garden tractor into lever steer??

[ben2o1o]

i was wondering if anyone has built a mini dozer out of a garden tractor.. if so what kind of brake system could i use for steering??

 

[beenthere]

Need a few more details of the design first.

 

[Mace Canute]

The easiest ones to convert would be the ones with individual wheel brakes from the factory. Even though you wouldn't have a locked differential, tracks tend to want to drive straight ahead and only a little correcting would be necessary.

Of all the mini crawlers I have seen, the most impressive one is this one. IH Cub Cadet 100 Crawler Saying the builder is talented is doing him an injustice!

The neat thing is, there is such a large selection of units to re-do, some are very neat indeed!

There's these Youtube vids:

YouTube - Custom built Massey Ferguson 10 crawler

YouTube - Mini Bulldozer

YouTube - little crawler

YouTube - mini dozer

YouTube - Mini Bulldozer

YouTube - Mini Trattore TSR 130 Taglio ulivi

YouTube - John Deere Custom Built Track Vehicle

YouTube - Custom Built John Deere 317 Crawler

YouTube - bulldozer 2

YouTube - John Deere 314 modifier

 

[Craig Clayton]

Sir
What is the make and origin of the green crawler, it is very nicely restored.
Craig Clayton

 

[ben2o1o]

well i think it would be simple but it probably not.. take a regular sears garden tractor with a three speed with reverse transmission with high and low, and make or put some car or truck brakes on each side of the axle and then run a brake line from each side to a couple of master cyliders and then my levers. but im goin to make my own tracks. jus wondering if that setup would work?

 

[Mace Canute]

Sir
What is the make and origin of the green crawler, it is very nicely restored.
Craig Clayton

Nertz! I can't find it again! It was originally posted on Antique Engines Antique Tractors Steam Engines and Old Iron That was a tracked walk behind unit originally that a clever fellow converted to a ride-on unit. There was another picture along with that one and the guy had his feet tucked back under the seat resting on a crossbar he added. His toes were roughly above the rear idlers.

 

[DavidNPro]

Another option that I have seen, but is more invovled is to lock the rearend so both axles would drive all the time. Then put some sort of hand operated clutch before the final drive to the tracks. I have seen this on some larger conversion and even some older dozers from the factory. Also would probably have to include some sort of brake that would apply with the clutch releasing.

Like I said a little more invovled, but something else that could work.

 

[Mace Canute]

well i think it would be simple but it probably not.. take a regular sears garden tractor with a three speed with reverse transmission with high and low, and make or put some car or truck brakes on each side of the axle and then run a brake line from each side to a couple of master cyliders and then my levers. but im goin to make my own tracks. jus wondering if that setup would work?

That's why I said "The easiest ones to convert would be the ones with individual wheel brakes from the factory." They have done the hard part for you. Adding backing plates or caliper mounts to an axle that was never designed for them would be difficult, especially if the rear axle was aluminum or cast iron.

 

[ben2o1o]

ive welded the gears togather on a lawnmower transmission awhile back to make posi. and then put a pulley on each side of the axle shaft and put two independant axles that had a pulley on each and jus put two seperate idler pulleys to tighten the belts but my project didnt move.. i dont know if it was the belts or the rear pulleys too small?

 

[workinprogress]

I built one but didn't use the rear end of the tractor. I used a z turn pump/control unit along with hydrualic motors. I posted the full build in an earlier thread. Let me know if you have more questions.

Good Luck.