OP
Colonel Monk
Silver Member
Well, I'd hate to have to drag it everywhere.... Like from my place a mile or more to where the chipping is to be done. So I guess the answer would be convenience when it's not in the swamp.
CM
Ideas for a self-propelled chassis for PTO wood chipper
- Thread starter Colonel Monk
- Start date
- Views: 3800
Well, I'd hate to have to drag it everywhere.... Like from my place a mile or more to where the chipping is to be done. So I guess the answer would be convenience when it's not in the swamp.
CM
arrow
Super Member
I dunno. Everything you state is a lot of extra work to me.
I wouldn't chip anything in the woods. I'd use a loggers technique to keep it clear. We did it all the time.
If I'm understanding correctly, you aren't going into the woods with your machine anyway as the ground is too soft but you want to keep it clear to obtain firewood and provide some type of "ground fill".
All we did if tree slash got in the way was take a chainsaw to it all and reduce it where you could drive over it. This provided tractive aid and "fill in" as well. Between driving over it and natural rot, areas we were in looked like someone took a brush hog to it all.
You couldn't notice much "branch clutter" whatsoever after we were through with that technique.
To fulfill your needs as a "contraption creator," I can't help with except to say more power to ya.
I wouldn't chip anything in the woods. I'd use a loggers technique to keep it clear. We did it all the time.
If I'm understanding correctly, you aren't going into the woods with your machine anyway as the ground is too soft but you want to keep it clear to obtain firewood and provide some type of "ground fill".
All we did if tree slash got in the way was take a chainsaw to it all and reduce it where you could drive over it. This provided tractive aid and "fill in" as well. Between driving over it and natural rot, areas we were in looked like someone took a brush hog to it all.
You couldn't notice much "branch clutter" whatsoever after we were through with that technique.
To fulfill your needs as a "contraption creator," I can't help with except to say more power to ya.
smiley
Gold Member
I liked your term contraptioneer as I guess that's what I am.
As I read this thread over, I was envisioning throwing that jeep axle under the chipper with some big old turf tires on it, with a single swivel wheel on front or back, 2 master cylinders one for each brake to steer it and a hydraulic pump driven by the chipper engine to a hydraulic motor on the rear end. You could always have an electric winch on it in case of getting stuck. That should be a good contrationeering project.
Back in the 60's, I contraptioneered a skid steer using 2 - 59 Ford rear ends facing each other, with chain drive on the short connecting drive shaft, from a rear mounted 4 cyl Metroplitan (Austin) eng/trans. Steering was with the brakes except I didn't realize that the rear axle brakes didn't work, only front axle brakes did. As I had no blade on the front yet, with a rear engine, the maiden voyage was a frame dragging wheelie out the garage door across the driveway and up the guy wire of a light pole, while I flailed around trying to grab the jumper wire on the motor behind me that was the ignition switch. Back to the drawing board and parts place for new wheel cylinders.
Smiley
As I read this thread over, I was envisioning throwing that jeep axle under the chipper with some big old turf tires on it, with a single swivel wheel on front or back, 2 master cylinders one for each brake to steer it and a hydraulic pump driven by the chipper engine to a hydraulic motor on the rear end. You could always have an electric winch on it in case of getting stuck. That should be a good contrationeering project.
Back in the 60's, I contraptioneered a skid steer using 2 - 59 Ford rear ends facing each other, with chain drive on the short connecting drive shaft, from a rear mounted 4 cyl Metroplitan (Austin) eng/trans. Steering was with the brakes except I didn't realize that the rear axle brakes didn't work, only front axle brakes did. As I had no blade on the front yet, with a rear engine, the maiden voyage was a frame dragging wheelie out the garage door across the driveway and up the guy wire of a light pole, while I flailed around trying to grab the jumper wire on the motor behind me that was the ignition switch. Back to the drawing board and parts place for new wheel cylinders.
Smiley
oldnslo
Super Member
smiley
Gold Member
Sorry I never picked up on the fact that it's pto until you mentioned it even though it's in the title. Maybe I'm getting oldnslo in the head! That sure throws a monkey wrench in it. I guess maybe I overlooked it as I've never used a pto one but lots of powered ones.
oldnslo
Super Member
Smiley
Yes the PTO does add another level of difficulty but your idea on the drive axle is very similar to Colonel monk痴 original idea? My question or concern is can you just slow down the one drive wheel with brake system and does the unbraked wheel speed up? Suspect yes on speed not sure on the slow vs stop though. In my mind I am comparing this to two wheel drive tractor where applying one brake other wheel doubles in speed
Yes the PTO does add another level of difficulty but your idea on the drive axle is very similar to Colonel monk痴 original idea? My question or concern is can you just slow down the one drive wheel with brake system and does the unbraked wheel speed up? Suspect yes on speed not sure on the slow vs stop though. In my mind I am comparing this to two wheel drive tractor where applying one brake other wheel doubles in speed
smiley
Gold Member
Oldnslo,
Yes, the one wheel would speed up as the one slows down because that's what differentials do but, as I understand it some limited slip differentials counteract that somehow through clutches. It really wasn't noticeable though on my skid steer contraption because unless your doing donuts, in normal steering, all you're doing is slowing the one side enough to turn where you want to go and wouldn't even realize that the other side is actually speeding up.
Yes, the one wheel would speed up as the one slows down because that's what differentials do but, as I understand it some limited slip differentials counteract that somehow through clutches. It really wasn't noticeable though on my skid steer contraption because unless your doing donuts, in normal steering, all you're doing is slowing the one side enough to turn where you want to go and wouldn't even realize that the other side is actually speeding up.
alexpops
Platinum Member
Why not set it up as HST/Hydraulics and work it like a Zero turn or mini-ex? depending on the motor you use, get a big enough bolt on pump to operate your 2/4 wheel motors then gin up a speed reducer/transmission to gear your engine rpm up/down to PTO speed via driveshaft? W/a big enough motor/pump, you could probably use hydraulics to run the pto as well on a different shaft (that way you could keep using the chipper with the tractor when the swampmobile ain't needed. Might not win any races or pass OSHA muster, but bet it would be a fun build/operator adventure. I'm looking to do a diy travelift for boats in a similar vein. steering if 4 wd might take some geometry for the rams, but if 2wd is enough to keep you moving over the muck, a pivoting wheel same as ZT may do the trick or a broad track w/one fwd/one rev to steer.
It seems there have been many DIY self propelled wood splitters. You can get some ideas there.
Bruce
Bruce