JoggerFogger Posted July 8, 2014 Posted July 8, 2014 I'm on a mission to create some sort of grass catcher for my tractor.And I'm naturally a DIY guy because I enjoy it.My first attempt was a fail, but of course I learned a lot and it was fun: http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=141711Now I've picked up this seized turbo attachment from ebay for $20 that is not only seized, but must have been the home of some mice/rats because it smells like rat poop.My plan is to:A. replace the seized bearings.2. reinforce the paddles on the turbo fan.c. fabricate/find a mounting kit.IV. build/adapt a better bagger system.There was quite a bit of twine wrapped around the axle of the fan and I thought if I removed it all would be good. Not true. The bearings were toast. I have them in my truck today, and I'll get replacements.RayS sent me a bunch of great pictures of a completed system, but I'd appreciate any more pictures of the mounting kit and/or ideas on how it works. I've looked up parts for the main support bracketry and they're still available new, but $35-40 x 3 is enough for me to make another project and fabricate those parts. Looks easy enough, but I'm sure I'll struggle. RayS said the most important parts are the brackets #35, 41, 44. And after looking everything over, he's exactly right. I'm not exactly sure yet how I'm going to build #28 (the pulley assembly).-Kevin
mikeman Posted July 9, 2014 Posted July 9, 2014 I have the same turbo i want to put on my Allis 920. I am in the same boat as you, no brackets and no pulley. So take lots of pictures so I can get mine going by fall.
RayS Posted July 9, 2014 Posted July 9, 2014 Most of them should be available. The pulley is $75 new.
JoggerFogger Posted July 9, 2014 Author Posted July 9, 2014 quote:Originally posted by RayS The pulley is $75 new. id="quote">id="quote"> Ray, thanks for the parts diagram. And yes, I saw the prices. If they were like $8, $7, and $13, I'd be all over it. I got the replacement bearings for $4/ea. That's about my price range. I'll figure out how to graft the right size pulley onto the existing one to make it work. When I was in the bearing house yesterday, another guy next to me was getting some pulleys for his 1974 craftsman. I didn't even know they carried pulleys like that. I have a vision in my head how I'm going to do it, but I'll have to pull apart the mower deck to see if it will work. #44 looks like solid rod, and I think I can replicate that part. #41 looks like tube, but I think I can get the same result from some angle iron. #35 might look the same with some angle and flat stock. Maybe I'll buy that pipe bender that I've always wanted a good reason to justify the purchase. I just don't know how important it is to me for the parts to look stock. Mikeman, I will take tons of pics for sure. If I can make a decent pulley adapter, I'll make two and send you one. I'd make 2 of the rest, but since my deck was made way before the turbo era, my bracketry is going to be one-of-a-kind and probably wouldn't bolt up to anything else. I'm ok if the whole thing nets me another big fat FAIL, but I'm hoping for the best. -Kevin
RayS Posted July 9, 2014 Posted July 9, 2014 Kevin, If you have the old style arbor that is one piece without the splined shafts the stock pulley won`t work any way. The pulley is splined. I can get you some dimensions of the pulley though from the one on my deck.
JoggerFogger Posted July 9, 2014 Author Posted July 9, 2014 That would be awesome. From the diagram, looks like it's about the same outside diameter as the driven fan pulley.
PhanDad Posted July 9, 2014 Posted July 9, 2014 Posts with some pics of turbo setup: http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=39697&SearchTerms=turbo http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=40465&SearchTerms=turbo I have more pics; let me know if you want me to send them to you or post them. I don't have any better quality shots (larger files) than what's posted. They were taken with an old "web" type camera where 640x480 was the max resolution.
JoggerFogger Posted July 9, 2014 Author Posted July 9, 2014 Those are great. Ray sent me some too. It's a lot easier to grasp than the exploded diagrams. I hope you don't mind me putting them here for reference.Kevin.
mikeman Posted July 10, 2014 Posted July 10, 2014 JoggerFogger that sounds awesome, if i am correct the 48 inch shells are the same for the large frame new and old and sunstar even.
JoggerFogger Posted July 16, 2014 Author Posted July 16, 2014 Update:I straightened up all the fan blades and welded up any cracks. Looks like the PO hit a lot of solid objects (gravel?). Not sure, but the blades have taken a beating.Installed the new bearings and the thing spins so nicely.I went to Home Depot and bought some 5/8ths rod and some 3/4" steel tube to start my bracket fabrication. Should be a fun project, but finding the time is tough. Plus this is my current mowing deck so she can't be out of commission too long.-KevinI should have taken a picture with the turbo fan on the bench. But you can see my welds. I tried to add about the same amount of weld on each blade to keep some sort of balance. Here's my HD steel and the turbo body.
JoggerFogger Posted July 17, 2014 Author Posted July 17, 2014 Last night I started bending some metal. I almost ripped my vice out of the bench pulling on this rod. This is getting sort of close. Bend a little, straighten it back out. Looks like I need to straighten out the front edge of the deck near the chute some before I do a final fitting. I decided that I'm not going to try and mimic the OEM parts. I sat there looking at this thing for a good 60 minutes designing the bracketry in my head. I'm going to make the bracket a one-piece welded frame that bolts on in about 6-7 spots for support. Hopefully it looks clean and not janky (like some of my creations).-Kevin
mikeman Posted July 18, 2014 Posted July 18, 2014 Did you heat the rod first?(Easier to bend):Dsm00 Looking good so far I have an old deck roller bar that will work for the first piece.
