Engine transplants

[Ronald Hribar 91]

Sitting in my chair day dreaming

was thinking about the problems when putting in a different engine in an old tractor.

it usually involves raising new engine up an inch or more.

Would it work to raise the front of the tractor with taller tires or wheels?

would seem to me you would also gain more mower height

Whatvam I thinking wrong?

 

[RickS 70]

Hi Ronald,

Yes you can put larger front tires on. But keep in mind the height you gain will be half the height difference between the new and old tires.  If the new tires are two inches in diameter larger, the front end of the tractor will only be raised up one inch. Remember one inch of new tire height is below the front spindle and one inch is above the spindle, hence the new tires only raise the front end up one inch in my example. 

Rick

[wwbragg 523]

The extra inch or so must be added between the frame and the engine block.  The objective is to properly align the new engine crankshaft with the tractor's driveshaft.  You don't want a lot of wobble between the engine and driveshaft connection or you will blow out the fiber coupler.  It is designed to absorb some of the wobble, like a universal joint, but an engine swap can easily exceed normal limits.  Having performed several engine transplants, I don't see how larger wheels will do anything but raise the front end.

 

Edited March 13 by wwbragg
expansion

[wwbragg 523]

You can buy mounting plates from gopowersport.com or studzracing.com but you will probably have to modify it.

I built mine from bedframe angle iron, steel plate and sloppy welding. 

Here is the plate I built to put a Predator 670 into a 9020 Powermax.  

Another major modification is the engine to driveshaft coupler.

Small engine warehouse has repower kits that include the mounting plate and coupler but they are pretty pricy.

What are you going to build?

Edited March 14 by wwbragg
add pics

[oldsarge 68]

No way, You'd just be tilting every thing . not getting drive line alignment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ronald Hribar 91]

Must of been a bad dream

 

[720nut 4,188]

Edited March 14 by 720nut

[720nut 4,188]

Was my solution to the fibre disc, just realized I have joints mismatched

it wouldn't let me paste the picture and do the dialogue  too

[TomSchmit 53]

It is my understanding comes from reading about Jeep builders. U-joints or flex plates will only absorb a small amount of driveline mis-alignment. So I think that using the right engine riser is the key to preventing unwanted vibrations! 

[wwbragg 523]

U-joints are built to take extreme alignment issues.  @720nut's solution looks perfect.  They use u-joints on heavy trucks and NASCAR racers but a fiberglass disk will only take so much.  When I bought my 725, I found this:  A love-joy knuckle in back and a piece of old tire in front.

 

[AC710 512]

Some PO put this on one end of my 7016 driveshaft - 3/16" steel, mis-drilled and mis-aligned. Lucky it didn't ruin bearings or something.

 

[wwbragg 523]

1 hour ago, AC710 said:

mis-drilled and mis-aligned

We hate PO's don't we, @AC710?  Here's the driveshaft from a Landlord I found out n a field.  Looks like some kind of home-made u-joint.  I hope someday some restorationist doesn't have problems with some of my workarounds. 

I'll bet the fiber disk exploded and, with the motor still running, the driveshaft was left to flail around and destroyed the connector.  This one actually looks like an acceptable fix.

Edited March 14 by wwbragg
expansion

[AC710 512]

17 hours ago, wwbragg said:

I'll bet the fiber disk exploded and, with the motor still running, the driveshaft was left to flail around and destroyed the connector. 

No doubt true!

I'm guessing the fiber disc got wallered out and the driveshaft had a war with the rockshaft before it all went south, judging by this photo. The wear pattern seems excessive, but confined, for an explosive, one-time failure.

 

[wwbragg 523]

Or that!

 

[720nut 4,188]

Incase anyone is interested I have the plate and couplings to put a Honda in a Sov.

[AC710 512]

6 hours ago, 720nut said:

Incase anyone is interested I have the plate and couplings to put a Honda in a Sov.

I was going to say "what?! a Japanese engine in a truly USA made tractor" until I thought further and checked - Honda manufactures small engines in the USA.

Oh, and I drive a Honda CRV.

Edited March 16 by AC710

[Brettw 1,097]

11 hours ago, AC710 said:

I was going to say "what?! a Japanese engine in a truly USA made tractor" until I thought further and checked - Honda manufactures small engines in the USA.

Still ain't right.  Kinda like Toyota in NASCAR.      But, in all fairness, they have been putting Kawasaki liquid cooled engines in the Legacy's, and Lombardi comes from over the pond in a different direction.  And we all have discussed the Predator numerous times.  Depends I guess if it's a worker or an anatomically correct, restored Garage Queen.  (and your wallet)

[AC710 512]

1 hour ago, Brettw said:

Depends I guess if it's a worker or an anatomically correct, restored Garage Queen.

Truth be told, I just like to see them keep running and not go to the scrap yard. The only ones I object to are the hack jobs like the guy who took a sovereign and used the electric lift actuator as an outside lift for a snowplow. Y'all probably have seen this joker before.