Puddlejumpers Do Work Of Utility Tractors

Puddlejumpers do work of utility tractors TRUCKS Conversions 16-5-8 Back in the 1920's and 30's, farmers who couldn't afford a farm tractor made "puddlejumpers" (sometimes also called "doodlebugs") by shortening up junk cars or trucks. I've made several modern puddlejumpers from junked trucks for odd jobs around the farm to avoid tying up a tractor. Making these heavy-duty utility rigs is a relatively simple task that any farmer with reasonable mechanical skills can accomplish. I made my first puddlejumper using the chassis from a 3/4-ton Chevy and a 250 cu. in. in-line 6-cyl. engine. Because I wanted to use the unit to haul firewood out of the woods and didn't want to worry about flat tires, I decided to fit the truck with steel wheels taken from a junked antique manure spreader. The added diameter of the wheels required me to gear the unit down by attaching two truck transmissions in-line, one behind the other. The rear transmission is left in first gear. The front transmission is an old 4-speed of 1950's vintage. I only use the first and second gear. It has so much power nothing can stop it in the woods or on logging trails. The first step in making the conversion is to strip down the truck to the chassis and cab. I take off the front fenders to make it easier to get into the engine for repairs and maintenance and I take the doors off. Then I shorten up the wheel-base by removing the rear axle and re-mounting it closer to the cab. The shorter the wheelbase, the better your maneuverability in tight spots. I mount the axle rigid to the frame to eliminate all spring suspension so I don't have to worry about replacing broken springs in the future. After welding the axle to the frame, I bbrace the axle front and rear with 1/4-in. flat stock 2 to 4 in. wide. Then I cut off the rear part of the frame and shorten up the driveshaft. To mount the large steel wheels, I fitted an 8-hole 3/4-ton truck rim center to the spokes. This is a somewhat tricky procedure but it worked out fine. I then attached tread from an old tractor tire to the outside of the steel wheels so I can travel down the road. On my first puddlejumper, I used a basic GM truck box mounted solid to the frame. On my second unit, which is outfitted with oversize rubber tires, I used an old grain bin which I cut down and welded into a watertight dump box which I dump manually using a hand-cranked bumper jack so there was no need for hydraulics. I used an old 1 1/4-in. dia. axle shaft as a pivot shaft, mounted just to the rear of the center of the box. After the success of my two puddle jumpers, which I use for all kinds of chores including hauling grain and field stones as well as wood, I built several more units for neighbors who heard about them. Almost any farm truck can be used and I recommend a 6-cyl. engine since a V-8 will be overpowered and have little or no traction when not loaded. One tip is to fill pneumatic tires with fluid for extra traction when empty. One of the trickiest jobs is moving the axle since if you don't have perfect alignment, you'll have trouble with the drive axle. Proper alignment is an easy chore, though, if you know how to do it correctly. You can use a tape measure to measure back from the center of the front hub spindle to the center of the rear axle. You should also be certain that the input shaft on the drive axle is properly aligned with the output shaft of the transmission so there's no undue stress on the drive-shaft yoke bearings. You can align them with a flat board. One option you can easily install is a pto. Every 4-speed truck transmission I've ever seen has a pto sideplate on the left side of the housing (usually). Lets you bolt a pto in place. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Alan Hansen, Box 176, Rib Lake, Wis. 54470 (ph 715 427-3240).

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