Building my own tractor

[Raider]

I have been wanting to build my own tractor for a while now and I have finally collected several of the key parts to get started. I want to build something that will mostly be used to push and pull cars, trucks and trailers around the property and have a 3 point on the rear to have a blade for driveway repair/maint.
So far I have a bunch of steel, a transmission from an old Mustang and 2 engines. Both are Yannmar 3 cyl Diesels. One is a 3TNE88 and the other is a 3TNV88, 28 hp and 36.3 hp respectively. At this time I am still looking for a good clutch system. I am thinking about sending the flywheel out to a machine shop and having it cut to allow me to use a pressure plate from a small car. My other option is belts, but I don't like that as much.
However, with the belt system I can incorporate a gear reduction that I can not due with a regular car clutch.
I lucked out and got both of the engine complete with everything including alternator, air filter, fan, and exhaust.
I should be getting a rear axle this week. I plan on a 2 wheel drive, I don't need a 4X4.
Any ideas on the clutch would be helpful.

Scott

 

[Taylortractornut]

Try finding an industrial power unit bell housing. THye can be found cheap and thay way ou could drill it it fit your transmission. If your located ne a junk yard or farming community you could do one better than a transmission. You could get a hydrostatic transmission from an old combine cotton picker or swather or a street sweeper. they all use a Sunstrand set up on the hydrostats. I have one in a road broom Im about to put in a compost turner that hooked to an 85 hp Ford diesel. I gotthe whole thing for 500 at a sale. You can hook this up to a 4 speed transmission and make it variable ranges with an infinite travel speed. An IH 715 and 815 combine are prime carriers of these. But if you go the cartransmissiion route you really need 2 trans missions to get the right reduction. I know alot of folks over the years built them with auto transmissions and they go too fast and cant take the strain. I saw a nice 90 hp tractor built with an Isuzu engine with an auto matic and to give it some good lugging power it had a 4 speed out of an old Ford pickup right behind it. Thye pulled tandem discs, trailed box scrapers and a land leveler.

 

[Raider]

Thanks, I have seen the hydrostat that you are talking about. I work as a mechanic for United Rentals, I work on all kinds of equipment including Laymore sweepers. I am just not a fan of hydrostat trans. I have larger garden tractor with one and its great for what it was made for, but I want a normal clutch I can engage and let it go.
I will look for an aditional transmission to add behind or in front of the one I have. Maybe even a FWD with the diff welded. That would give me lots of options and extra reduction.
If I did that I could use a clutch from the same car.

 

[Groo]

I'd get one of the old 2 speed rear axles. I think low is about 7:1

with fairly small tires or an additional reduction after the diff, that might be enough to skip the extra tranny.

another option might be to use a 4x4 transfer case for the low range

if you do go with 2 trannies, make sure the second one if the stonger of the 2

 

[neon_c2]

I'd get one of the old 2 speed rear axles. I think low is about 7:1

with fairly small tires or an additional reduction after the diff, that might be enough to skip the extra tranny.

another option might be to use a 4x4 transfer case for the low range

if you do go with 2 trannies, make sure the second one if the stonger of the 2

Is the 2 speed rear axles have a pretty big center sections? If so with smaller tires then truck tires what is the clearances. Some of the old high clearances crop tractors had gears or chain to drop the wheel hubs down at the end of axles. Just to throw that out there.