Just showing off the before and after. My 9 year-old and I rebuilt this bad boy this weekend. We tore it down and I had the frame blasted and powder coated at work. I had to custom cut and drill a sprocket for it because I could not find one that would fit on the antique diff.
My uncle (the man I blame for my addiction to small-engine powered toys) gave us this old Mud Bug rolling frame he picked up at a swap meet. I added the mower seat and Predator and we ran it until the original sprocket gave up completely last fall.
New parts: sprocket, bearings, grips/brake lever, cables, nuts/bolts, TC, etc. Cleaned/refurbished axle and diff, painted rims, reprinted fork logo and built a simple belt guard from a scrap of diamond plate aluminum. I really wish I could find a proper fiberglass body for it, but the lawn tractor seat looks and works well enough. It has a 4:1 final drive ratio and I have the throttle limit dialed way back for the kids. I think we will build an engine cover/fenders out of some sheet metal I have laying around. It will also need some better brakes. That jack shaft band brake is largely symbolic at this point.
Before:
After:
My uncle (the man I blame for my addiction to small-engine powered toys) gave us this old Mud Bug rolling frame he picked up at a swap meet. I added the mower seat and Predator and we ran it until the original sprocket gave up completely last fall.
New parts: sprocket, bearings, grips/brake lever, cables, nuts/bolts, TC, etc. Cleaned/refurbished axle and diff, painted rims, reprinted fork logo and built a simple belt guard from a scrap of diamond plate aluminum. I really wish I could find a proper fiberglass body for it, but the lawn tractor seat looks and works well enough. It has a 4:1 final drive ratio and I have the throttle limit dialed way back for the kids. I think we will build an engine cover/fenders out of some sheet metal I have laying around. It will also need some better brakes. That jack shaft band brake is largely symbolic at this point.
Before:
After: