It happened, I didn't even try to resist

[Dw89xj]

Well this cute little stray followed me home from my journey today. Got to meet another awesome 6x6er and got to see more beautiful scenery and check one more stop off my bucket list.
Brought this crusty but surprisingly nice 900 home. If all checks out the wife will have my mini me. If not I got my drums. Win win, I think?

[dirtdobber]

I hope it works out well for you. The body looks pretty good.

On another note, the Hustlers are prone to twist the T20 out of its saddle. You may already know this, but you need to add some torque straps to both machines as you build them. Look in the gallery there are lots of examples.

[racerone3]

I hope it works out well for you. The body looks pretty good.

On another note, the Hustlers are prone to twist the T20 out of its saddle. You may already know this, but you need to add some torque straps to both machines as you build them. Look in the gallery there are lots of examples.

Congrats on the new machine. post some pics of the inside when you get a chance. I second what dirtdobber said. use every possible spot to tie the t-20 in to the frame. some of mine are here: http://www.6x6world.com/gallery/g817...ild-page2.html

[Dw89xj]

Thank you guys, I am definitely going to be following you guys footsteps on beefing both up. The 900 may not get done this year but I'm hoping to get the Bigfoot reliable by pa archery season. Since there aren't any surprises I think I can, my max was one thing after another it seemed. Every Time I would change one thing I had to go on down the line and change multiple other things too.

[Dw89xj]

So after closer inspection this machine is a 960 hk. Serial number FCC-123. I don't know what that all means but it has a Kohler twin 2 stroke.

[Dw89xj]

It seems pretty solid, my wife really likes it. She wants a 4 stroke swap and to basically build it so it's as close to the big foot asit can be. I'm cool with that. Wer not racers and will mostly be trail riding. After disconnecting the shift cables it goes in neutral and rolls easier. Bearings seem to be okay no slop at least and roll smoothish. The chains are pretty crusty so for now I'm going to blame most of the roughness on that. She wants to keep split shift so I guess I will be hunting good cables. She also wants the laterals centered up, no big deal since already building a set for the Bigfoot. She wants bumpers winch and a hitch also. Which I'm cool with all that and have the Bigfoot parts to copy. Both machines will be getting tube from front to rear to tie the bumpers together. Roll protection for both machines. She also wants me to fab a luggage rack for hers like the the Bigfoot has. And body bands for both. Not sure how I'm tackling the rollover protection yet. I really like some of the factory looking ones in here but also would like to keep the front of the machine open so fishing and hunting is a little bit easier and less obstructions to work around. I guess we will cross that bridge when we get there. For now I want to get the Bigfoot back in shape. Pretty excited to get both done though.

[dirtdobber]

Dan with regard to all the modifications you are planning I want to encourage you to think along the lines of "less is more". Body bands, front to back tubing, and roll cages all add weight to the machines adding to their instability in the water, especially your tall tub machine. I am all in favor of roll over protection, but don't over do it. I also want you to think about the increased instability in the water versus your physical ability to escape the machine in case it tips.

My 980 sits deeper in the water than yours will without modification because I have a heavy 3 cyl. diesel engine and radiator, and heavier frame rails. I weigh 212 pounds. Even sitting deeper in the water its unstable. If your machine isn't as deep in the water as mine, it will be even more unstable.

Just be careful with your design.

[Dw89xj]

Dan with regard to all the modifications you are planning I want to encourage you to think along the lines of "less is more". Body bands, front to back tubing, and roll cages all add weight to the machines adding to their instability in the water, especially your tall tub machine. I am all in favor of roll over protection, but don't over do it. I also want you to think about the increased instability in the water versus your physical ability to escape the machine in case it tips.

My 980 sits deeper in the water than yours will without modification because I have a heavy 3 cyl. diesel engine and radiator, and heavier frame rails. I weigh 212 pounds. Even sitting deeper in the water its unstable. If your machine isn't as deep in the water as mine, it will be even more unstable.

Just be careful with your design.

I hadn't thought about the downsides of the body band and adding the extra bracing and what not. I did decide on the big foot to be very minimalist on the roll bar because of trying to keep height and width down for trails. I was thinking just a main hoop behind the driver seat like a roadster sort of but taller and wider instead of just basically following my head and shoulder profile.
I definitely want a winch on the front of each machine. I guess I don't really need all the extra stuff I mentioned, that's me getting ahead of myself and solving problems that I don't even have yet lol. Thanks for reeling me back in again.
I messed with the 960 a bit, switching bad tires for tires that hold air to make it easier to roll. I keep soaking everything in pb it rolls nice surprisingly, all the axle bearings seem good no slop and the grittiness I'm pretty sure us all in the chains but is significantly smoother after several liberal treatments with blaster.the driven clutch isn't pitted like I originally thought so when I locate my wife a four stroke I can change springs from the bad one that came with the Bigfoot. My wife said she definitely wants hers geared like the Bigfoot, she says she just wants power not speed. We are mostly trails anyway and anywhere we can go top speed 20 to 25moh will be fast enough.

