[Mountain Man]

Hey folks, I've done a little more to my pow'r pup since my last post.Here is a link to the initial build.
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=147017
Since then I have installed a 13hp harbor freight engine (it was a good bang for the buck). It has electric start and is a step up from the 5 hp briggs that I origanally had.

With the 5 hp engine, I had some issues with the GM power steering pump I was using for my hydraulics.The motor was stalling and was really getting pulled down when the hitch was being operated. The hydraulic pressure was only building 500 psi. So I decided to run a belt with the new engine ( rather than a direct drive) so I could change the gear ratio.

I started with a 2.5 " pulley on the engine and mocked up a pump.

I used a 5" pulley on the pump. I also figured if I was running a belt that I would add an alternator. I added a remote resivior to the pump for some extra fluid capacity.

Here are pics of the pump/alternator bracket and everything lined up and installed.

I had to put my beer down to make sure everything lined up right and it worked.:trink40:There is also pics of how the engine looks now.I will be mounting a battery tray and making the sheetmetal soon.

 

[Mountain Man]

Here are some pics of what it looked like before the make over.

This is what it looks like now.

I think it looks a little more beefy.

 

[dmorrill22]

MM, I was just thinking about this yesterday. Glad to see you've worked on it, it sure looks nice! Can't wait to see what you work out for sheetmetal.

 

[Dude11]

Well Mountain Man,after going back & reading your first thread & then this update;I can only state with a clear conscience;Just ****!! Who needs a store bought when you can engineer,fabricate,cut,and weld up one yourself.What a talent.I really enjoy the "made from" pieces like bike bars,pedals,old bolts,etc.It's like a good book--can't wait till the next chapter. My only regret is that we can't see it first hand.By your lead sir,do carry on.:congrats::congrats:

 

[DonF]

Glad to see you have the new engine installed and have solved your hydraulic problems. Like the alternator. I might have to borrow that idea. My project has turned into a 2012 model also hope we will be finished before they get another year newer. :thThumbsU

 

[blountsvilledude]

I have been watching your build for some time. I wish you would make a sketch of the deminsions of your three point hitch. I am pretty good at building to someone elses drawings but not very good at trial and error. I started a powr pup last year and once I got the front finished I stopped on it and started another project. A friend of mine built a small tractor from a cub 100 and it inspired me to build a similiar one from a simplicity GT.

Rusty

 

[DonF]

I have been watching your build for some time. I wish you would make a sketch of the deminsions of your three point hitch. I am pretty good at building to someone elses drawings but not very good at trial and error. I started a powr pup last year and once I got the front finished I stopped on it and started another project. A friend of mine built a small tractor from a cub 100 and it inspired me to build a similiar one from a simplicity GT.

Rusty

Here is Ray's three point hitch.

http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=127024

Ray put some dimensions in this post.

http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=169248

 

[Mountain Man]

Thanks for all the great comments guys. I have really been having fun building this project and i enjoy building stuff from scrap/scratch. It gets my pride going good.

The hitch was a copy from Rays design on the R/T tractor but you may want to build it to fit your application.

Don I'll tell you what...It seems every time I think I'm done with a project, I tear back into it and work some more. I hope I have this done by spring so I can play in the garden.raying:

I will have some more pics soon.

 

[Mountain Man]

Here are some pics of the battery tray and the drivetrain. I decided to use an automotive battery because of the alternator and I come across more good automotive batteries than I do small lawn tractor batteries.

I have threaded rods on either side of the battery for a bar to hold down the battery(that is not in the pic).Battery cables are made and installed.I will relocate and install the key switch in the dash once it's made. A support was also made to hold my hydraulic resivour. I used some pipe and hose clamps for that.

Here's another pic of the drivetrain.

Sheet metal coming next.

 

[Mountain Man]

Here are some pics of my hood. I am making the hood and dash out of some old metal shelves that I got from a guy that was headed to the scrap yard. I origanally was going to use an old farmall hood (that I saw at a tractor show for a reason price) but could not bring my self to cutting it up. I lack some sheet metal skills but this will give me some practice and I can't expect anyone else to do it for me.

