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Ian

Wheel Horse GT-14+2

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 Thats some fine back yard engineering there Ian!  :thumbs:  Your work bench reminds me alot of mine (a complete disaster)!!  :yankchain:  Love it.

 

Matt :USA:

 

Thanks Matt... Yeah my bench is a bit of a mess... If I clean it, it only takes 5 mins for it to vanish under tool, metal etc :D

 

 

I managed to get most of the long connecting rod made yesterday, it should be finished tomorrow..

 

Time for some measuring.. I needed to know how much "off-set" there was between the inside of this bit..

 

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To the inside of this bit that's very much tucked away under the hood stand and was a right pain to get a photo of..

 

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Lot's of measuring and scribbling later I found the the "off set" was 20mm...   Hhmm... quite handy as I'm using lot's of 5mm steel :)

 

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My 5mm thick steel just happened to 5 inches wide which was convenient for cutting 4 strips from.

 

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Sliced and clamped together..

 

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A few tack welds.. To be fully seam welded later.

 

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My new-ish Arc welder is a fantastic machine, it can produce some very nice welds..   Thanks Nigel :thumbs:

 

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Part one of the connecting rod roughly in the right place.

 

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I'm working out my measurements with the 3 point at it's lowest setting.. To make sure this bit of linkage won't hit the bit of tube the top link connects to, I zip tied a bit of steel to it to make sure nothing hit's

 

GT215_zpsa3284051.jpg

 

 

Part 2 of the connecting rod was made from yet more 5mm plate..

Here it part of it wedged in place and not at the right angle by any means.. Having got dirt and grease in my eyes while lying under the GT twice in 5 min's I decided that I'd had enough for the day, so I only quickly took these two snaps.

 

GT217_zpsa238e248.jpg

 

GT216_zps9747188c.jpg

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 This 3 point is certainly going to be good, and strong! Those welds look great great.  :thumbs:

 

Matt :USA:

 

Thanks Matt, having a decent arc welder makes all the difference.. I'm looking forward to doing all the seam welding now :D

 

 

 

Looking good mate, top job  :thumbs:

 

Thanks Paul.

 

 

 

Good stuff, I was wondering how you were going to put the cranks in the link arm. It's a beastly piece of metal :D

 

Thanks Mark. Yes the link arm is a bit of a beast. If I had a way of getting enough heat into the steel I would of had a go at bending it.. As I don't, chopping and welding is the only way I could do it.. It should be nice and strong by the time I have finished :D

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Strong is the only way to go :D

 

So where were we?   Oh yes the long link arm thingy..

 

I managed to hold the parts of it in the right shape in situ and tack welded then together.

Here's the link after I pulled it out for a few more tack welds.. With a bit of trimming and strengthening it will look the part and do the job..

 

GT219_zps32da0e17.jpg

 

 

Best fit it in the GT and give the hydraulics a try..

 

Down..

 

GT220_zps952f4584.jpg

 

 

And up..

 

GT221_zps78366255.jpg

 

 

Then just for a laugh I made some drop links out of garden wire so I could see the lower arms go up and down :D

 

GT222_zpsa5be0938.jpg

 

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I even quickly throw part of the rear bodywork on to check for clearance... Yep, plenty there..

 

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And on to the final part of the 3 point puzzle.. Making drop links..

 

A couple of these sliver bit's were left over from the 6x6's 3 point kit... A good start, all they needed was a lower hole drilled.

 

GT225_zps85624cd4.jpg

 

 

A bit of thick wall box with one side cut out and a hole drilled through.

 

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Gave me the sideways movement..

 

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I needed a couple of these to fit over the lower arms..

 

GT228_zps951a3a07.jpg

 

 

Cue yet more 5mm steel.

 

GT229_zpsa9458833.jpg

 

 

These should be strong enough :D

 

GT230_zps2aa3d7b7.jpg

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Now to join the two bit of the drop link together..

The fixed length one was easy.. A bit of Wheel Horse lift arm with some more steel pipe hammer inside for extra strength.

 

GT231_zpsbab3d9aa.jpg

 

 

The adjustable drop link needed a bit more thinking about..

