Author Topic: Building a FXS  (Read 19952 times)

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Offline Skeeter

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Building a FXS
« on: July 22, 2014, 01:43:31 pm »
OK everyone it has been a long time since I tried posting up a build, but here we go again. This is an FXS using a GX390 engine and Murray wide body rails.
First things first. Get a Murray wide body mower and unbolt it all the way down to the rails. Clean up all the rust and gunk off of it and sand off the paint. This is will make the welding process so much easier.


OK now we need a flat clean metal table. In the previous picture you can see my welding table. Using clamps I clamped a large straight scrap piece of angle to the table so I had a starting point to keep everything square. Starting with a known flat square surface will produce a good flat square frame.

Now clamp one of the Murray rails to the angle iron and tack weld it to the table.




Once that is done unclamp the angle iron and clamp it to the second frame rail.  Measure (twice) both ends of the Murray rail to 15" outside to out side. This ensures that the first frame rail is the same as the second one and they are parallel to each other. Double check to ensure that the frame rails are square to each other as pictured. Then tack weld it to the table. Great now we have a starting point.
Scott W. Bittle
#396 The "Mowlenium Falcon"
2007 LSMRA "Rookie of the Year"
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Offline Skeeter

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2014, 03:23:46 pm »
OK I forgot to post something. On the frame rails, on the front. Using an adjustable angle finder, set it to 10 degrees and mark the front of the frame rails from the bottom up. This will give you a rearward tilt (at the top) to the front axle when it is time to weld it on. I used a horizontal band saw to ensure that both were cut to the same angle in the same place.
Here you can see that the distance between the frame rails is 15".


Ok so now both rails are tack welded to the table.



Got the front axle ready to weld on, but first I want to add a 3/4" thin wall square tubing in between the inside front of the rails.
Here is the tubing and the front axle all welded up.



When setting the square tubing in place make sure that the top of the square tubing is even with the frame rails. The front axle gets welded to this square tubing and the frame rails.
Now before welding on the front axle measure for the center between the front rails. If the frame rails are 15" then center should be 7.5" Check from both sides and ensure that it is the center. Now measure you front axle and find the center of it. Now at the 7.5" mark on the center square tubing measure to the right ( as if you were sitting on the mower) 2" and make another mark. This mark and the center of the front axle will be lined up. Clamp it into place and measure from the left frame rail out to the end of the front axle. Record this measurement. Then measure from the right frame rail out to the end of the right side of the front axle. Record this measurement. Now if you will be able to tell if the "offset" as allowed in the USLMRA rules is correct. It is a 4" offset.

With the frame rails still tack welded to the table and the front axle set flat on the table and clamped into place, weld it all together.

Finished product should look some thing like this.



Had a man tell me that my shop was not a shop. He said it was a museum, but in my defense I have a little OCD going on and like to keep it sorta clean and neat. I won't post his name but you all know him and he works up around the middle of Tennessee.

Now that the front is done lets move to the rear of the frame rails. I cut a 2" X 2" X 1/8" section of angle iron 15" long. This gets clamped to the top of the rear frame rails like this.




Because the frame rails are 15" wide and the angle iron is 15" wide it all fits perfectly. Just has to be welded together. Now we have a square frame to build on. More to come so stay tuned..... 8)
Scott W. Bittle
#396 The "Mowlenium Falcon"
2007 LSMRA "Rookie of the Year"
2008 LSMRA "Driver of the Year"
2008 LSMRA S/P Champion
2008 LSMRA F/X Champion
2009 LSMRA C/P Champion
2010 LSMRA A/P Champion
2011 LSMRA IMOW Champion
  
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!

Offline Skeeter

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2014, 04:46:51 pm »
Now that everything has cooled down from welding I cut the tack welds loose and turned the frame upside down on the table. The front axle has to hang over the edge of the table so the  frame rails set flat on the table. Then I cut (2) one inch thin walled tubing to the length of the frame rails. They butt up against the front 3/4" square tubing and are flush with the rear of the frame rails. Clamping the 1" square tubing to the frame rails every 6 to 8 inches or so ensures that the flat straight frame rails are flat and straight with the square tubing.





Time to get the wire welded back out and weld it together.