JoggerFogger Posted July 18, 2014 Author Posted July 18, 2014 I didn't heat it up. My torch got stolen about 15 years ago, and I never replaced it. It would have made things a lot easier, but I'm happy with the results so far.I spent a couple hours last night bending and cutting and got this thing somewhere close to functional.I know it might be sacrilegious to drill holes in a mower deck, but I would have to drill holes anyway, even if they were in the proper locations like a much newer deck.I tacked everything in place first, then went back and drilled holes and filled my welds. I don't know what the method is called, but I cut "smiles" in the 3/4" tube with my chop saw to form the curves in the tube. Then when it was where I wanted it, welded them up. I figured it didn't need to be yacht railing quality. This morning I hit it with the grinder to smooth out my welds on the tube, and to take off any sharp edges. A little rattle can gloss and I'm off to work. Hopefully tonight I can start working on a pulley drive for the arbor pulley. -Kevin Cost so far:$20 - blower.$8 - bearings.$15 - steel for brackets.I'll have to buy a pulley, and I'm not happy with my roller can "bagger" system. I need to decide how I'm going to catch the grass. I found several used bagger systems on craigslist, but they're all right side discharge. If I'm going to adapt something to work, it would be nice to start out as close as possible.-Kevin 1
Ronald Hribar Posted July 18, 2014 Posted July 18, 2014 Many of the bagging systems are changeable fron side to side
mikeman Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 That looks fantabulous got the second one done yet? Never thought of hooking the 2 brackets together. So you are buying the double pulley or a pulley to add the the other one?
JoggerFogger Posted July 21, 2014 Author Posted July 21, 2014 I'm not going to buy the kit pulley. I think RayS said it probably won't work anyway because my deck was made long before they dreamed of putting Turbos on them, and I think the splines are different or something. I'm going to try and find a pulley and then make a spacer and weld it into one unit. I'll have to get a longer bolt to hold it in place. I have a mini-lathe and I plan on using it to center the 2nd pulley and make the spacer. I was looking at the center arbor and it's drive pulley and decided to mimic that design. Hopefully it turns out. The turbo uses a 3/8" drive belt, and most of the pulleys I've found are intended for a 1/2" belt. I just need to keep looking. I'm guessing at 3" based on the turbo fan belt is 3" and a 1:1 drive would make sense. And looking at the diagrams it looks like a 3" pulley. There's lots of pot metal and cast pulleys in shops around here, but not many pressed steel ones. And if I went to the mower shop I'm sure they'd have to just order one anyway. So my search is online. There's tons of them on eBay, but they're usually associated with a part number and not dimensions, so searching is difficult. As far as a 2nd kit? You come over with your deck and a box of beer and we'll build it together. -Kevin
rokon2813 Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 Exactly what pulley would you like? Maybe I can help.I'm sure I would have an extra spacer off a center arbor too if that helps.
JoggerFogger Posted July 21, 2014 Author Posted July 21, 2014 I just bought an ebay pulley. I looked up the driven pulley number for the turbo, and found one new for $11 shipped. Hopefully that will work.
JoggerFogger Posted July 21, 2014 Author Posted July 21, 2014 Rokon, WOW. You are amazing! I'm just a little trigger happy I guess. I wrote that post before I read yours. I don't know how long the spacer has to be yet, but I can just use some pipe or scrap I have laying around. My next question/problem is how to get the deck belt cover back on with this large pulley sticking up. Looks like the kit comes with a new cover and a large enough hole for the 3" pulley to stick through. I might have to either leave the cover off, or just cut a hole. I guess this modification is going to be permanent, so I might as well cut the hole. Thanks for the support. -Kevin
Talntedmrgreen Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 Nice work! I have to fab up the upper support for the turbo myself. Was thinking of mimicking oem on the front end, then as you did at the rear.I needed two (doing two of these 48" turbo setups), but snagged a $5 lift quadrant support off a Sunstar deck. It matches all the same dimensions and worked great. Still hoping for a second one....
mikeman Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 I think I will have to make my own. Make sure you get pictures of the pulley install, and what you come up with for the bagger. Awesome job.
PhanDad Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 Kevin,First, great fab work; U the man!As to the belt covers, OEM is 2 pieces for the stock left hand cover. If you look close at the pics of my deck above, you'll see a line about 4" from the center spindle; this is the match line of the 2 pieces. I think they split the left hand cover to enable getting the cover off without messing with the bail. The far left panel has an inspection port with black cover and a hole for the turbo blower drive pulley to stick up through.I leave the 4" center section off. You can then blow out the grass cuttings from the outer edges of the deck to the center. One of these days, I'm going to cut the ends of the belt covers off to the edge of the outer pulleys. Then you would have access to really blow the clippings out of the deck. IMO, safety is good enough, not quite as safe as fully covered, but similar to my Homelite deck, which is very easy to blow off:
JoggerFogger Posted July 22, 2014 Author Posted July 22, 2014 quote:Originally posted by PhanDadKevin,First, great fab work; U the man! id="quote">id="quote">Thanks! I spent a lot of time looking at your pictures, they helped a lot in figuring out reference points for where to attach stuff.I too was kind of surprised to see how much grass was packed in there. I am going to employ some sort of safety cover for the open pulleys, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. I am going to drill out all the tapped (stripped) cover bolt holes and use bolt/flange nuts just like what you did with the covers. Mine won't have the super paint job that yours has, but maybe a little hardware bling.I slapped it all together and scratched my paint first thing. My new bracket is sure a nice handhold now. -KevinBecause I like pictures: The rock guard isn't perfectly parallel with the chute, and the front attachment point on the rock guard isn't at a right angle, but neither affect the performance of the turbo. It's just marks of a "custom" or "prototype" job. (mistakes that catch my eye)
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