Shovelhands in the workshop, I did it my way........

[Shovelhands]

SH,
What polite way of saying I was wrong, or at least misinformed, especially on tinternet, cheers, Marcus

Well, you made the small mistake of thinking a Terragator was a Big A, admittedly they look similar, were even owned by the same company, once AgChem purchased Rickel Mfg, who made the Big A. And during that period they shared a few parts, not many. But the trans was certainly used in the equivalent Terragators, and also the engines. But in truth, they are a world apart. Similar looks, but a different animal all together.

 

[Boohoo]

I'm think I read somewhere that Terragators are big, expensive and unreliable compared to a Big A......

 

[7485]

I'm think I read somewhere that Terragators are big, expensive and unreliable compared to a Big A......

Probably on this thread or I should say the other Big A thread.

 

[Shovelhands]

I'm think I read somewhere that Terragators are big, expensive and unreliable compared to a Big A......

Really? Who would say such a thing

Personally, I think they are, oversized, overpriced and over rated.....but who am I to say?

Seriously though, they should be good, they've been doing it long enough ffs, but all you hear are stories of things going wrong with them. There must be some owners who really rate them?....somewhere?
I have looked at them myself, with a view to running one, admittedly I am looking at the bottom end of the secondhand market, but the ones I looked at just seemed like money pits in the making, cracked chassis, worn out expensive looking components etc etc. All had potential, but were such an unknown quantity, I just couldn't go down that road.
And that has partly led me to decide to do this Big A instead

 

[Gerbert]

Can't imagine them building any more of those Terragators , as they stopped production a couple of years ago iirc, and now the Challenger brand has been axed by AGCO, no more Terragators?

They have axed the brand in europe. Who knows what they'll do for the other continents.

 

[Shovelhands]

Lining it up for a measure up and a think..

First bit of chassis tacked on...

and the other side....

squaring up and a bit of temporary bracing

 

[Dave W]

So is the A frame just going to be a sort of brace down to the diff somewhere?

Real smart job. I like the way you've cut the chassis at opposite angles

 

[mogman]

Looking good big hands

 

[Dave W]

And what's going to power the steering if anything?

 

[Shovelhands]

So is the A frame just going to be a sort of brace down to the diff somewhere?

Real smart job. I like the way you've cut the chassis at opposite angles

Thanks Dave

Yes the frame will anchor close to the diff, I'm doing that bit at the moment, your all a little behind with the pics, but I've not got much time on it at the mo, so you will soon catch. The only mechanical link between the axle and the chassis, is the A frame pivot and the Panhard Rod, to give as much axle articulation as possible.

I think the chassis splice will be nice n strong like that, it will have a plate either side, but best to start like that I thought

It's a self steering axle, with a lock, so it will need to be locked for reversing.

 

[Shovelhands]

Looking good big hands

Thanks Mog

How are you, busy as usual?

 

[Zebbedee]

That's a clean chassis on big A, how much length are you adding on it looks quite a lot in photo? What are you doing with suspension? Air ? Were you not tempted to change axles and go double drive? No steering but better traction? Nice project though

 

[Shovelhands]

That's a clean chassis on big A, how much length are you adding on it looks quite a lot in photo? What are you doing with suspension? Air ? Were you not tempted to change axles and go double drive? No steering but better traction? Nice project though

The new chassis sections are 3m long, lost a little in the splice, but, yes they do look long. Basically 3m was the longest I could get folded locally, I will more than likely trim a bit off the end, but as I've not got the body for it yet, and I will most likely attach the spinner deck to the chassis somehow, I thought it best to have it as long as possible, cutting a bit off is simple, adding a little bit extra is more of a pain!

Air suspension

I've thought about double drive, and yes, traction would most definitely be better, but I do like the rear steer idea, so I'd like to keep that if I drive the rear axle. I will have an air dump valve on the air bags, so if I need to, I can take the weight off the rear axle and transfer it to the drive.
I've, hopefully, thought about all the pros and cons of this project and doing it the way I am. The long and short of it is, if there are issues, then I will tackle them as and when they occur, if at all. After all, I'm building it myself, so I can modify it myself
Not saying I want to revisit this and cut it around at a later date, but if it's a serious problem then I can if need be.

 

[Dave W]

Must say I'm slightly disappointed at not seeing a 5 wheel artic steer

 

[Gerbert]

Could you not add forced steering by adding cilinders to the frontwheel, a bit like a hydraulicly self leveling loader. I think it would not be that hard.

 

[Shovelhands]

Could you not add forced steering by adding cilinders to the frontwheel, a bit like a hydraulicly self leveling loader. I think it would not be that hard.

Yes it's possible, and a route I may go down at some point, as I said, I can/will modify if I need/want to. Forcing the steering is an option, the principal of your idea is good, but would need some clever valves that would allow a degree of free float, when going forward, to keep things tracked straight, last thing you'd want is the front and rear wheels fighting for different straight lines!

If I decide to drive the rear axle, possibly hydraulically, then I'd need to change the axle for a steering drive axle, that would not be self steer and would need to be forced somehow.

Keeping it simple at the moment, well, as simple as possible , get things up and running and see where we go from there

 

[Shovelhands]

Must say I'm slightly disappointed at not seeing a 5 wheel artic steer

Sorry I've disappointed you Dave

 

[Dave W]

Sorry I've disappointed you Dave

I'm not actually disappointed. Just keep it in mind for the next project if you would please

 

[Shovelhands]

I'm not actually disappointed. Just keep it in mind for the next project if you would please

 

[shazza]

Hats of to you, I'd love to have the ability to carry out a project like that! Proper man cave job! Look forward to seeing it finished.