Author Topic: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD  (Read 322483 times)

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Offline Tom Fox

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #300 on: September 02, 2007, 09:18:33 am »
I've had a few PM's over the past couple of days asking me how is my mower wired........The attached image shows you how I wired mine. Thanks


Tom Fox       
Brookfield, CT

Offline Tom Fox

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #301 on: September 03, 2007, 05:34:38 pm »
Well....She runs like a rocket!!!! I didn't have enough property to properly "open her up"...but for a nice 200' strech I do have....HOLY GOOBERS!!!


Anyway...with the exception of a couple odds and ends.....(reposition hand throttle, re-route a couple wires) she is ready to go!!!


I'll say one thing.....FRONT BRAKES are going on over the winter!!! My rear brakes work great...but I can see how the front brakes will improve the stopping power!

Anyway..here are a few mower poses for ya!!




















Tom Fox       
Brookfield, CT

Offline birdman_express

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #302 on: September 03, 2007, 09:56:09 pm »
Man Tom..... you made me have to go and change the way I look at craftsman mowers.
*Cough* Uh... Really nice mower. There, I said it.  :noplease:
Hope you have lots of fun on it. Thanks for giving us this build.

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Offline LVine2001

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #303 on: September 13, 2007, 01:18:56 pm »
Is anyone interested in free mowers (I have 2 now)  like this one (Tom's) ?
It's missing a mowing deck and the engine is gone otherwise it's all there and best of all ....free !!

Located in Minneapolis, Mn.

Lemme know.

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Offline benfield_boy

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #304 on: September 13, 2007, 07:13:31 pm »
Thats one slick ride ya got there! Do you run any tire prep on races?
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Offline Tom Fox

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #305 on: September 13, 2007, 09:35:14 pm »
Thats one slick ride ya got there! Do you run any tire prep on races?

No
Well, With my truck being lifted..it is a nightmare to get a mower up and into the bed...Then with it being a short bed..no room left over for all the extras needed at a race!!

I want an enclosed trailer, but not in the budget til next spring......so....

I ended up picking up a donor trailer frame. It was one of those NORTHERN TOOL  40" x 48" trailer with little 15" tall tires. I got it off ebay for $100.

The platform was way to small to put a tractor on. So a trip to the steel shop for some 2" angle. 30 feet ran me $60 cash.

Welded up a platform to mount onto the original 40" x 48" frame.

I had some 2x10's so that took care of the deck.

I wanted to put some type of stone guard...so I improvised and used an old formula car wing I had in the shed!

The original tires/wheels were in like new condition....but way to small. I needed to raise the trailers height in order to get it level. I'm already running a 8" drop hitch and hate the look of those dinky tires anyway!!!!  So a trip to TRACTOR supply and $140.00 later got me some new skins.

So some quick math:
$100 initial donor trailer
$60 steel
$140 tires/wheels

About 6 hours of my labor ( I didn't even pay myself!)

This adds up to $300...Works for me!

Here are some pics!











I had some left over rattle can paint from the mowers paint job.....so the trailer got some of the same colors as the mower!

I had some ramps so that makes loading and unloading quite easy!

Now I have the entire bed of the truck to haul all the extras!

Just thought I'd share!
Tom Fox       
Brookfield, CT

Offline THawley08

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #306 on: September 13, 2007, 10:04:50 pm »
I like the trailer will help with gas
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Offline Tom Fox

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #307 on: September 14, 2007, 06:25:41 am »
I like the trailer will help with gas


Well I'm sure there won't be any wind resistance!!! My truck should block it all!!

This is just a temp. trailer until the funds get accumulated for a nice 16' enclosed trailer!
Tom Fox       
Brookfield, CT

Offline cycloneracer

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #308 on: September 14, 2007, 08:10:21 am »
Cool little trailer Tom!  But please be carefull when pulling it.  It appears that you won't be able to see it when pulling it.  Those little trailers can do some stupid stuff if pulled at speed.  I would suggest putting a old junker mower on it and pulling it.  Those springs will make the trailer jump when hitting a bump and if your mower don't weigh enough (and being a racer it probably don't) that trailer will jump a lot.  Also the hitch is a bit short, or at least it is in the pics.  So don't turn to short or you will have a bent bumper!  Also try to get it to sit level behind your truck so it don't catch the wind.  You will be suprised how hard it will pull.  Sitting that high it will have a ton of wind resistance and if it is tipped a bit, it will be worse.

Just be careful!  I know how much work you have put into that mower and I don't want to see pics of it after it rolled down the intersate!

Later
Paul
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Offline Tom Fox

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #309 on: September 14, 2007, 09:52:48 am »
Cool little trailer Tom!  But please be carefull when pulling it.  It appears that you won't be able to see it when pulling it.  Those little trailers can do some stupid stuff if pulled at speed.  I would suggest putting a old junker mower on it and pulling it.  Those springs will make the trailer jump when hitting a bump and if your mower don't weigh enough (and being a racer it probably don't) that trailer will jump a lot.  Also the hitch is a bit short, or at least it is in the pics.  So don't turn to short or you will have a bent bumper!  Also try to get it to sit level behind your truck so it don't catch the wind.  You will be suprised how hard it will pull.  Sitting that high it will have a ton of wind resistance and if it is tipped a bit, it will be worse.

