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Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#21
#21
Got some time working on the BearKat 2022 . Normally the engine mounting plates are kinda narrow . I am using a Briggs and Stratton 8hp big block . But made mount wider in case . Something else comes along that’s different and has bigger bolt pattern . I made the 1/2 round stock long enough to be able to use a hairpin or cotter pin and washer to hold polymer/rubber bushing in place but there pretty tight . I slid the bushings on to a short piece of 1/2” chucked in my battery powered drill motor . I used a box cutter to trim the bushings to length . Much nicer cut than my band saw would do .
 

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Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#22
#22
I spent over a hour messing with the little tube . Over the TC guard , I thought I had it finished. Comparing it to angle of braces across gas tank . It just didn’t follow those in the same angle pulled that off . I had to make a quick little sheet metal guide . To compare and correct the angle . Took me about 15mins of massaging a new tube . As the 180 bend is vertical with arc at the top , the top frame is narrower and angles to a tapper forward. This is tube notcher I use it cuts really nicely . These hole saws aren’t very round at best . So you roll them over . So the closest tooth is at you highest cut point . They still cut nice , way better than using a band saw . And nipping corners off and tons of drum sanding . you get tight copes/fish mouths . And you can reclamp the tubes and trim them in very small amounts . If you want to notch on both ends the same . I hose clamp a section of angle iron on the tube . And use a small magnetic level , I push a piece of scrap tube in to cope >>You get plenty of that even not trying bahaha on to the cope<< , set level to zero tighten clamp till I get it squared up . Then when put tube In to notcher/cutter waaalaa they match .
 

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Fourtogo

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#23
#23
One first things I learned about welding is being comfortable . I use a very old four legged short steel stools , with very comfortable van seat from a commuter van mounted on top . It’s has a set of four steel casters . I am on my third set as the ball bearings have fallen out again on some of the casters . I Gave up trying too find some American made caster wheels , I had to go the Amazon route . Anyway garage O-Lounger it’s gotten a over haul and tune up ready for more use . Going to tackle the rear brake next I want use a mechanical disk brake on the jack shaft .
 
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Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#24
#24
Back did some more on the BK repop . I want to use a larger diameter tire in the rear . I did a 2” stretch on swing arm , I for got to take . Set up pictures of parts needed to Lengthen the swing arm . this deal uses a fixed axle bolt . Bolted that in , cut both sides . The swinger is .120 wall DOM , cut two 2” pieces . And two 6” sleeves to fit in side the swing arm/sections . I used 1X1 angle iron and flat blade hose clamps . To line the arms up and be parallel. in middle of all this i dropped my tube polisher .And broke one roller arms off . It has some kinda coating on it . I thought trying get all that sanded off and clean would very tough to weld it together would be a bear . I decided to make a plate doubler with holes through drilled . Then bolted it together with cap bolts , so if I dropped it again it will a bit tougher to break . Also got a start on rear brake assembly. I bought a 3/4” 2 1/8” hub . I cut a disk out cold rolled steel plate . Not going to be 80 on this trail beasty . I need to add another 1” tube to support the caliper with a slot bracket . As the JackShaft will need to move up or down with the caliper to . The forks needed some attention also , the mounting plates are diamond shaped . With very little purchase area for washers or the hood down nut . Machined out some 3/16” X 5/8” washers . I assembled the stem bolt and washers with some clamps . Then welded the washers with some silicone bronze rod . Next up I will need some tires front rear , and shocks to set ride height .
 

