He Built A 4-Engine Garden Tractor Puller

2020 - Volume #44, Issue #5, Page #20

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“I like to build things that are different, so I recently built a garden tractor puller powered by four 8-hp. Harbor Freight Predator V-twin engines. It runs really well and has a lot of power,” says Earl Overbeek, Allegan, Mich.
    Overbeek, who belongs to a local garden tractor-pulling club, started building the tractor 3 years ago. “I built it to compete in the 1,200-lb. class and am happy with how it's performed so far,” says Overbeek.
“The rules say a tractor in this class can have up to 32 hp. but no more than four cylinders, so I built mine with four 8-hp., 4-cycle, single-cylinder engines just to be unique. I paid $235 apiece for them. Getting all four engines hooked together and synchronized was the hardest part of the job. Each engine belt-drives a center-mounted driveshaft that runs through the transmission.”
    The tractor’s four straight pipe mufflers are made from 1 1/4-in. dia. kitchen sink drain pipe and attached to the engines with home-built, L-shaped steel brackets. “The pipes are lightweight, which is good, but they’re also very loud so I have to wear ear protection,” says Overbeek.
    The tractor sports a 6-ft. tall roll cage, made just for looks out of 1-in. dia. electrician’s pipe by Overbeek’s nephew. “The roll cage isn’t required, but I thought that if I’m going to build a garden tractor with 4 engines it might as well have a big roll cage on it,” says Overbeek.
    He started with a Cub Cadet 1100 garden tractor, keeping only the frame, rear end, and axles. He lengthened the frame by 18 in. to extend the wheelbase to 56 in. and installed a used 3-speed, gear-drive transmission off another Cub Cadet tractor.
The electric-start engines are attached in sets of teo to pairs of 1-in. sq. tubing that run across the tractor’s frame.
    The tractor’s starter and ring gear are off an old Farmall. “The engines aren’t electric start, so I mounted a balanced ring on the main driveshaft and added the starter off a Farmall M. The starter meshes with the ring gear in such a way that I can start all four engines at the same time,” says Overbeek.
    Two of the engines’ air cleaners are mounted on one side of the tractor, and the others are located under the hood. “The four engines up front make the tractor a little nose heavy, so I plan to lighten up the front end and add more weight on the back. The tractor has an aluminum hood that saves about 15 lbs.”
    The tractor rides on 26-in. tall, 12-in. wide rear tires with 6-in. high ribbed tires on the front. The rear axle is original, but Overbeek used 1 by 2-in. sq. tubing to build the front axle.
He bought the tractor’s heavy-duty clutch and wheelie bar from Midwest Super Cub (ph 563-659-5276; https://mwsc.com) and the wheels and axles from Miller Tire Co. (ph 419-335-7010; www.millertire.com).     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Earl Overbeek, 3246 Lakeview Dr., Allegan, Mich. 49010 (ph 269-673-8548 or cell ph 616-836-1585).

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He Built A 4-Engine Garden Tractor Puller AG WORLD “I like to build things that are different so I recently built a garden tractor puller powered by four 8 hp Harbor Freight Predator V-twin engines It runs really well and has a lot of power ” says Earl Overbeek Allegan Mich Overbeek who belongs to a local garden tractor pulling club started building the tractor 3 years ago “I built it to compete in the 1 200-lb class and am happy with how it has performed so far ” says Overbeek “The rules say a tractor in this class can have up to 32 hp but no more than 4 cylinders so I built mine with four 8 hp 4-cycle single cylinder engines just to be unique I paid $235 apiece for them Getting all 4 engines hooked together and synchronized was the hardest part of the job Each engine belt-drives a center-mounted driveshaft that runs through the transmission ” The tractor’s 4 straight pipe mufflers are made from 1 1/4-in dia kitchen sink drain pipe and attached to the engines with home-built L-shaped steel brackets “The pipes are lightweight which is good but they’re also very loud so I have to wear ear protection ” says Overbeek The tractor sports a 6-ft tall roll cage made just for looks out of 1-in dia electrician’s pipe by Overbeek’s nephew “The roll cage isn’t required but I thought that if I’m going to build a garden tractor with 4 engines it might as well have a big roll cage on it ” says Overbeek He started with a Cub Cadet 1100 garden tractor keeping only the frame rear end and axles He lengthened the frame by 18 in to extend the wheelbase to 56 in and installed a used 3-speed gear-drive transmission off another Cub Cadet tractor The electric-start engines are attached in sets of 2 to pairs of 1-in sq tubing that run across the tractor’s frame The tractor’s starter and ring gear are off an old Farmall “The engines aren’t electric start so I mounted a balanced ring on the main driveshaft and added the starter off a Farmall M The starter meshes with the ring gear in such a way that I can start all 4 engines at the same time ” says Overbeek Two of the engines’ air cleaners are mounted on one side of the tractor and the others are located under the hood “The 4 engines up front make the tractor a little nose heavy so I plan to lighten up the front end and add more weight on back The tractor has an aluminum hood that saves about 15 lbs ” The tractor rides on 26-in tall 12-in wide rear tires with 6-in high ribbed tires on front The rear axle is original but Overbeek used 1 by 2-in sq tubing to build the front axle He bought the tractor’s heavy-duty clutch and wheelie bar from Midwest Super Cub ph 563 659-5276; www mwsc com and the wheels and axles from Miller Tire Co ph 419 335-7010; www millertire com Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Earl Overbeek 3246 Lakeview Dr Allegan Mich 49010 ph 269 673-8548 or cell ph 616 836-1585

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