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Mentally i have fabricated a new frame out of square steel. Because it would be a box frame, the deck could simply be bolted on top and be made out of anything. Plexiglas would do just fine and look pretty cool. Of course it would flex considerably less. Depending on what you decided to use for the deck, i think you could keep the weight pretty close to the original.
The angle on the transmission support brackets i have decided is simply to position the gearshift in a more comfortable position and is not critical. Not a difficult thing to do... > Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:15:43 -0400 > From: cz alembic crystel com > To: roberttroll hotmail com > CC: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu > Subject: Re: (ET) Putting a back-hoe on an E20 > > Agreed. One of the concerns on my junker E15 here is that the frame > supports I have welded on might be too stiff, resulting in high levels > of stress over by the rear footwell joint. Time will tell, once I get my > box I should be able to start driving it. > > Soon. Please, soon! > > Chris > > > Robert Troll wrote: > > Been studying the frame on my I5 lately since i have it torn down. All > > it really is, is a single sheet of steel that was put into a press and > > the sides were bent down to form a channel. Then reinforcement bars were > > welded in the channel at mounting points like where the trans-axle and > > front attachment bars mount. The trans-axle itself is a structural > > member in this design. I had thought this was a fairly poor design. > > However my FIL whom is a retired auto engineer saw the frame and knew > > exactly what GE was doing. The basic design criteria seems to be light > > weight - simplicity - manufacturing cost. Also like an automobile frame > > it was made to flex. This prevents stress fracturing in key area's. Only > > way to prevent this in a tractor frame is to really beef it up. My JD140 > > of the same year uses 1/4 inch thick steel plate box frame all the way > > around. Deere did not design that frame for efficiency, they overbuilt > > it as weight was really not an issue with the gas engine. It is pretty > > obvious that GE reached their targets when designing the frame. The > > frame was not designed for severe duty work. I would call backhoe/bucket > > severe duty. If it were me and i wanted to do this, i would build a new > > box frame using square tube, or C channel. Or at a minimum weld on > > reinforcement on the existing frame around your mounting points. > > > > Just my observations - hoping some retired GE guys could chime in. > > > > > From: elec-trak-request cosmos phy tufts edu > > > Subject: Elec-trak Digest, Vol 9, Issue 176 > > > To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu > > > Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 06:00:02 -0400 > > > > > > Send Elec-trak mailing list submissions to > > > elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu > > > > > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > > > https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/elec-trak > > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > > > elec-trak-request cosmos phy tufts edu > > > > > > You can reach the person managing the list at > > > elec-trak-owner cosmos phy tufts edu > > > > > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > > > than "Re: Contents of Elec-trak digest..." > > > > > > > > > Today's Topics: > > > > > > 1. Putting a back-hoe on an E20 (Chris Zach) > > > 2. Re: Putting a back-hoe on an E20 (William Martin) > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > Message: 1 > > > Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2011 21:26:04 -0400 > > > From: Chris Zach <cz alembic crystel com> > > > To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu > > > Subject: (ET) Putting a back-hoe on an E20 > > > Message-ID: <4E54532C 8090906 alembic crystel com> > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > > > > > So I was thinking: After spending a few hours working with an excavator > > > in Vegas (dig this, lot of fun) I realized that what I really need on my > > > E20 isn't a front-end loader, but an excavator arm with a thumb. > > > > > > So.... Anyone ever thought about this one? I'm thinking mount it on the > > > back swap the seat 180 degrees, and run the hydraulics off an E20 sized > > > motor. That would reduce the pressure on the front wheels, how much > > > weight can the rear of the tractor take? > > > > > > Chris > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > > > Message: 2 > > > Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:25:34 -0700 (PDT) > > > From: William Martin <martinsprinklerdesign yahoo com> > > > To: Chris Zach <cz alembic crystel com>, > > > "elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu" <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu> > > > Subject: Re: (ET) Putting a back-hoe on an E20 > > > Message-ID: > > > <1314156334 78252 YahooMailNeo web45901 mail sp1 yahoo com> > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > > > > Chris, > > > ? > > > A backhoe on a garden tractor is good for VERY light work only.? If > > your backhoe has enough power to actually dig, you will end up dragging > > the tractor around if you hit dirt that is hard at all.? I've ran > > compact tractors with backhoes and haven't been impressed.? You need to > > get into a utility tractor size to do some damage.? A friend of mine has > > a JD 4410 with a loader & backhoe and it does a great job.? Even with > > the utility tractor, if you hit a good sized rock with the backhoe...you > > and the tractor are moving.? All of this is based on my experience.? > > There may be other opinions. > > > ? > > > Also...I've seen loaders bend frames pretty easily on the front of > > the ET's.? I would assume a backhoe could bend the back of the frame > > just as easily.??? > > > ? > > > It does sound like a fun project though.? I personally wouldn't go > > through the trouble to make a backhoe for a garden tractor.? If you end > > up doing it...send pics.? I would like to see it.? :)? Good luck. > > > ? > > > Billy > > > From: Chris Zach <cz alembic crystel com> > > > To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu > > > Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 9:26 PM > > > Subject: (ET) Putting a back-hoe on an E20 > > > > > > So I was thinking: After spending a few hours working with an > > excavator in Vegas (dig this, lot of fun) I realized that what I really > > need on my E20 isn't a front-end loader, but an excavator arm with a thumb. > > > > > > So.... Anyone ever thought about this one? I'm thinking mount it on > > the back swap the seat 180 degrees, and run the hydraulics off an E20 > > sized motor. That would reduce the pressure on the front wheels, how > > much weight can the rear of the tractor take? > > > > > > Chris > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Elec-trak mailing list > > > Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu > > > https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/elec-trak > > > -------------- next part -------------- > > > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > > > URL: > > <http://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mhonarc/elec-trak/attachments/20110823/ba9f6f55/attachment.html> > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Elec-trak mailing list > > > Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu > > > https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/elec-trak > > > > > > > > > End of Elec-trak Digest, Vol 9, Issue 176 > > > ***************************************** > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Elec-trak mailing list > > Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu > > https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/elec-trak > |