All posts by Rob

Terra Jet Page 4 ( the Frame Part 2)

Jan 19 2015:
Onward like we know what we are doing…

Today we did a compression test on the cylinders.  The results were good..  110 psi in both.  not the best but good.   We decided to fire up the motor again and see how well it would run with a gas tank.  I had the GoPro ready but pushed the wrong button..  so once again no video.   🙁   We ran it for a good minute and had to stop the gas flow to shut it down…  Then tried to start it again… nope. It’s flooding very easy.   Once the carb kit is in and the carb adjusted good that should not be a problem.   So I went back to reassembling the drive line and hooking the controls up.

Finished trans, clutch & brake
Finished trans, clutch & brake

Here’s the Transmission all done and secondary  drive, disc brake too.   I need a castle nut for the brake adjustment, but everything works good..

It bothered Dave that we could not re-start the motor…  So he wanted another try.   With this run the transmission is installed.

http://youtu.be/eHg8oGu8u5E

Here’s the promised video..  I think the belt is just a tad too wide..  it can stall the motor when you apply the brake.  Otherwise everything is working great.. as it’s supposed too.

Work has been slow as I think about the cables and try to find some ambition.

Brake & Throttle Cables
Brake & Throttle Cables

Got it..  Just a bit more welding and I’ll paint the frame..

I’ve also been working on the front hubs..  just to do something else.  They are all done now.  Cleaned re-greased and painted.

Front Hubs
Front Hubs

These are three times bigger and heavier that most Quads..  In fact these could work on a farm tractor..  The U-joints are the same as on my rear PTO on the tractor..  I can see how one could install locking hubs too.  Something to think about for the Jet I’m keeping.

Meanwhile back at the FRAME:
Improved Frame
Improved Frame

I’ve welded more seat support , a battery holder and new nuts inside the rear axle case.   Now it’s paint time.

Bottom painted
Bottom painted

Here’s the underside with a coat of Por15.  It’s a very hard frame paint for cars.  Not sure if this is better that good ole rust  paint..  After all the Terra Jet frame is protected inside the tub..  But water may be there too.. so. We’ll see.    Everything I do to this Jet is a test to see what will work the best..

Top side
Top side

All done now… And I’m reserving judgment till it’s cured.

Axles & Sprockets
Axles & Sprockets

I was in a painting mood.. so I got some of the other bits painted too.  And I turned some attention to the front steering.

Steering Boots ?
Steering Boots ?

Axle Tubes ?  Don’t know what to call them, and when you look in the Terra Jet parts catalog… they don’t either.  Suffice to say they hold the bearings and are an outside extension of the frame.  The steering pivots on these..   So yes they are very important.  The one on the left has one of the original collette’s still in place..  The rest are 1/2 ” nuts welded on !  What a mess.  No good…  I want to make new collette’s and have set screws to lock the bolts instead of someones holes with bent nails through them..  GEEZ.   These pivots need to be strong with a good surface area.  Think of the forces on here..   Continued on page 5

Terra Jet Page 5…  The Re-Assembly

 

Terra Jet Page 3 (the Frame)

Jan 1 2015:  

New years resolution…  to finish the Terra Jet..  for now..

The frame is a very important part of the Terra Jet puzzle.  Everything but the steering linkage is on the frame.  With a bit of welding you could add that too.  Then you could go cruising around no problem..  The tub is basically just the bottom of the body.. and the “boat” part too.  It’s a very cool design overall, and has stood the test of time.  I will be experimenting with a few “improvements” of my own, such as better pedals, linkage and a center floor board.

Seat position
Seat position

Here’s the frame up on jack stands ..with the steering wheel attached.  I’m testing the seating position.  Turns out a bench seat straight across will work best.  I was concerned that the steering wheel would be too far away for comfort.  And was considering a middle seat that was forward more.  Not necessary.

Old pedals
Old pedals

Also the pedals… these are just wrong!  However right foot braking will be necessary due to the narrowness of that part of the tub.  So a pedal on each side of the steering shaft.  But a better design, and just a bit closer to the seat.  The steel plate is just there to rest my heels on.  Plans do include a floor across this part of the frame.

Seat and Shifter
Seat and Shifter

Also turns out this is a good place for the shifter.  So I need to keep it here and I want to have the choke and key switch in this location too. Now it’s time to remove the unwanted stuff and weld on new stuff.

Control Freak:

I spent hours looking through my scrap metal and thinking about how to rig a better pedal set up.  I wanted them to be comfortable and the brake pedal to have good leverage.  I wanted the throttle pedal to be adjustable.  And both to have the leavers go down between the frame tubes.  I believe I have done all that!

Pedal set up
Pedal set up

looks a bit complicated..  If you took away the steering shaft maybe not so.  Yes ! I used an old brake pedal from a lawn tractor.  Upside down from the way it would be on the tractor..

Pedals
Pedals

View from the other side.. you can see the adjustments I have for the throttle pedal to make it comfortable.  The sheet of metal you see represents the floor and where it will come too.   So that should be fine..  But they have to hook up to the things they control.   So I figured I better mount the motor and the transmission and get all the linkages proper.  May have to weld more bits & pieces to the frame.   It’s looking like a cable would be better for the throttle.

The 340 CC motor.
Rupps / Kohler motor
Rupps / Kohler motor

Well here it is in place on the frame..  seams like a good place to work on it.  The Carb is off and the covers too.  The pull start and fan cover are missing.   I’m planning on making new ones..  because finding those would be hard.

Back of motor
Back of motor

This is a snowmobile motor !  Air cooled ,  high RPM , but very simple.  I hope the carb works good.  Before we get carried away though we need a few tests on the motor like we did with the BAZOO.   There needs to be good compression in both cylinders for the motor to run proper..  So that’s the first thing to check.   And spark !  won’t run without spark.

Tillotson carb
Tillotson carb

Here’s the Tillotson carb ready for a bath and inspection.   It was amazingly clean.  And the motor too…  I’m thinking it wasn’t very long ago that this ran.   Optimism builds.

Cone Clutch
Cone Clutch

Attached to the motor is of coarse the clutch..  this is an interesting one.  When I pulled the cover off I see there is these four plastic / weighted thingys..  I forget what they are called..  When the motor speeds up the weighted “Things”  push the two halves together engaging the belt.   Typical snowmobile stuff.   But usually they are metal rollers..  Hmmm.  This is very rusty and in need of lubrication..  Badly.  So I hope it will work.  I cleaned it the best I could and greased up the sliders.  Put it back together.

Jan 12 th :

Clean Motor
Clean Motor

Dave came over today so we could run the motor..   We could not get it to run for more than a minute… just whatever gas was in the carb.  But it fired right up…  so Thinking if we had a gas tank and proper adjustment of the carb.. away it would go..  I forgot to get a video to prove it.. so take my word.   But we now know that the motor will run..  I also found a throttle cable in my bike parts.  So that’s one of the next things to do.

The Transmission :

Same transmission as the Bazoo..  So I’m very familiar with this..   And like the Bazoo it works fine..  But the silicone job joining the two halves is poor and leaking.   So once Dave helped me get the secondary clutch disc off the shaft I was able to do a clean and Re & Re on it..

Cleaned Tranny
Cleaned Tranny

Is that clean or what..  I took my big sander to the two halves and flattened the surfaces good..  With better gasket stuff should be no more leaks.  Also the end of the change lever that rides in a grove was warn a bit so I built it back up with the welder and got a better fit.  These transmissions are tough..   This one is very old but works like new.

Like New
Like New

Ta Da…  Ready for installing..  after I put the secondary drive back.

Long Enough…. Continued on Page 4

Here’s the other Pages:
Page 1
Page 2

 

 

Terra Jet 400E Page 2 (The Tub)

November 30 2014:

Cleaning & Repairing…

Today I took the frame and axles to the wash bay and degreased them..  nice and clean now..  makes it a bit easier to finish taking them apart.  Did not clean the tub..because  I’ve decided to replace most of the bottom of the tub. Front and back too..  Just too many holes and thin beat-up metal..   So I’ve ordered a 4×8 sheet of 16 gauge steel.  this is a bit thicker than the factory 18 Gauge of the tub..  I used this same steel to make a hood for the Kubota F2400 mower that I restored.  Got to bend it with a torch because it’s too thick to use the bender.  But it will be easier to weld than the 18 gauge.

