Turning a huge paperweight into a workhorse (EZ Go into gas powered ranch buggy)

[Redneck Packrat]

You should have just bought the motor to rear coupler like I said and saved a bunch of money. Your sprocket for the rear is going to be too small.

I don't understand....how would I have saved "a bunch of money"?

 

[Denny]

You would have not needed the lovejoy coupler, pillow block bearings, or shaft. All you would of have to do is weld the sprocket to the coupler and drill the shaft and tap it. Then slide on the coupler and put the bolt in the center and tighten it down.

 

[Redneck Packrat]

You would have not needed the lovejoy coupler, pillow block bearings, or shaft. All you would of have to do is weld the sprocket to the coupler and drill the shaft and tap it. Then slide on the coupler and put the bolt in the center and tighten it down.

Maybeso....but this has been fun. A challenge. And maybe something to cuss on down the road. I'm out ~40.00 for the parts, and that's if I replace 'em. Had the pillow blocks on the shelf gathering dust. Well, their boxes were gathering dust. The jaw coupler was <20 on Amazon for both halves and the spider. Everywhere I looked for that adapter thing, it was >75 and those were out of stock on the lower end of prices. So.... no biggie.... kinda a wash in the dollar department and it was a fun squirrel to chase.

Today saw me get the chains cut and laid out. Like I said before, got to start from the axle since it's the only thing with a non-negotiable location relative to the rest of the drive train. From there I went forward and settled on a place for the FnR box and got its mounts tacked into place and built a push post for the tensioner. All tacked on, no stick burning just yet. Then laid in the front chain and made sure it had room to take up slack with the engine slide. The order of chain tensioning is to get the back chain right and locked down, then slide the engine to get the front chain in the right place. As they wear in, it'll have to be done in that order again, probably after a little bit of use, maybe down to the mailbox and back. Jacked it up and rolled the drive tire with it in Forward, and chains all looked like they're running centered on their sprockets, so must be pretty close with the alignment.

I then took everything off the mounting frame and pulled it out and took it to the work bench and welded stuff the rest of the way. A little here and a little there, added another piece or two of reinforcement in places too. I don't think I got any one area hot enough to warp anything, it was still sitting flat with no rocking whatsoever on the piece of plate I had on the workbench, and I did swap ends with it and set it on there sideways, sat solid every way I'd turn it.

So it got moved over to the paint rack (a/k/a the little sheet metal garden tractor wagon ) and got a slathering of Ospho. Tomorrow it'll get some black enamel on it and depending on the sun and so forth, I'll either put it back together tomorrow or Monday, and start in on tying all the controls together. I do need to stand the buggy up like a deer ready for dressing and figure out how I'm going to use the existing foot feed on the Predator's throttle....and find a routing to get the choke cable and kill switch up on the dash board. Also going to see if there's some way to route the pull rope up to the dashboard too, maybe using EMT and some 550 paracord to make a (really, REALLY) long pull start on it. Hey, if they can move the pull rope halfway up a lawnmower's handle, I ought to be able to move it to the dashboard!

Not even ordered yet are the new exhaust pipe and air cleaner adapter. I need to get out there some evening with Amazon and eBay pulled up on my phone and, at least on the intake side, see if something looks like it's gonna fit. Exhaust side, I'm not terribly worried about just yet. Maybe it's misplaced confidence, but I'm pretty sure I can make SOMETHING work that won't have me selling my first born into servitude.

Pics all at the end today, what few I remembered to stop and take. Was kinda frustrated with my phone--something cut loose in it and it just starts doing silly stuff all on its own until I slap it around a few times and put it to sleep for a few minutes, and when I do that and go back to work I forget to take the pics before I get past the point I wanted pics of. Aside from all that, I'm whupped and it's late. Didn't even bother snapping a pic of supper, nor of Peewee drooling at it.







And Juan, our Quality Control supervisor

 

[Denny]

Juan looks tough to work for. Sure do like your helper Peewee though. Sounds like your having fun. Cary on.

 

[Redneck Packrat]

... Sounds like your having fun. Cary on.

