My first Hustler!

[Dw89xj]

A good quality #50 chain is more than enough for a 980, especially if you're running the opposed Briggs in it. Not a bad engine at all, but you'd be hard pressed to create a situation where you're going to overstress a chain. Watch some videos of Racerone3 being silly in his 980. His Briggs twin is probably putting out around 35-40hp in the low 4K rpm and I'm not sure if he's snapped a chain that was in good shape.

This is great news for my pocket and married life lol, thank you.

Now for the transmission, the only parts that seem suspect are the three broken planets and one drum and these output sprockets seem worn funny to me but I will let the pros have a gander and take advice from whomever is willing. Thank you guys again.

I guess we still can't post pictures so I guess you will just have to take my word for it

[hydromike]

Also would going up to #60 chain be worth the expense or is #50 good enough?

A good quality #50 chain is more than enough for a 980, especially if you're running the opposed Briggs in it. Not a bad engine at all, but you'd be hard pressed to create a situation where you're going to overstress a chain. Watch some videos of Racerone3 being silly in his 980. His Briggs twin is probably putting out around 35-40hp in the low 4K rpm and I'm not sure if he's snapped a chain that was in good shape.

[Dw89xj]

DW,

Do you know what parts you need yet? I have an old parts t20 and may be able to help some. It has a lot of rust damage though.

I will report back in a few hours I keep getting thrown off track in getting this transmission layed out messing with my garden beds. I know one 18 tooth drum with the gear inside and 3 planet gears.

[dirtdobber]

DW,

Do you know what parts you need yet? I have an old parts t20 and may be able to help some. It has a lot of rust damage though.

[Dw89xj]

After talking t20s with Matt at mudoxx I'm just going tofix what I have instead of sourcing out another transmission. I had though brand new would be the way to go but Matt talked me out of it, great guy and really honest and up front. I will gladly buy parts from just based on his willingness to help me out and give his opinion on how he would go about doing what I'm doing. That will also save me some coin on sprockets when I build axles. If staying with #50 causes any issues it won't be hard to switch my pizza pans and output sprockets later. We shall see.

[Dw89xj]

DW I think the question of increasing to #60 chain depends on how you drive, what terrain and what work you might do with it. If you are going to drive it like you stole it then you may as well as well go with #60 since you will have all new sprockets with the axle size increase.

IF you do go with #60, pay attention to the sprocket diameter. The 980 has little clearance between the tub and chain, so don't go with a larger diameter sprocket. Don't rely on the number of teeth for comparison.

So would I be right in thinking the sprockets size for the axles doesn't really matter my gearing would be between the t20 and pizza pan sprockets? I don't really need to go over 25mph so I don't wanna give up much of my low end, but the tooth count would be less to fit in the same area so I'm going to pick up a little top end but hopefully it's not too bad on my low end

[Dw89xj]

It won't get beat constantly but it will see it's share of spirited driving, the majority of the time I'd like to think I will run it like a sane person because I will be using it to hunt and fish with but I gotta depend on it too since I'm paraplegic. It will also see yard work duties, plow snow possibly pull a tiller or garden plow.

[dirtdobber]

DW I think the question of increasing to #60 chain depends on how you drive, what terrain and what work you might do with it. If you are going to drive it like you stole it then you may as well as well go with #60 since you will have all new sprockets with the axle size increase.

IF you do go with #60, pay attention to the sprocket diameter. The 980 has little clearance between the tub and chain, so don't go with a larger diameter sprocket. Don't rely on the number of teeth for comparison.

[Dw89xj]

hey duck...that is going to be a great machine when your done . what is the motor and condition of it ? johnboy va.

Johnboy, it's a 18hp Briggs opposed twin 694cc. I bought it from duck. It's in pretty decent shape, he already did the hard stuff I just gotta put it all back together. Trans needs rebuilt or replaced, frame needs finished, axles and sprockets addressed, chains, and all bolted together, plus some personal touches.

[john swenson]

hey duck...that is going to be a great machine when your done . what is the motor and condition of it ? johnboy va.

[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.

[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]

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.

[Duck89]

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[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.