Gage wheel project

[CTyler]

This is part of my weekend project after months of telling myself I need some gauge wheels!

Well first thing is cut some box tube on the band saw, punch some holes on the drill press and glue it to the KK landscape rake.

 

[CTyler]

The next thing was to make some arms to plug into the receivers on the rake.

The first round of doing this didn't quite work out. The straight one is the first attempt. While it worked the rake would always be dragging a tad and that was at the highest point.

So plan B went into effect and worked out perfect.

 

[CTyler]

This was the first one and as you can see it was topped out.

 

[CTyler]

Here is a pic of the box blade with the tube welded up, I will use the same gauge wheels with the box.

 

[CTyler]

Here is a pic of the new gauge wheels on the box blade. Must have missed getting a pic on the rake.

 

[CTyler]

One of the other mods that had to be done was extend the toplink point on the landscape rake. The rake was tilted down on the front at a considerable angle. This means the gauge wheels would have been pointing in the air with out the mod. A 4" piece of steel fixed that right up so it sits level when the HTL is out.

 

[CTyler]

This is how it sits after the mod...nice and level.

 

[CTyler]

Extending the toplink mount is also the first step toward making the rake compatable with the QH. As you can see from this pic there was now way you could get the QH hook in there the way KK built it.

The next phase in this will be to cut down the rake an inch on each side so its narrower than the 26" QH mounts. It would have been easier to just buy another rake but I get more torch and welding time this way /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[CTyler]

This is what I need to cut down so the rake is narrower.

You can also see the stand leg that was added to hold the rake up instead of blocks of wood.

 

[CTyler]

Everything still needs to get primed and painted yet but I still gave it a quick spin around the place and it worked great.

Still need to add receivers to the rear blade as well. Might get to that tommorrow.

The tires were from HF on sale at about $8 each. The forks were purchased from the Kubota dealer for under $50 for the pair. The steel used is about $50. I spent $132 on steel but it was for this and other stuff.

 

[chim]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( This is what I need to cut down so the rake is narrower.

You can also see the stand leg that was added to hold the rake up instead of blocks of wood. )</font>

Nice work on the wheels. Can you turn the pins inward instead of shrotening the bar?.............chim

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> This is what I need to cut down so the rake is narrower.
</font>

CTyler,

Looks good! Thanks for posting the photos.

It will be interesting to see how the gage wheels hold up to use with your box blade since it is much heavier than the rake or a rear blade might be.

I am puzzled by your need to narrow the KK rake though. Mine works well on my B2910 without modification, and even fits on the little 3PH the BX2200 has. I might have the pins pointing inwards though, like Chim suggested. Can't remember at the moment, but that almost has to be the case.

 

[PineRidge]

CTyler nice looking project. Seems like there were a few of us that had the same itch yesterday. We were modifying a KK rake as well. I like your parking stand, maybe I can use that with a foot on the bottom to keep it from settling into the mud. Thanks for sharing.

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am puzzled by your need to narrow the KK rake though. Mine works well on my B2910 without modification, and even fits on the little 3PH the BX2200 has. )</font>

Unfortunately the bar that the pins attach to line exactly with the QH. KK probaly has different Mfg's making implements or there is just that much variance in the specifications.

 

[CTyler]

I angled the stand a bit cause my rear blade was a little tippy and ended up bending the stand leg forward to stabilze it a litte better. Probably wasn't needed on the rake since the rake is lighter than my rear blade. Still need to weld on a plate so it doesn't sink in the ground to easy.

 

[Bowhunter]

Great looking work CTyler. I definitely need to get a welder one of these days.

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It will be interesting to see how the gage wheels hold up to use with your box blade since it is much heavier than the rake or a rear blade might be.
)</font>

The wheels are rated at 300lbs a piece and the box blade is aprox 650lbs. The weight will be distibuted between the wheels and the 3pt so they should be ok. I'd get better wheels if it was used everyday for sure.

 

[CTyler]

I saw your project on the other thread, thanks and good job!

 

[chim]

Just a thought. My RFM uses a pin similar to the one in the toplink. The mower frame has a pair of holes that the pins go through on each side. It is connected to the 3PH by passing the pins through these with the 3PH arms in the middle.

Could you weld a tab toward the inside of the frame and use pins that your quick hitch could also use?................chim

 

[CTyler]

Ya know....that would be a lot easier. Cut the existing tabs off, since thier in the way, and weld them in bit further.

Thanks
Chris