Thread: A Tandem Cub
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Old 05-02-2018, 10:47 PM
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sawdustdad sawdustdad is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: USA
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Just a couple parting comments for others thinking about something similar now that I've had a chance to use it some more. It's all about compromises between cost, build time/complexity, bed size/capacity, turning radius, and overall width (to fit through gates.)

My workshop is about 100 feet from the house and attached garage, so I am constantly moving stuff back and forth--tools (miter saw, saw horses, jobsite table saw, tile saw, etc) that I am using for various remodeling jobs. Lots of this stuff gets staged in the garage during the remodeling work then needs to go back to the workshop after the job is done. Used to use the truck, now I'm using this tandem cub as the truck often has lumber or other stuff in it.

Another advantage is this Cub will go right through a 4 foot gate when carrying landscaping stuff into the back yard. There is a truck gate but it's in the back and much more involved to get through. That's where my wife was headed in that picture with a couple large potted plants and a bag of potting soil. She has also adopted the bed as a potting bench which is a convenient height for repotting plants.

I wish I had extended the frame and moved both axles rearward about 6 inches. That would increase the turning radius, but it would increase the size of the bed which is quite limited on my build. I actually moved the seat forward a inch or so to maximize the bed size.

The two axles are 24 inches on center. I think that's about right. Further apart would increase "scrubbing" tires on turns. Still does it some as is.

I would have loved to have live axles rather than fixed. I've had a couple times where scaling a steep hill on sandy soil it's spun out and I had to back up and take another run up the hill. It's only been a problem on a steep hillside with very soft sandy soil, as we have here near the coast.

I looked for ways to mount the axles on springs, air bags, etc, but could not find anything I felt would fit. If someone else can solve that problem at reasonable cost, I'd love to see it.

The hydraulics worked out great and I really like the foot operated dump valve location. I'd do it exactly the same way if doing it again.

Hope that helps the next person think through the various issues of such a build.
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