 

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As I couldn't find a bolt I thought was not only strong enough, but I also had a nut to fit, I made my own..  The thread is only partly cut here..

 

GT233_zps59bbef21.jpg

 

 

My first attempt came out a bit wonky and the threaded bit decided it didn't want to wind in or out!

 

GT234_zps2fe49a47.jpg

 

 

Attempt 2 ended up with a wonky thread being cut!!

 

GT235_zpse93238fc.jpg

 

 

Attempt number 3 involved cutting a thread off a toll I haven't used in at least 8 years!! But it worked..

 

Two drop links tack welded together..   I know that having to removed a pin to adjust the adjustable drop link isn't ideal, but it will do for now and keeps this 3 point build within budget... which is nowt.. Yep only built with what I had kicking about the shack :D

Ok, I may of borrowed the 3 point arms from the 6x6m but were gloss over that :D

 

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And fitted..

 

GT238_zps775d835d.jpg

 

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All I need to do now is to pull it all apart for final welding and strengthening..

 

The plan was to make a start on that today, but it seemed a shame to be inside with the nice sunny weather, so Pete and I went for a drive :D

 

GT239_zpsc374d86a.jpg

 

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Morning chaps, a bit more of an update for you..

 

Drop links and the connecting rod thingy fully welded up.. I decided that "strong and functional" was the look the connecting rod thingy should have..  As it won't be seen under all the panels, I didn't think there was any need to make it look really nice.

 

GT240_zpsb8bb3167.jpg

 

 

The pivoting arm thingy slowly being welded up a little at a time to stop it getting to hot and bit moving due to the heat.

 

GT241_zps5283aea8.jpg

 

 

Painted bit's everywhere..  A bit of handling with dirty hand will take the freshly painted look away and make the parts blend in a bit with the rest of the GT :D

 

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Which leaves just the roll bar and the lower arm mounting bracket to tidy up and make strong.

 

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Way too much time was spent trying to work out the best way to strengthen the bracket!!!!

 

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In the end I thought it would be easier to start from scratch and make something a little stronger, so I dug out this thick wall box that I had bought for the 6x6's dozer blade.

 

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Four short bits of box. The two on the right are slightly shorter than the two on the left..

 

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So when I sliced the shorter ones up to fit into the larger ones I had a nice edge to get strong welds onto.

 

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A close up of the groove I had to cut to clear the manufacturing weld/ridge thingy.

 

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All clamped up and ready for welding..

 

GT251_zps8f2c844c.jpg

 

 

All welding has been done on the new bracket and I have started the long winded process of chain drilling and filing the holes to take the lower arm pins...   But as it's all very boring stuff I've not taken any photo's of it..

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More good work Ian :thumbs:

 

Thanks Mark

 

 

 Definitely looks good, and strong! I like the way you build Ian. :thumbs:

 

Matt :USA:

 

Thanks Matt.. Yep I like strong :D

 

 

What a week that has been.. It feels like I've been making these 3 point lower arm mounts forever!!!

 

Lot's of chain drilling... 84 little holes in total through 8mm steel, which if you add it all up I've drilled through a little over 67cm or a little over 26 inches!!    What came as a shock was all this was done with the same drill bit, I have a habit of breaking small bits very fast!

 

GT252_zpsc16f0e4c.jpg

 

 

Lot's of filing out chain drilled holes!

 

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But finally today I have got them almost finished.. All hole filing done, I just need to finish off the seam welding..

 

GT254_zpsea87c30c.jpg

 

GT255_zps658303a5.jpg

 

 

I think they should be strong enough :D

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Ians Xmas wish list...

 

"Dear Santa, please can I have a vertical milling machine ??  Thanks !!"  :D

 

I'd love a milling machine and the skills to use one Paul.  A milling machine would allow me to re-think the way I build things and find simpler/better solutions.

 

 

 

Get yoursel' some burrs for your pistol drill, Ian. Speeds the job up a bit. Just file to tidy up.  :thumbs:

 

I do/did have some grinding stones for my drill.. They lasted about 30 sec's when they went up against the steel!

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I'm in awe of your engineering skills! I can paint and pretty things up fairly good, but you sir are the master when it comes to a build!!!

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