Lots of holes
Lots of holes

Holes like this will be gone..  the 16 gauge will take more beating on the bottom than the thinner stuff.

Sheet of 16 gauge steel
Sheet of 16 gauge steel

Here it is.. nice and new , no rust..  I use the jig saw with a fine tooth metal blade..  makes a nice cut.

Rear drive cover
Rear drive cover

Well it’s more of a bump.. and it hangs down under the body, one front one rear..   This is where the chain sprockets live.. and this is the rear one and it’s in good shape so I’ll save it.  The front one needs a rebuild… is full of holes.

Bend at the rear
Bend at the rear

This is the rear of the bottom.. and under the striker is the place to cut out for the rear bump.  We have also bent a 1″ lip to the correct angle for the rear piece to weld to.

Tacking the new bottom on
Tacking the new bottom on

Now you can see what I’m up to… and how much of the bottom I’m replacing.  Lots !  I need to weld as much as I can then flip the tub over and cut out the “unneeded ” old  metal.   That will take some patience..  I did not want to remove much of the old bottom so as to keep the form & dimensions.    When the tub sits flat on the floor “like in the photo” the shape will be intact too.  From the factory the tub was in just two pieces, and a press was used to put those bumps in for the chain runs..  And other bends too..  Can’t work that way ..so we’ll now have three pieces, and my front bump out will be welded.

Almost done bottom
Almost done bottom

The Bottom is 90 % welded in place now .. And I’ve cut away what was left of the rear..

Old & new rear Panels
Old & new rear Panels

Here’s the new rear panel next to what’s left of the old one. Quite a difference !  I may be going through this process a second time with the other Terra Jet.  As tough as these Jet’s are.. this is one weakness. 18 gauge steel is just too thin.  16 gauge is not very much heavier, but I feel it will take more beating before failing.   Another weakness is those aluminum bearing hubs..  We actually got the one out of the front left housing  INTACT. !  Wow.

New rear panel
New rear panel

Here’s the new panel for the rear of the Jet.. all welded up.. just needs grinding.

New axle holes
New axle holes

Here’s one ..the rear one .. of the axles holes for the tub.  The hole is six inches round so you can get the chain sprockets inside. Then a cover plate goes on with the bearing holders.   If you look back you will see that these only on the chain side  are bent & beat up..  Welding new pieces with smooth new metal will make the seal work better.

Bearings ,holders and seals
Bearings ,holders and seals

And speaking of seals & bearings…  Above you see I have only two good holders..  Both the rear axle holders were cracked.  I would like to replace these with machined steel holders and four new bearings and new seals too.  It just don’t make sense to have heavy 1-1/4 ” axles… nice big bearings and put it all in a wimpy aluminum holder.  ?

Dec 15 th 2014:

Meanwhile back at the Tub….  I put the frame back into the tub so I could line up the new mounting plates.  Then I removed the frame and flipped the tub back on it’s side.

Rear Mounting plate
Rear Mounting plate

Here’s the rear one all welded.  I’m not the best welder. it’s a bit messy.. but  the whole tub will have a thick coat of black paint… And most of where I welded would not be seen unless you look under the Jet.

The front mounting plate
The front mounting plate

A bit of fancy bending needed here… and some trimming too.   This part of the tub gets sandwiched between the inner frame and the hubs that hold the bearings..  I will make thin rubber gaskets instead of just using silicone.

Also today I went to the auto parts store with my one good bearing.. and they had the perfect match.. So I bought three more.  They did not have a seal that matched .. sigh.  So I’ll be looking for those.

Got the front all welded now.

Front panel Done
Front panel Done

Getting closer to finishing the tub..  just a bit more welding and a lot of grinding.. and cleaning.  I’m considering using truck box liner paint.. it’s thick and tough.  So Here’s a Video of where I’m at  with the tub and stuff..  Got a GoPro for Xmas..

 

 

It’s a so so Video..  My first attempt..  I’ll do better.

December 27 2014:

Christmas is over and I have more time to get back at the Terra Jet.   I got all the welding finished now ..  No holes that I can see.   Everything is all cleaned up..  and today I ran urethane caulking around the inside of the tub..  And I gave the tub a coat of grey paint.

Grey Inside
Grey Inside

Grey !  I thought that I would try something different that the back.   And I had a can left over from another project.   Keep in mind that this Terra Jet is my learning one..  When I get to fixing up the second Jet I’ll know what works..and what I like.

Coated Tub
Coated Tub

Like this … Box liner coating for trucks..  It’s a two part epoxy thick coating.. much like tar..but hard.  and very durable.   I’m hoping the this is the ultimate coating for the bottom of the tub..  When they do truck boxes with this stuff and seal all the cracks.. the box holds water..  for months !  so if the opposite is true ..than this tub with never leak  through my crappy welds.

Rough surface
Rough surface

However if your wanting a smooth surface this is not the stuff.

Finished
Finished
Done
Done

IMGP0032

And with these photos the tub is 100 % done…. now to start the frame on a new page…

PAGE 3 ( the frame).

 

 

Terra Jet 400E UATV Page 1

Nov 24 2014

This POST will be for one of the two Terra Jets I have for restoring this winter…  There will be a separate post for the other once I start it.  The 400E (in the shop now) looks like a Corvette with monster mudder tires.

Bringing them home..
Bringing them home..
Fancy Body Eh
Fancy Body Eh

All About A Terra Jet:

What we have here is a power train similar to the Bazoo that I restored last winter.  A 2 cycle snowmobile motor and belt drive / clutch.  A simple transmission with just forward , neutral and reverse.  The difference is:  Far less chains,   a steering wheel instead of leavers,   Four wheels not six.  Like the Bazoo there is no suspension to cushion the ride..  just the soft tires and hopefully a soft seat.   Controls are a gas and a brake pedal very much like a little car .  Ahh but a 4×4 car.. all four wheels are driven..  full time.  Very simple straight through axles..  I would imagine that turning would not be tight with the two rear wheels trying to push you straight.  But you would have tractor like traction..   AND you also have an AMPHICAR  that floats and the wheels paddle it through the water.  How cool is that !  Well its’ so cool, and the design is so good that 44 years later they are still making these..  Yup you can buy a new one.

Tub and no body
Tub and no body

When it comes to taking things apart I do not wast too much time .  But I wish I’d stopped long enough to take more “before” photos.  Hopefully one can glean a picture of the sad little Terra Jet from this shot above.   SOOOO   Got the wheels off and the body off.. The body get’s set aside for later.  Once I do work on the body You’ll get a better idea of the roughness of that.  The wheels will come off the rims so the rims get cleaned and painted.    But first I need to start with the tub and inner frame.

Things to deal with:

As I dismantle the Terra Jet I’m going to find the stuff that needs attention. Here they are:

Holes in the Tub
Holes in the Tub

Holes: Yup there are a few.. if you want to cross a river or go out on the lake you can not have holes.  This is a steel tub so it’s patchable just like a car body.  And I have two welders !

The Steering & peddles
The Steering & peddles

Some play in the steering.. caused by this interesting steering gear.  It shouldn’t be a problem to fix.  Some guys replace this with an auto steering box.   Oh you can sorta see those foot pedals…  real crappy.  There is a better way .  And below is a photo from another guys restore of a Terra Jet..  He set up hydraulic brakes.

Hydraulic brakes !
Hydraulic brakes !

This would give you some nasty braking power.  May do this to the other Terra Jet ,  but maybe I’ll just make better pedals and keep the push rod brakes.

steering hub
steering hub

In this photo you can see the little short steering tie rod.  they are worn and so I’ll need new ones from Princess Auto.

Rupp 340 cc motor
Rupp 340 cc motor

Before I use this motor to anchor my boat.. we will test the compression and look it over good.  It does have a better carb, but it’s a noisy 2 cycle..

As we carry on taking things apart.. there is lots of rusted and seized stuff.  Like the nuts on the end of the rear axle..  Big wrenches needed here..  Got the motor and transmission  out.. and chains off the sprockets..

Rupp..rupp... rupp
Rupp..rupp… rupp

Here’s the motor liberated from the Jet..  Couldn’t resist cranking it over a bit.. Hmm we think it would run fine..

The Trany
The Trany

Oh ya… deja-vu  The very same trans that the Bazoo had..  So I know what to do..  sure hope there are no cracks in the body..  But they are built tough so I’m doubting that.    The big disc for the brake is a bit bent..  and it seams too thin.. Maybe I’ll get a thicker one made.

The greasy parts
The greasy parts

This is where I’m at .. the hubs and axles need to be removed ..then the frame will just lift out..  and boy it’s not easy..

The left hub
The left hub

The Left Rear Hub:  These parts are all seized together..  Needed a very large wrench to get this nut off.  And still the hub is stuck..  I guess a torch and a puller is the way.   Once this hub is off and the bearing and seal slid off,  the whole axle pulls out through the right side.  Same with the front axle.. comes out the right side.. because that is the side with the drive sprockets, and larger holes in the tub for pulling them through.

Bearing and seal
Bearing and seal

OPPS.. I broke the aluminum bearing cup (on the floor).  The bolts were so seized in there that while trying to punch them out the casting cracked in half.  This should be a steel part so it won’t react with the steel bolts.  The bearing was toast too..  Ah the start of the parts list.  And I’m shearing bolts off constantly…   Oh well it’s all good fun , and part of restoring something old and rusty.

Front Axle
Front Axle

And speaking of rusty !   I did get the front axle out.  That’s good but it still needs to come apart.    The steering came out without too much swearing.. So that’s out of the way.. I only sheared off two bolts for the front hub.. They are in the frame…so once the frame is out I can remove them.

Frame
Frame

Well after much toiling and foul language..  We got the hub off the rear axle ..  and the frame out of the tub.  Here’s a photo of the frame standing up on it’s left side.  Tomorrow it’s off to get pressure cleaned and de-greased.

Bottom of the tub
Bottom of the tub

We flipped the tub over to see just how bad things are..  Yup there is a few holes…well lots of holes..   Once it’s clean and I run the sander over the metal I’ll see the bad stuff..

The bad stuff
The bad stuff

Some is obvious..  Like this hole for the rear axle.  Going to weld in a new piece here for sure.  There has to be a gasket here..so it needs to be good.

This is a big project..  and will need several pages.  Now that the destruction is done,  it’s time for cleaning and repairing..  on to…

Page Two :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kubota B2400 Tractor Project

Sept 2014:

B2400
B2400

Here’s a photo of a 1997- B2400 tractor.. not the one I just got..  nope.. this is what it would look like if it was in better shape not in pieces.  And if it had a mower deck.. (I do not).  Here’s the one I have…

As is where is
As is where is

And this is where I found it ..  Way up a rural road.. Way up..   Truth is this is the second time I’ve seen it .. The first time was the winter of 2012..  and it had a lot of snow on it and it was down at a shop in the Kettle Valley.

Burried
Buried

And I was not very impressed.  However the owner dropped the price .. a lot..  And I hemmed and hawed.. for a year and a half..   What the heck.. I can’t really lose..  The motor runs.. and it’s a Kubota !  would be a great winter project just like the Kubota F2400 was.  This too has been sitting for years .. because something went wrong in the gears… locking up the rear wheels..  The owner did not want to pay thousands to fix it ..so here I am.

Ride home
Ride home

And there it goes… great way to try the new trailer out..  This photo was taken quickly at the Midway Scale..  Yes this is a small tractor.  And fixed up it will fetch $6000. to $7000. so hell yes I’ll fix it..

LA 351 Loader
LA 351 Loader

The Loader alone is worth quite a bit..  But the loader & tractor together has more value.

It’s more than just the gears.   Cosmetically this tractor is a hurting unit..  Needs new tires too.  So it’s not a cheap fix.   But !  This is a Kubota.. and I know how hard they work and how durable they are.  This was a very nice one ..  with lots of good features.  :

  • Hydrostatic Drive with Hi / low range
  • 4 wheel drive
  • Bi- Speed Power steering ?
  • Separate wheel Brakes for fast turns
  • Two Speed PTO.
  • Mid PTO..  so a Mower deck can work to.
  • Legendary 24 hp 3 cylinder Kubota Diesel

What more could you want..?  Maybe someone to figure out where the pieces go.. Naa I’m good at that. But there is a lot of levers and no labels.  But I’ve got the Operators manual… and the Shop manual on my computer.

How does this Kubota Differ from My BX :

Aside from the size..  And the B2400 is a bit bigger, both the wheels and the motor.  There is some more conventional tractor stuff.. a clutch, split brakes,  also a cruise control..   Missing stuff..  well even though there is a mid PTO all the mower deck hook ups are missing.  The BX has turn signals.. the B2400 just has hazard flashers.

I’m not thinking this tractor ever had a mower deck.. Given that all four farm tires were filled with calcium for weight .. this was just a front end loader tractor..

Into The Shop :

No good just sitting on the trailer..   There was a break in the rain so I figured it was time to get the poor thing in out of the weather.

Unloading with help from the BX
Unloading with help from the BX

First I took the chains off the rear wheels..  Then with the BX I could lift the rear..UGGG.. well I guess there must be calcium in the tires.. because it’s heavy.  The little guy could only bare some of the weight.. but enough to move it.. And that lifted my rear wheels off the ground.. Good thing for 4×4 !  Once I had it in the middle of the driveway.. I used the BX to lift the loader off.. and set it aside.

LA 351 loader
LA 351 loader

Then I picked up the rear again and into the shop..

Ready for working on
Ready for working on

The Work Starts:

I’m actually starting this project kinda early.. so there will be a lot of time when nothing is done..  and I’m playing with other stuff..  No worries..no hurries.   Better stock up on brake cleaner & penetrating oil… there is a lot of rusty bolts.  I putzed a bit on it after getting in the shop..  The rear wheels need to come of .. But the nuts won’t budge.  I removed the remaining fender..  motor covers..  the very dead battery..  Peeked into the top of the differential case.. hmm  The mechanic had taken some stuff a part to see if the problem was obvious.. so all the covers are off the transmission and diff.. and some leavers are hanging there too.. oh fun..

wheels off.
wheels off.

LOCKED WHEELS…. FIXED !

Dave got home from the coast and was really wanting to check out the tractor.. last time he saw it was when it was buried in snow. So curiosity got the best of us..   And here’s an example of how good Dave and I are at diagnosing a problem when we put our heads together.   First I have to say that the mechanic that looked at the tractor and said “big job to fix”  did not raise the rear wheels off the ground..   AND may or may not have noticed that the floor boards where the return springs for the foot brakes are attached…  were so beat up that those springs were gone.. (I have them in a bucket of parts)..  Not that he is not a good mechanic.. no I would not say that.. I think he just wasn’t interested in the job …. SO with the wheels in the air we are able to turn shafts and try different levers… to see what was stopping the wheels..   One of those things was the brakes..  Dave was able to wiggle the wheels just a bit.. and so I thought I’d try the brakes to see if they worked..  Well there was not much movement in the pedal…  but they seamed floppy.  so I pulled back on them and …. the wheels turned !   The freak’n brakes were on!   Just the weight of the big brake pedals was enough to hold the wheels from moving !   Wow are those good brakes.   So the cause of all the problems is the poor condition of the floor boards.. They are seriously bent up and the metal is broken in lots of places..  They are interfering with the operation of the brakes as well as the forward & reverse controls.

Floorboards
Floorboards

See how beat up they are.. the bottom one in the photo is the one that caused the most grief.   It even has a hole worn in it..

Left & Right Brakes
Left & Right Brakes

In the above photo you can see how the weight of those big pedals and their arms can pull on the brakes.

SO  now I need to put those covers back on the transmission..  Move the tractor back outside and give it a good bath..  Then replace the filters and new fluids..  and see how it runs.

Covers on
Covers on

Ok I got the three covers back on the Transmission..  Had to sort out which bolts go where.. and Clean everything good.   I use Permatex silicone gasket goo.. for sealing thing up.   It now makes sense what lever is what.. and where it goes..   Looks like I’m missing the control knob for the rear lift.  Considering all the bits & pieces were in a soggy falling apart box.. I’m doing good.

Rob Puttith together… Rob Takeith apart:

Dash Removed
Dash Removed

No not the stuff I just put together..  I want to clean up the tractor.. One hidden area was behind the dash panel.  So I took that apart.. And look at the crap there..  Plus after I pulled the steering wheel off I noticed a missing bearing or bushing ?  So that needs a fix..  Also the wiring is back there and that needs attention.  Oh ya..

