The "Colossus" project

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

I’ve been reading a bit at a time on smoke breaks. Looks good so far!! Looking forward to how it comes along once Trina has time to finish it 😂😂

 

I like the square hood look, with kinda what we’d talked about with it being split hood with ammo can latches to secure it, but I’m using that one myself at some point 😂😂

 

That said, the black hood would give it a bigger , beefier look that’ll match its feet once you get the big tires on it. 

Edited September 7, 2019 by LengerichKA88

[ebinmaine 67,483]

6 minutes ago, LengerichKA88 said:

Looking forward to how it comes along once Trina has time to finish it

 

 

Just can't deny that one.....

[19richie66 17,504]

If you build a new frame(I would) I would use at least 1/4” thick angle and a 3/8” rear mounting plate. That would be beefy. Tie the frame rails together with a couple if 1/4” thick pieces of 2” square tubing like a ladder. On the pulley side, you could weld more of that tubing under the length of frame rail for weight and strength. Adding a little steel here and there would offset your weight and give you a very strong frame. Also a gt14 frame is already a little over 8” wide compared to 6-1/2”ish regular frames.

[ebinmaine 67,483]

2 minutes ago, 19richie66 said:

If you build a new frame(I would) I would use at least 1/4” thick angle and a 3/8” rear mounting plate. That would be beefy. Tie the frame rails together with a couple if 1/4” thick pieces of 2” square tubing like a ladder. On the pulley side, you could weld more of that tubing under the length of frame rail for weight and strength. Adding a little steel here and there would offset your weight and give you a very strong frame. Also a gt14 frame is already a little over 8” wide compared to 6-1/2”ish regular frames.

I'd LOVE to build a larger frame but it's just not in the cards right now.

It would be preferable for sure but I don't have the skills to do it...yet.

 

I'll be learning to use my welder over the next few months and parts of this project may see me use it. (Front axle widening.)

 

The way it's falling in place so far it'll all be a bolt-together. I'm not doing that intentionally though. 

 

There will absolutely be a reinforcement made to the frame/transmission mount area.

 

Not being familiar with the larger tractors I didn't know they were wider. That's good info. Thanks. 

 

 

One of the counterweight options I'm considering is to put the battery on the right side with a very heavily built box/base.

I'm going to use a car battery anyway so that would move that ballast from center/front to right side, still keeping most of the weight to the forward end.

 

 

I REALLY appreciate all the input folks.

Please do keep it coming!!

I've never tackled anything like this before and it's fascinating.

 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Hi Eric,

it seems to me a bit, you doubt on your own knowledge and ability’s.

you be on the best Way to build a unique.

Don‘t set yourself a to strong timeline, just do it for Fun.

 

Just begin your Project, the knowledge you have will improve along with the things you‘re build.

 

Help and guidance is here enough in the Forum available.

Things you‘re fighting with, will lost their fear, if you have solved them or made it.

If they last, you did it right, if the fail, don’t hesitate just rework it, that simple.

 

Nobody has fallen as a Professional out of sky and we all improve our knowledge, day by day. 👍

 

To build a own Vehicle is a task, wich many do not dare.

Do things, don‘t hesitate to do it, mostly the make is easier than it appears.

I‘m looking forward to see your first Solutions.

Construct a own Vehicle is not like baking a cake, it‘s a learning curve,

youself can decide how strong it is. And if you solved it, you will be proud of your Work.

Construction was mostly a mixture between copy of things they available and rework with own ideas.

A fail was not realy a blame, especial you do it first time in this complexity.

 

 

About Welding, if you be able, ask an professional for show you some tips.

Don’t hesitate, they will help you mostly, to get quickly better results.

importanst thing is, the Seams will last, second they lookin good.

Welding is basically just a thing of Training, each more you trainee, each nicer will be your seams.

 

Sent some positive Energy to you Colossus Project, you made it, i‘m sure about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RandyLittrell 3,877]

Since your gonna start welding,here is a great youtube channel. This guy is a hell of a welder and really explains things great. Even though I have welded for years, (not for a living) I have learned a lot from this guy. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/weldingtipsandtricks

 

 

 

 

Randy

[ebinmaine 67,483]

36 minutes ago, RandyLittrell said:

Since your gonna start welding,here is a great youtube channel. This guy is a hell of a welder and really explains things great. Even though I have welded for years, (not for a living) I have learned a lot from this guy. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/weldingtipsandtricks

 

 

 

 

Randy

Awesome Randy.

