Custom fabricated parts- any desire?

[oilwell1415 563]

I debated starting a new thread for this, but decided to contaminate this one instead since it is the current topic.  What is the benefit of stronger tie rods?  Is bending the stock ones really a concern?  Or is adjustability that desirable?  I ask because I view tie rods kinda like U joints in a driveline.  You don't want them to break, but if something is going to that's probably the piece you want to break because it's cheap and can be swapped in a few minutes.  If you beef up the tie rods, what's the next weakest component in the system?

[ebinmaine 67,704]

35 minutes ago, oilwell1415 said:

I debated starting a new thread for this, but decided to contaminate this one instead since it is the current topic.  What is the benefit of stronger tie rods?  Is bending the stock ones really a concern?  Or is adjustability that desirable?  I ask because I view tie rods kinda like U joints in a driveline.  You don't want them to break, but if something is going to that's probably the piece you want to break because it's cheap and can be swapped in a few minutes.  If you beef up the tie rods, what's the next weakest component in the system?

 

In my particular case I don't get a lot of wear out of the stock ball joint type. I've put brand new unknown source aftermarket on and not had great luck with them on two separate occasions.

 

Keep in mind I don't mow on a smooth lawn and turn four times in a square or anything like that. My steering system is pretty much constantly in motion.

 

I don't know what the expected life is of a Wheelhorse joint. I like to have my steering system as tight as possible and when they start to loosen up after only one season that's not a game that I'm going to play again. 

[Pullstart 62,922]

35 minutes ago, oilwell1415 said:

I debated starting a new thread for this, but decided to contaminate this one instead since it is the current topic.  What is the benefit of stronger tie rods?  Is bending the stock ones really a concern?  Or is adjustability that desirable?  I ask because I view tie rods kinda like U joints in a driveline.  You don't want them to break, but if something is going to that's probably the piece you want to break because it's cheap and can be swapped in a few minutes.  If you beef up the tie rods, what's the next weakest component in the system?

 

I’ve never bent one, but I have had a few 50 years young ends pop apart.  They just don’t make things like they used to 

 

Shy of my FEL, most of the work I do with these is off the back of the tractor... like plows, discs, tillers... things that lighten the front end.

[Gregor 4,846]

I always thought this looked good. I tried to find a pic, but all I can find is this video. I like the looks of the 4 bolt spindles on the front, but I think it may be above my pay grade to make them, and I really don't have the equipment, to do it. Are we talking major $$$$$ here?

 

Front Spindle

[ebinmaine 67,704]

8 minutes ago, Gregor said:

I always thought this looked good. I tried to find a pic, but all I can find is this video. I like the looks of the 4 bolt spindles on the front, but I think it may be above my pay grade to make them, and I really don't have the equipment, to do it. Are we talking major $$$$$ here?

 

Front Spindle

Hey thanks for posting that.

I've been mulling over the process for what to use on Colossus for a week or two now.

I'll have to watch that at home when I can see it on the big screen.

 

That can also be done by purchasing inexpensive trailer stubs from etrailer.com. Drill a hole in the back of the stub after you get the length right. And cutting off the Wheel Horse spindle. Insert one into the other and tack it together and off you go and now you have either four or five lug hubs.

on my tractor I'll have five lugs all the way around with skinny 12" trailer wheels up front and the 15-in wheels in the back were off of a camper.

 

 

[Greentored 3,216]

Pretty much anything we folks are working on has 30-60 year old, non adjustable tie rods, and the sockets are worn, popping apart or about to, or already been 'field repaired' with a slotted washer and a blob of bird s**t weld, and if ANYTHING in the steering has been previously tweaked, the tires are either toe'd in or out, or at minimum youre staring at a cockeyed steering wheel. Doesn't hurt the function, but looking at a wonky steering wheel or plowing dirt with the front tires is annoying, at least to me. Sure that can be fixed by bending the steering arms on the spindle, because that's probably the next weakest link, and when one of those tie rods finally gives up, the whole rod goes in the dumpster.

That being said, decades of use and abuse before a non greaseable tie rod pops apart is pretty impressive, and a couple whacks with a big hammer could address anything that's been bent through the years.

