Home Built Loader Equipped With 4WD, 4 Wheel Steering

1988 - Volume #12, Issue #2, Page #08

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"It's easy to maneuver in tight places and it keeps going in tough conditions," says Frank Pexton, Douglas, Wyo., about the "4-wheel drive, 4-wheel steering" loader he built from a 1964 Chevrolet 2 ton, 2-WD truck.
According to Pexton, several farmers in his area have built similar loaders, except for one major difference - his is 4-wheel drive.
It didn't start out that way. Three years ago, Pexton had converted the Chevrolet truck to a 2-WD loader by stripping the truck's cab and box. In place of the box he mounted the loader, bolting it to brackets welded onto the truck frame.
Pexton then rotated the differential to reverse the trick's gears, so that the front axle drove "backward," or toward the loader, while the rear axle wasn't driven. He turned the steering wheel and seat around to face "backward," and enclosed them with a cab.
Last year, Pexton replaced both of the loader's axles with the front steering axles from 2 identical Oshkosh trucks which were available for parts. With both axles steerable, Pexton now can turn in a 10 ft. circle, with the rear wheels following exactly in the front wheels' tracks.
He also installed a jackshaft lengthwise through the middle of the frame, with an arm on each end. One side of the jackshaft hooks to the tie rod of the front axle; the other side to the tie rod on the rear axle. A steering orbital motor, borrowed from an Allis-Chalmers tractor, activates a hydraulic cylinder that powers both steering axles at the same time.
The loader can be equipped with any of 3 hydraulically operated attachments - a bucket, bale unroller, or round bale fork lift. A rear-mounted hydraulic hitch al-lows Pexton to hook up, and unhook, to a round bale trailer without getting off the tractor. "I use the trailer a lot when gathering bales and transporting them from hay fields in the summer," adds Pexton.
Contact: FARM SHOW Follow-up, Frank Pexton, 1469 Esterbrook Road, Douglas, Wyo. 82633 (ph 307 358-3144).

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Home Built Loader Equipped with 4WD, 4 Wheel Steering TRACTORS Conversions 12-2-8 "It's easy to maneuver in tight places and it keeps going in tough conditions," says Frank Pexton, Douglas, Wyo., about the "4-wheel drive, 4-wheel steering" loader he built from a 1964 Chevrolet 2 ton, 2-WD truck. According to Pexton, several farmers in his area have built similar loaders, except for one major difference - his is 4-wheel drive. It didn't start out that way. Three years ago, Pexton had converted the Chevrolet truck to a 2-WD loader by stripping the truck's cab and box. In place of the box he mounted the loader, bolting it to brackets welded onto the truck frame. Pexton then rotated the differential to reverse the trick's gears, so that the front axle drove "backward," or toward the loader, while the rear axle wasn't driven. He turned the steering wheel and seat around to face "backward," and enclosed them with a cab. Last year, Pexton replaced both of the loader's axles with the front steering axles from 2 identical Oshkosh trucks which were available for parts. With both axles steerable, Pexton now can turn in a 10 ft. circle, with the rear wheels following exactly in the front wheels' tracks. He also installed a jackshaft lengthwise through the middle of the frame, with an arm on each end. One side of the jackshaft hooks to the tie rod of the front axle; the other side to the tie rod on the rear axle. A steering orbital motor, borrowed from an Allis-Chalmers tractor, activates a hydraulic cylinder that powers both steering axles at the same time. The loader can be equipped with any of 3 hydraulically operated attachments - a bucket, bale unroller, or round bale fork lift. A rear-mounted hydraulic hitch al-lows Pexton to hook up, and unhook, to a round bale trailer without getting off the tractor. "I use the trailer a lot when gathering bales and transporting them from hay fields in the summer," adds Pexton. Contact: FARM SHOW Follow-up, Frank Pexton, 1469 Esterbrook Road, Douglas, Wyo. 82633 (ph 307 358-3144).

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