Speed up Your Horse

[SALTYWRIGHT 859]

I HAVE A RAT ROD THAT I CHECKED BY G.P.S AT 30 M.P.H. IT IS NOT SAFE AT THAT SPEED. I DID THIS ON A SMALL UPGRADE AND WHEN I WENT BACK DOWN IT WAS TOO MUCH. I WILL NEVER RUN IT AT THAT SPEED AGAIN. 15 M.P.H. IS AS FAST AS IT IS SAFE. I HAVE CHANGED THE PULLEYS SINCE THEN.

THE STEERING IS THE THING THAT IS NOT SAFE. RUSS.

[smoreau 658]

This is what I have in my 1/3rd scale mini ambulance for steering and I have to say it is very tight with no play!

http://www.buggydepot.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=115

[wheelhorse656 20]

I think I am going to get an 8 inch for my engine on the lawn ranger and a 2.5 on the trans so i can run about 25 MPH... I have tight sterring and am Going to make a specail set up to prevent it from turning over. and I am going to have to beef up the breaks too. Looks like my rat rod it getting carried away.... Ohhh boy here i go agian! LOL

[Rooster 191]

You probably do not want to go with the 2 1/2" on the trans. Usually anything under 31/2" you will have belt slippage problems. On the racers we usually run at least 4" and upgrade the clutch spring for added tension.

[COMMANDO1 23]

• Where are u guys getting pullys? for the best price.
  

[COMMANDO1 23]

NEVER MIND....FOUND IT. SURPLUS CENTER.

[The Toolman 22]

Heres a place to get the pulley you need for the rear drive on the 8 speeds. I imagine they have what you need for any of the others also. This is the one I'm gonna use on the rear of my C-101 this summer.

http://www.milfordpower.com/R5882-CAST-IRON-PULLEY-3-4-X-4-p/r5882.htm

[Mykol610 2]

After changing the front pulley to a 7.75 and leaving the rear at 5 (origionally had 5 in front and rear; I don't know why), my 1057 definately sped up. Before it was going about 10MPH, increased to 16-17MPH. All per my GPS. Can definately feel it. I get a little nervous on turns but it seems ok. The hardest thing was getting the right belt. It doesn't have the origional motor so I had to go with a custom belt. But it's all good now.

[Rooster 191]

After changing the front pulley to a 7.75 and leaving the rear at 5 (origionally had 5 in front and rear; I don't know why), my 1057 definately sped up. Before it was going about 10MPH, increased to 16-17MPH. All per my GPS. Can definately feel it. I get a little nervous on turns but it seems ok. The hardest thing was getting the right belt. It doesn't have the origional motor so I had to go with a custom belt. But it's all good now.

SO was this a change you made after reading this post? Did my info help you? Or was it something you already had done on your own?

What did you do about a belt gaurd?

[Mykol610 2]

I did it all after I read these posts. Used surpluscenter to get the pulley. The info definately helped but I wasn't able to get the calculator thing to work right. Because I put a different motor in it & it not being in the origional place, I don't have a belt guard. (I know, dumb idea). I'm hoping this summer, after I add an extension to my shed, to cut down the existing beltguard and mod it to work with the new motor. but I'll need to figure a way to set things up to work with the origional 5" and the newer 7.75". I'm going to use the origional 5" in winter when I have the plow on it. Or, give it a year or two and I'll leave my 1057 regular and change things on my David Bradley. I'm always changing something on my "toys".

[Mykol610 2]

Has anyone had issues (after speeding their tractor up) with the key in the transmission pulley loosening up? Luckily I have 2 5" pulleys for the tranny but they both (after a little bit of time) come loose. I'm thinking of using locktite on it but want to be able to get it off if need be. The aluminum one I have on right now is not looking too good. Is there another way to tighten it up a bit (so it doesn't fall off) without locktiting it?

[Rooster 191]

That usually happens if either the pulley or the shaft is worn.

Generally the fix for it is to repair or replace one or both.

However, being a wheel horse that could get difficult and expensive!

A couple of band-aid fixes.

shim stock to tighten up th fit, or use a larger set screw in the pulley where it holds the key.

[Mykol610 2]

Another Q, Is there a better brand of tires to use VS others that don't handle speeds too well? My front wheels are both leaking. I'm planning on tomorrow getting tubes for them but are there any tires specifically to stay away from? What are on it are Load Star trailor tires 4.8x4x8. I'm thinking of getting new tires for both of my tractors.

[littleredrider 409]

I've changed the pulley's on all my tractors and never had any issues with a the rear pulley coming loose. They aren't even "good" ones, they are from Tractor supply for electric motors. I had a 2" on the ranger IIRC a 4" on the front, would haul a$$.

