Ever made a homemade tractor?

[Lanse]

I'm giving serious thought to it...

I've been tractorless by choice for a few years, and I honestly don't think I want to "restore" another one for a variety of reasons, but a "doodlebug" build could be a blast, it'd be a sweet winter project, and I'm sure my viewers would love to see it...

$500 gets you your pick of beater S10 or Ranger trucks with manual transmissions off the local craigslist, all run and drive. Probably not too well for $500, but thats beside the point. I bet I could make most of that back by selling the leftovers...

I could use the rear end, and transmission from that, and possibly the engine. My main concern would be wiring... Most of the homemade tractors I've seen use old gravity fed, carborated engines from a model T or something, I'm not sure how complicated it would be to wire up a fuel injection engine. I've looked at much older (60s and 70s) pickups, but they're either totally destroyed or sold as "restoration projects" with insane asking prices. I bet we could do away with 90+% of the wiring, pretty much would just need it to start, and run. Maybe power a couple of lights...

How hard would it be to "do away" with the power-steering system on a creation like this? I'm no mechanic, but I do have a couple of very mechanically inclined buddies I could call up if/when I get in majorly over my head.

My next concern is gearing it down low... Say, no faster than maybe 15 miles an hour...

I know on some of the homemade tractors I've seen, they have a belt or chain system to reduce RPMS, for instance, a small pulley on the back of the engine, which leads to a large one on the transmission. Out the back of the transmission is another small pulley, which goes to a large one on the rear end...

I could also just buy a $100 lawnmower, like a 1990's MTD special with an 18 horsepower engine or something like that, and sell the truck engine... Sure would be easier to rig up, LOL.

I'm just looking for thoughts on how I'd make this work. No, I don't expect this thing to pull a 4 bottom plow or accomplish other major feats, it'd just be something I'd love to build...

Thanks in advance!! And thanks for entertaining my crazy ideas...
 

[Billy Shafer]

Lanse I am over in Centerville. I don't think you could buy a burned out hulk for 500. We do have lots of riding mowers sitting around this county.
 

[Lazy WP]

GM's throttle body fuel injection only requires, like 6psi to run. Not totally sure as to what all else you would need. Probably the air flow sensor, for sure. Your other option would be an early S10 carburetor model, or mid 80s full sized car. Just need the electric fuel pump. You could cut the axles down, if you wanted it narrower, or a different rear end.

My Granddad had one he made. Powered it with an old twin Wisconsin, belt drove the 3 speed. Had a cut down Ford rear end.
 

[old]

I have a book here put out by Lincoln electric company that shows a home built tractor. This book has a copy write of 1952. Send me an e-mail and I'll send you the page out of the book
 

[Lanse]

Hmmmmm, interesting...

I'd honestly MUCH rather have fuel injection, because I HATE carburetors... I guess the ones on riding mowers arent that bad, but still... Well honestly on second thought I wouldnt mind cleaning one out that much...

Might be easier...

Thanks for the thoughts... I might end up with a nice lawnmower engine.... Wonder how hard that'd be to setup with a ranger 5 speed?
 

[red.green]

Lanse,
Not a bad idea starting with a small pickup. Simply start with a truck and cut off everything that doesn’t look like a tractor. Lol
For suggestions look for an old Nisan or Dotson U-haul some of them had dual rear wheels, or make extensions and add dual.
I had a shop teacher back in the day, which built dual adapters out of short pieces of pipe with double bolt patterns on them. They worked pretty well.
For low end add another transmission behind the first. My Uncle had an old Chevy with Two three speed transmissions in it; this gave you multiple ratios and speeds. Just watch out for double reverse, keep in mind you’ll still go forward.
Personally I would keep the power steering maybe even use it to add hydraulics to the tractor, it won’t have a lot of power or speed but for a small cylinder like on a plow lift it will do fine.
Have fun -red.green
 

[RN]

