Well, after Kent
got the ball rolling on the idea of a "hybrid" tractor I decided to join
in on the project idea with some of the stuff I had laying around here. I
started with a beat old 3012 that I was not afraid to sacrifice. I did not
want to hack up my AC B-110 frame till I saw whether the frame
modifications would work or not, as that yellow paint seems valuable. The
only Sundstrand-equipped parts machine I had was the remains of a AC 917
with the hydraulic lift. So I figured to incorporate the lift into the
project as well.
I split both machines and bolted the 917 rear (including Bevel Gear Box)
to the 3012 frame. I then started the modifications by making
measurements and figuring on the placement of the hydro lever on the 3012
chassis (pic#4).
After marking locations, with a torch I cut out the
bottom of the frame for the control lever linkage to fit through. I then
marked and cut out a hole for the brake rod to pass through. (pic#3).
Then I welded two short pieces of angle iron to the bottom of the frame
at the front and back of the linkage hole for stiffening and
reinforcement.
Next I temporarily re-fitted the dash to the frame and
marked locations for the lever quadrant, drilled holes and installed. (Pic#4a)
I then ground off the safety engagement tab on the lever and put the
lever on and put it in the neutral position. I then put the tab up by hand
and clamped it on the lever in its new location (over an area on the dash
where the switch could be placed from inside the frame) and marked the
place on the side of the dash where the switch would go under the tabs new
location. I then drilled the hole and welded the tab to the lever.
Next I took off the whole upper framework. The hydraulic
lift cylinder would have to be installed before I could see what
clearances I had to run the lift rod and PTO. I took the cylinder
and attached it to the lift shaft and ran it back and forth manually to
mark location on the frame where the rear of the cylinder would have to be
mounted. This in order to get the motion and stopping points about right.
Then I took the 917 cylinder bracket and cut the mount
braces off the ends of its shaft. (pic#8) I ground the welds off and
knocked the remaining shaft stubs out of the braces and ovalled the holes
out. I then trimmed the shaft on the rest of the mount for position and
to fit in the tractor frame.
I then set the braces back on the ends of the mount
shaft and clamped it all in the frame with the cylinder pinned on and
welded the braces back onto the mount. I then marked and drilled the two
holes in each side of the frame for bolting on the cylinder mount.
With that installed I found little room for the original
lift rod, so I opted for a cable. I had
to add a guide pulley to keep the cable free of rubbing the cylinder. I
used a pulley from a 7000 series deck lift cable, marking and drilling
another hole in the best position to accomplish the task. (pic#9)
Note that installing the cylinder and pulley required much measuring and
dry fitting of pieces so they would all still fit under the dash assembly
when installed.
I also had to extend the lift bracket on the lift
shaft up so the cable would clear all the other hardware during the full
motion of the cylinder. I did this by cutting the cable clevis halves off
the 917 lift shaft and welding them on either side of the left leg of the
3012 lift bracket on the lift shaft. (pic#9)
I really wanted to run the safety switch and engagement
for the PTO on the inside of the
frame but there was absolutely no room. So, after seeing Kents PTO
solution I adopted his idea. (pics#5 & #6) I did however,
still want the safety switch in the loop. So my solution was to weld a
steel tab to the PTO bracket and mount the switch in the tranny frame. (pic#7)
I dry fitted everything first hand to see what angle the tab had to be
welded on at (in the "off" position) then clamped and welded the tab. It
seems to work pretty good. An easier solution than I had first envisioned.
Now I disassembled it all and painted the parts Ace brand "Sunset
Yellow"-unfortunately now discontinued already. Following the drying of
the paint (many days in cold weather) I reassembled it all back to the
point I was at. Now I had to mount the lift valve and run the
hydraulic lines.
I basically used the torch to cut the frame and all
around the valve out from the 917. I then mounted it to the B-110
(this is where I started using parts off the B-110 donor) lift lever
bracket. Then I used spacers to space the bracket out from the frame about
2" +/- and bolted the assembly back on where the lift lever bracket was
originally. (pic#14 & #18)
There is no other way to mount the tubing but with a
quality tubing bender and just taking the time to fit, bend, and re-fit
till it all goes in right. I had to loosen and re-adjust the fittings on
the valve several times in the process till all lined up. I also had to
bend the tubes up and over the "swing" of the lift cylinder so nothing
would make contact, including hoses to lines, while lifting and lowering
implements.
The hoses were the original types (albeit brand new)
that the 917 used. I had to open the bend in the hose fitting going to
the rear of the cylinder so it would loop around the cylinder mount and
into the fitting on the cylinder. The straight end of the hose goes and
back to the front of the tractor and loops back into the appropriate
fitting on the valve.
The other hose required no bending and the
straight end goes into the front of the cylinder where I replaced the 45
degree fitting on the front of the cylinder with a straight on just like
at the back of the cylinder. The curved end of that hose loops back into
the appropriate fitting on the valve turned to a direction to accept it.
As you can see in Pic#10 and #11 everything is pretty
tight together and required a lot of fitting and re-fitting to get it
right. I cut the hydro lift lever down and welded a threaded stud on to
accept a "shift" handle. I dry fitted the pieces to a comfortable position
before I made my welds. (pics #12 & #14)
Compared to the rest of this project the wiring was a
breeze. I wired it as per the 7000 series tractors of 1975 and 1976 using
a starter /generator. Everything was done as tight and as neatly as
possible. (pic#16 & #17) I installed the Accessory jumper board inside
the dash assembly (pic#15) just above the safety switch. I used one
of the original holes in the side that had accommodated the Varidrive
quadrant.
The engine was no big task either. I used a 1992 16HP I/C Briggs that I
found in a junk 7016 behind a dealership for $100 (for the whole tractor!)
I took out the standpipe/ dipstick and put a pipe plug in place. I did
have to grind the top of the plug off a little to clear the tin on the
tractor. Then I put a older style pan appropriate to the tractor on it,
painted it, and it was ready.
The driveshaft used was the 917 shaft with the rubber
coupler and one set of 3/4" metal driveshaft spacers and a pair of the
standard heavy beveled washers between the coupler and the flywheel.
I added my 4 new tires, the rears being ag type on wide AC rims, put on my
custom "HB-116" decals (pic#13), and am now ready for test runs to iron
the bugs out.
I would like to thank Kent Thomas for his valuable input on this project.
Working at it with him was truly enjoyable. I would also like to
thank Sandy Lake Implement for quickly getting me the parts I
needed.
SmilinSam
|