I've spent fifty years pursuing that "having fun" thing. See, Granddad taught me when I was about 8 or 9 years old, and Mimi had me doing some chore I hated, can't remember off the top of my head what it was but it was enough to gripe to Granddad when he came to check on me, he told me that if I didn't like what I was doing, then come up with something more-important that I could be doing and liked better. And more important to me, was the main thing. When I went home after that weekend it was like a whole veil had been lifted on the "meaning of life". I set out at that time to do what was necessary to set my life in a position where I could do what interests me and have fun at it. I mean REAL fun, like the satisfaction of making something out of ....well, things that are useless as-is. One thing led to another and it's been one heck of a good ride that I've enjoyed riding.

You said earlier that you bet you're a bigger packrat. Not to get into a urinary distance contest, but I think you're one of the few people who can understand the above and really "get it". Salute.

 

[Functional Artist]

I've spent fifty years pursuing that "having fun" thing. See, Granddad taught me when I was about 8 or 9 years old, and Mimi had me doing some chore I hated, can't remember off the top of my head what it was but it was enough to gripe to Granddad when he came to check on me, he told me that if I didn't like what I was doing, then come up with something more-important that I could be doing and liked better. And more important to me, was the main thing. When I went home after that weekend it was like a whole veil had been lifted on the "meaning of life". I set out at that time to do what was necessary to set my life in a position where I could do what interests me and have fun at it. I mean REAL fun, like the satisfaction of making something out of ....well, things that are useless as-is. One thing led to another and it's been one heck of a good ride that I've enjoyed riding.

You said earlier that you bet you're a bigger packrat. Not to get into a urinary distance contest, but I think you're one of the few people who can understand the above and really "get it". Salute.

Yea, I got "bit by that bug" a long time ago (too)

It's the challenge of takin' a bunch of nuthin'
...& makin' somethin'

Kind of like a "mind" puzzle

* Adapt, overcome &/or figure it out

Kool project your workin' on
...I've been following along

 

[Denny]

I try to have on hand every part I ever may need for every project I ever may do in my lifetime. If your not having fun your not doing somethin right!

 

[Redneck Packrat]

Real work gets in the way sometimes. 4 wheeler with shelled out starter came in. Ordered starter. Put it in. Cranked it over. All I can smell is raw gas. Won't fire even with a shot of carb cleaner sprayed down its goozle. Checked, no spark. Chasing that. When I get this thing going I can get back to playing on my own stuff. Dang customers. LOL

 

[Redneck Packrat]

Okay. Ordered CDI box for that 4 wheeler and now was at loose ends. Put all the stuff back into Frankey and besides needing to get a halflink for the front chain I've just about got the drive train where I want it. If a halflink doesn't solve my problem, I'll just build an idler mount and put one of THOSE in there.

I know, it needs lots of stuff tightened and cinched up, and still waiting on the low-profile air intake and exhaust pipe, but they're clearing (barely) and not slamming into stuff, so it'll work....maybe....for a test run up on the jack.

So I pulled the rope. I didn't run it up to full speed but I did goose it and it looks like it'll have plenty of ground speed for what I'm wanting, which is basically relief from chasing a wheelbarrow full of crap around!

Still got lots of ancillary bells and whistles to do, like extend the pull rope to a convenient location, hook up the foot feed, bring the choke and kill out from under the seat, and the little matter of installing the steering intermediate shaft and drag link (which were robbed as part of the paddleboat project before I got the machine) so it goes where I want it to go. Oh, and stuff like relocate the fuel tank, swap out the intake and exhaust if and when they show up. Maybe trade out a few regular nuts for nylon locknuts so they don't jiggle off somewhere in the pasture.

And the most-important part, build a workbed for it so it's actually USEFUL Thinking scissor lift dump bed, if I can find that old seat tilt worm screw cylinder from an old wheelchair of the wife's. Of course, that'll entail installing a battery on it and either an alternator or a solar panel on the roof. LOTS more to this thread.

Darling wife did bring me a coldbeer and herself a mug of wineapple (raspberry wine mixed with some pineapple juice LOL) and proceeded to toast ol' Frankey She finally told me his full name: Frank N. Stein. Part golf cart, part rototiller, part cable spool, and built with lovingly invented cusswords and bad looking welding.

Back maybe over the weekend if it doesn't rain as they are thinking, otherwise back after getting rid of this guy's four wheeler.

 

[Denny]

You have one of the most entertaining threads going! I’ll bet old PeeWee can’t wait to go for a ride! Is Juan ok with what your doing so far? He seems mean, I’ll bet he is pretty critical of everything.

