Author Topic: overwhelming......  (Read 13226 times)

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Offline 0rion

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overwhelming......
« on: February 28, 2012, 02:25:32 am »
First an introduction.
 My name is Tim and I live in Central Ohio. Married with 2 kids ( 5 and 8.) with a 3rd on the way. I have a ton of hobbies already that take up a ton of time and money. I have a 98 firebird formula with heads/cam and stall that runs mid 11's......that's been my main hobby for years and I've done all the work on it. I'm an avid bowhunter and I basically live in the woods from Oct to Feb every year. I have an 06 duramax that's a limited hobby because it has to stay dependable.....basically just have the torsion bars cranked a little to accomodate 33's and a safe 90HP tow tune I did with efilive. I'm also part of a BBQ team that competed for the first time last year....we took 10th overall in the state.
I don't need another hobby. Unfortunately my brother gave me his Craftsman rider with a 17.5hp engine to tinker with. It had a broken drag link which I replaced. Originally I wanted to just strip it and make something to play around in the yard on. I started out looking for a way to add a foot throttle to it and maybe a little larger pulley in the front but the more I read the more I'm liking the racer idea. The problem will be funding. It'll be hard to justify the money to the wife for a racing mower. I think what I'll do is just do it a little at a time and make it a long term project. Reading everything has been a bit overwhelming. I read the build that George Herrin did and that might be an end goal or something down the road I can do but I'm going to need to start much simpler (and cheaper) than that. It needs to be something I can do a little at a time. I'm also not going to build it wrong or unsafe....that's not how I do things. I like to do things as right as I'm able. That all being said......after I figure out this throttle situation what should be the first thing I address on the mower? I don't mind going slow for a while until I can get everything else into place but I'm not exactly sure where I should start at. On my car the heads/cam were the last things I did to it. I did all the other work first because making the power means nothing if you're constantly breaking things. Any help and guidance is greatly appreciated.

ps
I did read in several places about using a bike brake to control the throttle but I just can't help to think there has to be a better way than that. I will do that if I have to but that sure seems like the worst way to do it.
Tim

Offline Emt37

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2012, 05:13:30 am »
Welcome Tim, I'm also new to heymow, but read over the forum several months before joining. I'm also limited on the money I can spend, but I'm sure we're not the only ones in that situation. I haven't started building a racer yet, but the first thing I want to do before I begin is get all the chassis parts first. Wheels and tires I want to run will be a top the list, so I can be sure I get the ride height correct the first time. Until I get all the chassis parts so I can start my first build, I'll just keep reading over this forum and getting to know others. Again welcome!  8)

Mitch 

Offline Toadworks

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2012, 05:43:58 am »
You already know the importance of a strong foundation, so yeah chassis must be first. Safety features, steering assembly, tethered kill switch and good brakes top the list of firsts. Remember stock lawn mowers are designed to go 6 miles per hour. Stock steering and brakes just aren't enough, even if you only increase top speed to 15 MPH with a slight change in pulleys STOCK PARTS are just dangerous at any more than factory set speeds. Welding and parts fabrication that you can do yourself will obviously save money. Find a local club and go visit with them. Take your camera and take lots of pics.

Don't get overwhelmed, building a great machine takes an investment of both time and money. Study the ones that went before you and listen to sage advice, don't try to re-invent the wheel and you'll spend less in the long run.

Welcome.... from Afghanistan.

Offline Caudy155

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2012, 06:33:52 am »
Welcome tim I also live in central ohio and would be more than happy to help as would a few others around here we are always looking for someone new to race with
There's somethin' in the works...

Offline royalblu68f100

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2012, 08:43:31 am »
As for the hand throttle, I believe we need to think of it sort of like atv's and or motorcross bikes.  The tracks we run on tend to develop ruts and holes, they are not smooth like go kart tracks.  Many of us, if not most of us run hand throttles for this reason.  It is very difficult to keep your feet in one place on one of these plus make room for a clutch and brake pedal.
You never win a race by focusing on one aspect of the race!  Motor isn't everything, but you better have a good one!  Chassis too!  But remember, a driver can take a slow machine and make it faster!  I may not have/be the best of any of these but I'm trying!
Chris Cox- CP/Mod X, AP
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Offline Burwell555

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2012, 09:39:05 am »
Central Ohio eh? Im from Central Ohio as well...what town ya from?? Theres a couple local clubs and you can build something without dropping thousands. If done right, you can start off in a lesser class and change engines to move up. Ultimately sounds like it might be righ tup your alley! If theres anything I can do to help, get ahold of me!
Zach Burwell
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Offline 0rion