Thanks.

I hit subscribe.....

 

 

I also watch weld.com and a fella named Brandon Lund from up here in Maine.

 

[RandyLittrell 3,877]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

I also watch weld.com and a fella named Brandon Lund from up here in Maine.

 

 

I subscribe to his channel too!

 

 

 

 

Randy

[8ntruck 6,999]

Remember - you gain knowledge from your own mistakes and wisdom from other's mistakes.  

 

There is plenty of wisdom to be gained from the knowledge that the other forum members have gained over the years.

 

In my opinion, building a new frame would be a better project to improve welding skills with rather than stretching the axle.  Seems to me that the loads a front axle is subjected to are much higher than the loads the frame will see.  With higher loads on the axle, the quality of the weld will be more critical.

 

This is a neat project.  Good luck.

[19richie66 17,504]

Eric, I was thinking that with that weight, a D series frame and front axle would hold up to the task. The frames are wider/longer also. Those engines were in those tractors if I remember correctly. Although turned front to back, it still supported the weight. You may look into one of those. Should be someone around that has a scrapped D laying around up there. 

[ebinmaine 67,483]

2 minutes ago, 19richie66 said:

Eric, I was thinking that with that weight, a D series frame and front axle would hold up to the task. The frames are wider/longer also. Those engines were in those tractors if I remember correctly. Although turned front to back, it still supported the weight. You may look into one of those. Should be someone around that has a scrapped D laying around up there. 

Might sound like a silly question but I've never actually seen one. Do those bolt up to a regular 8-speed?

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

6 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Might sound like a silly question but I've never actually seen one. Do those bolt up to a regular 8-speed?

I know it's hard to actually see it in this pic but nonetheless a D series...

[ebinmaine 67,483]

13 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

I know it's hard to actually see it in this pic but nonetheless a D series...

oh yeah. I'm familiar with them from pictures. I've just never seen one in person.

[Lee1977 6,659]

D has a shaft drive so the transmission mount would be different. You need a narrow frame to work with an 8 speed . The 520 frames are the same as your C-160 with a few  minor changes,  

The main difference is your C-160 has one 3/4" bar supporting the front of the foot boards. The 520 also 300, and 400 have two 3/4" bars supporting the foot boards front and rear.

[ebinmaine 67,483]

The frame I'm using does have both front and rear support bars for the steps. That's the reason I chose this particular frame over the several others I have around.

 

 

[cafoose 3,355]

8 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

D has a shaft drive so the transmission mount would be different. You need a narrow frame to work with an 8 speed . The 520 frames are the same as your C-160 with a few  minor changes,  

The main difference is your C-160 has one 3/4" bar supporting the front of the foot boards. The 520 also 300, and 400 have two 3/4" bars supporting the foot boards front and rear.

What about a D frame with a modified transmission mount?

[pfrederi 17,739]

You may be over worrying about this unbalanced issue.  You engine weighs 178 lbs abut 48 more than a magnum 18 or KT17  All the engines have cast iron flywheels of similar size that would hang out over the side..  The weight difference is in the block which pretty much sits over your frame.  The blocks are all essentially the some width.  The Magnum /KT measures 13.39 inches (per manual) I measured the K532 on my d200 from air shroud to engine end plate about 13.5."

[Skipper 1,788]

Looks like a really fun project 

 

I recently put a 185 lbs twin diesel engine on a 195 for testing. It was wider too, and I ran into two problems that I guess you might perhaps see too. One of them I had not foreseen. I had to be creative with the right side brake pedal, and engine location, as it would hit the engine. That was in the cards, and easily manageable by moving the engine a few inches forward, and modifying the pedal and a few other bits a bit. However what surprised me was the shift in weight because the engine had to hang a bit out on the left side to align with the trans pulley. That really made it obvious how much the frame flexes. You will be surprised, and you better be ready to beef it up a bit, or somehow get some weight to the right side to balance it out some. I had a hood that tilted left more than 10 degrees. Looked just ridiculous. Managed to level it out some, but new beefed up frame is on the drawing board to fix that once and for all.

