Topic: nice money saving trick

[benfield_boy]

  So, you want to have you tie rod in the front of your mower but don't have the money for a G-team or EC front axle? Well this is what you do... Buy a acme front axle for low right steering. when you get it it will have the tie rod in the back, that's OK. Now do this: Take the bolts out that hold the spindles on both sides of the axle and take the spindle that was on the left side and put it on the right side with the tie rod arm sticking out to the front of the mower, same with the spindle that was on the right side. Put the bolts back in and tighten them both up well. You now have lower left steering hook up with the tie rod out in front.

    Let me tell you right now that the G-team and EC front axles are VERRY good products. This is for the racer who is just starting out and is on a low budget. You will see in the pics the streering is on the low right that becouse I did not know this trick when I ordered it. you can get the axle here:
http://acmemowersports.com/acme_axle.html

[grantwt]

I agree that it is a simple fix.  However wouldn't it throw out any Ackerman angle that is built into the steering.  The simple rule of thumb is that drawing a line through the kingpin and the spindle tie rod should also intersect with the center of your rear axle.  To move the kingpins to the front of the kingpin would also require moving the tie rod mount to the outside of the kingpin, which it doesn't look like there is room for on those spindles.  Maybe I am wrong.  I know that with my dune buggy when I moved the tie rods out front I had to do that with the tie rod mounts (See Attached).  But that is a suspension front end with a rack.  All I know is that thing is going to plow if the inside tire turns less than the outside.  Also I personally would prefer my steering behind my axle if possible as it is better protected.  On my mower it runs just above the frame behind the axle, but we have to run L axles in our club.





Grant

[benfield_boy]

  When I tested it in my back yard mine handled a whole lot beter than before.

[grantwt]

I am definitely not trying to put down your mower or capabilities.  Anybody that can build a mower at your age and stick with it is good in my books.  Simply trying to help out possibly.  I drew the setup in AutoCAD so that you might understand what I am saying better.  See the attached pictures below.  In the one where the steering is behind the axle, everything is drawn according to Ackerman angles.  You can see how when the wheels are turned, both wheels approximately follow a circle that the mower turns about.  In the second one where the steering is in front of the axle, when the wheels turns the outside wheel actually turns further than it is supposed to.  You will basically end up seriously toe-ed in while you are steering.










That said, when you are running slower speeds in racing, you apparently move the point of intersect for the steering arms forward, effectively toeing out while steering, and at high speeds, you move the intersect backwards effectively toeing out when steering.  This works your outside tire harder for low speed racing, and the inside tire harder for high speed racing.

Seeing as we are approximately 1/2 the wheelbase and go 1/3 the speed of the average vehicle (Assume short track stock car as medium speed), we probably should be setting our Ackerman to toe-in as we turn as it does with your setup.  My only concern is that I would think your setup would do this too drastically as the actual changes they make in racing are fine changes not large changes.  But if it works for you thats great!!  Have a good day

Grant

[benfield_boy]

I am definitely not trying to put down your mower or capabilities

 I never took it that way 

[grantwt]

Good stuff!   

[benfield_boy]

   I hate to say it but....You were right. I took it to my friends farm for a good test and it sucked. We went right to his barn and went to work to get it back right. At my house it did fine but like you said, at a big track it would fail. 

[grantwt]

It's better to try and fail than never try at all.  You end up learning something.  I myself have been reading through George's tips for handling, and there is a lot in there for me to learn.  I'm actually looking forward to next race because I currently have my mower toed in and I want to adjust it to straight to a bit of toe.  Also I want to try playing tire pressures.  'Luck getting you mower to handle!

Grant

[Rooster]

Just FYI, you can order ACME axle as front steer...

[benfield_boy]

 Realy? I might have to check into that. Thanks!

[Rooster]

I actually got mine for free several years ago, won it on an internet radio show.
He called me to see how I wanted it configured. He said he makes each axle to order, any config you want. front, rear, left or right.

[benfield_boy]

 Nice, thanks for telling me! I am ordering one soon so I am thankfull I found this out.

[DAntheman943]

where did you get that hub on the mower from? thankx

[benfield_boy]

 I got them at my local kart shop, I bet EC could hook you up whith a set.

[300xdeere]

The reason your front steer didn`t work is because of the way you had it set up, you will get way more acerman if you have a pivot in the midle or your axle, weather the front end has steering in the back or in the front. Having a pivont point you want your two tie rods angling towards the wheels, that way there on will push more then the other will pull giving you as much acerman as needed, the more they angle the more acerman up to a certain point where it will bind.












These are all the pictures from my front end, notice how the tie rods angle towards the the tractor, they are nor strait or angling out, also have them stacked one on top of the other helps to, if it where to have the steering to the back they would be in seperate holes. If your looking for a good front end set up and to have front steer try this out works great not to mention it alows you to have more adjustability.