Just be careful!  I know how much work you have put into that mower and I don't want to see pics of it after it rolled down the intersate!

Later
Paul


I actually went out this morning to Homey Depot and picked up two 4' fiberglass driveway markers that I'm going to mount on the back two corners of the trailer. That way I can at least see if it is still there while I'm towing!!!

The hitch is a standard length, at least compared to the utility trailers they sell at Homey depot.

I think even if I did a hard turn..the trailer would go under my bumper!!

The trailer sits about 1.5" higher in the front as compared to the back. once I load the bed of the truck up with all the extras it should drop about an inch. making it pretty level.

The trailer has some pretty good weight to it. those 2x10's helped a bit!!
When I installed the 2X's I have about a .750" gap between each...just for that reason of catching air.  I'd say the trailer weighs in around around 300 pounds. Then a 300 lb mower...600 all together....should ride pretty smooth actually.

I do plan on taking it for a test drive tomorrow with the mowing lawn mower....and give it a good workout!!!

Thanks for your concern!!!

Tom Fox       
Brookfield, CT

Offline hotrodmower16.5

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #310 on: September 14, 2007, 11:25:03 am »
I do plan on taking it for a test drive tomorrow with the mowing lawn mower.

I can see it now,Tom goes speeding down the road and hears something looks back and see's the mowing mower bouncing down the road, Tom comes home goes into the house and says: I have been thinking it's time we bought a new lawn mower. :badgrin:

But i do hope everything goes alright with your trailer,You might want to weld some hooks on the side's for the straps, because a buddy of mine was hauling his less then a year old four wheeler and it fell off of the trailer when he hit a small bump, The reason it fell off was he did not have a good place for his strap's to hold and they came loose when he hit the bump, It bent three out of four rims busted two tires bent the handle bars and cracked 40% of the plastic.
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Offline greenmachine

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #311 on: September 14, 2007, 01:37:16 pm »
Looks good Tom, both the Mower and the trailer.

I suggest an even lower drop hitch. I tow all my trailers with the tounge slightly lower then the rear of the trailer, seems to help with stability. Also, when loaded, keep more weight in front of the trailer axle than behind it.

Something that you may want to consider too for peace of mind towing a small trailer like that you can't see is to install a backup camera with a monitor in the dash, it's nice to be able to see the load is OK behind you. It'll be a nice upgrade on an already nice truck and a big help manuvering the trailer when backing up something you can't see.
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Offline benfield_boy

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #312 on: September 14, 2007, 02:33:40 pm »

When I installed the 2X's I have about a .750" gap between each...just for that reason of catching air. 

 :confused:Did you space them like that or did you push them together and let them shrink down on there own?
NEVER DOUBT YOURSELF!!! .....................ANYTHING is Possible.

Offline Tom Fox

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #313 on: September 14, 2007, 07:41:05 pm »
.
Looks good Tom, both the Mower and the trailer.

I suggest an even lower drop hitch. I tow all my trailers with the tounge slightly lower then the rear of the trailer, seems to help with stability. Also, when loaded, keep more weight in front of the trailer axle than behind it.

Something that you may want to consider too for peace of mind towing a small trailer like that you can't see is to install a backup camera with a monitor in the dash, it's nice to be able to see the load is OK behind you. It'll be a nice upgrade on an already nice truck and a big help manuvering the trailer when backing up something you can't see.

Well I've been meaning to LOWER the truck a bit...The truck has a 6" lift kit. So tonight I decided to lower it two inches. I was using a 6" block in the rear and just changed it out to a 4" one that I had. The truck is a 1/2 ton but when I put the lift in...8 years ago I changed out the 1/2 ton torsion bars for 1 ton bars. This gave me about an extra 2" of from lift...well as you guessed it..I put the 1/2 ton bars back in tonight as well.

Now the truck sits 2" lower and rides 10x better (not as stiff).

Now with the trailer on it sits nose down by a 1/2 inch. this should also keep more weight on the tongue.

:confused:Did you space them like that or did you push them together and let them shrink down on there own?

I purposely spaced them that way so air can flow thru and rain/snow can melt thru
Tom Fox       
Brookfield, CT

Offline greenmachine

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Re: CRAFTSMAN B/P BUILD
« Reply #314 on: September 14, 2007, 09:00:26 pm »
.
Well I've been meaning to LOWER the truck a bit...The truck has a 6" lift kit. So tonight I decided to lower it two inches. I was using a 6" block in the rear and just changed it out to a 4" one that I had. The truck is a 1/2 ton but when I put the lift in...8 years ago I changed out the 1/2 ton torsion bars for 1 ton bars. This gave me about an extra 2" of from lift...well as you guessed it..I put the 1/2 ton bars back in tonight as well.

Now the truck sits 2" lower and rides 10x better (not as stiff).

Now with the trailer on it sits nose down by a 1/2 inch. this should also keep more weight on the tongue.

I think that was a very wise decision. Sky high rough riding trucks get old after a while and your body will thank you as you get older too....Don't ask me how I know :lol:
Retired 82nd Airborne Paratrooper.

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