Here's a picture to show size difference between the 960 and the 980.

[john swenson]

looks good dan....you got the experience to make a great machine for the wife. i understand what the guys are saying about stability in the water . one trade off i have when i built my max2 highboy is that it sits high in the water mostly on the tires and is not very stable . but i am only in deep water at busco sometimes , so i don't mind. the advantage is it will go thru pretty deep water without even flowting . have fun , johnboy va.

[racerone3]

Tall tub 980,s are pretty sketchy in water so keep that one minimal as far as added weight up high. short 980's aren't terrible, and the 960 size ones are pretty stable. I moved the cage from my 950 to my short tub 980 when i built it and have added a lot of bars and gussets sense (i drive like an idiot and roll it semi-often). Even with the cage it i feels fine to me in calm water. http://www.6x6world.com/gallery/bigf...-img-0006.html

[Dw89xj]

looks good dan....you got the experience to make a great machine for the wife. i understand what the guys are saying about stability in the water . one trade off i have when i built my max2 highboy is that it sits high in the water mostly on the tires and is not very stable . but i am only in deep water at busco sometimes , so i don't mind. the advantage is it will go thru pretty deep water without even flowting . have fun , johnboy va.

Thank you johnboy, thankfully the max ii taught me alot. Its really easy for me to go wild bench building in my mind and try to solve problems I don't even have lol. I'm thinking in the big foot I want to build a set of pontoons if I'm planning on being in the water, like duck hunting or getting into some of those secret bass holes, also we have a pretty calm creek here called the conodoguinet that we used to canoe kayak tube and raft on. It would be fun to get in on that action even though alot of sections I will be driving and not floating. It's gonna take me some time but the 960 seems to have been a good investment, a few little mods and some elbow grease and the wife will be even happier. She's already showing it off to anyone willing to listen about it. I'm glad she likes these as much as I do.

[Dw89xj]

Tall tub 980,s are pretty sketchy in water so keep that one minimal as far as added weight up high. short 980's aren't terrible, and the 960 size ones are pretty stable. I moved the cage from my 950 to my short tub 980 when i built it and have added a lot of bars and gussets sense (i drive like an idiot and roll it semi-often). Even with the cage it i feels fine to me in calm water. http://www.6x6world.com/gallery/bigf...-img-0006.html

That's what type of cage my wife wants on her 960, I'm thinking more of roadster type roll bar for the tall tub, just enough so I can't break my neck if I rollover, which might happen if I get rowdy, hopefully not but it is possible. And somewhere to attach a harness to hold me back in the seat better in the washboards. I guess I should just get them reliable and then see what I really need for extra bracing and so on. I know the Bigfoot I want to keep it open in front for easier casting and shooting. I have an idea for an easy to set up light weight blind to hunt from using pex pipe and camo netting. It's easy for me to get way ahead in building in my mind lol.

[Dw89xj]

Little progress for the 960 today, picked my wife up an 18 horse vanguard for 40 bucks guy says it will run on ether but won't suck gas, I'm guessing the fuel shutoff on the carb but no matter it will be running soon enough. I'm planning arc rods, remove exhaust restrictors, hedders, rev kit, push rods and 23 horse cam. From what I gather on the tractor forums that's about as budget as it gets and still reliable. My wife will be happy either way I'm sure, at least until I buy those fancy rods and pistons.

[Dw89xj]

We have dubbed the 960 as the "Honey Badger". I scored another deal on a 23 vanguard, it's getting the arc rods a rev kit and cheetah cam. It should do pretty well. I have all the chain wiring plumbing and everything else from buying double when I ordered for the Bigfoot plus some parts Johnboy sent to help me along on my wife's 960. Stay tuned....

Edit*** it kind of makes me sad my wife's little vanguard will probably hang right with my big Kohler pulling and I'm sure will be faster top speed from being higher geared. I'm not sure if the shorter 22inch tires will even it out or not.vwe shall find out.

[Dw89xj]

Uh oh, last big part of wife's machine as long as her t20 is good. Keeping fingers crossed, gonna be getting real serious on the 960 in the next couple of weeks.