Garden Tractor “Dump Truck”

2021 - Volume #45, Issue #4, Page #23

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Dave Adams of Irwin, Penn., had an idea years ago to convert a garden tractor into a dump truck. After his first attempt ended up on the junk pile, he finally got the job done using a 1996, 1863 Cub Cadet tractor.
“To begin with, I extended the frame about 30 in., had to make another driveshaft for it, and fit the hydraulic lines to lower and raise the cargo box,” he says. “There's a shaft on the passenger side of the tractor that works the blades and the hydraulics. Well, I ran an arm down off that, bent the floorboard up just a wee bit, and came back with a series of levers that went up through the frame to lift the bed hydraulically.”
    He built the 40 by 40-in. metal bed with 11-in. metal walls including a tailgate completely from scratch. Dual wheels were added using sections of corrugated spacers from an old truck, welded so the four bolts between the rims would hold securely to the original heavy-duty hydraulic axle.
    Adams found and installed a Craftsman Briggs and Stratton 18-hp. motor to replace the stock Kohler engine. “It purred like a kitten, fit right in there, and bolted up nicely.”
    The original hood was a damaged 3-piece fiberglass panel, and with winter coming on, he made a trip to his boneyard to find a replacement.
    “I just wanted to cover the motor up over the winter, and I found this hood, threw it on and it fit perfectly. I painted it and it looks like it was made for it,” he says.
    He explains the driveshaft was the hardest part to adapt as he needed to extend it 30 in. His first effort using welded 3/4-in. black iron pipe blew apart but, when he adapted a harder steel pipe of 9/16 in. dia., it worked fine after a center carrier bearing was added for support.
    After building the dump truck, Adams wasn’t sure how much weight the box would lift as he had to extend the stroke on the hydraulic piston that raises the deck from 3 to 11 in.
    “I had to move 5 tons of topsoil and loaded the cargo box until it wouldn’t hold another shovel and it dumped the loads no problem. It only goes up to a little less than a 45-degree angle but it’s enough. It was fun to build and is a really useful machine.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dave Adams, 2305 Robert Street, Irwin, Penn. 15642.

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Garden Tractor “Dump Truck” TRACTORS Conversions Dave Adams of Irwin Penn had an idea years ago to convert a garden tractor into a dump truck After his first attempt ended up on the junk pile he finally got the job done using a 1996 1863 Cub Cadet tractor “To begin with I extended the frame about 30 in had to make another driveshaft for it and fit the hydraulic lines to lower and raise the cargo box ” he says “There is a shaft on the passenger side of the tractor that works the blades and the hydraulics Well I ran an arm down off that bent the floorboard up just a wee bit and came back with a series of levers that went up through the frame to lift the bed hydraulically ” He built the 40 by 40-in metal bed with 11-in metal walls including a tailgate completely from scratch Dual wheels were added using sections of corrugated spacers from an old truck welded so the 4 bolts between the rims would hold securely to the original heavy-duty hydraulic axle Adams found and installed a Craftsman Briggs and Stratton 18-hp motor to replace the stock Kohler engine “It purred like a kitten fit right in there and bolted up nicely ” The original hood was a damaged 3-piece fiberglass panel and with winter coming on he made a trip to his boneyard to find a replacement “I just wanted to cover the motor up over the winter and I found this hood threw it on and it fit perfectly I painted it and it looks like it was made for it ” he says He explains the driveshaft was the hardest part to adapt as he needed to extend it 30 in His first effort using welded 3/4-in black iron pipe blew apart but when he adapted a harder steel pipe of 9/16 in dia it worked fine after a center carrier bearing was added for support After building the dump truck Adams wasn’t sure how much weight the box would lift as he had to extend the stroke on the hydraulic piston that raises the deck from 3 to 11 in “I had to move 5 tons of topsoil and loaded the cargo box until it wouldn’t hold another shovel and it dumped the loads no problem It only goes up to a little less than a 45-degree angle but it’s enough It was fun to build and is a really useful machine ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dave Adams 2305 Robert Street Irwin Penn 15642

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