 

Just a little heads up

Edited September 9, 2019 by Skipper

[JPWH 6,033]

Very interesting project. After reading this whole thread I was wondering if maybe boxing the frame and adding a couple of cross supports between the rails would work. Good practice for welding and minimizing frame twist. Added weight would also be helpful.

Jay

[ebinmaine 67,483]

I took a few minutes tonight and swept the floor under the engine and found a round piece of Steel to use as a rolling balance checker.

Thank you @Tractorhead for that idea.

 

After a few minutes of repeated rolling and checking and measuring I've determined that the center of gravity of this engine will be directly On Top of the left-hand frame rail.

 

I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

 

 

I was thinking it was going to be hanging over the outside edge of the left-hand frame rail and that's where my concern was.

 

 

It is possible that I may be able to move the engine to the right a little bit if I can do as

@pullstart suggested and space out the transmission pulley a bit.

 

 

@pfrederi thanks for the info on the other engine sizes.

 

@Skipper thanks for the info! This one will be ok on the brake (right) side but I'll need to use an alternate clutch mechanism. Perhaps the lift handle...

 

@JPWH I am in boxing the weight although not literally the frame.

I'll be adding a thick plate as the adapter for the engine to frame. I may even carry this plate out the right hand side to use as the counterbalance.

 

 

Soooo..... With that mostly settled in my head...

The engine will be mounted "properly".

 

 

To be continued... 

 

[Pullstart 62,851]

In Hiram, Maine we are experiencing a heavy theft of wheel weights in the local construction supply lot.  Hear tell a local tractor hoarder has been acting a bit “mad.”  Reporting from the newsroom, this is Pullstart.  Back to you, Johnny!

 

Two more words EB : lead bars 

[R. L. Addison 299]

The "D" series drive system is almost identical to the "B" & "C" hydrostats, except they are "divorced" (pump & motor separate [pump driven by engine through coupling, hyd. motor mounted on gear box,connected by a manifold consisting of two 3/8 ?" steel tubes {pressure} & two 1/2 ?" steel tubes {return} brazed to two flanges @ 90 degrees to each other that connect the ports). The gear case uses the four bolts in the front of the case & four on top of the case to hold it to the "D" series frame, as are used in "C" series units. By cutting holes for the two speed shifter & the regular gear shift, I think it would work with no problem. I wanted to build a W.H. dump truck this way using "D" series axles & 6.00 x 12 dual tires on the rear & "D" series front end, but time AND money are going too quickly. Lots o' luck with your build, however you do it.  Ron A   dunngawn@hotmail.com

[Lee1977 6,659]

 

Here are the pictures of how Wheel Horse mounted the 520 on the 6 3/4" frame. they used a 1/4" plate 10" wide and 11 3/4" long  with another 1 1/4" for the PTO loop in the center.

Standard 6 3/4" wide frame the right side extends 1 1/2"  the left side extends 1 3/4" past the frame. You may need a longer plate.

Front right corner

Right side

Right rear corner

Left side

[oliver2-44 9,745]

On 9/9/2019 at 7:27 PM, pullstart said:

Two more words EB : lead bars 

Yes, many moons ago when my son first got into Wake Boarding, I went to the tire shop and bought a couple of buckets of lead tire weights (about 700 lbs as I recall).  I used some 2x3 and 2x4 tubing and welded bottoms in them .  i was going to melt the lead, then I realized I could just let the teenagers pound it into those tubes. Welded a top cap and have used them for many things over the years.  The one downside, scrap lead has gotten valuable. 

 

EB, Just got an idea.  Wake Boarders use "Fat Sacks that they fill with water to add weight to a boat.  

Why not add a "spare tire" to your design, kind of like the old cars that had the spare mounted on the front running board. 

Then you can fill and adjust the spare weight as desired.     

 

EB since you weren't on this site in 2014, I dug this up

 

 

Edited September 11, 2019 by oliver2-44

[ebinmaine 67,483]

@oliver2-44

That's the coolest Santa...