Homemade tractor

[Norm W]

I built a tractor to mount a backhoe attachment. I started with a VW Rabbit engine mounted North/South instead of East/west, a GM 4 speed transmission, a '54 truck front end and a Detroit Locker full floating rear axle. The frame was channel iron. Used it for 20 years with the Diesel engine. Old age took that out, so I switched to a Suzuki three cylinder gas engine. It has power steering, a front dirt blade and a PTO driven backhoe. I didn't think to get the "Brain Box" for the Suzuki, so it has a VW bug carb and a GM electronic modual and a Suzuki coil.

 

[bcp]

Do an internet search of doodle bugs, go from there, they used, in some cases, dual transmissions. If you get lucky you may find a four wheel drive unit with a pto on it to run the tiller.

Beat me to it:

doodlebug tractor - Google Search

Bruce

 

[4570Man]

$4,000 for a non running tractor even if the engine required replacement would be a bargain compared to trying to build one to work even 1/2 way decent.

 

[Boganism]

$4,000 for a non running tractor even if the engine required replacement would be a bargain compared to trying to build one to work even 1/2 way decent.

Somehow,and don't ask my how,but if my maths right it's actually cheaper to build (when factoring in parts) a full rebuild for something like a tea20 is 1-2K, so your in 6K, whereas the homemade would be at most 5K, hence why I wanted to do it. Our prices really are just different

 

[DaBear3428]

Somehow,and don't ask my how,but if my maths right it's actually cheaper to build (when factoring in parts) a full rebuild for something like a tea20 is 1-2K, so your in 6K, whereas the homemade would be at most 5K, hence why I wanted to do it. Our prices really are just different

if you have access to the salvage parts and the tools, have the skills and have the time go for it but you are looking at 500 hrs to do it i would find a gig and do the 500 hrs then take your pay and buy a used tractor. if you have the skills to pull the build off you should be getting enough to buy a good used tractor.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

What size tiller do you need to work? My Yanmar YM2310 tractor will easily work a 5 foot wide tiller. The tractor is a 23HP tractor and I use 540 RPM for the tiller. It works great. The tractor has more than enough power for the tiller. I looked at the Cub lt1042 you mentioned and there is no way I would use the transmission from it to move a tractor that could power a 5 foot wide tiller. So, how about you tell us all what size tiller you want to power and drag around? That would really help the folks here to give you meaningful advice. BTW, you mentioned using two lawn mower engines in tandem. I think this would be a big mistake. Furthermore, the two engines you were considering would be about 40 HP combined. That's way more HP than a tiller that could be moved with the Cub transmission would use.
Eric

They sell pull behind tillers with an engine on them.

 

[scootr]

First I have to build a car to go to the salvage yard with and get parts to make the tractor.

 

[jjeff]

Wonder if you can find a couple of junk 4wd mini trucks fairly cheap, and use them for a starting point my knowledge is limited of them but I believe certain versions already had a factory pto setup. If they are more available in your corner of the world of course.

 

[Vigo327]

Maybe build a barge instead and float over to where that guy Marty T on youtube gets all his ‘abandoned’ equipment.

But in all seriousness, i think the idea is feasible but not pragmatic in the same way that others have said, which is that if you have the talents to pull it off you could sell the talents for enough to buy the tractor in the first place, and it would probably be a less frustrating process. However.. some people have the “itch” to do things like this just to prove a point to themselves or possibly ‘the world’ and it’s really all about getting rid of the itch as much as it is about making sense, and i.. TOTALLY understand and relate to that!

As far as a mower hydrostatic trans.. tilling does not require a lot of pulling power. If that was ALL you did, and the trans was geared down a bunch and not supporting the axle weight (ie sprocketed to a stronger axle) it might work, but longevity is unknown. It would not push a heavy machine up a hill at all, and it would require implementing some totally separate brakes and not relying on the ‘hydrostatic braking effect’ or the tiny disc brake like you would on a 600lb riding mower. I think in general it is FAR more practical to use a small car as a starting point for this, and power the ‘pto’ with an entirely separate small engine as you mentioned. 4wd would be nice but not necessary, especially for tilling. Once you forego any thoughts of high speed crashworthiness or road legality, all kinds of cars are fairly simple to dump about half the weight off it and weld just about anything you want to the end that doesnt have the engine in it.

Norm W… that is AWESOME!!

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I have built and been part of building several homemade tractors. One was a 34 horse 4 cyl Wisconsin. Two 4 speed transmissions behind it. Eaton 3/4 ton rear end. 20 inch two ton truck wheels on rear. PTO on front trans. Would run a 5 ft bush hog and cut thick shoulder high grass.

One used a Mazda engine transmission, then truck 4 spd. 9 inch Ford rear. Makes a big ole garden with it for 30 plus years with it.

First one I had a David Bradley frame. Only steering wheel and front end. Gear box was gone because it was used to make a walk behind tractor. We have several of them things. But anyway, I used two 3 speed trans, a Studebaker rear narrowed. That was my high school welding class project. Drove it on the trailer. My older cousin still uses it. Made it almost 40 years ago.

I been in that bidness a while.