 

[Redneck Packrat]

Juan's job was over as soon as I pulled that rope the 2nd time and the machine started growling. SHE likes being the apex predator (or Predator? Pun intended LMAO) and scrammed when the noise started. Peewee just wagged and grinned. Until it actually moves towards him, he can't be bothered to expend the energy to get up, and I don't blame him.

Yeah, Juan's a she. She got that name because she's got.....one white ear....<rimshot>

Harvey is also a she. Found her climbing out of a chinaberry tree that had blown itself into chunks when Harvey hit. Next morning wife and I went out, going to check on Mom and Sis, and this itty bitty, probably barely a month old, kitten makes its way out of the debris and climbs me. So what do you name it? Yep: Harvey. Took the kit in to get checked out and schedule a neutering in another couple months and the vet said they couldn't do that.....but they could spay HER....so we changed the spelling from Harvey to Harvie. She's now five years old and the absolute queen of her domain. Even the toms give her all the room she wants. Found a pic of a few days after I found her, when I see her sometime today I'll get a "now" pic and edit this... and an hour later she shows up, so....

 

[Denny]

Harvie somehow looks easier to deal with.

 

[Redneck Packrat]

It moved! Right at dark this evening, fired it up and drove it out to the gate and back. Goes forwards and backwards and does so convincingly....and didn't fling any chains or other loose parts at me!

Short vid of its little right-before-dark move, along with a couple of cobbled-together FB messenger vid clips I sent my brother....

Might just let 'er wobble with that tie rod as long as it'll hold itself together. What can POSSIBLY go wrong? LMAO

I'm really pumped. Only thing so far I've hooked to the engine is the foot feed is hooked to the throttle linkage. Pretty straightforward... with EZ-Go at least. Never have monkeyed with the Club Car at Mom's as far as the footfeed. Still got a lot of zip ties to deploy, and get the choke, starter, kill switch, and FnR shifter moved up out from under the seat. Yeah, those things and build a bed for it and put the skin back on it and....and....and....

I've got daughter on a mission to find Mom's old wheelchair that had a power lift in its seat. If she can find that chair and pull the screw actuator out of it, I'm gonna build a scissor lift dump bed for the back of the buggy. Looks like there's plenty of room above the back axle to put a small scissor setup in there. In other words, the fun's just getting started!

 

[Denny]

Are you going to be able to control it at those speeds? Wow, it’s like lightning! Hey that would be a good name for it, “Lightning”.
Im just kidding, it’s great to see it move and the back and forth and such. I see your other friends came out to meet you. NAPA sells real long choke cables for forklifts and such that work perfectly for moving the choke to the dash. Good job!

 

[Redneck Packrat]

Are you going to be able to control it at those speeds? Wow, it’s like lightning! Hey that would be a good name for it, “Lightning”.
Im just kidding, it’s great to see it move and the back and forth and such. I see your other friends came out to meet you. NAPA sells real long choke cables for forklifts and such that work perfectly for moving the choke to the dash. Good job!

Hey, I like that! I think you just changed its name!

It's a workhorse, not a racer. Might even gear it DOWN a bit more as the only place I'll be able to even get 10mph is on the driveway itself. Too many rocks, softball size and up. That's part of what's gonna be getting hauled, is enough of those softballs to make paths for Mama and her chair. She's gonna tear that chair to bits trying to get places before it's all overwith. Clear those out of pathways, then at least here in the yard, I've got places I really don't wanna take a pickup and REALLY don't want to pack 80 lb sacks of sackrete on my back, so Lightning will be a huge help in carrying 3-4 sacks of concrete at a time to build some walk paths.

This bad boy's gonna be a game changer around here!

 

[Redneck Packrat]

Waiting on exhaust pipe and intake kits, so in my inbetween times today I cut out and tacked in the FnR controls. Shifts well. That control assembly is really tight back at the back, well designed and produced, with no overtravel nor slop. Time will tell if it holds up but it starts out nice and tight.

