My first Hustler!

[ARGOJIM]

Bruschcutter think your right, was coming back to add the same thing, the smaller trencher/backhoe combination had them.

[Duck89]

After purchasing a nice hustler frame (thanks Matt O), I have a newfound desire to get my Bigfoot going. Here are a few side-by-side shots of the old and new frames. I plan on using as many of the good parts off of the old frame as I can, such as the transmission mount, shift linkage and the raised seat structure. It's going to be a lot of cutting and welding, but it will be worth it.

Does anybody have any pictures of a 980 they could send me that show how the chains are routed? I think I may have to change a few things on the new frame because of the larger driver sprockets and the routes those chains will take.

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[Duck89]

I also took a few shots of my awesome T-20. I know I am going to need one drum. What else does it look like I am going to need? (aside from about 2 gallons of degreaser)

In the first picture, it is hard to tell from that but in person, it appears to have a slight bit of shark-finning. Once I get it cleaned up, I will have a better idea of how bad it is, but from this picture, how bad does it look?

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[hydromike]

Does anybody have any pictures of a 980 they could send me that show how the chains are routed?

Here are a couple good shots from the Hustler gallery.


These are pictures of a 900, but the chain routing is the same.



Okay, HERE are the shots of Reb's machine I was looking for. Again, this is a 950, but the routing is identical.



I see that your T-20 is the older style with 18-tooth drums and shift collars. When you go to get a drum, make sure you get the right tooth count. It was changed a long time ago to 9 teeth on the drums/plates/collars, and they seem to be more common now. You can always swap out to a 9 tooth collar/drum/plate on one side if you want, but I like both sides of my transmission to sound the same when I grind it into gear.

Other than a good cleaning and a seal/gasket/fiber washer kit, I think you're in pretty good shape. If you want me to cut you a second O-ring groove on your lower T-20 plungers, I can do that. I just did them for Newt's T-20 and they look good. Your output sprocket doesn't look THAT bad in the picture, but if you're in doubt, change it out. If you're anything like me, you'll NEVER want to yank the transmission out and take it completely back apart to replace that sprocket. This sure would be an excellent time to swap up to #60 primary sprockets.

::EDIT:: I also don't see your center plate in the picture. If you have it, are the ends of shafts where the drums ride in good shape? It looks like you have a couple of the dog-eared thrust washers in your pile of parts, but I can't tell if the ears are still on them. Sometimes, the ears will snap off and the thrust washer ends up spinning on the end of the center plate. They're hardened, so they chew up the plate pretty quickly, and it can end up causing a lot of in and out play on the T-20 input shaft. I have a couple T-20s that only used fiber washers instead of the thrust washers (no dog ear, so the center plate isn't machined for the ear to fit in it), but these fiber washers aren't included as standard equipment in the newer bearing and seal kit. Just something else to think about because I don't see it in the pictures...

[Duck89]

So that's what the internal's of a complete hustler are supposed to look like! It all makes sense now! Mine did not look anything like that when I first got it

I forgot to put the center plate in that picture, but I do have it. I'll have to dig that out tomorrow and take a look at it. I appreciate the offer to cut a second grove into my lower plungers. I'll have to take you up on that I think. That reminds me - I need to send my bands out to have them relined. How to I go about taking those plungers off of the bands? I need to take the one off of my bad band and put it on the band JP gave me. (Thanks JP). Also, is that seal/gasket/fiber washer kit something that I need to get through RI or is there somewhere online I can get the parts? I already have the outer seals and the 2 large gaskets for the center so all I need are the internal parts I am replacing.

[hydromike]

I need to send my bands out to have them relined. How to I go about taking those plungers off of the bands?

There's a roll pin (3/8" OD?) that just drives out of the plunger. They come out pretty easily.

Also, is that seal/gasket/fiber washer kit something that I need to get through RI or is there somewhere online I can get the parts?

Aside from RI, I really don't know of anywhere else that has the fiber washers already cut to size. I might actually have a set of the washers laying around from the rebuild of an early T-20 that didn't use them. Either that, or you can just get them from Matt and test out MO/RI's (Maury's?) shipping from the new combined facility.

[Duck89]

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[Dw89xj]

Third time attempting this, I did something wrong twice, and both of those posts were better than this one.

I would like to thank Duck89 for allowing me to buy this awesome machine. My plans are basically just pick up where this story paused and finish this hustler and hopefully make it all Duck envisioned it as and more. Nothing too ground breaking or innovative, I think the way this machine is designed will be as close to perfect for me as possible. So far this hustler has totally alleviated any trace of sadness felt from selling my max ii. The max was an incredible learning experience that is going to really help finish this bad mutha and make it a beast again.

[Dw89xj]

No real progress yet, it's been rainy since we got home from the trip, so I haven't even loosened and straps yet, all of the parts that weather might affect are still in the van so they're dry. It's nice enough today I'm going to take a tip from Martin and build a dolly to move stuff around and start laying parts out and getting a game plan together and an order of operations so to speak. I'm going to go ahead and mount the tires to save a bit of shed space while I recondition axles or have new built and search for t20 parts, after I determine exactly what all will be replaced. I'm still hoping on finding a complete t20 for a good price. From what I understand I will either need to switch the outputs to #50 or switch my big sprocket to #60 if I acquire a transmission from a max to use. Well here's to a slow start. Thank you guys for any help.

[Dw89xj]

I've decided that the if I'm having axles made that I'm just going to upgrade to 1-1/4" axles and bearings sprockets etc. I am wondering though, what material would you, with more experience in what works, use for axles? Also would going up to #60 chain be worth the expense or is #50 good enough? Would it cut back on chain replacements enough to be worth it? Should I leave the axle chains #50 and just go #60 from trans to center axles like my max was? My wife gave me the green flag with this one so I'm not holding back and want to make this thing as reliable and durable as I can without just wasting money needlessly. Thank you in advance for any advice.