Modern Pow'r Pup questions

   / Modern Pow'r Pup questions #1  

DIYjunkie

Bronze Member
Joined
May 19, 2018
Messages
54
Location
Lincoln, NE
Tractor
Simplicity 4212
So for a while I've been wanting to build a pow'r pup tractor. Older plans call for using a Ford Model A axle and 3 speed transmission, however both are incredibly hard to get a hold of. I was thinking using a Ford 9" or 8.8" rear axle and a 3 speed with granny gear transmission (T18 or Sm465) and cut the axle to about 40" overall. One thing the plans never stated was doing steering brakes. I was thinking just using two master cylinders on 2 brake pedals and blocking off one of the lines on the master cylinder and just run one line to each brake. However I'm not 100% sure that would even work. Option 2 was to just run the emergency brake cables to the pedals instead of having hydraulic brakes, but I'm not sure if that would be effective enough.

Another option I thought of doing was using a Peerless 820 transaxle and just do 2 8" go kart disc brakes on the axles. However my plans for the tractor are using it for plowing a garden, discing/cultivating, snowplowing or front loader. I'm not sure how well that transaxle would hold up to any of those tasks. I'd like to stay with the more traditional design and use truck parts vs garden tractor parts.

I have a background in welding and have decent fabrication skills. I tend to over build things so they can hold up to abuse without trouble. Frame would be 2"x4"x10ga rectangle tubing. Cat 0 hydraulic 3 point hitch. Harbor Freight 420cc Predator engine with a GM 3 wire alternator.
 
   / Modern Pow'r Pup questions #2  
Another option on brakes would be a pair of line locks within reach of the driver, or single circuit master cylinders.

Aaron Z
 
   / Modern Pow'r Pup questions
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Never heard of line locks, care to elaborate?
 
   / Modern Pow'r Pup questions #4  
Never heard of line locks, care to elaborate?

People use them in drag racing. It locks the front brakes on a car with an electric solenoid. That way, you can do burnouts by locking the front brakes while you spin the rear wheels to heat up the tires for better traction.
 
   / Modern Pow'r Pup questions
  • Thread Starter
#6  
That's definitely an interesting way and relatively cheap idea to lock the brakes individually.
 
   / Modern Pow'r Pup questions #7  
Why a Cat 0 3 pt hitch? I had a tractor with that a few years back. It was possible to find implements that could be used, but a Cat 1 would have been much better. I guess if you already have some implements for Cat 0 it would make sense.
 
   / Modern Pow'r Pup questions #8  
Get a 8.8 out of a Ford Ranger pickup, cheap, solid and readily available. Narrow the long side so you can use a short side shaft in that side. If you get lucky and find one with disc brakes. I would do the dual master cylinders.
 
   / Modern Pow'r Pup questions #9  
For the brakes you could get a steering brake setup for a dune buggy , let’s you have a single peddle for normal stopping or use one of the handles to help steer.

Dual Handle Upright Steering Brake With 3/4 Bore For Disc Brakes

IMG_0233.JPG
 
   / Modern Pow'r Pup questions #10  
If you're scrounging, older cars before double circuit brakes had single circuit masters. Like 50s-60s VW bugs. Some of those parts are still pretty easy/cheap to find as replacements. Clutch masters are also single circuit (though not all of them are set up to use metal lines).
 
 
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