Light Switch
Light Switch

The Kubota light switch is a weak spot.  I had to fix the one on my BX.  They are not very water proof.. and tend to stop working..  Good thing I made sure to check this one out.. Look at the wires they are melted ! In fact there was a bit of a fire in the dash.. because a few things are melted.. Mostly wires .. no real damage.    Now that switch would not have worked well.. or at all.  and could have caused the meltdown or fire..   I’m thinking that replacing this with two sturdy toggle switches would be wise.

Got most of the parts:

And I’ve also given the tractor a much needed bath..

Clean!
Clean!

Now that things are clean ..it will be easier to work on.  See the difference in the fuel tank.

Clean Motor
Clean Motor

And the motor too..  Next step is too change the oil , the filters and run the motor… test the drive & hydraulics .

It’s the thanksgiving  long weekend.. and I can’t get the new filters till Tuesday..  So I did two things..  Cleaned and repaired the fuel filter..  The shut off was not working so I took it apart and found the handle just bent enough that it would not make contact with the valve in side.. FIXED.  and the new fuel filter was installed.  That’s one step closer to starting the motor.  Clean Fuel !   Also I did the cleaning and checking of the dash..

Dirty melted dash
Dirty melted dash

You can see the damage done to the back of the dash panel.. none of that is seen on the front.. Lucky me !

Dash
Dash

See it’s now clean and no damage..  Almost 6000 hrs on the tractor..  It’s 17 years old.. but hasn’t moved for at least 3 years.. so 14 years and that would be about 430 hrs a year..  That’s a lot..

Ready to go..
Ready to go..

I polished the lens and painted the bezel..  so it’s ready to go.

While I was waiting for the oil filters .. I thought I’d hook up the battery and see that the starting circuit was working..  Well that’s where I found out the Fuel shut off solenoid has failed.. went through all the tests and it’s hooped. The rest is good .. the motor turned over , the glow pug light is on..  So with a new solenoid we should have the diesel running in no time..  ( I’ll be working alone now that Dave has gone hunting so he will miss that starting up of the motor) .

Shut off solenoid (Hooped version)
Shut off solenoid (Hooped version)

Oh and no you can’t run the motor without it .. cause when you turn the key on ..it powers the solenoid  to open the fuel injector.  turn the key off, no power ..solenoid shuts off fuel.. that’s how this diesel  stops. Some diesels have that the other way .. power needed to shut down the motor.. those motors will run with no battery too.   So add a solenoid to the list of parts needed.   Ordered and on the way..

Meanwhile……

Went and got the new filters today.. but still can’t test the motor.. So I turned my attention to the seat support..  which also holds one of the levers .. the Bi-Speed steering control.

SIX levers !
SIX levers !

Yes SIX..  here you can see the rear seat mount (blue) and how it holds the Bi-speed select lever (red knob).  Now all the levers are in place and proudly functioning they way they should.  They look kinda weird .. but when the fenders are on and the guides, it will make sense.  See the very first photo to see what I mean.

Seat mount parts (painted version)
Seat mount parts (painted version)

These seat slide parts were badly rusted and a weld was broken.  So with a liberal amount of liquid wrench..  and the impact I got everything into a pile of pieces.  Not sure about salvaging the seat..  one of the bolts broke off..  The seat has a slider for back & forward adjustment..and it was locked up tight too..   The seat mounts help hold up the fenders.. witch help to hold up the floorboards..   everything is connected..  so it’s important to fix these parts and making them stronger is my goal.

The new box of parts came and they sent the wrong solenoid !  so I need to go to Kelowna and exchange it.  Good thing I’m not really in a hurry.

Ok I got the right parts now.. and put things back together.. air filters, solenoid..  Filled the motor oil.  And I thought it would be good if I turned the motor over a few times to get the oil moving…  and Bam! the motor started.. WTF..  there is no diesel in the tank.. or fuel lines..  But there must have been some in the injectors !   It ran for less than 30 seconds and I turned the key off..  Well I guess the motor is OK.

I put some fresh Diesel in the tank and ..this time ran the exhaust out the door…

 

And here’s a short clip… proof that the motor runs.. and good too !

But the wheels still won’t turn……

Nov 11 2014:

By running the motor I could test the drive train..  and found out the the PTO’s both work fine. The clutch is working good.. The three point lift arms go up and down..  We already know how well the brakes work 🙂  .  But the hydrostatic moaned and did nothing..    So after alot of studying so as to understand how that unit works .. we tried to get the hydro motor to turn using the rear wheels..  and that took a lot of pushing on a big bar & socket on the axle..  But we did get it turning..  Maybe Buddy kept tromping on the hydro drive after the brakes locked on.. and heated things up … and we are hoping no damage was done.   Oh and to do the test we needed to drain the tranny and remove the top cover to see make sure the shafts were turning..  And of coarse that meant dropping a part down into the tranny..   No today I’ll fish that out clean the filter screen , reseal the covers and refill the fluid.

Also of interest … I made a trip to Salmon Arm just to get a three point hitch setup for this tractor..  so now I have these much needed parts..

Well not so good news… The HST is pooched..  so it’s rebuild or replace ?   Makes a lot of not good noises..  This could be a pricey part..  so some thinking has to happen here…

Ok thought about it..  I put the Kubota up for sale as is.. and see if I can at least get the money back that I’ve spent..  and I sold it within two days..  to a local fella..  Actually same guy I bought the tandem trailer from..   And I used his old trailer …now improved to take the Kubota over to his shop..  GONE  SOLD…  on to better things.

 

Ideas & Dreams of the Ultimate RV

Sept 2014:

Ultimate RV ?  Well yes.. but that is subjective.. what’s cool to me may not be cool to others.  When you go to the RV show to check out the latest, you can see a lot of new things that the manufactures have done to “improve” the RVing experience.  But it’s the décor in them that seems to be the focus.  All that is so much fluff to me.. I’m a practical guy..  I want function.  I want a big roomy bed.. I want a bathroom that you can sit on the can and not feel like your in a telephone booth.  Seriously if your going to tow around this big trailer than make it big where it counts. Remember these are just my thoughts and opinions on that… But if I’m going to be critical then I should have a solution.. Right !  Well  I did that and came up with a trailer design that I could build on the old Award frame that Dave has..  Balanced and simple.. big where it needs to be and still light weight. These are my drawings…

Better Award
Better Award

By preserving the things that make the Award trailer such a pleasure to tow.. but eliminating the faults the are the construction problems .. we make a great trailer.

Things to keep:

  • Light weight frame & independent torsion suspension
  • All plumbing & wiring above the floor and accessible.
  • All heavy stuff over the axles.
  • Curved roof and roof ends for less wind resistance.
  • Low entry.. (one step)

Things to change:

  • Treated wood framing
  • Aluminum skin on walls
  • Steel reinforced floor to bare the weight of the walls
  • Roxul insulation
  • One piece rubber roof .
  • Larger Queen bed
  • No tub or shower.  (never use them)
  • More kitchen counter space
  • Large pantry
  • Larger Fridge

Ok But but but …. what if you don’t want a big trailer.. or the truck to pull it.  What if storaging your RV is an issue.   That’s where the “cute” RV’s come in.

Boler’s

Classic Boler
Classic Boler

If only someone was still making these.  Well there are a few offerings out there.. mostly in the USA..  And if you have one… you are sure to get top dollar for it .. no matter what the condition.

Trillium’s

The Trillium
The Trillium

Very much like the Boler.. just a little bit less rounder.. Still rare and pricey to buy.

now I showed you these two because they are close to what I believe to be truly the lightest RV’s minus a bathroom..   that doesn’t involve a tent. so it’s just park ..open the door and enjoy..   They are very simple.. two fiberglass shells put together like an egg.  very little wood involved.  Reminds me of the way boats are made !

And that’s where this post is going…  the “what if”  here..

What if:  your little fiberglass RV that’s built like a boat could float like a boat… wheels and all.

What if:  no wood was used so rot & weathering is no longer a problem.

Think about it..  a lake now becomes another campground..  We like it when we camp near water… it’s peaceful and relaxing..  why no on the water.. ?   I’m not the only one thinking like this.. I’ve recently found on the web a few dreams of others.. like me.  Here are two:

Sealander:

sealander
sealander

Here’s the German’s at it once more…  ok cool looking little trailer..

This is not a misstake
This is not a mistake

It really does float!..  and obviously they have a prototype..  Hmm now we are getting close.. but I doubt you will see one of these on this side of the ocean.

Another offering:

what ?
what ?