I laid out a hole down far enough to put a piece of my square tubing through the sheet metal just under the 1x1, 1/8" angle iron that frames the heel kick, and welded it to the frame. It still had a bit of twist to it, so I threw a gusset in to box in the connection between the two pieces. I'll add that pic in a few minutes (after I go back out and get one )






I still want to run the pull rope up to the dashboard just for ergonomics' sake. Easier to pull without twisting around. If I can get that to work out right and not have too much drag in what I see as two 90 degree bends and a ~30 degree bend, then I'll look at getting the choke and kill up there as well. If the pull rope doesn't work out with that much extra length then I'll just put the choke and kill there near the shifter. Next trip to town I'm gonna pick up a stick of EMT and start in on that bending and shaping.

Ordered a bigger gas tank for it, which I will probably put under the front of the bed, outside the right frame rail if it'll not hang out past the side of the machine. Just eyeballing it, I think I can get it high enough to gravity flow into the carb and still be low enough to not interfere with a flatbed.

Most of, actually so far ALL of, the storebought parts I've added have come off of Amazon, with maybe something coming from eBay but I'm not certain at the moment. I'll ask the Acquisition Department when she comes in from her patrol and cat treat distribution... LOL.

Oh, and just as an aside, Peewee got started a bit early. Napping peacefully.

 

[Redneck Packrat]

Making a list of storebought parts used in this build. IDK how long the edit window is set for on this forum, if it's indefinite I'll edit/modify this as I find/remember/need additional parts. Some things, like key stock, bolts, nuts, etc., I have on hand and do not include them. I also don't include sources for the steel stock as it was all on hand, either for projects or in the scrap pile LOL. Basically, if you're going to do this from scratch, a 20 ft joint of 1 1/2 square tubing 1/8" wall, a 10 ft joint of 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 3/16 angle iron, and a 2x2 sheet of 3/16 flat plate will get it all done. Now, on to the stuff I couldn't make on site...

HARBOR FREIGHT
Engine: https://www.harborfreight.com/gener...hv-horizontal-shaft-gas-engine-epa-69730.html
(I had the engine on hand, but it is an older version of the one linked, the one I clearly will need so I can re-power my tiller before spring )

AMAZON
FnR gearbox: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083FVDF7R
Torque converter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RJFVH8F
Jackshaft: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079Z8TKHD
Pillow blocks (4-pack, used two): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S321H3N
40 roller chain, incl 2 master links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZLKQT1R
Extra 40 master links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V4GK6D6
Throttle cable: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074262LZZ
Choke cable: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081TPHLBD
Exhaust pipe, lower profile than stock muffler: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QHFS38K
Air intake, lower profile than stock, uses 62mm diameter filter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WMWBY9S
Fuel tank (hasn't arrived yet, can't opine on quality): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QPLSPJH

EBAY
Jaw coupler, 5/8 one side and 13/16 other side, needed to waller out the 13/16 just a hair to fit on axle input shaft: https://www.ebay.com/itm/304449703713
11 tooth sprockets, for driven end of each chain: https://www.ebay.com/itm/175210697125



************
I'll add more as I notice if I missed something. If the 'edit' option is gone, I'll reply to this thread with any additions so it all stays easily found.

 

[Denny]

Looks like you ran poor PeeWee ragged. I think he needs an extra treat. I think you can only edit posts for 15 minutes after you post them. If you keep the conduit all in one piece I can’t see why it won’t work to guide your pull cord.

 

[Redneck Packrat]

Looks like you ran poor PeeWee ragged. I think he needs an extra treat. I think you can only edit posts for 15 minutes after you post them. If you keep the conduit all in one piece I can’t see why it won’t work to guide your pull cord.

Poor guy, having to ride herd on all the 'hey y'all watch THIS!' events. He does love his beer. Good thing he doesn't have thumbs or we hoomins would have an empty fridge!

Must've been changed, because I'm still seeing an edit button on the OP.

That's my plan, is to bend one single piece to go from where the rope comes out of the recoil all the way to the dashboard. Gonna feed the end of a roll of paracord in starting at the dash, poke it out by the engine, and re-rope the starter with all it'll take and then put the handle up at the dash.

Peewee and Juan got with Harvie and told me that if it doesn't work the way I want it to they'll talk to Mama about pitching in the overage to basically give the tiller it's engine back and put a Duromax 7hp electric start on this one. I'll have to do a little research on that before accepting that offer. See, HF has a sidewalk sale this week and for 125 or so I can get 212s out the door...without having to run fast...

 

[Denny]

You better take that deal! They don’t want to have to pull start it either!