I figured a pair of tie rods with greaseable heim ends and some adjustability SHOULD be an upgrade that would eliminate the word 'tie rods' for the remainder of the machine's life, and at the same time could 'fix' any misalignment issues from decades of abuse or current 'oops' easier than a hammer, resulting in an overall better, more user friendly machine.

Perhaps a relief cut on the outer heims if desired, for a 'weakest link', and toss an extra in the tool kit?

Those spindles are a beast, but by the time labor and materials were factored in, yeah, I wont be offering those or I'll have 5 sets on my machines to go with the tie rods if they bomb

Edited January 13, 2021 by Greentored

[ebinmaine 67,704]

15 minutes ago, Greentored said:

spindles

Those HD spindles might not be something you run into everyday but maybe if somebody was going to build an FEL tractor or something a little on the heavy side like I've done they would be of interest on a case-by-case basis. 

[earlleecliffton 38]

bolt on reduction steering

 

[ebinmaine 67,704]

14 minutes ago, earlleecliffton said:

bolt on reduction steering

 

Excellent suggestion. That's one I've been thinking on myself.

[Greentored 3,216]

17 hours ago, earlleecliffton said:

bolt on reduction steering

 

Thanks a lot- I laid in bed for an hour when I should've been sleeping, looking on the phone and cookin' my brain on a way to do this and make it bolt on.

Note to self- don't check Red Square right before bed.

[oilwell1415 563]

Just install this upside down.

 

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Blue-Small-Body-2-1-Steering-Quickener,138447.html?sku=91032221&utm_medium=CSEGoogle&utm_source=CSE&utm_campaign=CSEGOOGLE&gclid=Cj0KCQiA9P__BRC0ARIsAEZ6irjMHbEULc58UqYcKmCIGZQcU4mIpOvKp8IMkmgkxOJ9hSiV1_JBeQUaAqyXEALw_wcB

[ebinmaine 67,704]

1 hour ago, Greentored said:

Thanks a lot- I laid in bed for an hour when I should've been sleeping, looking on the phone and cookin' my brain on a way to do this and make it bolt on.

Note to self- don't check Red Square right before bed.

 

12 minutes ago, oilwell1415 said:

Just install this upside down.

 

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Blue-Small-Body-2-1-Steering-Quickener,138447.html?sku=91032221&utm_medium=CSEGoogle&utm_source=CSE&utm_campaign=CSEGOOGLE&gclid=Cj0KCQiA9P__BRC0ARIsAEZ6irjMHbEULc58UqYcKmCIGZQcU4mIpOvKp8IMkmgkxOJ9hSiV1_JBeQUaAqyXEALw_wcB

 

 

Me too Scott. Look in my other thread about race car reduction.....

 

[Greentored 3,216]

In my 'trail bomb' thread, there was a good discussion going about building a bolt on locker for our Horses.  The discussion kinda died, but I have not forgotten, and wanted to pass along one fact:

It IS in the development stage and IS going to happen!!!

 

If we want to reopen this discussion and beat the 'posi' dead horse some more, I'm open.

A small scale prototype has been built and it works, but I think a much simpler design can be made.

The upside is, it will be a true, bolt on locker, right in place of one hub.

The downside is, when unlocked, you will have no diff action- only one tire will drive. Test #1 with only one tire driving was not good- I don't believe one could do much more than cut grass or pull a wagon/take a trail ride in the unlocked position. Most certainly could never push snow, dirt, or yank a plow- not a chance.

'Locker phase 2' will incorporate some kind of clutches.

Stay tuned.

[ebinmaine 67,704]

3 hours ago, Greentored said:

In my 'trail bomb' thread, there was a good discussion going about building a bolt on locker for our Horses.  The discussion kinda died, but I have not forgotten, and wanted to pass along one fact:

It IS in the development stage and IS going to happen!!!

 

If we want to reopen this discussion and beat the 'posi' dead horse some more, I'm open.

A small scale prototype has been built and it works, but I think a much simpler design can be made.

The upside is, it will be a true, bolt on locker, right in place of one hub.

