[MF10 DIESEL]

I'm getting tired of getting stuck in the winter. I have the tractors in a back yard shed, in heavy snow some of the hills demand I take a run at it, with AG tires and wheel weights! I've been dreaming of 4 wheel drive for a long while, I just couldn't figure out how to make it work.

I had an idea hit me a few days ago to take off power at the brake shaft. There is less to engineer around on that side of the tractor and the brake shaft is directly driven by the rear axle at all times. Plus the brake shaft is massive.

So, for the front axle I want to use a "dummy" peerless 2300 transaxle which is partially gutted, it will have no shift components or range gears as it will be driven off of the brake shaft just like the rear. The brake shaft can be flipped in the housing (if I remember right) by flipping its bearings to opposite sides. I will build a cradle to carry it in the front axle mount at a lower profile than normal and make it a steer axle. It will need to be 46% overdriven (if my math is right) to run 16 6.5 x 8 AG tire on the front. Drive will be by a standard 1/2 inch belt connecting both shafts with a tensioner to actuate 4 wheel drive when a shifter selects it.

Front axle clearance will undoubtedly be an issue, but I might be able to engineer out some of those conflicts. If I could make this work it would be a very beastly little machine.

 

[boyscout862]

Cool idea. I'd like to see pictures as it progresses. Good Luck, Rick

 

[JDBrian]

Sounds interesting but will no doubt prove to be challenging! I'm sure there are lots of folks here who would like to contribute to this effort. I find AG's are not a good choice for snow. My answer to a hill on my driveway is to use chains. I've found chains and weight are more of a help than 4wd and dif lock which I have on my compact tractor. I generally don't use 4wd now that I have a good set of chains and lots of weight.

 

[MH81]

Most of my life we plowed the farm with a TO35 Ferguson. The tires were loaded and bull chains on the tires and IDT there was ever a time or place it wouldn't get out of. A couple of years ago, it pulled the MF165 out of a bog where it was in to the axels... Middle of winter, Dad was pulling logs and didnt realize an area had gone boggy in the woods... The chains made the difference.

 

[HowardsMF155]

Michiganmobileman, a member here, put this beauty together, with twin driven rear axles. I have wondered if something similar could be achieved with less effort by setting up the axles, then running ordinary tire chains between the front and rear axle pairs.

His profile: http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/user/5678-michiganmobileman/

A picture from his gallery:

Hope he doesn't mind me lifting this and posting it here.

 

[MF10 DIESEL]

There are a few reasons I want a standard 4 wheel drive system. I haven't really had much better traction with chains on turf tires and my concrete driveway don't like it when the chains slip! The tandem axle 4x6 setup I've seen have one major drawback, length. I really don't want the machine to be any longer than it is already.

When the steer axle has power the machine will make more of an effort to go in the direction the steering points it, the front axle is pulling itself. I did some more looking at things last night. I think the front axle housing will work best with the drain plug facing up. The advantage is more ground clearance but, I will need to drill and tap a new drain plug hole.

 

[MH81]

Are you planning on full time 4x4 or on demand?

 

[MF10 DIESEL]

Are you planning on full time 4x4 or on demand?

Manual shift 4x4

 

[MF10 DIESEL]

Yesterday I had to scrap a frame from an MF12H. I cut the axle mount out of it as a starting point for a cradle to mount the transaxle to and weld a pivot point to attach the whole mess at the frame. Also dreamed up some universal joint sizes and knuckle ideas.

 

[OkieGt]

Are you planning on using the existing parts for steering

 

[MF10 DIESEL]

Are you planning on using the existing parts for steering

I hope to keep using the stock ross steering box if possible. I want to try to make this almost a bolt on mod. The axle alreay has a differential so that will help some. I think the alignment angles will be critical using manual steering, the caster angle will likely need to be near 0 degrees to make it easy to steer. I only has a 9 MPH top speed so it shouldn't need positive caster like a pickup truck.