I will be using 6" rims front and back so rear axle location comes out from the rear 2" X 2" angle iron edge.

 

Using the "C" or "U" shaped weldments from E.C. Distributing as a measuring for placement. The edge of the weldment touches the edge of the 2" X 2" angle iron. The frame rails were marked on top and the top edge was cut away and the edge was smoothed down. Then the weldment can be set down to the 1" square tubing, flat and level. Clamp it down tight, do both sides the same and when your happy with the alignment and squareness, weld it in place. 

There will be some excess frame material inside the edge where the bearing will go and it can be cut out with a plasma cutter as we did or a large hole saw in a drill. Any method that you can do will work, however be careful not to damage the weldment.



Once everything cools down you can assemble the rear axle bearings into their cassettes and bolt then to the weldments with 3/8" bolts. Then slide the rear axle into place and assemble the front axle spindles and you have a rolling frame.

More work to be done so stay tuned....
Scott W. Bittle
#396 The "Mowlenium Falcon"
2007 LSMRA "Rookie of the Year"
2008 LSMRA "Driver of the Year"
2008 LSMRA S/P Champion
2008 LSMRA F/X Champion
2009 LSMRA C/P Champion
2010 LSMRA A/P Champion
2011 LSMRA IMOW Champion
  
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!

Offline George Herrin

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2014, 07:41:42 pm »
I will say its the cleanest shop I ever been too.
George Herrin #6
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My other racer is a 1/5th scale Dirt Late Model!!!!

Offline Skeeter

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2014, 05:56:26 pm »
Ok now back to the build.



All measurements are taken from the rear 2" X 2" angle iron. In the picture above is a section of 3/4" thick walled square tubing. It is for the seat to set on. Hooking my tape measure on to the edge of the back 2" X 2" angle iron and pulling the tape toward the front axle the measurement will be 9 1/2" to the back edge of the seat square tubing. Square the seat tubing to the frame and weld it in place at the top edge of the rails.



Now that is done measure again from the rear as before but this time it will be 18". This is where you will use the flat weldments for a 1" axle kit from EC. The back edge of the weldment is at the 18" mark on both sides. Use the weldment as a guide to determine the width of the cut that has to be made. The cut is made the same as we did on the rear axle weldments. Once the frame is all smoothed out and flat a small piece of 1/4" thick flat metal is laid on top of the 1" square tubing on each side. This sets the height of the weldment to the correct height.



With it all clamped in place and square it is time to weld it all together.

Once it cools off the 1" axle kit from EC can be installed and the Jack Shaft set in place.



Well it is looking pretty good so far. Here it is with the rear axle and jack shaft in place.



Now it is time to start working on setting up the front  spindles and steering system.

Stay tuned more to come.
Scott W. Bittle
#396 The "Mowlenium Falcon"
2007 LSMRA "Rookie of the Year"
2008 LSMRA "Driver of the Year"
2008 LSMRA S/P Champion
2008 LSMRA F/X Champion
2009 LSMRA C/P Champion
2010 LSMRA A/P Champion
2011 LSMRA IMOW Champion
  
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!

Offline Skeeter

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2014, 11:15:24 am »
Due to the hood we want to use the spindles control arms have to be turned around to the back. I went a little OCD on this as I wanted it to be straight and square. First I very carefully cut off the spindle control arms and cleaned up the edges of the arms and the spindles.

I had a very large section of thick angle iron in the shop and used it as a gauge for the front end. The angle iron was placed on the frame and squared to the frame then clamped down. Then the front spindles were put back on the front axle. I drilled out two sections of pipe to 5/8" inside diameter and made them the same size and turned them on the ends with the lathe to ensure that they were square. I slid the pipe onto the spindles and used two tri-squares to align the pipe to the angle iron. I set the spindle arms on the angle iron, squared them up and every thing got clamped into place. I checked all the squareness twice made sure that this was where I wanted it to be and tack welded the arms to the spindles.

 




Once the tack welds cooled down I removed the spindles, removed the bearings, and welded the arms up solid.

With the spindles reassembled into the front axle it was time to set up the steering. I used some 1" X 2" rectangle tubing and leaned it back just a little more than the angle of the axle. I don't know the degree but just eyeballed it. I marked the height and the location for the 5/8" male heim joints. I cut it to size and drilled the holes for the heim joints in the mill. Then welded it to the front axle and capped it off with some 1/8" plate on top.





