feb/12/2023 - marked off and added info

AYE!  Cheapest I see for the those rubber caps is $5 for a hundred of them!  Aye... what to do if I get for the other 99....



4$ for 20.

Found 50 for $2.  I'm sure I'll figure something out for the other 49.

> Rubber cap replacement for parking brake rod.

If you mean the one you pull up on the console, how about using an automotive silicon vacuum cap? You can get them in all sorts of colors. I stock the black ones in various sizes for various purposes besides closing vacuum lines. Which I prefer to use a rubber hose-bolt-two clamps anyway.

Not a bad idea!

MightyRaze wrote:

Found 50 for $2.  I'm sure I'll figure something out for the other 49.

Sounds like me with those O rings for kohler command carbs! i only needed one, had to buy a hundred for $5! I've just been giving them away here and there lol.

Ditto on the vacuum caps, you can usually get an assortment for a few bucks at auto parts stores. A lot of machining cutters also come in little plastic tubes with those caps on them. They're used pretty universally.

Ugh...

So the whole day has been spent on a failed belt system.  I am throwing it in 3rd when I make a turn.  I have successfully bent up, not the rod guide, but the flatstock guide.  I need to stop and reset and redo.  Figure out what is needed.  I figured it out once with the hotrod craftsman.

Now jumping both belt guides.  Ugh...

Did a lot of studying what I had done in the past that worked vs what I have now.  While I am not sure of the issue with the rear pulley, the engine pulley the V is too shallow I think.  For the RPM that I am turning the belt, I think it needs to be a little deeper.  As for the rear... contemplating putting stock back on rear and going up to a 8 on the engine.  Then again, I have also contemplated dropping the speed and front pulley.  Not sure.  I would like to keep some travel speed.

Little frustrated, just need to sleep on it.

I think I have decided to go back to the original trans pulley and go down to a 6 inch on the engine.  Both ways is a 1 inch change.  I will re-introduce the alignment pulley for between the clutch and engine.  I'm pretty certain that will drop me to about 10mph, but I will still be happy with that.

I'll see about these changes this weekend.  Going to have to pull the fenders and drop the transaxle to do so.  Yee haw, lots of work to do so.  No bigs though.

I have started some Phase 2 things.


Horn installed: 




Fender Handles:



Tether Kill...



Down for a belt issue but not out!

Original pulley reinstalled on the trans, but I think I am going to continue the large one the engine, put in a belt alignment idler on the pull side of the belt like a Murray has.

My pulley swap on the trans was a fail.  The pulley I had that I could drill out the hub was smaller than the last one I did. It also had thinner metal flange.  It started to fail due to the thinness, then to be drilled on top of that in the thin part.  If I find another pulley with a smaller inner cutout (mandrel pulley), I may try again in the future.

Excellent, I think I am on the right track again.  Original pulley returned but I kept the large engine pulley! Still pretty peppy, I'm guessing around 12@3000rpm. I'll nail that out soon after I get the right belt.

New guides.  No pix at this time.  I'll get them soon.  Guides are even simpler than it was.  The wrap around guide is gone.  I don't need a transaxle guide much like stock, but I may put one on as I have one for the original pulley size.

I rode it around for a bit with no real issues other than by going to the larger pulley I needed a larger belt.  I was able to test with a 91".  I pretty sure it needs a 90".  SO CLOSE.

The even more simplistic belt guides that seem to be working fine, as well as an idler to help with the larger engine pulley.





Debating if I need to make it out of a thicker gauge metal for that idler.  Right now for testing purposes, and it seems fine.  Only concern, should I ever ride like the guys in the NE I would need a way to protect it probably.  It's pretty concealed behind the tire, but maybe just in case.  Something to look at should I have a phase 3 on this build.

If it was me, I would definitely put a skid plate under and around the idler good enough to support the tractor weight, probably 1/4", along with a splash shield in front and back to deflect any direct mud, water, and sand from being splashed up on it.

I have been high centered enough in my small 4x4 trucks to know tree roots and rocks seem to find the lowest hanging anything between the axles. I used to run my exhaust, dual, and run one side down each side between the frame and body (3" body lift) out the back over the bumper, to avoid crushing the exhaust off road, especially when buried frame deep in snow.

I have seen sticks go some pretty strange places that did not have skid plates :-D

Per rules, the Marshal is complete.

Build-Off Rules wrote:

7.) Must be "complete" by deadline date. The purpose of this rule is not only to define completeness for the contest, but to help ensure safety. Paint and related aesthetic touches are not mandatory to qualify as "complete" but may affect voting. For clarification, "Remote" specifically means "The ability to operate without touching engine". For our purposes, "complete" means:

• Starts,
  
  
• Runs
  
  
• Drives under its own power.
  
  
• Throttle must be installed and operable remotely (without operator touching engine).
  
  
• Kill switch must be installed and operable without operator touching engine.
  
  
• Engine must start with a switch of some type or be pull-start.
  
  
• Braking system must be installed and functional.
  
  
• Steering system must be installed and functional.
  

Here is a couple glamour shots.









Video to follow tonight or tomorrow.


This concludes phase 1.  Now to get busy on the funest part and most creative.  Building things from scratch to add to the build to make it tougher and better!

MightyRaze wrote:

This concludes phase 1.  Now to get busy on the funest part and most creative.  Building things from scratch to add to the build to make it tougher and better!

Not to make it sound like Phase 1 wasn't fun. Phase one is the harder part especially when you change the way the tractor operates like raising the engine and pully swapping. Sometimes those big items can cause a domino effect on other parts of the tractor. Sometimes annoying, but that is part of the fun of the build. Got to have a roller coaster ride in there somewhere!

Phase 2 is well underway.  Not sure if you noticed the hood popping up and down in the last video, but that has now been resolved!





Also, no more skinning the back of my hand on the parking brake rod!




On a side note, looks like an updated Windows 11 machine can now rotate images right there in file explorer with a right-click. Left or Right Rotate Image. Excellent, no more pulling into paint or photoshop.