In view of the dry playa wider tires are needed..
Ride on lawn mowers are a dine a dozon on Crags list.. most have wide tires.. they should be quiet enough if ridden at a walking pace.. Even if there broken you have a year to fix them.. maybe get a second one to build a trailer out of.. Saw a bunch of folks struggling to haul ice back to there camps.. Would be nice to be able to give a hand.. Tractor and trailer should be able to carry three people..
lawn mower
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unjonharley
- Posts: 10434
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2003 11:05 am
- Burning Since: 2001
- Camp Name: Elliot's naked bycycel repair
- Location: Salem Or.
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Captain Goddammit
- Posts: 8589
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 9:34 am
- Burning Since: 2000
- Camp Name: First Camp
- Location: Seattle, WA
I've built mutant vehicles from riding mowers before, in '01, the "Playa Flya" (a little biplane), and a tow truck for bicycles (that actually worked).
Here's what I can offer. First thing, it needs taller gearing! My plane used a small pulley on the engine, driving a large pulley at the transaxle via a v-belt. I simply welded two same-size car water-pump pulleys on it and it was great. The tow truck didn't get geared up and was just TOO slow-moving, even for the playa. It sucked.
Second, add a real alternator (or two!). I recommend GM CS-130 units from late '80s - early '90s small GM cars 'cuz they put out like mad at low speeds and are cheap and plentiful in junkyards.
Usually there is room somewhere to put in a full-size car battery too.
The steering needs to be tightened up. Weld things more solidly, replace crummy linkages with better ones.
They are generally loud, and insulating the engine isn't a great plan because they're air-cooled.
Bring spare tires.
I still have another riding mower, an old 11-horse Craftsman, sitting beside the house... it weighs a HELL OF A LOT LESS than my 25-foot boat... I keep thinkin'...
Here's what I can offer. First thing, it needs taller gearing! My plane used a small pulley on the engine, driving a large pulley at the transaxle via a v-belt. I simply welded two same-size car water-pump pulleys on it and it was great. The tow truck didn't get geared up and was just TOO slow-moving, even for the playa. It sucked.
Second, add a real alternator (or two!). I recommend GM CS-130 units from late '80s - early '90s small GM cars 'cuz they put out like mad at low speeds and are cheap and plentiful in junkyards.
Usually there is room somewhere to put in a full-size car battery too.
The steering needs to be tightened up. Weld things more solidly, replace crummy linkages with better ones.
They are generally loud, and insulating the engine isn't a great plan because they're air-cooled.
Bring spare tires.
I still have another riding mower, an old 11-horse Craftsman, sitting beside the house... it weighs a HELL OF A LOT LESS than my 25-foot boat... I keep thinkin'...
GreyCoyote: "At this rate it wont be long before he is Admiral Fukkit."