The downside is, when unlocked, you will have no diff action- only one tire will drive. Test #1 with only one tire driving was not good- I don't believe one could do much more than cut grass or pull a wagon/take a trail ride in the unlocked position. Most certainly could never push snow, dirt, or yank a plow- not a chance.

'Locker phase 2' will incorporate some kind of clutches.

Stay tuned.

I'd still be interested in that for colossal reasons

[Bill D 1,926]

How about custom performance Kohler builds?  Everyone liked your K321 build. 

Also, would it be possible to just make the parts from a limited slip transmission for retro fit into later model transmissions?

[AHS 1,443]

I only had 1 ball joint issue/ and tie rod, with my B80. I had a used tie rod with ball joints, and slapped them on there. I noticed how dry the ball joints were, and squirted some oil on there. No noted tie rod end failures... yet!! I am careful with the ball joints and oil them whenever possible.

[Greentored 3,216]

On 1/16/2021 at 3:58 AM, Bill D said:

How about custom performance Kohler builds?  Everyone liked your K321 build. 

Also, would it be possible to just make the parts from a limited slip transmission for retro fit into later model transmissions?

That is certainly something I'd be willing to offer, but shipping would be rough on these heavy beasts.

Would really like to get my build on an engine dyno and actually see what kind of numbers its putting out before bragging it up too much haha. Its strong, but how strong, ya know?

Have gone back n forth with a couple guys on trying just the cylinder head work on a stock engine and see what kind of improvement there is. That would be a true, bolt on power gain and wouldnt hurt wallets too much.

[AHS 1,443]

5 hours ago, Greentored said:

That is certainly something I'd be willing to offer, but shipping would be rough on these heavy beasts.

Would really like to get my build on an engine dyno and actually see what kind of numbers its putting out before bragging it up too much haha. Its strong, but how strong, ya know?

Have gone back n forth with a couple guys on trying just the cylinder head work on a stock engine and see what kind of improvement there is. That would be a true, bolt on power gain and wouldnt hurt wallets too much.

Yup, since Brian Miller has gone ???. It would be interesting to see how much a stock 321 would build hp and torque wise and how much your own 321 built (Chevy/Kohler 😀💪) would make!!

[DennisThornton 4,769]

27 minutes ago, AHS said:

Yup, since Brian Miller has gone ???. It would be interesting to see how much a stock 321 would build hp and torque wise and how much your own 321 built (Chevy/Kohler 😀💪) would make!!

Brian Miller has gone ???.

 

News?  What's happened?

[ebinmaine 67,704]

3 minutes ago, DennisThornton said:

Brian Miller has gone ???.

 

News?  What's happened?

I'm not going to elaborate on it but let's just say he was not a nice man and he's taking a vacation in a very secure place. 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

Just now, ebinmaine said:

I'm not going to elaborate on it but let's just say he was not a nice man and he's taking a vacation in a very secure place. 

I read something quite a while back and thought it was an isolated angry comment.  Darn!  I always admired what he knew, perhaps not what he must have done, whatever that was...

 

Site is still up:

http://gardentractorpullingtips.com/catalog.htm

[ACman 7,618]

Hey fellas check out everything they offer. 
 

https://midwestcontrol.com/shop/

[AHS 1,443]

50 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I'm not going to elaborate on it but let's just say he was not a nice man and he's taking a vacation in a very secure place. 

Oh! I get what you mean! Ok

[Greentored 3,216]

On 1/18/2021 at 1:00 PM, ACman said:

Hey fellas check out everything they offer. 
 

https://midwestcontrol.com/shop/

Pretty competitive pricing if bought in a small quantity

[Greentored 3,216]

Haven't abandoned this thread or plans, fellas. The trail bomb build thrashing stole my attention lately, and worse yet, now- the 'rona hit my shop- hard, the weekend before last. Couple positives, couple direct contact quarantines from outside sources as well as within. One of my guys is still down pretty hard, the rest are slowly returning. Shop is locked down to the outside and we're on opposite corners of the shop, 50 feet from each other, while I run around and wipe door handles, light switches, etc... possibly a little over the top, but cant chance this crap sticking around for weeks on end and knocking down the team and the business.

Fortunately, as of this past Saturday my test result was negative, and feeling fine. 

This crap is a game of russian roulette and I'm not playing.