This is just a concept.. but it’s much closer to a useful one.  and there are some good ideas “onboard”.   A tad large as well..  If I was to have a list of what I think should make up one of these “dual purpose” RV’s it would go like this.

  • Single axle, no more that 3000 lbs
  • Electric outboard for power
  • Solar panel charging
  • Sleeps four,  galley & potty
  • Walk out front “bow”
  • Still have trailer door
  • Not more than 16 ft length

If you use the two piece body construction .. I think all these things and more are possible.   How about the don’ts..  in RV construction..

  • dark colors , particularly the roof… ever parked a black vehicle in the sun ?
  • Lack of windows…  need light and fresh air ..
  • the need for six steps up to the door ??  what are we building a tree fort?
  • Rear kitchens.. too much weight on the back..  moving the axles back does not improve the towing..
  • Sandwich wall sides..  or what they call hard wall.  if it leaks it’s not fixable..
Stay tuned more to come…

 

 

1992 Trave-L-Mate Fifth Wheel Trailer

Sept 16 2014:

1992 TraveLMate
1992 TraveLMate

I know.. can’t tow two RV’s ..and where do I store a second one anyway..  However when it’s FREE.. .and my Nephew was going to need a place to sleep while reno’s are happening … then you say YES !

A friend and long time customer of Mo’s .. husband got ill and has been in the hospital for a few years now .. she sold the house and is moving to a condo… also getting too old for towing a trailer around.  all those things and then the roof got a leak…She just wanted it gone.   The whole trailer is in great shape except the roof.. In fact it’s a very deluxe trailer..  all the goodies you need for “Glamping”

Door side
Door side
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Bed couch & ugly chairs
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queen bed..
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your basic bathroom

I also got the hitch.. and I’ll mount that in my truck..   Free stuff does not come without work.. and so the roof needs to be peeled back and repairs done.. That will be next spring.  For now  we will tarp it for the winter and deal with it next year.

A new Chevy 2500..

We decided that a more reliable truck would work better.  I bought this one before I quit the car lot..  This truck came equipped to pull trailers. Even has the fifth wheel hitch installed..   Also has the heavy duty Allison Transmission and a 399 hp V8.   It’s a big truck ..  the quad goes in the back with room to spare.

2004 Chevy 2500
2004 Chevy 2500

Well it’s June 2015 and I’ve got the Fifth wheel in the Franknport  to get the roof fixed.  It’s taken a few weeks just to remove all the vents ,  A/C  and the trim from the roof.   I’ve now rolled up the aluminum roof..

Roof without tin
Roof without tin

 

The Roll of Aluminum
The Roll of Aluminum

Well you find out quickly how bad things are once the aluminum is off.  It’s still wet under the metal..  even after months of no rain getting on the roof.  Quite a bit of the plywood is de-  laminating .

What a mess
What a mess
Yuky
Yuky

I’ve got about half the roof off.. the rotten half.  Once I’m done with the demolition I will clean up …then it’s construction time !

Topless
Topless
Big mess
Big mess

I’m just tossing it all on the ground for now.. I’ll clean up.

July 5 2015:

The Roof is completely cleaned off.  The mess is gone… and we are ready  to build a new roof.

Open air camping
Open air camping

I have all my supplies :  new rubber roof/ glue,  New fridge vent & cover, new plumbing vent.  Maxair covers for the roof vents.    I also have enough 2×6 treated lumber for the rafters..

Arched Rafters
Arched Rafters

And because I don’t want the roof to sag ever again..   I’m custom cutting all the rafters to be arched on top.. Thicker in the middle where it’s needed.   I’m building in 4 ft x 8ft panels so they can be lifted into place easy.

New rafters
New rafters

I have now got four of the five sections in place..  Only the rear one is screwed down..  Once they are all up I’ll attach them with ceramic coated screws.. they won’t rust or react with the treated wood.

Nice White ceiling
Nice White ceiling

A thing of beauty..  There is finish strips for the seams, lights and vents..   The big whole is for the A/C unit .  I laid the tin roof out and copied the location of all the vents and A/C..  fudged just a bit on some to get the right spacing on the rafters.  But it’s all back the same .. Minus the skylight..  and the TV antenna.

Finished the inside
Finished the inside

The whole roof is on now..  Interior I mean.  and most of the finishing inside is done as well.

New light
New light

Like this new light I added to the living room..  It’s close to the kitchen so it benefits from some extra light.  The wires went across the roof anyway so why not add a light.  The new ceiling is a brighter white as well, making it far less dark.

Onward…

I now have all the insulation done and today I got the 1/4 ”  ply on the roof.

Pink.. and fluffy
Pink.. and fluffy

Here’s the batting all in place…

Roof Skin..
Roof Skin..

And here’s the 1/4″ Ulay ply installed..  lots of screws..  5 sheets did the whole roof.   You can really see the slight curve in the roof..   Now to glue the rubber on.

July 19 2015:
New Rubber Roof
New Rubber Roof

Well … Git R Done..  and with only a week to spare..   So close to a finish..   The wrinkles are ok..  you should never stretch the roof..   and I was working with a fast drying glue..   As you can see all the vent’s, covers and the A/C is back where they belong..  All the trim is back too..  Just some fiberglass repair and a bead of RV sealant left and we are ready for whatever mother nature can throw at the roof.

Back in the drive
Back in the drive

Well the Fiver can come out to play now..  Install the fridges and give the plumbing the once over.

 

2014 Polaris Sportsman 400

Aug 26 2014:

Time for a new Quad.  Everything came together .. I sold the 300 Polaris… These were on sale till the end of Aug.  Very low financing rate..  If I take good care of it … should last me a long time.

New & Blue
New & Blue

Here’s what it looks like without the extras.  I’m adding a few goodies.

Mine & Blue
Mine & Blue

Here’s what it looks like in my shop after a quick trip to get it.   I am thrilled ..  brand new .  Because I’m enjoying quading so much..  and the older one was… old..  and would always need help.  This is going to be a pleasure to ride..  can’t wait till Sunday.  I need to attach the accessories I got .. the photo above shows the new bag I have..

All decked out
All decked out

Last night I got all the goodies mounted up..  A railing around the rear rack, My new three compartment bag and the mirrors.

Bag
Bag

I also mounted the LED brake light .. but I need to figure out the wiring to hook it up.  And I had to cut slots in the rack to run the hold down straps for the bag through.  A draw back for a big flat rack.. but with the padding in my bag and that flat surface..  things I put in the bag will stay protected.  Plenty of room for my little gas can too.

Front Storage
Front Storage

When you add all this front storage .. I have way more than I need.  This is a cool feature of the Sportsman,  dry, hidden and lockable.  I don’t like anything on the front rack to block my view so this is nice to have.

Mirrors
Mirrors

The mirrors are fold away and very rugged..  I’m hoping that they work well and I don’t grow to hate them..  On lots of rides there is always someone behind you.. and I like to check to see that they are still there..   Compared to the 300 the body of the 400 is way wider.. the fenders cover the wheels and then some..  The foot wells are huge.  I could wear shorts & sandals… but I wont.  The quad is quite a bit higher too.. but that’s because we are now riding on 12 ” wheels not 8″  and the clearance under the 400 is close to 12″  wow.  I also think that at 688 lbs we are now more than 200 lbs heavier.  That should translate to a better ride.

Running lights
Running lights

I could not resist at least one pimp…  I found these in one of many  boxes of goodies from the motor home.  LED marker lights that you can change the color..  Red, green, yellow.. but Blue is cool.   I was nosing around under the access panel to the fuses and found two auxiliary power wires..  They would be for things like hand warmers.  So I used one..  Also noticed the wires are in place for a winch.  And yes I’ve got a winch.. 4000 lb one is now on the front..

I’ve been on no less than 8 rides now..  20 hrs on the meter..  and I love this quad..  so smooth..  quiet..  so far reliable.

Jan. 2019:   After enjoying this quad for years I traded it for a 2014 RZR 570..  same color of blue..   Post is HERE

2010 Ram 1500 Laramie

Aug 2014:

new ride
new ride

This was a good deal… and we felt it was time for a truck up grade..  The decision was made to advertize the Avalanche and see what happened.. it sold within a week.. so home came this LOADED.. Dodge.  Just in time to go camping..  So I had to get some racks installed for the kayaks..

