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Et1 Sears Craftsman Electric Lawn Tractor

10K views 42 replies 13 participants last post by  Sparky  
#1 ·
Figured I better start a new thread on this build or rebuild.
I have this, http://gardentractor...__fromsearch__1


What I'm doing is rebuilding it to be a better more functional lawn tractor that can cut grass and do everything that the original gas version can do.
It gets a better motor, twice as many batteries, and a mower deck, using parts from both tractors to make ET1.
I picked this up yesterday, complete and fully function, it is identical, even the Model # is the same as the Blue one.


I picked up an ETEK motor for it today, this will replace the 11hp B&S gas engine.
Etek motor is rated 6hp continuous, 15hp peak, 3456rpms at 48 volts, enough power to run the tractor and mower deck.
The Etek will need 48volts DC to power it, where to put 4 Deep Cycle batteries is going to be the biggest problem.

View attachment 27187

So the process begins.
 

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#4 ·
This will be neat to follow along with, thanks for sharing
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#5 ·
Thanks Casey, the blue one EV1 as it's named just sits around and doesn't do much, some of it's parts are needed for the grey one ET1.

What I want to do is to show people that by using common available parts, they can convert there riding lawn mower the same way this one will be done.
They can see what parts I used, where I got them from, how much it really costs. Also what kind of performance you could expect from it, cutting power and run time.
That's the goal for this one.
 
#7 ·
Hi Doug. Not green with envy or anything . My budget currently is under scrutiny . Glad somebody is trying this . It is not clear to me whether a controller is recommended or not . However a seat switch and manual disconnect should be there for at least service purposes.

I plan on digging into two electric golf carts to see if they are restorable. Haven't got them home yet. And the mud here ! I promised I would't whine too much to my wife but it don't matter, I be wasting my breath
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#8 ·
Hi Doug. Not green with envy or anything . My budget currently is under scrutiny . Glad somebody is trying this . It is not clear to me whether a controller is recommended or not . However a seat switch and manual disconnect should be there for at least service purposes.
I agree on the safety switches, the blue one has a dead man type foot switch, lift you foot and the tractor stops.
The Grey one I just got has all the factory safety switches in place so I plan on using some of them so that anybody even kids can run the tractor and not get hurt.
There also needs to be a manual battery disconnect that can be quickly used if the motor won't shut off when it's suppose to.

This type of motor does not need a controller as it only spins 72rpm per volt, 3456rpm at 48volts with no load on it, it behaves like a gas engines governor does at full throttle.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
Doug,this is going to be a great project to follow,and I will be watching closely.
 
#14 ·
Yes I somehow got to get 4 big 12volt batteries in there, I think 1 of them is going to have to be mounted back behind the seat. The bigger the battery pack, more amp/hrs, the longer the run time.
This fellow here uses the same motor I plan to, on a similar, newer, lawn tractor, and is a really good example of what I'm trying to do. He has 1 battery mounted out back.
Also a good example of what can be expected in what it can do.

http://www.evalbum.com/918
 

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#16 ·
Every time I see this thread I think of the movie ET and " ET phone home!" Good luck here, Doug. I would be a bit concerned with all that weight on the front axle, too.
 
#17 ·
MURPHYs LAW

Today after work I took the motor out and pulled the pulley off and found a stepped crank, I thought all these small lawn tractors had 1" x 3" cranks on them. Turns out some of the early model Vert shaft engines had stepped cranks. 1" down to 7/8" (see pic) Live and Learn.


The engine has a Code# of 810326 11, Model# 252707
I think that makes it 1981yr made, which is what the tractor is, most likely original.

So now the hunt is on for another pulley off of a later model Briggs.
Or I have to modify the pulley I have.

The irony is that Eteks are suppose to have a 7/8" x 1-1/2" output shaft, but the one I got is 1" x 2-7/8"
I was so happy to get the 1" shaft thinking that it would be a simple swap.
 

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#21 ·
Looks like they used a piece of 1-1/4 outside dia pipe and put a bushing in it at one end to fit the crank.
The 7/8" stepped part of the crank is only 1-1/4" long.
I can probably knock the pulley bushing out, then I'd have to put another bushing in to fit the 1" Eteks shaft.
The inside dia of the pulley is 1.060"
 
#22 ·
Would finding 2 pulleys the right OD and make a spacer between them work? I think you can find a keyed shaft coupler at McMaster-Carr that would work. Maybe this:

 

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