My new to me MaxII

[FREQ42]

About 3 months ago I got a MaxII with tracks and only 5 of the adapters.
I only got it for the OH180 to replace the OH160 in my Magnatrac MT1800 Dozer.
My plan was to swap the motor's and then get rid of it.
Luck would have it after fixing the wheels and replacing one missing Chane I took it for a short drive and fell in love with it, Now I will leave it alone and repair it to full operation.
The best part is I got it all for $150.
Now the repairs begin starting with the Exhaust. the flex pipe keeps braking and i don't want to buy 25 feet of it. I found that 1" flexible gas piping for natural gas or LP seems to work rely well and is more flexible than the standard flex pipe.


This is the new piping.


I just need to finish welding it up with the Tig welder.
The next thing i fixed was the alternator that sum-won installed do to a faulty regulator on the original charging system.

There was no-way to adjust the belt tension do to thay made the alternator un-adjustable. the belt don't fit the manual starter pulley ether and when the motor moves it jumps off.

The new Belt I made up with industrial poly belting works real good and the best part is it's like a big rubber band and stretches when the motor moves and it fits in the motor starter pulley with room to still use the rope.
I still need to fix up the wiring.
Wen i got the machine it did not have a seat, after looking around at different options I went and made my own.

When i built the seat I also replaced the cable for the throttle with one I got off Ebay.
It's still a work in progress but fun to drive, I just need to find a place to really try it out.
You can see more of it hearMaxII 6X6 pictures by kb2rww - Photobucket

[Mike]

Sounds like you got quite the deal and you are well on your way to have it fully operational. At least you get to drive it and have fun with it while you are working on it.

[FREQ42]

Well it's bean a while since my last post so hears an update. I just started building my body band to mount my custom mounting plate for my 3500# winch. I'm only going to do half of the body for now and don't think that a full band is needed do to the riding conditions. the band is made from 1-1/2" angle iran and should work just fine. I could have gon with 1-3/4" but thought that 2" would be way to big.


Now the BIG Problem, Under NY law all motorized vehicles must be registered whether it's for private use or not. the down fall is there is no Vin number and they told me it must be 17 characters long? they told me I must apply for a Vin number to register the MaxII.
My Max has no ser#. I cant find it any-ware & I don't Evan know the year of my machine. perhaps you all can help me narrow it down?
the OH180 ser# 7113E and going by what has Ben posted hear on the site cannot be right, April 23 1997? It was my understanding that the Tecumseh was only used from 1979 to 1989 in the maxII is this correct?
It doesn't appear to have Ben replaced and looks all stock to me. If i remember correctly the OH seres ended in the 80s, having this as a 1987 would better fit but i don't know.
it has hollow axles 50,60,50 chance, drum brakes and 5 lug 8" rims, upper body it brown with round headlight and a steel gas tank.
I contacted RI with no luck narrowing it down and will give them a call again to look for parts and see if they offer a data plate and sticker kit to relabel the machine back to the way it would have Ben before it was neglected, of coors minis the sure#. what do you all think? I'm really interested in hearing from other NY members on how they got these registered.
The registering of this and any other ATV in NY is absurd, there is only one spot in NY wear they can ride on public land and it is only 800' long road. I have Ben stopped by the DEC for riding on snowmobile trails, they told me only tracked vehicles are aloud on the trials that are marked for that use and can only be when there is ice or snow on them? No problem I'll put my tracks on and wait for the winter.
Looking forward to hear your responses.

Mike Im sorry i missed your fall ride, driving 12hrs play then another 12 back and make it to work at 4AM would have bean a killer + my machine is not quite up to swimming yet but next year I will make plans to go there and meet a lot of you all.

[Mike]

I would guess (and it really is just a guess) that it is an early to mid 1980's model just because of the engine and the C channel T20 controls. The serial number is stamped on a plaque. On newer models it is on the dash. Older models like yours was on the inside of the tub on the driver's side next to your seat. I can see where the 4 rivet holes are in your pictures telling me that the plaque is gone. Did you happen to see it laying in the tub or anywhere when you first purchased the machine?