Ready for camping
Ready for camping

These quickly put together racks turned out to be great..  And this truck has 100 more hp than the Avalanche.. so the trailer is no problem..  Has trailer mirrors and factory built in controller.  In fact it has every option possible for the year..  Nav, heated /cooled seats, back-up cam, remote start…. on and on..  Check out my new plate.. yup “robeye”.  The Interior is very nice .

Interior
Interior

This photo was taken by me for the lot..  hence the price tag..  I’m a console type of guy.. so this suits me just fine..  And I’m very fussy about gauge placement, and Dodge got it right in 2010.  I also don’t like cheapness in the trim.  They got that right too. The knobs feel good to the touch. And everything is trimmed nicely.  Even the top of the dash is stitched leather… nice.

2014 Polaris Sportsman Ace

July 1 st  2014:

Ready for the parade
Ready for the parade

My Sister wanted to come over for Canada Day and join the GF ATV club in the parade.  “I’ll bring a quad from work” ( Polaris Dealer).  I said see if they have one of those new Polaris Ace’s.  She said “yup there’s a new one in the showroom”  So that’s how I got to try one without even leaving home..  This is so very new concept.. like quad meets side by side.  Same size as a quad, but you drive it like a side by side..  They basically took the motor in the quad and moved it back to make room for a floor , a comfy seat, and gave you a tilt steering wheel and foot peddles.  Add a roll cage and the all important cup holder and there you have the Ace.

Kathy behind the wheel
Kathy behind the wheel

I took her up some very rough trails close to town..  Lots of big rocks, washouts..  and generally rough going.  Those big tires .. the clearance and it’s heavy 850 lbs … smoothed out the whole works.  Wow .. this thing is like bringing you new $50,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee on the trail.   No fighting the wheel…  no steering around the rocks..  The cup holder down beside the seat is kinda shallow.. And we were sure the water bottle would go flying .. NOPE.  That smooth !

IMGP1218
On the trail with my Polaris

Now this unique machine has a unique motor as well..  it’s got only 32 hp.. it’s fuel injected, counter balanced and multi valved.   not neck snapping power..but it gets the job done.  And reportedly good on fuel.  Typical  Polaris drive line.. hi, low range but with an added “park”.   AWD drive is a button on the dash..  Quite simple and user friendly.  The roll bar keeps the trees out of your face.. and you have a feeling of security in the seat..

Me !
Me !

Anyways I was impressed enough to desire one in my garage..  We’ll see.  It’s would be cool to go all day and not need physical therapy after.. its that comfy !  You drive this … not ride it..   so there is that,  of which the die hard quader’s reject.   And did I mention the cup holder !  But !  this is not the quad for me..  So back it goes.

 

 

1995 Polaris 300 4×4

May 29 2014:

Don’t even try to keep up with me !

Polaris Explorer
Polaris Explorer

You will hurt yourself..

Everyone was getting a quad..  I had a Sportsman 500 this winter… as a fixer upper project…  but I found it to be complicated and just a tad too big to fit my Avalanche.  They are great quads.. but I sure liked the profit that the sale brought me.. and it was time to move on to the Bazoo . Now with that done..  it’s again time to move on.. But I want to have some fun this summer..  Then this little guy kinda fell into my lap while advertizing a trade with the Bazoo..   The price was low enough that I could just buy it and not trade.  It’s in awesome shape.. not a fixer.. not a project..  Oh but I can always find something to fiddle with..   Also it fits in the back of the Avalanche ( if I wanted too).  That’s how it came home.  I would rather use the trailer,  less scary when you’re backing up off of..

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There was some questions as to what model this Polaris is.. a call to MainJet and with the vin # was able to clear things up.. it’s simply a 300 4×4.   And it was purchased new in Deer Park, Wa.  just south of here.. so it’s a US model..  I believe it was bought there and brought here..  so it’s a GF’er .. Cool..  The 288 cc motor is a 2 cycle with oil injection.. Plenty of power and still good on fuel.  No liquid cooling on this one.. just a fan when needed.

I’m going to service it.. once I get a peak at the repair manual..  Then I’m going to ride it..  Oh it came with a snow blade..  That I don’t want,  so I sold it.. Made the 300 4×4 even cheaper

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The Green & tan kinda grows on ya..  Look at the seat.. other than being dirty.. it’s in good condition for 20 years old.

June 10 2014:

Now that we are back from our trip to Alberta I want to get caught up..  This Sunday I would like to use the Polaris so I’m giving it a go over.  And that required the removal of some of the plastic..   First: … it runs good  IF you remember to shut the fuel off.  Seams the float in the Carb is not doing a good job and the fuel will flood the motor..  So I’ll need a carb kit to rebuild the carb..  Second: .. The front drive chain did not “just” come off.. It broke.  Not a biggy..  it’s just standard motorcycle chain.  Really… that’s only two things out of a possible many..  Oops I forgot the pull start rope could use another wrap around the pulley..  but it still works.   Everything else is working good.  Dave and I are marveling at how good shape the little Polaris is..  So I’m ordering a Carb kit, chain & air cleaner.. that’s it.  For Now..

More like 5 wraps for the pull starter..  Over time the spring gets weak and won’t return the cord.. all fixed now.   As I was putting the body parts back ..the head light bulb went pop.. and that was that .. These are a special bulb that you have to buy from Polaris..  I’ll have none of that.. so I’m adapting a regular  Brake/ Taillight holder into the old bulb.. this way I can use a LED bulb I have.. If this ends up not working I can easily revert back.    As for the Override switch issue …(the Guy that I got it from thought it normal to push the override button every time you use reverse) NO.. shouldn’t have to…  I decided to disconnect the speed limiter circuit for now..   It stalls the motor ..  So something is not working there..   I’ll have to be careful because this is a safety thing.. preventing you from going too fast in reverse. I also added a 12 volt power outlet.. newer quads have them..  and I’ll need that for my GPS.   Let’s see how the ride goes this Sunday..

Taking a break
Taking a break

First Ride..  Fathers Day too.

Don’t have to go far.. just a 5 min drive and you are on some great trails.  Dave , me.. and my neighbor Brian..  And we choose to just go up behind Valley Heights.  Just over 3 hrs of riding.   Brian’s new Honda..  Dave’s trusty Yellow Polaris Sportsman 500 ..(the one I rode when I first went quading last summer.. see POST) and my little Polaris 300…  The weather was threatening to rain.. .but it held off for the most part..   Great ride..  And the 300 purrrred like a 2 cycle kitten.   Didn’t need 4×4 .. nope.. got along fine without.   The only thing that may or may not be an issue is my front struts.   They bag hard when you “top out”  ( wheel off the ground)  I’ll find out if I need something for that..

Over looking GF
Over looking GF

Anyway this was a familiar trail for me from my mountain biking days .  The others had not been there before.  So I lead the way..  If I’d had a map we could have made a loop trip instead of doubling back..  But we took a few side roads and checked out the pond that’s hiding up there.  Hey it was fun.. and I wished the weather was better.. and we went longer..

Fixin a few things:

As mentioned at the start of this post there are a few little things to fix..  I got the parts this last weekend..  A new chain for the front drive, a carb kit to fix the flooding issue ..  and a new air filter.   One more thing that I found to be needing is a new fuel shutoff . The 20 year old one has a tiny leak… Can’t have that..  So that’s on order.

Shutoff on the bottom of the tank
Shutoff on the bottom of the tank

If you turn the fuel valve to off.. it leaks..  If you leave it on.. the carb filled up with fuel.. or did till I fixed that.  Also of interest I found a vent hose in the overflow place and the overflow hose on a vent ?  That would not help at all with that flooding !

Mikuni Carb
Mikuni Carb

Here you see the carb all clean and rebuilt.. and the vent & overflow hoses in the right places. The two lines tee together and have a one-way valve.  Their purpose is not explained any where..  I’m thinking of adding that extra shutoff and a new filter.   The new shutoff will be under the seat..  I bought new 3/16 ” fuel line today..  as well.  So all will be good… Just the way I like it..

I decided not to install the extra shut-off.  Keep it simple.  I re-assembled  everything and put some gas in the tank to check for leaks.. none.  Then I fired up the motor to make sure nothing went out of adjustment..  runs good.  So I must have the float adjusted properly…

With the mechanical end of things in good order.. I decided to do a little “pimping”.  I’m building the winch mount .. and I’ve repainted the racks.

Satin Black
Satin Black

The green paint was wearing off … and I like the look of the satin black..  it matches the frame.  I also installed the new bag I bought for the rear rack..

