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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.
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.