Work on my Wheel Horse Raider 20 6X6

[Ian 2,417]

Evening all, all had been well with the 6x6 for a lomg time mostly as it's not been used that much and nothing has gone wrong with it..... Until a couple of days ago when it decided to sheer off one of the drive sprockets again!

 

With a bit of luck and pushing from Pete (well, he was driving it when it broke ) we managed to get it back in the garden late in the afternoon..

 

The next day I had the fun bit of trying to get it back in the shack while it was in 4 wheel drive mode, which as with every other time never works as it turns as soon as it's on the ramps!

 

So out came a ratchet strap to make it a 6x6 again if only for a short while..

 

 

 

It almost made it into the shack before throwing the ratchet strap off, but 4 1/2 wheels in was enough

 

 

 

Lot's of jacking each end up and pushing it about soon had the 6x6 slotted in it's repair and modifacation spot.

 

 

 

The plan is to lower the middle axle by an inch or two to give a pivot point which will allow the 6x6 to turn easier and hopefully take some of the strain out the system and stop the blasted drive sprockets from sheering off the axles!

 

Strip down has started, lots of panels and the drive chains/sprockets off..

 

 

 

Well, all apart from this drive sprocket.. Being one of those taperlock set-up what you should do is is take out the 2 grub screws and wind one back in a different hole to push the taperlock bush out..

Guess who wasn't paying attention and wound a grub screw back in the wrong hole so tight that it busted!!

It's the grub screw on the left..

 

 

 

Only one option, attack it with the grinder!

 

 

 

Is this called 5x6 mode?

 

 

 

I might even paint the inside of this wheel while it's off

 

 

 

Lot's of faffing about with a grinder and a hacksaw upside down and the inner axle mount was off!  

 

 

 

So my question is guy's... Do you think lowering the middle axles by an inch will be enough or shouls I push the boat out and go a whole 2 inches?

[diggerjames 543]

I'd go two inches Ian if it's too much you could always let some air out of the tyre to level it up a bit good luck with it mate

[meadowfield 1,900]

I'd go for 2 inches too...

[Ian 2,417]

Thanks guy's, 2 inches it is

[pmackellow 2,738]

50.8mm mate

[nigel 1,877]

it might end up like a rocking horse

[Charioux 16]

lan Is it a brand made or a home made? What a monster!!!!!! If it's yours this is a wonderful work

[Ian 2,417]

50.8mm mate

 

Metric!! Never heard of it       I was taught in metric Paul, but my brain works in Imperial

 

 

 

it might end up like a rocking horse

 

In that case I should install a loud sound system and blast out some AC/DC... Is that the kind of rock your talking about Nigel?

 

 

 

lan Is it a brand made or a home made? What a monster!!!!!! If it's yours this is a wonderful work

 

Thanks mate, it's home made or should I say home modified as it started life as a Wheel Horse C-125 and grew out of control

 

If you have a few days to spare you can read all about the build in the link below..

 

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/topic/10429-introducing-the-stig-special/

 

 

You can see the beast in action if you click on the link below, you will also get to see the rare sight of Nigel smiling

 

http://myoldmachine.com/topic/253-the-wheel-horse-raider-20-6x6-gets-a-good-thrashing/

[Ian 2,417]

Evening all, it's been a bit of a slow day in the shack, not because I was in a lazy mood or even because it's a Monday.. It's been a slow day because I've had to do a lot of thinking and careful measuring before the surgery started..

Any small mistake at this stage could mean the middle axle wouldn't bolt back in!!

 

The inner axle mount tacked in place... A lot of strengthening will be needed here.

 

 

 

Time to reshape the outrigger.. All the paint in vital places has been cleaned off and the cut lines marked all round..

 

 

 

The two top cut's were the first to be done..

 

 

 

To make sure nothing moved when the middle part was cut out, this rather over kill bit of steel was taked to the top..

 

 

 

And this even bigger bit of over kill goes on the side

 

 

 

The new "open plan" outrigger

 

 

 

Drop on a 2 inch spacer.. Or bit of box..

 

 

 

Slide the center section back in and then clamp it up nice and square for tack welding..

 

 

 

The moment of truth had arrived!!!   And I'm pleased to say all went well and the middle axle bolted in with no problem

The middle axle isn't quite touching the shack floor which proberly makes it look more of a seesaw than it really is

I'm going to have to do a couple of tweaks to makes some more space at the top for the drive chains, but nowt to drastic..

 

It's hard to get a good photo of the 6x6 in it's current postion, so have to almost but not quite identical photos

 

 

[meadowfield 1,900]

Is that one side or both done Ian

[Ian 2,417]

Only one side Mark, I still need to fully weld it up.. Thought it was wise to check it fitted first

[nigel 1,877]

like i said rocking horse

[Ian 2,417]

The time had come to check the drive chain for fit, but first I had to do a bit of trimming to make some clearance space..

 

 

 

Woo Hoo, the chain fit's without hitting anything.

 

 

 

I'd best cover up the holes now

 

 

 

Of course not having a bit of box the same size going spare I had to cut  and shut some smaller stuff.

 

 

 

With the outrigger off and clamped to some rather hefty box to stop it warping, it was serious welding time..

 

 

 

Ta Daa

 

 

 

[meadowfield 1,900]

Top stuff

[Stormin 4,458]

[nigel 1,877]

UM!

[Ian 2,417]

Not much to report here, I got the outrigger fully welded and primed yesterday..

 

 

 

But when I went to weld in some inner axle mount strengthening..

 

 

 

I found my new pack of welding rods had suffered water damage!!

 

 

 

So no more welding until a fresh pack of welding rods turn up tomorrow

 

 

[nigel 1,877]

use your mig ian

[Ian 2,417]

use your mig ian

 

I know mate, I did think about it, but somehow I can't get my head around using a MIG on structural stuff!

[meadowfield 1,900]

All my structural stuff is mig. It does an awesome job

[Ian 2,417]

I think I've just got so used to using an Arc that I struggle with a MIG..     Back in the day before an Arc welder came into my life I did all my welding with a Mig but was always worried about the strength of it!  My welds were not pretty back in those days

[Stormin 4,458]

Must admit I use an arc welder. Haven't got a mig but have used them in days of yore.

[meadowfield 1,900]

What I like about the mig is it always strikes up and no slag left, so no chipping off and no grinding and starting again when it goes wrong

A bottle of pub gas lasts a year too

[nigel 1,877]

i always use argon 5% with my mig and get very strong welds

[Ian 2,417]

I think what I like about Arc welding is there is no messing about with bottles or having to take the side/top cover off to change a reel of welding wire..

When your Arc rod runs out it takes seconds to swap it