project CraftsmanQuad

Hey everyone, the CQ is finally running! After about 160 man-hours it runs, drives, and does burn outs.

So the frame is a 1984 Craftsman LT4000 All Wheel Steer (built by NOMA). It has a peerless 900 series 6 speed transaxle, that will remain unlocked for the time being. AWS was removed before I got it. Engine is a 1985 or 6 briggs 25ci 11 horse flathead. Drive ratio is just over 1:1 with a 4.75 inch front and 4 inch rear. Stock clutch and steering, which probably won't change save for tierod ends. Stock tires right now while I get the engine, brakes, and clutch figured out. Stock hood for now, which will be changing to an all steel mtd hood and painted like kawasaki220's machine was before he scrapped it.



Here is a pic of how she sits today

A video of the build:

The engine is a little short on power, so I have it out and will be doing most of the mods from my 'Briggs high hour 11 build' thread from a little while ago.
It'll get ported, the eyebrows shaved, OHV cam, and a cleaned out carb. I doubt I'll post any pictures, since you guys are familiar with it.
https://www.atltf.com/t4895-briggs-high-hour-11-build?highlight=briggs

Last weekend, we didn't go as far as we had hoped we would. All that ended up getting done was the carb cleaning. It helped immensely and I can drive in 5th and 6th gear, whereas before it would bog down and die. I have the cam and my dremel at the ready though for whenever we tear it apart again.

Looks good. A thorough carb cleaning does a world of good sometimes!

The CQ and I went and got a little muddy today. It didn't run the other day so I put a new (used) coil on it and it runs like a top.



...then the belt shredded spontaneously. So I started playing around with how I want to mount the hood.



This is how the original hood mount was. The whole hood pivoted at the bottom.



This is how I made it. I cut it about 90% through the bottom and put the jack under it. It bent it up flat. I'll weld a wedge in to fill that gap and a plate between them to mount the front piece to.

Other things that got done is a clutch stop and another belt keeper.

A lot has gotten done since my last update! School lost my computer so I havent gotten it back yet, otherwise I would post pics of the progress.

Anyway, Hood is mounted, installed fuel shutoff, new shorter belt, and I got tires! Tires for the back at least. They're Hi-Run knobbies, 40 bucks at Wal-Mart and $5 apiece to have them mounted 22x11-8.

Front bumper is next. I have some black pipe, roughly 2 inches in diameter, that I'm planning on building kind of a Texas cow-catcher/exo-cage type of bumper with. Probably no winch. Bumper will be painted with bedliner and the rest of the tractor will be desert tan. Should look alright...in my head at least

Pics will come as soon as I get my computer!

Have you got a foot throttle? The MTD hood actually suits it tbh. Are you going to keep the wheel weights in the rear wheels?

I kind of have a foot throttle but it's pretty jenk. No return spring either. I also forgot to mention that those are just hubcaps. I think I'm gonna keep them till Paint

For everyones viewing pleasure...

Here is before the new tires. My little brother and I went to my mudding spot and had a bunch of fun









Now here she is with all cleaned up with her new shoes...







And a few quick pics of how I did the exhaust..





Let me know what y'all think!

I love that exhaust man! So cool the way it side exits like that

Thanks! I'm not a big fan of stacks, and I couldn't see a very good way to route it out the back, so this was the easiest. I think it looks a little bit like the cars from Street Outlaws. Only issue is I was planning on going OHV soon and the exhaust port is on the opposite side.

It sounds good too, just putters along in 6th

Yeah, looks nice there I think.

Quick update, I went up to TheGreenHornet's shop and stole the 8" rims and tires off the front of the Sabre since its just sitting at the moment. They fit perfectly and they bring the nose of the tractor back up so I get the original steering geometry back. Drives MUCH better!

What size tyres are on those 8" rims? 16 or 18"?

The rears are 22x11-8, I didn't look at the width of the fronts, but they're 16 inches tall on 8 inch rims, maybe 6 inch wide?

Ah right cool. I always love the look of 8" rims on the front of mowers.

Welp, transaxle died. Not totaled, but dead for now.

I was showing off for my little brothers best friend and did a 3rd gear wheelie like I do all the time. Just this time, it started grinding and jerking bad. I took it apart and performed an autopsy and I'm missing about 4 teeth in 3rd gear. All the bearings in the case are good and its actually a 920, so it has the really big heavy bull gear. I may just get third, or I'll get them all if they're cheap. Any links to parts would be greatly appreciated, model is peerless 920 002

I was hoping to build a bumper and a double pulley clutch this weekend, but now I got bigger issues

Man you have a thing for killed transaxles! I've never damaged one hardly at all. Chipped a bit of a case during a romp one time but that is it (I think lol)
Although I tell you something about chipped teeth on gears, if there's only a few missing you could weld a bit on and file it down to create teeth. Does take a bit of time though, I done it once to an 8hp Briggs flywheel starter gear. There was about 3 teeth missing on that one, took me about the whole day to do that though.

I cant do that. I bought the cheapest welder I could, Chicago Electric 90 amp flux core only. And I'm terrible at welding. I haven't had enough practice. These gears look like sintered steel, which doesn't like to weld if I remember right.

Yeah fair enough I suppose

Here's a link to the sears site. Guess you could order right off of there. Most of the gears are between $20-30. Not horrible. You can get everything separate though.

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/model-number/920002/0796/1510000.html

Edit: Cool exhaust! Just saw it.

mr.modified wrote:

Here's a link to the sears site. Guess you could order right off of there. Most of the gears are between $20-30. Not horrible. You can get everything separate though.

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/model-number/920002/0796/1510000.html

Edit: Cool exhaust! Just saw it.

Thanks Mr. Mod!

Ok guys, so while the CQ is down I figured I would share plans for the winter.

-Fix transaxle (still procrastinating)
-Exhaust support, just angle steel using a head bolt do support the pipe.
-I have devised a simple double pulley clutch, so stay tuned for that.
-Front brush guard.
-Paint.
-Get all the pulleys to the same level. The input pulley on the trans is high, the engine pulley is middle, and the clutch pulley is way low. Thats what led to the untimely demise of the old belt over the summer.


I want to show this thing as a tractor at the 4H fair next summer, so I need to get working on it again!

Happy modding, everybody!

Yeah buddy!! Can't wait to see what's in store for the 'ol CQ!