You can radial tires for that size in Carlisle trailer tires, can't think of the name. They are bout $20 each. Look similar to stock tires.

[Rooster 191]

Almost any trailer tire that is DOT Rated is going to most likely be "Safer" than a mower or tractor tire.

However, I have been over 60MPH on Carlisles. Turf Savers, Turf Pros or Turf Masters.

Some of the racers use cheaper off brand tires....but my feathers feel safer on Carlisles!

[FZR 1]

Great post!  Thanks for all the information.  I like the idea of speeding up WHs for racing and how it is done.  But for me, I like spending time on the old tractor.  I only care that my WH goes faster than the grass grows and sky snows.

[546cowboy 301]

All very interesting and I have never tried speeding up one of the Horses in my stable. I have considered it though since I have done that with an older Craftsman I got for free. It was too straight to scrap so one thing led to another from paint to extending the axles and spindles, big tires all the way around and changing the pulleys for more speed. I didn't make any changes to the stock steering and that's where it gets scary. It will run about 27 m.p.h. but it is a handful going down the asphalt and those two little brake pads are pretty useless. It does have a 6 speed shift-on-the-fly trans-axle in it so you can downshift it. If I remember right I have a 9" pulley on the engine and a 5" on the trans-axle.

[RMCIII 838]

 

Very cool write up.

I assume some tractors & trans are safer to "speed up" than others?

If I was going to speed one up, I would do it to something with dual rear tires. The increase width greatly improves the stability.

The tranny isn't really going to make a difference until you start making engine changes. Some difference yes, but most WH trannys are similar in nature.

The Puller fellas have told me the 8 Pinion 8 Speed are the stoutest?

Hydros, I think your pretty much limited on those, over driving a hydro unit doesn't do much more than over heat it. Now that is Most Hydro's I am familiar with. I have not really worked on a WH Hydro, so they could be something different? I dunno?

If you start Speeding them up very much over....I am gonna say 12-15 MPH, then you really need to look at Re-purposing that Machine. A tractor that will run that fast is not going to have any grunt left for working, so you have really built more of a "Tractor Looking Go-Cart" than anything else. At that point you need to start looking at Lowering that machine for stability, adding some pretty good brakes, a tetherd kill switch so that if the driver falls off the engine dies. Chasing a 15 MPH machine is ALOT different than a 7MPH machine, and imagine a 5 or 600 pounds at 15MPH hitting something or someone.

 

 

Speed is always a variable that seems to never be satisfied. Kinda like emotions. That being said. I am in favor of "upping" the xi "H" range of ground travel. Only because I travel the neighborhood cutting lawns and blowing snow.. What do you feel would  be the safest way to increase the "H" range on a Hydro tranny with a "L", "H" split?

[NCGT-14 0]

I'm thinking of gearing up the drive pulley on the mower deck to pick up speed there. I'll let you know how it works out. Actually I'll try it on the 500$ mower first, then the WH, lol.

[zieg72 209]

I haven't had the belt guard off my 416-8 to see what is on there now.  I believe a hydro drive pulley from a 520H is larger than the 8 speed one?  Is there a calculation on how to determine belt size versus pulley combination?  Anyone know off hand the size of the 416-8 Onan powered drive belt?

[98layinframe 22]

Sorry to pull up such an old thread from the depths.. but did anyone ever actually do this to their 8 speed tractor?  I have a 414-8 that I simply swapped the engine pulley out to the 5.25" hydro pulley and it increased the top speed from 6.5mph to 8mph. 

 

my question is now.. I have a C111 that is nearly identical, but this time I would like to increase the ground speed a little by swapping the transmission pulley out instead since it seems like it would be much easier... no need to mess with and reshape the belt guards like I had to do with the hydro engine pulley.   What size would be recommended? go from the 6.5" stock to a 5", or 4.5" or a 4"?  not looking for lightening speed, just a little increase to run around the neighborhood a little faster.

[953 nut 55,332]

Have you considered the fact that a smaller pulley will have less contact area with the belt resulting in a greater likelihood of slippage?

[98layinframe 22]

Yeah that's a possibility if you go to small of a pulley.  Like I said.. only trying go increase it a little, not turn it into a gocart.  The older horses ran a tiny 2" pulley on the motor and something like a 5" on the tranny.

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

 I have to chime in on all this hype about a mowers going faster than it should. To me speed is for the safer  surrounded four wheel  vehicle and doing what they are designed to do! Although I am not against and all for the pulling machine and what they are capable  of doing .  I guess what they say ....  to each his own !!!

[WHX?? 48,834]

The need for speed Crib... the need for speed. Ever since the wheel came along man always wants to make it roll faster. What did that guy say on the first page? Here hold my beer and watch this.....

Thanks for digging this up layin...neat stuff