# Not quite your average ATV project....



## MBTRAC (May 28, 2012)

My youngest teenage son aged 14 has been at me to get another new ATV - I just don't see the value in them when you can buy for less $'s 2x reasonable S/H 4x4 vehicles & still have change.........so this is how we ended up with more projects....
Anyways he wore me down to the point I agreed reluctantly for him to purchase (with my $'s ) a couple of projects that he could work on/customise - the only conditions were they had to be running/mobile........here I am expecting Kawasaki Mule's, Toro's, or maybe Polaris....no nothing that conventional for him, he's waited until I'm working away from home to let me know he's bought a while ago a couple of skid steer tippers & send the following photo's - this one has a 3cyl Yanmar: skid steer 8wheel drive tipper f/w a hyd blade, towbar & extra hyd remotes, & is good for 8mph+. 
Looks to be much potential here: add a roll cage + suspension seats/belts+ LED work lights + a small hyd crane (I'm sure we could make the portable crane rig on my trailer project fit) + winch + ..etc. the possibilities seem endless for a "swiss army knife" gardening/firewood "beast".......I told him he's done well for limited $'s, with the caveat this rig might just end up a little too "useful" (i.e. fun) so he might only have to work off time on the farm paying me back for only the other one.........


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

AWSOME !!! That kid has good taste !!


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Now that's some kind of rig there MBTRAC! I'd say you are right about the endless posibilities! I bet you could even find a set of tracks for that to go over the wheels. 
What is it? Never seen anything like it.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

That... Is totally awesome!


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Kudos to your son on his choice of equipment. That's quite a rig that has so much potential!


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## Thomas (Nov 1, 2006)

I believe you have artist on your hands MBTRAC.


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## BelarusBulldog (Feb 19, 2011)

Great find for your kid! Unfortunately, the operating station is on the wrong side for you guys down under, so send it up my way and I'll make good use of it. :lmao:


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## MBTRAC (May 28, 2012)

Thanks Guys - I'm pretty keen to see it (& the other one my son bought) once I get back home from harvesting (we've owned another similar machine for a few years,now parked up in the sheds awaiting an engine transplant ) 



pogobill said:


> Now that's some kind of rig there MBTRAC! I'd say you are right about the endless posibilities! I bet you could even find a set of tracks for that to go over the wheels.
> What is it? Never seen anything like it.


This type of gear is not that rare over here, all Japanese manufactured (e.g Yanmar, Kubota + other oddball Japanese brands) & most seem to be S/H imports low houred ex-Japan. This little 3cyl (@a guess maybe c.1200cc/20hp) Yanmar is basically a c.2T 3way offroad Tipper skid steer 8WD with 4F/4R ranges, that the previous local owner has hung a home built blade & extension sides on the tipper. 
There also available with rubber or steel tracks & I understand up to c.12T - even the wheeled gear will climb mountains & walk over obstacles albeit with a juddering ride (hence my desire to fit suspensions seats..)
I'd have thought they'd be a ready market in Canada for low ground pressure offroad small carriers like this too.



BelarusBulldog said:


> Great find for your kid! Unfortunately, the operating station is on the wrong side for you guys down under, so send it up my way and I'll make good use of it. :lmao:


Yes, for some reason most machinery come here with LHS operating stations.....even the gear ex-Japan which is a RHD market too...but we seem to cope (just) ok 
I reckon you could make good use of it as snow plow as it apparrently pushes pretty well, according to my son he's already pushed over a c.6" diameter tree "testing" out the blade...


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## farmertim (Dec 1, 2010)

LOL he can come and knock over a couple of hundred 6"trees at my place anytime


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## MBTRAC (May 28, 2012)

farmertim said:


> LOL he can come and knock over a couple of hundred 6"trees at my place anytime


I still haven't made it home to see this gadget yet, so it'll now most likely be c.Christmas before I view/ride it.... 

Couldn't help but wind up my son when he told me proudly he'd pushed over the 6" tree with it - I said to him I was a little disappointed...... as I thought it'd be a lttle more capable ........of something higher than 6", & like maybe he could excavate a puddle ...

Also sent my 14yr son him the photo below of "when I was your age" c.1977/8 operating dozers. When rather than planning around with ATV gadgets or dozers knocking over a small saplings/trees one by one, we were chaining large tracks of trees/scrub clear felling to develop farm land.........As my son reminded me the 70's were different & less environmentally sensitive times .......so he reckons there's no way I'd get away today with my (his words) " weird cloths & feral look in the 70's" like in the photo.....


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## Thomas (Nov 1, 2006)

Thats one heck of chain.


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## MBTRAC (May 28, 2012)

Thomas said:


> Thats one heck of chain.


We've had the chain since I believe since the early 60's, the "legend "is it's joined old anchor or mooring chains used during WWII to anchor mines - who knows could be fact/fiction? We've still got it sitting in a corner of one the sheds, doesn't seem to have worn or rusted over the c.50 years the family's used it.

To chain clear fell (when this method was commonly allowed) we'd loop this c. 350' chain between two big dozers, depending on conditions leave anthing from about c.25' of slack dragging behind each dozer, secure a c.6-8T ball weight in the chain centre (to stop the chain it climbing high & riding over larger trees) & drive forward knocking everything down in a c.300' path..... Any tree more that c.36-40" diameter would be felled by the treepusher or blade of either dozer whilst we were still chaining.......a highly coordinated effort by the dozer operators as you had to watch the chain (what it was doing & if it was getting too taut or dragging the other dozer), fell individuallly any large trees (into the path of the chain & not back over/foul the chain) & watch out for yourself & the other operator (that you weren't about to be hit by debris or bouce into holes..etc).....I think it was more luck than skill I survived these activities unscathed.
He's a photo of when we last chained, I'd guess c.late 80's same chain/newer dozers (with luxury of AC cabs) -we still use the Fiat dozer although it's looking a little worse for wear now)


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## MBTRAC (May 28, 2012)

Arrived home today 24th Dec from an extended harvest & finally inspected, drove & rode in this 8WD rig - as they say "the kid done well!!!!"

Now finishing a :beer:then :zzzs:then tomorrow is :hohoho:arty: with family & lots of :friends:

Wishing everyone a very :merry: Christmas :cheers: from Down Under


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## MBTRAC (May 28, 2012)

Thought it about time I updated this thread - usually story so many projects & too little time with me/our workshops having been occupied with keeping the farm/earthmoving gear running & also earning a $.

Whilst we haven't done much to the yellow 8 wheel drive tipper my son purchased (as it runs pretty well) the other orange 8WD he bought at the same time was a basket case & (apart from the chassis) full of rust/falling to bits though mechanically "sound".
So over the past few months (with more than a little help/my cost from a teeenage apprentice from our maintenance crew) he's rebuilt/fabricated & cannibalised bits including a cab base & body transplant from other wrecks to create the "hybrid" below which is already showing the "battle scars" of our teenagers use (hence my insistence on fitting the roll cage & seat belt) - now looks like an entirely different machine from "before" & as "current":-


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