DIY motorized wagon.

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Greg58

Greg58

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May 1, 2011
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Has anyone ever built or seen a motorized wagon kinda like the company "DR" 'makes? I'm thinking of building one, I have a front tine tiller that I don't use with a good 5hp Briggs that I think I can use on the project. One of the large rubber tire wagons from places like tractor supply is about the size I'm after.
 
xseler

xseler

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Apr 14, 2013
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You could use almost the entire tiller as the powertrain for your wagen. Put wheels on the shafts instead of tines. Then rig a kid's wagon type handle to steer and operate the idler pulley on the tiller.......when you start to pull the wagon, it engages the idler pulley to tighten the belt for the 'go power'. Stop or push back on the handle would dis-engage the power.

Good luck with your project!!
 
Greg58

Greg58

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I'm thinking of a pusher like their design, instead of tines I'd use balloon tires. I had also thought about a vertical shaft pressure washer engine that I have that I no longer use that could be mounted at the rear of the wagon and use a cable operated lever to pull an idler pulley for drive.
 
MEASURE TWICE

MEASURE TWICE

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Jul 13, 2010
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Would you be sitting in the wagon and how would the steering work?

For a converted American Flyer Wagon with balloon tires, I have a picture of at Burning Man Event a few years ago a 7hp vertical shaft engine with a transmission that converted it to a shaft to the rear wheels. Your only supposed to go less than 5mph there, so it must have been geared down a lot.

Two people were in the wagon and the front person using the handle that otherwise when tilted forward used to be for pulling. I cant see it being at all safe at a fast speed with that type of steering that is not modified in any way.

The second person had about 40 lbs of ice to bring back to their camp.

MT
 
Ludwig II

Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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OK, but you have to promise us that you'll wear roller skates when you use it.
 
Ludwig II

Ludwig II

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That's the point, don't sit, follow it down the street, shouting encouragement to it.
 
C

cosmickid

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Sep 11, 2011
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Greg,
seems to me, you could use the belt drive trans-axle from a riding mower for that vertical shaft motor for your drive wheels. A dead rider can be usually found pretty cheap. Strip it down to the frame, turn the trans-axle around & mount your vertical shaft motor. You'd just have to figure out how to make the controls workable from a walk behind position.
I stripped one down a few years ago & made a 4 wheel wagon out of it to pull behind my JD garden tractor.

Dave
 
T

Theon

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Jan 20, 2014
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Don't know if you can find an old Duetcher Ride on, They have a good strong belt driven Axle with Variable speed (torque converter) and Reverse. And Go Quite Fast In top Gear.
Usually running an 11 or 12HP vertical shaft. I still use one in the wet season here, as my other mower only likes dry conditions. But rare to find one with a deck that's worth fixing, I got mine for $50.
Also known as the Suicide Mower as if it's not adjusted right pulls some pretty cool wheel stands.
Can't get my SD Card to work for a Photo, Sorry.
 
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MEASURE TWICE

MEASURE TWICE

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A few self-propelled vertical shaft mowers use pulleys an v-belt with half twist to the front wheels. Just and idea.

The 6.5 hp Briggs vertical shaft mower I found being thrown out has this. I wanted the engine so that some day get it running and use for a single person hovercraft with one or two engines.

MT
 
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