You could always just stamp a number into the frame and use that for the VIN?

[Red]

I'm new to this as well. I ran into the same problem when I got mine. Have a 1990 MAX II with the HO160 Tech. I was lucy and was able to chase down prev owners to finaly get it reg. It only came with a 4 digit ser # RI was able to send me a letter stating that fact because it was before the 17 digit rule came into play mine being a 90 has a ser # starting 8xxx and that's it. Looking at your pics with the excetion of the alt.it is the same. I live in MI and we also have an option to purchase a surety bond to reg vech.with a value under $2000 to get them reg..I don't know if any of this will help but I tried.

[FREQ42]

The serial number is stamped on a plaque. On newer models it is on the dash. Older models like yours was on the inside of the tub on the driver's side next to your seat. I can see where the 4 rivet holes are in your pictures telling me that the plaque is gone. Did you happen to see it laying in the tub or anywhere when you first purchased the machine?

You could always just stamp a number into the frame and use that for the VIN?

Thanks Mike, I did not find it laying around anywhere when i got it. Stamping a bunch of numbers into the frame would not work nether. I will stamp a number into the frame for a ser# But I want to be as close as possible for that year what ever that is. after the DMV vin assignment I will attach it to where the original was.
On another note it may be older than I thought.
I looked at my 1978 Magnatrac MT1800 with a OH160 and the ser# 8128E matches the build year for the machine. perhaps the max is a 1977? but i think back then it would have a JLO in it not a OH180. I will contact RI tomorrow for more info and a statement or certificate of origin.


My going thru the process of obtaining a Vin thru the DMV will be long but afterwords will be worth it.
I have started the process of registering a homemade or unique vehicle and it just so happens thay have a amphibious vehicles category. I will document my process along the way and post it to the site for a reference to others.

[TalSet]

i live in orange co. here in n.y. i had no trouble getting my max IV registered. mine is a 1994 and my plate has a 5 digit number that dmv accepted with no problems at all. also, if you want some place to ride, we have tons of private land here to ride on. i'm about 25 minutes from you and you're more than welcome to come down and ride. Big Rich

[FREQ42]

I recontacted RI and spoke to Jay and after several minutes was able to use my T-20 ser# to get me the year and the ser# of the machine if the T-20 is the original. the Ser# is a 4 digit and it is a 1987 MaxII aka 2-4. he no-longer has any replacement decals but did have the headlight retainer's, i also ordered Sid's book. I will call the PD tomorrow and have them run the information I got and will go back to the DMV and push the issue if the PD checks out.

i live in orange co. here in n.y. i had no trouble getting my max IV registered. mine is a 1994 and my plate has a 5 digit number that dmv accepted with no problems at all. also, if you want some place to ride, we have tons of private land here to ride on. i'm about 25 minutes from you and you're more than welcome to come down and ride. Big Rich

Tank you for the invite Rich, I will take you up on that offer, I'm getting board driving around on the mountain hear.

Little by little I'm getting the Max to the way I want it, I just finished the 1/2 body band and waiting for the paint to dry.
[IMG][/IMG]

[6X6]

Nice work there, looks like it's coming along nicely! I am curious where you got the LP Flex Pipe, I have to replace a flex pipe on my Attex.

[FREQ42]

Nice work there, looks like it's coming along nicely! I am curious where you got the LP Flex Pipe, I have to replace a flex pipe on my Attex.

Thanks 6X6, I got mine from the scrap yard, you should be able to get it from your propane supplier. thy would have small scraps laying around.
It has plastic over the outside that you just strip off. I got the 1" and with a little finessing will fit into a 1" pipe fitting. depending how much you need I have extra short pieces laying around that I could part with.