4-WD Articulated Deere Tractor

4-WD Articulated Deere Tractor TRACTORS Made-It-Myself “I was told it couldn’t be done but I went ahead and it turned out great ” says Jerold Raab Tustin Mich about the hydrostatic 4-WD articulated tractor he built out of two old Deere 317 garden tractors     He used most of one of the tractors on front removing the front axle to shorten the tractor by 16 in The rear end off the other tractor mounts behind it Both tractors are early 1970’s models The tractor’s 4 wheels are off the original garden tractors     After cutting the front axle and wheels out from under the front model he moved its rear end and transmission forward 16 in which left the tractor’s front end hanging out about 2 ft He cut about 12 in off the front of the back model The front model’s driveshaft connects the transmission in front to the back tractor’s transmission in back with a pair of universal joints in between     To make the articulation point he made double U-joints that fit inside a 6-in pipe     A lever that comes up through the right fender hydrostatically controls both transmissions A throttle cable extends to the back transmission and is synchronized so that both transmissions pull or are in neutral at the same time     Steering is controlled by a 6 by 1 1/2-in double-acting hydraulic cylinder which swivels on a steel pin that’s welded to the tractor’s articulation point The hydraulic steering system is off an old combine The tractor’s front transmission supplies the oil for the steering system “The front tractor’s original steering valve control is hooked up to the hydraulic cylinder and is used to control the steering ” says Raab     “We chose these particular tractor models because both are equipped with the same hydrostatic transmission and have horizontal shafts between the engine and transmission that lined up correctly ”     An Onan 16 hp engine out of an old Bobcat skid loader that mounts over the tractor’s rear axle powers the tractor     “Mounting the engine over the rear axle balances the weight with the operator over the front axle ” says Raab “I mounted the exhaust system off an old Bobcat skid loader on back of the tractor ”     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jerold Raab P O Box 152 Tustin Mich 49688 ph 231 829-3818

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