El cheapo bag
El cheapo bag

But it works..  I’ll maybe get a couple of small tubs to put inside .. hold some tools & stuff..

The Winch:

Small winch
Small winch

This quad never had a winch..  So I had to start from scratch.  There was lots of room up front.. so I built a holder.  It’s just a small 1500 lb one.. but the quad is light.. and the winch was a price I could live with..  A nice little roller fairing in front..  and there you go.  I always carry a tow strap as well and I’ll have a “snatch block” which doubles the pulling power.. if needed.  I’m not one to go places I’ll get into trouble.. But one never knows !  Boy Scout rule applies here..  The other rule is don’t get lost… !

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So my GPS is also there when I need it..  powered by the 12volt plug and I will mostly use the trip / speed feature.   Would be nice to have a new one that had topo maps.

As the Summer goes on:

I’ve gotten out on a few great rides.  Been to the top of a few local mountains.

Mount Moressey
Mount Morrissey

Old lookout towers are on a few peaks, so there is a trail to the top.  Like Mount Morrissey in the above photo.  This is the highest peak between here and Christina Lake.  We’ve explored a lot around the Phoenix area too.   Lots of good trails up there..   And the last trip (with the ATV club)  was to Renata on the Arrow Lakes.  A long 120 km ride which really challenged the little 300.   My tank of fuel won’t last that long..

At the beach Renata
At the beach Renata

Now that fitting a regular sized quad in my truck is not an issue .. a newer 400 or 500 would be nice.  Hmmm.

Aug 23 2014:   SOLD

I’m taking the plunge…  will be buying a new quad next week.  I sold the 300 within the day of listing it.  Off the Nelson on Tuesday to pick up a 2014 Sportsman 400 HO.

Liberty Backhoe for my Kubota

May 26 2014:

Three weeks ago I bit the bullet and ordered (on line) a very small backhoe attachment for my Kubota.  It came to the Depot just the other side of the border and I went and brought it home..  That free shipping within the US was a deal breaker.. so that was the best way to get it.

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This is the SMALLEST backhoe that you can buy..  And that’s good because my tractor is small too.   I ordered orange.. though not quite a match , But I can live with it.  It took me about 4 hours to unpack, assemble  & get it attached to the tractor.  The instructions are poor..  so it was a “figure it out yourself” kind of project.  Good thing I’m a “figure it out myself” kind of guy..  My overall impression is good.. The quality seems to be at par with any Kubota attachment I have.

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In this photo you can see the reason I have yet to really try the backhoe out.. the roll bar on my tractor is IN THE Way.. can’t sit on the seat..  I’m not a fan of the roll bar anyway, hits trees..  Kubota has R.O.P.S on all the tractors for safety.  It was suggested to me to just cut off the top only so that there is still some roll over protection.   Not a bad idea… Hmm maybe arm rest and grab handles ..  cup holders !  I do have metal & welder..

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As I look at the three point hitch mount I see room for improvement there too.  A sub frame like the BX 24 D has for the Kubota backhoe is something I could make.   One cool thing with this backhoe is that it has it’s own hydraulic system , tank, pump and valves..  it’s driven with the rear PTO from the tractor..  and works even at low motor rpm’s.  They supplied me with a new PTO shaft .  But it needs to be trimmed to length.  So I just used the one from my Rototiller .  it was the right length.

So I took the rops off.. so I could at least give the backhoe a try.  The perch (seat) is good you can really see what you are doing… but the doing is going to take some practice.  I found the controls to be … “unnatural” .

Control Diagram
Control Diagram

I kept wanting to push forward on the left stick to lower the main boom.  And pull back to raise it..  I guess that makes sense to me because the front loader works that way.. and I’m getting very good at that.   As you can see by the control diagram that they have it the other way.   Which is different than the manual.  Scratch..scratch..  I will swap the hoses around ..   Because I’ll wrap my brain around working with the two sticks better.   But I was digging away awkwardly and yes it’s small but it digs !  and I tried some sod too and no problem… big rocks are a problem …  Big roots too.. so there are limits.

May29 2014:

The control valves
The control valves

I removed the backhoe from the tractor  tonight and pulled the cover off the valves..  Yup will be easy to swap the hoses..  not bothering till we get home from our Alberta trip in a week.

With the hose swapped the operation is more natural now..  And by the end of summer i’ve had a few chances to use the hoe.  first I found out how deep it will dig when trying to remove a concrete slab in the yard.  4 ft ! that’s it..  It is a very small hoe after all.. so I can’t expect much.   But dig trenches… Yes !  and quick too.. I can move forward from the backhoe seat too.   I’m getting good..

2019…

I’ve used the back hoe lots over the years with very few problems..

Bazoo 6×6 Page 4

Bazoo !
Bazoo !

April 2014 :

Once again .. new month ..new page.. Welcome to Page 4.

Links to :  Bazoo Page 1 : Bazoo Page 2 : Bazoo Page 3

After putting new seals and bearings in it seamed pointless to use the bad axle.  So I had a new one made. Nothing was happening to the Bazoo while waiting for a new axle. And that took weeks.   But it’s here now so it’s back to work , and get the Bazoo finished.

New Axle
New Axle

It’s a work of art.. That’s what we said..  Nicely made.  and pricey too.. but good work is not free..  So I cleaned it and painted the outside end like the others..  And the assembly starts..

Coming Together
Coming Together

Installed with the axles are the sprockets & lock collars.  It took hours to line up the sprockets and fit the chains on..

Ready for the Motor
Ready for the Motor

After I tidy up some wires and put some in a loom the motor can go in..  We are getting close to launch here..  Here’s what’s left to do for testing..

  1. Install the motor.
  2. Finish the wiring.
  3. install a battery
  4. Install the choke & Throttle cables
  5. Run a fuel & breather line to the motor.
  6. Put the wheels back on..

If the test run is good and there is no other issues… then I want too:

  1. Buy new tires.
  2. Sound proof the engine cover.
  3. Cut a rubber mat for the front floor.
  4. Build a bush bar for the front.

But back to the “Git R Done” stage.

Motor In
Motor In

Getting there..  The motor fits perfectly.. as it should.

Motor & Belt
Motor & Belt

So much time before hand was spent on lining these things up.. it was a pleasure to have them just fit !   If the weather is bad tomorrow I should get everything ready for a test drive..

Sure nuf.. the weather gods were in favor of working on the Bazoo..  Everything is in place..  The top list above is done..  Boy are my tires in sad shape.. two of them will not hold air.. So they go in the middle where it won’t matter.  It’s kind of a 4×4 now.. 🙂

Wheels back on.
Wheels back on.

Here it is back on it’s wheels after a bit more than three months.  We wore the battery down tuning up the motor today.. and discovered that the kill / solenoid system I devised turns the spark off when you turn the key to “start”.  not good. so that has to be figured out..  Also the belt we have is too small so the motor still turns it at an idle..  Makes it hard to change gears.  I’m sure more stuff will show up after the test drive.  Tomorrow.

Hooray it’s May  2014:

Never did get the test run..  The motor started to act up and would not stay running..  Then the weather got nice and yard stuff had to get done..  Anyway going to look into the why, thinking a fouled plug ?

Here’s the Video.. after a lot of fiddling around

Yes We changed the two spark plugs and still the motor would stall.. Figured it was a fuel thing.. so we rigged up the tank that someone had in the Bazoo.. just to see if the motor was starving for fuel..  and it ran great !   And that is why you are seeing the video..  The sun came out for a few hours..  and so did the Bazoo..  And boy does it go..  Still need to make some adjustments but she flies..  I’m going to abandon the front gas tank.. just like before I got it.. So I’m looking for a good replacement that will fit on the back of the seat..

May 24 2014:

Bazoo is just sitting there while other things get done.. So I thought I’d see if there was interest in a trade for a quad.  Yes there is lots of interest..  But that also made me want to remedy some of the little things wrong..  Last night  Dave & I fixed the kill circuit on the key switch.. so now the motor starts and shuts off with the key.  I also totally removed all fuel lines to the front tank and configured them properly in the temporary tank .  and the motor ran great.. better that ever !  Now I have the throttle response I was hoping for.  That just showed  The other little mod I did was with the drive belt.. I knew that the common belts these days are wider than the one that would have been on the Bazoo’s drive.. So I trimmed 1/4 ” off the spare belt I had.. and the drive works so much better.  So I when for a little drive around the yard…  even more fun when things work good.