I used 2x4's and a vise to bend the metal over.
The piece next to the hood is the grill.
The hole was cut for the hydrualic resivior to come through (a tad to tall).

I made a hinge kit to mount the hood. One half is getting welded to the engine plate and the other half bolted to the hood. The red piece acts as a big washer to help keep the bolts from pulling through the sheet metal.

The hood is mounted and the grill welded in.Everything seems to fit well and the dash will be made next. I will also be thinking of how I want to mount lights and how to cut the grill to get some air flow. The exhaust also will need some attention but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

 

[DonF]

Looks good, I like it. Are you going to cut out part of the grill and add some expanded metal.

 

[dmorrill22]

Certainly an interesting hood. I like it too. I would cut two big circles in the front of the hood for headlights, and put some expanded metal below it as Don suggested.

 

[Mountain Man]

When you guys say expanded metal, are you talking about some strips of metal that come out a little(sort of 3d)? I haven't decided what i'll do yet.

 

[Kbeitz]

 

[DonF]

You can also get expanded metal flatten that is what I used on my grill.

 

[Mountain Man]

Ah hey, That was what I was kind of thinking and I just might have some in my scrap pile. Thanks for the replies.

 

[bentonkb]

Your Pow'r Pup is fantastic! I made one a few years ago and posted a website about the project: http://tinyurl.com/littlebluetractor
The web page has a link to a YouTube video and a copy of a picture that showed up in Family Handyman magazine.
Between the webpage, video, and magazine, I've gotten a lot of emails from people showing me the Pow'r Pups that they built or that their dad built back in the '60s. Yours is by far the nicest example.
My next project is a rebuild of the three point hitch to make the plow work better. When I adapted the Sears hitch I didn't realize how important it was to get the top and bottom links near the same length and to keep them near parallel to each other.

Keep up the good work, I'm all ears . . .
Keith

 

[Mountain Man]

Your Pow'r Pup is fantastic! I made one a few years ago and posted a website about the project: http://tinyurl.com/littlebluetractor
The web page has a link to a YouTube video and a copy of a picture that showed up in Family Handyman magazine.
Between the webpage, video, and magazine, I've gotten a lot of emails from people showing me the Pow'r Pups that they built or that their dad built back in the '60s. Yours is by far the nicest example.
My next project is a rebuild of the three point hitch to make the plow work better. When I adapted the Sears hitch I didn't realize how important it was to get the top and bottom links near the same length and to keep them near parallel to each other.

Keep up the good work, I'm all ears . . .
Keith

Thanks for the response. I watched your video a couple times when starting my project and with every homemade tractor video I watched, it inspired me that much more to build one myself.:thanku:


Here are some pics of the dash.I started with the sides. I cut templates from cardboard, traced, cut, and bent some metal.

Then added the center brace.

Then trimmed it up.

After trimming and some test fitting, I added some gussets.

I mounted it down and made the dash panel to stick my key switch and throttle in.

I still have to hook up a choke cable/mechanism and a volt guage or "idiot light" for my alternator. I'm trying to figure the alternator part out and might pic your guys brains a little.I have the big battery wire ran from the alternator to the battery.The alternator has a 2 wire plug.I ran the red (pin #2) wire to B+. The brown (pin #1) go's to the idiot light and then to a switched 12v. My problem is that my key switch dosen't have a switched 12v.It only has a switched ground to shut the motor down. I don't want to have run it to a constant 12v or it will drain the battery and I really don't want to run a separate switch but it may be the only way. I'm open for suggetions.

 

[DonF]

I believe you will have to separate the two electrical systems and used a toggle switch to kill the engine. Use the battery and alternator system for starting and recharging the battery and for lights. Using a different switch that will cut off the power to the battery on the new alternator/starting system.

 

[dmorrill22]

I don't fully understand your electrical situation, but I'm 99% sure you could use a 12v relay with the key switch to solve the problem.