Another buggy

[AGCB97]

I've started building another large project. This will be a small tractor/large ATV.

4 years ago I built a ATV side by side from scratch. It used a 1980 Renault Lecar engine and trany that I bought new. When it had gone through the family and no one else wanted to drive it, after sitting a few years, I stripped out as much usable stuff as I thought I might someday need before giving the scrap to a teen to haul to the iron yard and make a little money. My plan always was to build some sort of toy with the engine and whatever. Didn't think it would take 30 years to get started!
From this To this in 12 weeks


The fact is, I like to build things and some of them are large. In 1995 I built my 1st airplane, A Kolb Firestar 2. This was a construction kit and took about one year to complete. I flew that for over 450 hours.

The next winter after completing it I was bored and decided to build another airplane. I put a lot of time into researching the various possibilities. I wanted a plane that I could keep at home and take off from my own runway. This would save much in hanger fees and also make flying on the spur of the moment possible like I had done with my ultralight. I decided to buy plans for an all metal Zenith 601HD and build it from scratch. That was a fun project and I learned much that I never would have w/o that project. That took me nearly 12 years to complete. I first flew it in 2007. It had a 100 HP continental aircraft engine and would cruise about 100 MPH. It was slightly too fast for landing at my home strip (50' between road and tall trees and 1100' long). I would not fly anyone out of there with me and had to meet my passengers at the local airport. I only put about 75 hours on it before selling.



Then my wife wanted to finish learning to fly and I thought I could get her a little more experience with a small plane like my 1st ultralight. Plus I missed the great view. Together we built a Kolb Mark 3 from used and new parts which were picked up at various places around the country or shipped from further places. That one was finished in 2009 and I only flew it about 12 hours before gradually loosing interest in flying. I sold it also.


So although I've been building on this new buggy for about 10 months, I've been taking some pictures and hope to start a project thread here if anyone is interested in following my progress.

I enjoy looking at others projects and get lots of ideas that way.

It's great to read on this forum and others of kindred spirits building anything small or large.

Thanks for your time

Aaron

 

[Terrywerm]

Wow, when you start a project, you start a PROJECT!

 

[brino]

I've been taking some pictures and hope to start a project thread here if anyone is interested in following my progress.

Yes please, Aaron!
-brino

 

[AGCB97]

For many years I've wanted to learn a few more things that I've never done before. These include making among others

1. a center articulated vehicle (CAV)
   
2. something hydraulic using pumps, motors and cylinders
   
3. building tracks

The buggy that is being built now was to accomplish numbers 1 & 3 of these goals. Every time I look at hydraulics they just seem to be so expensive and since I don't know how or where to start I've opted out so far.

During the winter of 15/16 I began thinking and engineering in my head to build a CAV that would have 4 tracks. It would be used as a toy to get to some of the ice fishing spots that in the later part of some winters become unaccessable by 4WD SUV due to deep snow. It would also be used for some light duty skidding and to mount my 48” snow blower on and maybe a blade and might have a small dump box (2 or 3 wheel borrows size).

But the MAIN purpose for it is just to have the joy of building it!

When I built my side by side I did it as cheap as possible and although it works great even after 4 years with no problems, it probably would not fetch too much money if I decided to sell it. Having used the engine/trany, steering rack, steering column, heater assembly, WS wipers and a few other things
from the Lecar I still had $2000 in to it. The steel for the frame alone was $600. And when getting close to finish the piddle things really add up fast. For what I have in it, compared to say a Polaris Ranger, which is what I sort of patterned it after (A friend bought one for $15,000), my own design fits my usage better! I have a automotive heater (toasty warm in sub zero temperatures), safety glass windshield with windshield wipers, removable doors and 4 stroke auto engine reliability and quietness plus a 4 speed transmission instead of a belt torque converter.

Although I have most of the material to build the tracks for this new buggy (48 snowmobile bogie wheels, 32 Harbor Freight 10” OD pneumatic wheels and a roll of 12” wide belting), I decided to make it usable sooner by putting wheels on it first and possibly making the wheels and tracks interchangeable but only after getting it moving 1st.

PREPARING TO BUILD

I began looking for a front wheel drive car and was thinking of placing the engine sideways with shafts then coming out both forward and rearward. I then would have looked for 2 identical rear axels for the front and rear, turning one of them upside down to reverse the drive direction. BUT in my quest for an engine I asked a friend of mine and he had a 1985 Subaru wagon that was 4 wheel drive and even had low range. Perfect and nothing else to look for.

I had to wait for snow to go and frost to come out of the ground (the wheels were sunk in the ground and frozen there). Finally got it home with the help of his backhoe and my trailer (all the brakes were locked up too. Been sitting there for who knows how many years). I did start it before I even moved it to make sure it was OK. Brought a battery and poured some gas in the carb. STARTED RIGHT UP.

I removed the engine/trany assembly and some other stuff before putting it out in the snow for the winter. I want to make use of as much as I can from the car so as not to have to buy it.