The Bazoo is SOLD.. 

Bye Bye
Bye Bye

The last photo pf the Bazoo..  loaded on the trailer bound for Indiana where it will live in a private collection of 6×6’s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 ft Tandem Trailer

New Trailer
New Trailer

Spring 2014:

Boy oh boy .. I’m I distracted from the stuff I should be doing..  Too much to do .. If I was retired I could maybe get it all done .. Here I go with yet another project.  When this trailer was offered to me for a price that was hard to pass up I didn’t have to think about it long..  Especially considering that my good old utility trailer that has served me long is rusting badly..  And now when I pack some weight..  well twice now the spring shackles have broken from the frame..  Also I can’t carry my Kubota in the little 4 x 8 trailer.

This is how it looked.
This is how it looked.

No it’s not a car hauler.. It’s built from an old travel trailer.  So the frame is not strong enough for a car.. but it will work great for tractors.  It has brakes… something Dave’s trailer does not have.. It’s nice and low ..and balanced.. tows great..  The deck is treated 2×6 and measures just over 5 ft between the fenders.  And 16 ft long.  Those wire hubcaps are only on one side.. so I’m removing them. It needed a new safety chain.. and then you could use it.  Lights and brakes work good.   However there is no ramp for loading..  And the tires are old..  but they are just common size car tires.

How to make it MINE..

I’ve had the trailer sitting in the driveway for a week now.. thinking of a ramp for the back..  And today I pulled those hubcaps off and gave the trailer a bath..  Then Dave showed up and said, ” hey we should pull the hubs and grease the bearings”.   So I lowered the front of the trailer to the ground and put some blocking under the rear.. then lifted the front up with the tractor till the wheels are off the ground..  If the tractor can do that then it must not weight more than 800 lbs.  Cool. While servicing the hubs.. and the trailer up in the air I wanted to have a good look under.. Yup I’m thinking that the wiring under the trailer is messy… Not surprised with that.. and to find some wasp nests.. too..  not surprised again.  Also a lot of the nuts were missing from the bolts that hold the deck on.. Hmm.   I don’t care much for the pipe structure on the front.. and there is no sides for mounting stuff..  So I’m going to spend a few days and make this trailer GREAT.

Starting by removing the floor & the pipe railings. Then I can add to the frame, paint the frame, and re-do the wiring.  Here’s the want list…

  •  Stake pockets for removable sides:
  • Tie downs inside :
  • Ramps for the back / or a wind gate:
  • A front structure that will hold a winch.

 

Wheels off
Wheels off

Here you see the work is started..  I have acquired four newish tires for a good price.. That will take the flat worries away.. I was given some heavy mesh that will make good ramps.  Dave & I have been debating the width of the trailer..  There doesn’t seem to be a good reason to have the trailer wider behind and in front of the fenders.. So we may just keep the 61 ” width all the way.. and we may trim 12 ” off the back..

How wide is Wide enough ?
How wide is Wide enough ?

I’ll sleep on the width thing.. In the mean time I sand blasted the rims and gave them a satin black paint job..

They were rusty !
They were rusty !

And they are unique.. notice the Four bolt pattern..  and the large opening..  These could be hard to find.. good thing I made them nice again.

New ish tires
New ish tires

Here you see the new tires on the rims…on the trailer..  Also you will see that we’ve stripped the wood deck off, fenders off..  and now it’s time to decide what to do..

The naked frame
The naked frame

The frame is very minimal as you can see.  and some of the cross members are very light.. I could bend them easily.  So after looking at all this weakness.. we need to beef things up a bit.   The first thing is to add a third frame right down the middle.   A 2×2 ” square tube would do nicely.  That would take a bit of the flex out of the frame.  Then we will replace the lighter cross pieces with more 2×2″ tube.  All welded to make a more rigid ladder frame.

Back end
Back end

Also we decided to shorten the trailer by a foot on the tail.  This will do two things :  First it will mean less stress on the back of the trailer when loading something heavy.  Second it will move the two axles back further and make the trailer handle better.   Sadly we will loose a foot in length..  but hey it’s long enough for me..

Shorter Frame
Shorter Frame

Here you can see the shortened frame, and the new 2 x 2 center frame plus cross pieces.

Lots of new peices
Lots of new peices

The 2 x 2 square tube runs the whole length and has stiffened the trailer a lot.  We added new outer frame pieces and there will be a 4″ deep plate on the outside.  When the 2×6 decking goes on this should be a strong but lite trailer.  And yes I decided to take the deck out to the outside of the fenders.  I have also forgone the stake pockets for a 12″ high wall on the sides..  sloping up to a 24″ high front wall.   No wind gate either..  just two 16″ x 48″ mesh ramps that will slide from side to side and fold up.

Finished Frame
Finished Frame

This has turned into quite a lot of work.. but the result is great.. You can see in the photo above the vision I had has taken shape.  A spare tire and winch mount on the front.  The 12″ high frame on the sides acts like a truss and stiffens up the frame.

Winch mount
Winch mount

Here’s a photo of the winch mount.. I have a new 2000 lb winch for the trailer..  At the bottom is of coarse the battery tray.   I also bought a new hitch & jack.  This will be a new trailer when done.. and it’s registered as a 2014 U-Build .  Prior to this photo we used the tractor to lift one side of the trailer and had it up on it’s side.  That allowed us to rewire the brakes.  Proper soldered connections & loom , all routed through the 2×2 center beam.  I also took the opportunity to give the underside a quick coat of grey paint.

June 29 2014:

Another case of “put aside”..  The weather has been ify for painting..  and other stuff got in the way of finishing the trailer.  But today with improved weather I got er done..

Grey Trailer
Grey Trailer

All the welding & grinding is done..  cleaned it up good and gave the trailer it’s grey paint job.

Ready for the lights now
Ready for the lights now

Once the paint is dry I’ll wire in the lights.  Then it’s decking time.

Lights
Lights

Here’s the lights all on.. took a few hours .  all the conections are behind the license plate..  The wires all run through the 2×2 square frame.  Clean !

Junction with a function
Junction with a function

At the front  they all meet here..  easy to get at and make changes..

DECKIN !

2×6 treated lumber & 2″ heavy metal screws..  And lots of cutting.

Almost done
Almost done

Got the fenders back on too.. and they fit perfectly.  All that’s left to do is the ramps and wire up the winch.

after the test run..
after the test run..

I did not realize that at some time during our construction .. the shackles on the front axle got flipped around.. and this caused the tires to rub together.. it took me a bit of head scratching to figure out what it was that was wrong.  But I got it..

It fits !
It fits !

With the completion of these heavy duty ramps.. the trailer is getting closer to being 100% .  The ramps adjust for width and can be removed.  The Kubota fits with room to spare. It looks like I may have  a mowing job.. so this trailer will be used.  now we need to see how many quads we can carry !

 

 

Performer Seven Seas Restore Page 2

March 2014:   Back at it…

Don’t forget to read PAGE 1 first…  Spring is in the air.. and soon the snow will be all but a memory..  I do need to get the Bazoo 6×6 finished and out of the shop..  Set up the Costco garage again..  and get the boat done..

Delays Again:

Never got to move the boat out of the shed.. there was other things that were more pressing to do.. There’s always next year..  But I did get some prep done this fall..  The Sabercraft  boat that I got for free.. was kind enough to donate a few bits.. before getting cut up for the landfill.  First was the motor well ..

Motor Well
Motor Well

This Motor Well is prefect… and I’ll make it work.   The other important stuff was the side trim..

Side Trim
Side Trim

It’s aluminum trim in the perfect shape I want for the side..   Also saved the bow light.. and a few other bits.

New Power :

As well this year I decided to pass the Chrysler 55 ‘s on to a new person.. and go with the 50 hp Merc I was given…  Supposedly it runs !  We’ll see.   I’m going to make it one of my winter projects this year.

Jan 2017:

It saddens me to think I’ll never get to see this boat finished..  But so many things keep me away..   The latest is the cost of finishing the boat.. I’m living on fumes here… yes by choice.. but I’m not able to do any projects that will cost money..   So I’m going to part with the boat.. and move on.. I’m also realizing that I have a lot of toys to play with and hard enough to use them all… one more is too much..  there would be litte time to even use the boat..   And my storage is filling up and since the Fifthwheel takes up so much room the boat got kicked out of the nice cozy place it’s been for a few years now..

So it’s up for sale..