Topic: just getting started

[gtpuller]

I know it shouldn't stay up on the bar, but can you expect it to get up on the bar initially befor it settles down or ideally should it never get up on the bar. If it gets too high it will tend to unload the rear and lose traction and foreward momentum yeah?

[outlawmower]

You never really want it on the wheelie bars. Your goal is to have the front tires light on the ground or just bouncing. A perfect setup would be bounce a couple times and hang two inches off the ground the majority of the pull. I would set them a half inch inside the rules for height and length from center of axle to rear of wheelie wheel or what ever the rule states and leave them alone. In my years of pulling I have never tuned with wheelie bars. You'll put more power to the ground with the front end 2 inches off the ground then you will running on the wheelie bars.

X2, Follow this and you will be ok!

[gtpuller]

Wow it's been an extremely long time. What started as a simple roof leak and damaged drywall in the ceiling of the living room turned into a rewire of a good portion of the electrical wiring, a remodel of the kitchen and the construction of an entertainment center using oak from a tree we had cut down in the front yard last spring, along with oak veneer plywood. All of the work has been done by my dad and me so needless to say time and money to work on the tractor has been short. Our remodel  project is still a ways from being finished but in the next couple of weeks I hope to get back to the shop and make some progress on the tractor. Thanks guys for the interest you have shown in my tractor project. I'm looking foreward to getting back at it.

[gtpuller]

nice day today, made it to the shop and  tacked the fenders together, they fit together pretty well, still finishing our remodel project but finally getting back to it. hope to keep going now.

[gtpuller]

More progress today tacked together as one piece now. I'm feelin better about the welding all the time, far from where i need to be! It has come out square so far but lots more work left,  pix below of the progress so far.

[gtpuller]

More pix of todays progress below didn't make a lot of progress but the fenders are coming out square. I'm not sure yet if I will do the final welding or if a pro will get the nod. Time will tell .

[gtpuller]

More welding today. Mounted the fenders up finally to check the fit, they sit a bit higher than I wanted but not too bad. Much more work left to do on them. Haven't ever weighed this thing yet, hope i don't have a stroke when i do. Planning on doing it when the fenders are done. This whole assembly will weigh quite a bit but want to maintain original craftsman look.

[gtpuller]

Been workin on fenders last couple of days got a good start on the flares  weldin goin ok but a lot of grinding maybe by the time this is finished, I won't be grinding so much!!!!!








not sure how to finish weldin this up. Thinkin I might have to cut a bit out and weld in a rounded piece, or do you guys think a filler piece welded in the back would be just as good and easier? Anyway I have a feeling this is gonna take HOURS!!!!!

[outlawmower]

Take a filler plate and tac weld it in the back. Make sure it will stick with all the use and vibarations. Then use BONDO to make it smooth.

[gtpuller]

cool, thanks outlaw, was leaning towards that. Will do!! I used a grinding stone in my die grinder to grind the welds on the flares but probably a better/smoother way. Can anyone reveal any tricks of the trade? What kind of abrasive disc would be most effective/ what grit.......technique? Is the abrasive disc even the way to go?

[tjbryner]

If your having problems with weld going thrru your splice points
Take a hunk of copper pipe that is about 6" long. Flatten one end out (about 1 1/2") and bend it to about 45 degree angle. Hold it on the back of were your welding tight. The weld won't stick to it and also keeps the weld from going thru and keeps the weld some what flat on the back side.

[outlawmower]

cool, thanks outlaw, was leaning towards that. Will do!! I used a grinding stone in my die grinder to grind the welds on the flares but probably a better/smoother way. Can anyone reveal any tricks of the trade? What kind of abrasive disc would be most effective/ what grit.......technique? Is the abrasive disc even the way to go?

A sanding disc with a rough grit will or should do fine. I use that with a right angle grinder and usually the amount of pressure you put on it determines how much it will cut.

[gtpuller]

Yes I bought a right angle die grinder and a 3" sanding disc earlier today, used 36 Grit. Works great I did some more welding and grinding and  haven' t managed to completely destroy anything yet.  Warped the panels a little bit, but a little bit of hammering straightened things right out. Still more to do on this part of the fenders rough still. The back side needs a bit more welding. It's mostly done though. More pounding, welding, grinding tomorrow. Things look rougher in the photo, than they really are, but still not that smooth, I guess a little BONDO is in my future.





Already learned more than a couple of things not to do and believe it or not my welds are getting better and more consistent. Hoping the other side will be better!!!!!

[outlawmower]

Looks good, BONDO Won't hurt anything. I had to use plenty of that when fixing my panels on the Wheel Horse. It's good experience as well.

Overall, Looking great! Can't wait to see the finished product!

[gtpuller]

Thanks man! I worked on the other side today it went better and faster. I found there were some spots from my work yesterday where the weld didn't penetrate through, touched them up, wish I could turn the heat up on the welder just a little bit. Straightened things up a little more, Looks better. It seems like the trick to all of this is to "work it" weld. grind, pound and repeat the whole process till you are happy with the results. A bit afraid of working things too much I dont want to grind through it, make the metal weak or end up making it thin. So that begs the question when is enough enough!!!!