Custom steel cab build for a 1450

[fourinchdragslicks]

How is the alignment between the crankshaft and hydro input?

[CC1450]

I took some quick measurements last night just to see what ballpark I am in.

From garage floor to center of hydro pump input shaft is approximately 18"
from garage floor to top of front axle carrier is approx 12"
then from ground to engine crank center is approx 6"

So it seems possible to mount the engine plate at the same level as the axle carrier but I haven't done a mock up yet. I would not be able to use any kind of spacers or shock mounts under the engine if I go that route though.

I'm going out to the garage here in a bit to look over it again. I'm hoping I can lay it out to line up properly without too much modification to the 1450 frame. I plan on installing a universal joint at the hydro end of the driveshaft to help with misalignment. I found a good write up about that on this website and the u-joints are not terribly expensive.

[bocephus1991]

Love is pretty cool! One thing I'd have done is made the cab removable. I'd bolted the cross brace pieces to the cab in front of the tower and bolted it on by the foot rest. Then made a bracket that bolted under rear of the seat that attached to the cab with hinges so you could unbolt the front then flip the cab backwards. Looks good though! I know lots of times I'll make or do something then after look at it and see another way of doing things. No knocking your work, looks good! You will like the ags on the front, makes them very easy to steer.

[CC1450]

if I were using this tractor year round I'd have probably went with something removable. This cub is being set up for strictly winter duties as I have another tractor I use in the warmer months for yard work. I am considering making the side windows removable though, like jeep windows.

at any rate, I spent a couple hours or so sanding out the bondo on the cab and shot the exterior with a coat of primer. A quart of primer didn't get me very far so I'll have to pick up some more. I love how the HVLP gun sprays, it's a real bargain for the price. Very little overspray and only made a couple runs which is good for my level of skill with sprayed paints.

door side sanded and primed:

The little square in the window opening is a bracket for the door latch to fit into.

We got our first snow the other day and it really got me motivated to get this thing done. There was over 6" of snow out there teasing me! So I spent some time fitting the engine. The starter bulges out on the one side so the frame had to be modified to compensate for that. Cut out a section of frame and put the engine back in place.

Now it fits but there's a hole in my cub.

Also had to make a much smaller notch on the opposite side of the frame, to allow the oil filter adapter to clear.

In order to patch up the hole I made for the starter I bent up a piece of steel plate and welded and shaped another plate to the bottom of that, to make a tray of sorts. I then welded the tray over the hole I cut out, primed the front framing from the cab forward and then painted it IH yellow.







So with the engine actually able to sit in the tractor I decided to see where I am at with the driveshaft situation. doing some test fitting, I found out that the engine rag joint adapter off the stock k321 bolts right up to the engine adapter from the 3186 that is fitted to the ch22.


Toss a rag joint on that, and you get a kohler command to cub 1450 driveshaft coupler.


Naturally after realizing this I had to put the engine in the tractor, again. I bolted the driveshaft to the hydro and the engine. If the driveshaft were a half inch longer it would be perfect. You can start the bolts but cant tighten them down all the way. This is still good news, as it means the shaft is long enough for my needs. With the universal joint going in on the hydro side I will have to cut the shaft down a bit anyways. I ordered the universal joint, I'm eager for it to arrive.

I also tracked down some 3/8 x 3/8" key stock and got it, for 1.08

In other news I bought a muffler. I was wanting to make some kind of stack for this thing, but with all the elements of this project that need completed I decided to keep it simple.


ordered the muffler from a place called pats small engines. little more than I would have liked to spend but it's a nice quality part, and they shipped it 3 day priority mail which was nice.

Still lots to do! I've got wiring diagrams of the cub and the new engine saved to my phone. Battery is on the trickle charger as I type this.

things to do before tractor can be used
install engine
determine gas tank location if other than stock
build and install hydraulic control levers
change hydro fluid and filter

things to finish cab
wire for lighting/interior light
switch panel for lighting/engine kill switch
windows/window frame materials
insulate cab walls
cut and install plastic panels on interior walls
cut and fit rubber utility mat to cover floors
finish paint/body work
install lights
windshield wiper
install seat, preferably a new one

hoping the next up date is to announce a running work in progress, we shall see how it goes!

[finsruskw]

You are gonna be banging your head on the windshield when you bend over and down to release the brake!

[crossingcrown]

It is coming together very nicely. I do agree with fin on the brake release. You think someone would have come up with somthing by now. Good job so far..

[J-Mech]

Who uses the parking brake on a hydro machine?

You guys are worried about nothing.
Only time I set the brake on a hydro is when I pull it up on a trailer to haul it.

[bocephus1991]

I use mine, unintentionally. Press down and on the brake and it flips down on my 1211. Guess it's habit from using the 1200. I use the brake when I get off to open the yard gate to go through, it's all preference I guess. Me I use it because rather be safe than sorry and have it roll away accidentally.

[CC1450]

I've never used the parking brake before, and I'm not about to start using it now! no head banging for me thanks.

[zippy1]

Great build thus far
Looking at your list of to do's, you still got a lot to do
But getting closer to a functional machine