My newest project “car”

[jswordy]

The axle and rear wheels are the ones that originally came with the mower. They are “D” shaped, one side is flat.

Not as good as a spline, but that'll work.

 

[NorCal]

Grandkid keeper rail done, bumper mounts done. Also did a first pass with bondo with fiberglass in it on the hood. This should take the Jeep from a 40 footer to a 10 footer.

 

[NorCal]

I didn't finish the body work on the hood yet, but I couldn't help myself and decided to paint the rest of the Jeep Army green on Saturday to give me some inspiration. It really is looking like an Army Jeep!
Before I put the seat on, which makes access to the battery a problem, I wanted to start it up and make sure the battery was charged and it was good to go. Turn the key and nothing. Not a click or sound. Checked the battery and it was charged, checked the starter to battery ground, since I removed the metal body and it too was good. Checked the fuse, it was good. I found the schematic on line and there are 4 safety switches. I retained the brake and reverse switch, I had bypassed seat switch and didn't know about the PTO switch. I'll have to find that one and bypass. Hopefully that is it.

 

[jswordy]

I didn't finish the body work on the hood yet, but I couldn't help myself and decided to paint the rest of the Jeep Army green on Saturday to give me some inspiration. It really is looking like an Army Jeep!
Before I put the seat on, which makes access to the battery a problem, I wanted to start it up and make sure the battery was charged and it was good to go. Turn the key and nothing. Not a click or sound. Checked the battery and it was charged, checked the starter to battery ground, since I removed the metal body and it too was good. Checked the fuse, it was good. I found the schematic on line and there are 4 safety switches. I retained the brake and reverse switch, I had bypassed seat switch and didn't know about the PTO switch. I'll have to find that one and bypass. Hopefully that is it.

View attachment 83751

99% of the time it is a safety switch. The garden tractor forums I am on pretty much have banned people saying to bypass them, but it is pretty commonly done. Every one I have (and I have a lot of them) has the stand-alone safety switches disconnected. The PTO safety switch on most machines is internal to the switch and is dependent on where the switch is positioned, so just check to make sure you don't have it inadvertently ON.

If you must resort to VOM tracing, start by turning the key to START and see if you have juice at the starter terminal. Then work back from there. I have found many a no-start problem by just wiggling the wire connectors while having someone turn the key to START. So much FUN!

 

[NorCal]

Thanks @jswordy. Since I don't have a mower deck and the seat is long gone, I feel comfortable bypassing those two switches. I'll keep the brake switch to make sure the brake is depressed before starting. Is the reverse switched only there to kill the engine if the PTO is engaged and you put it in reverse?

 

[jswordy]

Thanks @jswordy. Since I don't have a mower deck and the seat is long gone, I feel comfortable bypassing those two switches. I'll keep the brake switch to make sure the brake is depressed before starting. Is the reverse switched only there to kill the engine if the PTO is engaged and you put it in reverse?

On most models, yes. That one and the seat switch are the two that are usually first to get bypassed. The brake switch is a common fault, as it gets more workout than the others. Be sure to test the switches themselves when you temporarily bypass them, too, and make sure the orientation on the switch is such that it can indeed turn on and off.

Is your solenoid separate from your starter? If so, you can jump the S and BAT terminals to see if it turns over that way. That would confirm the wiring downstream of the solenoid.

Check your harness where it attaches to the ignition switch, too. If it is a single plug, try turning the key to start while wiggling the plug around. LOTS of times dirt and corrosion get in those plugs and wiggling it can get things to turn. Then you know what to do after that!

Another oddball thing is to clean inside your ignition switch. Disconnect the battery and spray inside the key hole with contact cleaner. Work the switch with the key. Spray again, work again. Spray again. Let it air dry for quite a while, hook up the battery, and see if things turn over.

 

[NorCal]

On most models, yes. That one and the seat switch are the two that are usually first to get bypassed. The brake switch is a common fault, as it gets more workout than the others. Be sure to test the switches themselves when you temporarily bypass them, too, and make sure the orientation on the switch is such that it can indeed turn on and off.

Is your solenoid separate from your starter? If so, you can jump the S and BAT terminals to see if it turns over that way. That would confirm the wiring downstream of the solenoid.

Check your harness where it attaches to the ignition switch, too. If it is a single plug, try turning the key to start while wiggling the plug around. LOTS of times dirt and corrosion get in those plugs and wiggling it can get things to turn. Then you know what to do after that!

Another oddball thing is to clean inside your ignition switch. Disconnect the battery and spray inside the key hole with contact cleaner. Work the switch with the key. Spray again, work again. Spray again. Let it air dry for quite a while, hook up the battery, and see if things turn over.

Thanks for the help, I'm not familiar with riding mowers.