Time to look at old Popular Mechanics tractor project usig Beetle engine or the local Lawnmower pulling projects- honda 750 engines, Chevette engines old Cavalier 2.5 engines, Nissan pickup drive trains-- all have been used. "Old" as in 1950 to 1960s manual transmissions that were bellhousing motor mounts instead of tailshaft mount can and have been coupled to a 4 or 5 speed small car/truck tranny- and this includes some automatics- and gice you a low speed in 1st-1st gears. Other way on a Pinto? engine rig- chain and sprockets 5 to 1 reduction - 12 tooth tranny sprocket, 60 tooth sprocket on differential, engine offset to right instead of left like IHC Cub, shortened one side Ford axle- used because the Ford is straight axle housing instead of step or tapered and shortened housing direct fits in pumpkin, shaft can be trimmed and splined, braked backing plates kept with hydraulic brake for both and leftover parking brakes modified for independant use on turns. Shop in Belleville -Jims standard? has done the axle shortening and like to use the older Ford E van axles since they already have a partial offset right side, he shortens the left and gets a track about like a large Cub Cadet but with 4.11 or 4.56 rear to start. Postal Jeep 2.5 GM engine with a PowerGlide coupled to a 1960 Ford/Chev 3 or 4 speed short shaft gets 6 or 8 speed, with a low pull and faster wagon on road gear set. Old Doodle Bugs like one at the local cycle salvage yard had 2 transmissions and this one has a heavy truck back axle, 20 inch truck wheels on back, wood cab and had a snow plow on it at one time. You have the welder and source of metal, salvage yard close enough for bits and pieces, donor vehicle --and coming on to winter cabin fever season when lots of useable but weird farm equipment is made in northern states. Look at Wallace Farmer homemade and handy features. Use a large GM power steering and brake booster for the hydraulics on a 3 point and heavy snow tires, make a garden tractor that can pull a 16 inch plow and haul wagon to town at 30/40 mph--and you"ll have a remade Love or Friday orchard tractor as was made in Michigan with mostly Dodge parts.
 

[Lake guy]

Lanse
Good to see you thinking about something to have fun with. Although you don't like carburators it is very simple to hook up a non computer gm engine to run with only a couple of switches, battery and a elect fuel pump if needed. I am using an old chevette engine on my log splitter and an older chevy V-8 in my S-10 plow. Both with a common switch set up.
 

[q ball]

Cousin found one, I bought it been using it. Frame and transmission MH81, front axle Model T ford Has mini spare wheels, 307 chevy , 3 speed transmission. works great for brushhog no 3 point.
 

[PJH]

The old doodlebugs that I remember used a second transmission instead of a driveshaft behind the first transmission. The frame was shortened up, no rear springs, no drive shaft, dual wheels on the rear, with tire chains for traction. No top, doors, fenders. The one I liked the best started out life as a 30's era school bus. Neither transmission in it was synchronized - you could grind the gears to your heart's content. By the way, we called them "Hoopies". Sounds like a fun project - something I always wanted to do.
 

[wisbaker]

I remember seeing a home made tractor plans in a magazine where they were using a transaxle from a VW bug for the rear end and transmission, they ran a shaft from the engine over the top and past the transmission and used a chain or toothed belt from the drive shaft to the trans input for speed reduction. Might be able to do something similar with a Subaru or Audi front drive transmission (or any other front drive car with a longitudinal engine) or use a transverse unit and send each output front and back for a AWD doodle bug. If you used the Audi or Subaru unit you could stick and industrial speed reducer in between to knock down your speed. This was a smaller lawn tractor sized unit.
 

[504]

Take a look at Pennsylvania Panzer. They were a lawn tractor that used a Plymouth three speed transmission and a cut down car rear end. The power steering pump will run any hyd system you would ever need too.
 

[Husker44A]

Lanse...
Let me say this.....The easiest and most simple gas carburetorted engine to run is the Chevrolet small block. 305,350. All of these have a HEI distributor. One wire alternator. One hot wire from a switched hot wire WILL start these. This is what we run in the demo cars. Very simple to wire. As the coil is under the distributor cap. 12 volt from the battery. Hot wire from battery to the starter on a push button switch. As for trannys, I would look for a older Chevy farm truck with the parking brake on the tranny. To run hydraulics use a power steering pump from a Chevy car or truck. I would look for a 3/4 ton pickup with the lockout style hubs. Get some center pivot tires with wheels. Make them work by cutting the Chevy wheel centers and weld them to the pivot wheels. Good tractor style lug tires. Should be a fun winter project.
 

[Loosehandle]

This is something I made, I call it the Fliver.
Wisconsin AENLD engine,3 to 1 belt clutch, 2 three speed transmissions, Studabaker narrowed rear axel.
It is VERY heavy compared to a modern day lawnmower.
Chains stay on all year, will easily spin wheels at walking speed. Or it can go way to fast to control!!

 

[larry@stinescorners]

how about this one?