STARTING TO BUILD

I started by what I call floor engineering. I block up the engine on the floor at the ground clearance that I want and then with a chalk marker draw lines on the floor to simulate the size of the frame and make measurements to obtain an idea of size.


Then I build a mock up wooden frame to check out how things will be before I start cutting metal.




I saw right off the bat that the original u-joint at the rear trany output was not going to work for the sharp angle I was expecting it to be at during full turn. After thinking about how I might add a center support with an additional u-joint and not coming up with a satisfactory solution, I came upon the idea of replacing that u-joint with a front axel constant velocity joint like a front wheel drive car has at the wheel. Perusing EBAY yielded a new complete Ford front axel for $50.

I cut and machined the slip yoke of the Subaru driveshaft and cut off the axel stub from the axle and welded them together. Here the yoke is being turned on my 1920 Springfield Ideal Lathe.


The finished joint


Now it was time to begin building the engine part (front) of the frame. I had decided on using 2"x 3" 14 gauge tubing for the frame This was all TIG welded with a recently purchased AHP Alpha TIG 200 welder. Compared to welding aluminum, steel is a piece of cake with TIG and no slag or sparks to clean off..




Thanks for looking! Much more to come.

Aaron

 

[Dave Smith]

Aaron----wow our dream projects are almost identical----I have been saving parts for a center articulated 4 wheel drive utility vehicle that will have a snowblower--a loader--a boom ---a blade---and lots of hydraulics and pneumatics---a downright handy shop and yard buddy----wish we lived closer to work on them together and share supplies-----I have been saving a Fiat 600 motor and tranny for over 40 years---a 92 Suzuki 16 valve 4cyl motor and parts for about 15 years and some John Deere 2-cyl LUC motors for 7 years--------I've got all the metal I need, so I better get started on something this year before I forget my plans----will be watching your progress with much enthusiasm---Dave

 

[brino]

Outstanding write up, with a great set of pictures!
Aaron, thanks! It is really appreciated.

-brino

 

[AGCB97]

TOOLING UP

When I started planning to build this thing a year ago, I thought about how I was going to be able to fabricate some of the stuff. I had always wanted a lathe since I took machine shop in high school but it was never a priority expenditure. I had been a mechanic for 30 years (auto, truck, motorcycle and 6x6) and in 96 switched to self employed builder/carpenter. So for those trades I had all the tools and equipment and a nice wood shop & mechanic shop.

I started looking for a lathe not really knowing what I wanted but found one on Craigslist in Lower Michigan and began a conversation with the seller. Seems he was sort of buying/selling machinery on the side and in talking to him about a Atlas lathe that he had, found out he also had other stuff!

To make a long story short, I became interested in a Johnson band saw and Bridgeport mill that he had. I ended up buying the lathe and band saw from him but found a better, newer mill not too far away. So on that trip (in-laws live near Pontiac, 500 miles from me) I came home with an overloaded trailer with 3 machines. I soon decided that the Atlas lathe was too small for what I wanted to do and was back to perusing Craigslist.

In August my cousin Ted who has a nice heavy equipment trailer and 1 ton truck helped me get a 1920 Springfield Ideal Lathe (over 2 tons) home from western Wisconsin. Now this is what I wanted! It came very well equipped with much tooling and in good condition. Ted also has a heavy loader so was able to lift it off the trailer and put it into my shop.


We don't have a Harbor Freight around here so I always have a list when I get to the bigger cities. I've picked up a 20 ton shop press, 4” grinders, belt/disk sander and other things. I would not buy Harbor Freight tools to make my living with but for limited use by a DIY they fit the bill and budget if you watch and research them first.

The TIG welder had been purchased not long before all this began.

The mechanic shop has turned into a machine shop and I wish it were bigger (I've never heard anyone say their shop is too big but there might be such a crass fellow out there somewhere!). I've told my wife that I'm done building buildings. But possibly an addition??? I do have a surface grinder due to arrive in April and it will completely fill the shop.

So not all this equipment is necessary to build the buggy but I've found that I like doing machining very much!

Thanks again for looking
Aaron

 

[FOMOGO]

Well, I guess between Aaron and Dave, we better stock up on the popcorn. Should be fun following along. When I was in the Netherlands last year I saw several very cool, small articulating 4-wheel drive units that they used in the old metro areas, where access was limited. I'll see if I can find some pics. Mike

 

[FOMOGO]

Here you go. Aaron, pretty country up by you, had a girlfriend from Iron Mnt. and used to go up there from time to time back in the 70's. Seems I recall they had some issues with old mines collapsing and sections of road disappearing around that time. Cheers, Mike

 

[AGCB97]

back in the 70's. Seems I recall they had some issues with old mines collapsing and sections of road disappearing around that time. Cheers, Mike
View attachment 228544

Yes, the main highway fell in once but I it was before then cause I didn't see it or was too young. I graduated in 70.

That looks much smaller than my buggy will.

Aaron