Since the reverse and the PTO switch deal with the mower deck blade safety (which are now gone) and I no longer have their seat, I'll hard wire those in the "ON" position. I'll keep the brake safety switch.

I'm pretty confident the PTO switch is the issue with it not starting. It ran before I started the Jeep transformation. I took all of mower deck parts out, including the controls when I removed the body; there would be nothing left to be depressing that PTO safety switch.

 

[jswordy]

Thanks for the help, I'm not familiar with riding mowers.

Since the reverse and the PTO switch deal with the mower deck blade safety (which are now gone) and I no longer have their seat, I'll hard wire those in the "ON" position. I'll keep the brake safety switch.

I'm pretty confident the PTO switch is the issue with it not starting. It ran before I started the Jeep transformation. I took all of mower deck parts out, including the controls when I removed the body; there would be nothing left to be depressing that PTO safety switch.

Hope so. If it were me, that'd be, "Meh. Too easy."

 

[NorCal]

Yup, that was it. Bypass completed.

 

[Rocky]

Yup, that was it. Bypass completed.
View attachment 83788View attachment 83789

NorCal, love the OD paint. Looks great. Do you plan to rig a windshield?

 

[NorCal]

NorCal, love the OD paint. Looks great. Do you plan to rig a windshield?

Good catch, I think it would really help the overall look.

Initial build punch list
- Need to wire and install front and rear lights.
- Finish hood area and paint
- Add stars and letters
- Install trailer hitch
- finish and paint trailer to match

Upgrade ideas
- hinged hood with hold down latches
- clean up dash area
- out the back exhaust
- adjustable seat (I’m 6’3”, the Mrs 5’1”)
- build windshield
- add ammo boxes, shove, rope on bumper
- steering wheel turn limiter (front tires hit frame when cranked all the way)

Thanks all for letting me post this here in the off season In this winemaking forum. It is motivational for me to be able to post the progress.

 

[TxBrew]

Looks great already. Nice work.

 

[Arne]

Howdy Nor Cal. Have a bit of time, go to tackle underground. Then down to the boatbuilding page. Then down to Make your own windshield. Looked reasonably simple. Arne.

 

[Rocky]

NorCal, with your skill at carpentry, welding and metal work, I think you could fashion an excellent replica for a windshield using plywood, plexiglass or glass and the same tubing you used for the "grand kid's restraint." You could even make the plexiglass/glass panels replaceable if they got scratched. See pic below:

 

[jswordy]

Yup, that was it. Bypass completed.
View attachment 83788View attachment 83789

@NorCal So glad it worked out on the wiring. Very nice paint job. It's all coming together now!

 

[jswordy]

Good catch, I think it would really help the overall look.

Initial build punch list
- Need to wire and install front and rear lights.
- Finish hood area and paint
- Add stars and letters
- Install trailer hitch
- finish and paint trailer to match

Upgrade ideas
- hinged hood with hold down latches
- clean up dash area
- out the back exhaust
- adjustable seat (I’m 6’3”, the Mrs 5’1”)
- build windshield
- add ammo boxes, shove, rope on bumper
- steering wheel turn limiter (front tires hit frame when cranked all the way)

Thanks all for letting me post this here in the off season In this winemaking forum. It is motivational for me to be able to post the progress.

I like your upgrades. The out the back exhaust will probably need to use a larger diameter pipe to the back than the exhaust tip on the small engine in order to succeed. They just don't have that much push for a very long exhaust system, and can drown on their own back-pressure, cutting power and even making them hard to start or non-starting. I'd think at least 1-1/2 inches diameter.

Metal ammo boxes...
https://www.ruralking.com/catalog/product/view/id/168482

 

[NorCal]

Called it good enough on the hood. Sufficient for a 10 footer that is going to see some tough duty on the property.

 

[Rocky]

It really looks great, NorCal. I was into old cars (At one time or another I had 6 pre-war Packard's.) and I wonder how many people on this forum know what you mean by "a 10-footer." I am interested to see how you trick out the vehicle with IDs like the Army Star on the hood and on the sides, the serial number on the hood, tire pressure notation and the unit identification on the bumpers, etc.

I still remember my bumper ID: "3ID2F41 B7", standing for "3rd Infantry Division, 2nd Battalion 41st (Field) Artillery, Vehicle #7." I also had vehicles B8 and B9 assigned to my section.

 

[jswordy]

Very nice! From thought to reality!

 

[NorCal]

Thanks, I’ll put on some stars right away. I’ll probably just lay them out with tape. As for the lettering, I’ll probably use grandkid birthdays or something like that, but I like the detail things too like tire pressure. I also found an old Army shovel, canteen, ammo box and helmet on Craigslist for $40, so I’ll see if I can make that happen