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Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#25
#25
Fourtogo said:
Back did some more on the BK repop . I want to use a larger diameter tire in the rear . I did a 2” stretch on swing arm , I for got to take . Set up pictures of parts needed to Lengthen the swing arm . this deal uses a fixed axle bolt . Bolted that in , cut both sides . The swinger is .120 wall DOM , cut two 2” pieces . And two 6” sleeves to fit in side the swing arm/sections . I used 1X1 angle iron and flat blade style hose clamps those can get more torque on the. . To line the arms up and be parallel and square . in middle of all this i dropped my tube polisher .And broke one roller arms off . It has some kinda coating on it . I thought trying get all that sanded off and clean would very tough to weld it together would be a bear . I decided to make a plate doubler with holes through drilled . Then bolted it together with cap bolts , so if I dropped it again it will a bit tougher to break . Also got a start on rear brake assembly. I bought a 3/4” 2 1/8” hub . I cut a disk out cold rolled steel plate . Not going to be 80 on this trail beasty . I need to add another 1” tube to support the caliper with a slot bracket . As the JackShaft will need to move up or down with the caliper to . The forks needed some attention also , the mounting plates are diamond shaped . With very little purchase area for washers or the hold down nut . Machined out some 3/16” X 5/8” washers . I assembled the stem bolt and washers with some clamps , I am going to make my own stem bolt 5/8” by 11 something. I bored out a large finish nut to 5/8” and will weld that on to stem bolt . I welded the washers with some silicone bronze rod to fork plates . Next up I will need some tires front rear , and shocks to set ride height .
Click to expand...
 

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Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#26
#26
Spent / waisted more time than I want confess . on making two simple brackets . Only to realize I made them up side down . Those got set a side who knows might be able to use eventually for something. Anyway corrected my error made some rear brake caliper brackets . This will give some vertical chain adjustments. I wanted to do Joes Reunion and sell some stuff this year . After viewing the details about swap meet and reading no vehicles . And having three minis and couple Gokarts .I think i am just going spectator this year for me and my two other buddy’s. I feel I am too beat down physically to bother swap meet hassle.
 

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Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#28
#28
Upon inspection of my new Hoosiers 18X6.50X8 . They come out 17X6.50X8 on my tape measure, this is on skinny rims . So they should be more than the claimed number . 1” isn’t huge but 18” would should be the size .
 
Triley41395

Triley41395

Well-Known Member
#31
#31
Fourtogo said:
Upon inspection of my new Hoosiers 18X6.50X8 . They come out 17X6.50X8 on my tape measure, this is on skinny rims . So they should be more than the claimed number . 1” isn’t huge but 18” would should be the size .
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That's good to know about the size. I don't have any need for tires like that but you never know in the future.
 
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Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#34
#34
A bunch welding today , now it’s fully welded . The TC guard is only tacked as i am not sure exact positio/location . It’s like welding in side a jungle gym , got keep bouncing around the tubes . As not to heat the tube joints to much , I to had to move up on the tungsten size because the engine mount/tab are 1/4” plus .083 tube wall and the small tungsten doesn’t like that much heat . . Well I know picture doesn’t show much . But believe me it was a lot work , and good mile stone . Now need to mount rear tire to set the ride height . After that it’s the gas tank .
 

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Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#35
#35
This BearKat from factory, had a torque converter guard . The one that came with ori frame was a pos .So I fab’d a new one , I used some 1/2” X 5/16 threaded bungs I made that are stepped . 1/2” on front bronze welded proud . The back side a bit bigger than 5/16” thread size . I ground flat/and rounded back side to the shape of the 1” tube . I counter sunk the back side of guard . So the bung would sit in side the hole to keep it centered with room for the weld . I bent the guard around a 6” aluminum tube 5/16” thick . For the flat sections I cut the back sides a bit with cut off wheel . That made it easier to bending flat sections to parallel . Then rewelded those smoothed, did that with my bench 8” flap sander wheel . To drill the holes accurate, I used a small dowel that I painted the end with a felt pen. Stuck that in the threaded hole , the guard had 2” blue tape on it . Too pick up the felt pen marks for drilling .
 

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Fourtogo

Well-Known Member
#36
#36
Got a roller , never had the original fame in one piece . These things are big beasts , i said before it was fully welded . Apparently that’s actually not the case , found some stuff I missed that day . I have added side protection hoop and guard and built up brake hanger . And thats not weld up yet , after I put engine back in then I can place the rear brake in its final place . Rear tire is a OG tire I have new one like the front . That look different in size but it’s only a 1/2” . OG is narrower tire , if I can get it off with out damaging it . It’s a good tire I put up for sale side walls look good and tube still holds air .
 

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