Now it was time to set up the steering shaft. I got a universal joint for a 5/8" shaft from E.C., some 5/8" lock collars and four 3/8" male heim joints from them also. I cut the tie rod tubing to size, threaded it both left and right handed treads on each end and assembled the steering. I had to make a steering arm for the shaft. I used a solid 5/8" set collar welded it to a 1/4" thick by 1" wide section of metal. I drilled three holes in it to match the holes in the front spindles from E.C. This assembly was all put together and I used the set screw in the collar to mark where I wanted to drill into the steering shaft.
The set screw turned out out be a 1/4 - 20 so I drilled into the shaft and tapped it to the same. Now the set screw was replaced with a grade 8 bolt and threaded into the collar and into the shaft. Made it very solid and still removable.

 



I left the rod extended out the top until I figure out the dash system. Then that will tell me where to cut it off and install the universal joint.

So stay tuned and comment if you like or don't like.
Scott W. Bittle
#396 The "Mowlenium Falcon"
2007 LSMRA "Rookie of the Year"
2008 LSMRA "Driver of the Year"
2008 LSMRA S/P Champion
2008 LSMRA F/X Champion
2009 LSMRA C/P Champion
2010 LSMRA A/P Champion
2011 LSMRA IMOW Champion
  
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!

Offline Rooster

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2014, 12:17:12 pm »
Glad to see those spindle arms in the rear, where they should be!
LOL
Bert stole my cookies!!
 I think he used them to bribe Ed into something naughty?

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Offline Skeeter

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2014, 02:25:09 pm »
Thanks Rooster. We (Caroll Campbell and myself) are trying to make it all work. The spindle arms had to be in the rear due to the hood and the front bumper. We got some of those Wheel Horse hoods like you were telling me about when we were up at Tulsa. Are ya'll running any FXS class mowers up there? I know that Jeff is building one.
Scott W. Bittle
#396 The "Mowlenium Falcon"
2007 LSMRA "Rookie of the Year"
2008 LSMRA "Driver of the Year"
2008 LSMRA S/P Champion
2008 LSMRA F/X Champion
2009 LSMRA C/P Champion
2010 LSMRA A/P Champion
2011 LSMRA IMOW Champion
  
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!

Offline Jeff McKelroy

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2014, 09:39:36 pm »
I finally took my FX/S out for it's maiden shakedown voyage.  With a few exceptions, I'm fairly happy with it. I'll like it better when I get my flathead twin in it.

Offline Rooster

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2014, 11:32:05 am »
Thanks Rooster. We (Caroll Campbell and myself) are trying to make it all work. The spindle arms had to be in the rear due to the hood and the front bumper. We got some of those Wheel Horse hoods like you were telling me about when we were up at Tulsa. Are ya'll running any FXS class mowers up there? I know that Jeff is building one.
It is my opinion, and many will argue with this...LOL...That You can only get Ackerman correct with rear steer.
However, alot of people do it other ways and win races.

We have only Jeff running one now, I will be building one in the future, but that's probably a lonnng ways off, lol!
Bert stole my cookies!!
 I think he used them to bribe Ed into something naughty?

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Offline MOWERtified

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2014, 04:19:32 pm »
My build partner said that I should post something about our build and all I can say is don't be gone for very long because this is going to go fast. We are under the gun now to finish as we have to try and be ready for their debue on Oct. 4TH in Gun Barrel City, Texas.
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Offline Jeff Digou (Pitguy)

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2014, 05:13:12 pm »
Any more updates ?

Windsor Ontario Canada<br /
Jeff Digou

Offline Jeff McKelroy

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #12 on: December 19, 2014, 10:53:43 am »
Jeff, Skeeter's had some serious health issues as of late, and it is uncertain when he will return to racing.

Offline Jeff Digou (Pitguy)

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #13 on: December 19, 2014, 07:34:56 pm »
Sorry to hear that :(   

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Offline blake hasting

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Re: Building a FXS
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2015, 01:07:10 pm »
Really hope he gets better and hope to see more soon! Great work so far
yes its fast, no you can not ride it!

 

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