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2012, 10:03:09 am »
Thanks for the warm welcome. I live in Lancaster which is just southeast of Columbus for all the non-Ohio guys. The hand throttle does make sense over the foot throttle due to how rough it would ride. So a bike brake is really the best option there? I remember back in the early 80's a neighbor had a honda atv called an "odyssey". I don't remember a whole lot about it except it had hand controls on a square steering wheel. Something like that or even a thumb control from a 3 or 4 wheeler seems like a better option than a bulky bike brake up there. One thing I've also been wondering about is how much fine throttle control you have with that bike brake? My buddy has a couple of bike brakes so I may throw one on there to give it a try but I'm going into it being a skeptic.  :D

To the brake aspect of it. George's write up wasn't on a transaxle.....can you put a rear disc on a transaxle unit? The mower I'm starting with has a peerless 206-545c transaxle. What's the best way to start tackling the brakes and steering? If I'm looking at it right it looks like I could have $300-$500 just in the front end and steering. I do see the short comings of the stock steering and front end so that's an area that will have to be addressed before putting any kind of speed into the mower. Just might have to tackle and shelve that a piece at a time for a while until I get a complete front end.
Tim

Offline royalblu68f100

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2012, 10:18:31 am »
The 206 should be ok for a class such as IMOW or any governed class.  There shortcomings show when you start putting a lot of power to them.  I would look on E.C. carburetors web site I believe they have hubs that fit 3/4" axles.  I would then have someone weld a piece of 1 1/4" axle to the hub so it would slide over the 3/4" axle this would allow you to use the more common 1 1/4" brake parts, either that or buy the brake hub from E.C. 

The hand throttle works really good as long as you have the right lever, spring tension, and cable routing to make it smooth.  The atv throttle using your thumb would tire out most people's hands, not to mention your thumb is busy trying to grasp the steering wheel.

You can build the front end out of 1x2 tubing and some 1/4" or 3/8ths plate and some 1/2" heim joints.  Personally, I would start looking in your area for a used racing go cart.  Sometimes you can find one for little money that you can use most of the parts off of.
You never win a race by focusing on one aspect of the race!  Motor isn't everything, but you better have a good one!  Chassis too!  But remember, a driver can take a slow machine and make it faster!  I may not have/be the best of any of these but I'm trying!
Chris Cox- CP/Mod X, AP
2016 ALL AMERICAN CP/Mod X Champion
2015 USLMRA AP Champion
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2013 USLMRA AP Champion
2012 SRUSAAO ModX/CP Champion
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Offline Rooster

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2012, 10:35:01 am »
There is absolutely no reason you have to spend that much on steering.
Like everyone else said, first thing to fix are the steering, brakes and a tethered Kill switch. Don't even drive the thing without those changes. There have been more than one of us hospitalized by that first "It was just a test drive!"
Caudy and Burwell if I got your location right are close to you , both those young men are accomplished builders and know how to build on a budget!

My best advice, take the help they are offering, it will be the best thing you could do!
Bert stole my cookies!!
 I think he used them to bribe Ed into something naughty?

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Offline Burwell555

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2012, 11:18:40 am »
Yep, lancaster is around between an hour to an hour and a half away from us.
Zach Burwell
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Offline Huffy044

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2012, 11:27:00 am »
Find a club, join it, attend a build clinic, great people here who unlike go karters will share just about everything they know.

And personally, I use a foot throttle, if the track is so rough my feet don't stay on the machine, I leave the track.
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Offline GRUBDIGGER

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2012, 12:29:42 pm »
I CAN MAKE MY HAND SQUEEZE TO STOP BUT CANT MAKE IT SQUEEZE TO GO FAST. FOOT THROTTLE ALL THE WAY.
JOHN HERRING
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Offline Tazz914

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2012, 12:38:20 pm »
hand throttle all the way, because if you getting lose out the turn you can baby it. .a wise old lawn mower racer( now a kart racer) told me that
Thomas Thompson

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Offline 0rion

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2012, 12:38:44 pm »
Can I use the same harness for the seat switch to make a tethered kill switch? Not sure why I couldn't since it would only need a different kind of switch to be functional. Thanks for the info on the brakes....I wasn't even sure what size axles it has. That's been some of my reading....trying to figure out exactly what I have on the mower. It has an briggs intek on it 311707 0132 engine which is a 31 from what I've gathered. Found one post that makes it look like there are crank issues with it but not sure if they were being sarcastic or not......didnt' really sound like it. Like I say.....mostly just gathering the basic info at this point to see what I have before I started doing much.
Tim

Offline The Tank

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Re: overwhelming......
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2012, 12:39:59 pm »
Can I use the same harness for the seat switch to make a tethered kill switch?

No you cannot, the tethered kill switch must be one commercially available. No homemade kill switches are allowed. About using the wiring, race mowers toss all of the factory wiring. You wouldn't want it setup on the seat anyway because sometimes you bounce up from the seat.
Frank "The Tank" Woods

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