The Crapsman racing mower

[karl]

10hp briggs, 13in front go kart tires, 16in rear, 6 speed spicer trans axle, chopped fenders for lower center of gravity. I still haft to finish the fender and put a smaller rear pulley on it to make it go much faster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrkTV8G4C94

 

[kendelrk]

could use a small cleaning, LOL but nice work, looks good

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Good start! I have a very similar model Crapsman that I gave my kids to get some seat time while I was building The Green Machine. The brakes on mine absolutely suck. I have redone that horrible little mechanical caliper a couple times- its just a lousy design. You might have a different unit though. It looks like your shifter is centered in front of the driver, while mine is in the right fender. How's the brakes on yours?

 

[karl]

How's the brakes on yours?

Thanks. Umm what breaks? They are not even hooked up, there useless.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Wait-

They are useless because they aren't hooked up?
Or
They aren't hooked up because they are useless?

 

[kendelrk]

i think they arent hooked up because there useless

 

[karl]

They aren't hooked up because they are useless?

Yep they were burnt out already so I dident bother hooking it up. I might take the spacer out of axle shaft on one side and put in a band brake because I got a spare band and drum.

 

[landuse]

I wish we could get cheap ride on mowers here. They are all so expensive that I can only dream abouth them.

Nice work by the way...

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

If you want to lower COG even more, take out that spring suspension setup under your seat, i always do that and it feels much more stable.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Yep they were burnt out already so I dident bother hooking it up. I might take the spacer out of axle shaft on one side and put in a band brake because I got a spare band and drum.

That will only brake one wheel, no?

 

[karl]

That will only brake one wheel, no?

Not if it has a locker. But still alot of 1wd go karts have 1 wheel brakes and they work fine, plus I can power brake it for some mad burnouts.

If you want to lower COG even more, take out that spring suspension setup under your seat,

Already done in vid.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Not if it has a locker.

It has a locker? Where'd you find one? (Or, you mean you're welding the diff?)

But still alot of 1wd go karts have 1 wheel brakes and they work fine,

Depends on your definition of "fine". Fine for some purposes, I s'pose.

 

[karl]

(Or, you mean you're welding the diff?)

Yup.

Depends on your definition of "fine". Fine for some purposes, I s'pose.

Better then none, eh?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Yeah- Brain cramp. I forgot we'd already talked about the diff welding thing. I got thrown off with the "locker" reference. Re: brakes- Much better than none.

 

[karl]

I rigged a 3/4in bore 2in pulley on a 5/8 shaft with a homemade spacer. This thing flies. It has no gearshifter or brakes. To take off in 6th gear takes is pretty hard you need to be slightly downhill. But its fast, probably at least 30mph. But its to dark and I ran out of gas so the Vid will haft to wait. Also, I was wearing a helmet.

 

[dave1701]

You guys must like craftsman stuff. Are they poor quality? I have never worked on a Craftsman mower, just 1950s John Deeres over here.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

I have no love for Craftsman- It was just the right price.

 

[karl]

Here it is as of now. I rode it for over an hour, and its been ok but the engine is going. Its getting blowby and smoke comes out the pcv, and when under load it smokes bad. Its losing power, It barely moving the thing now. So I can either put on a 12.5hp briggs or a 16hp briggs opposed twin. Im thinkin twin if I can get they money. Also, the axle is jamming in gear alot. So when I tear it apart I will haft to see whats causing it. I got 4 bolts holding the fender onto the frame, they were pre taped so all I had to do was drill the hole in the fenders. I want to make the deck lift lever the handbrake, so soon ill get crackin on all of this.

 

[karl]

I got a push bar-rack thing on it. Its from a old china 110cc quad. I am working on getting the 12.5hp motor. The old motor burnt the belt because it had no power, getting blowby. So I would haft to let the belt slip to take off. Also I need to fix the transaxle, its stuck in 6th gear again.

 

[Bluethunder3320]

there is one of these for free down the street from me. its a 16hp hydrostatic.

if i can convince my mom to let me get it, ill turn it into something like what you did