Dan67's Hustler 950 Rebuild

[Dan67]

Talked to a guy at a local muffler shop, he might be able to modify my existing muffler exhaust port to blow out the back like it was as a 950. More to come later..

[Dan67]

Spent all day Saturday bolting the top down to the bottom tub. Man, it was a tough fight, the tubs did not want to line up for squat. I got the corners to match and bolted them down. Put the body band back on the top and started drilling new holes for bolts 1 at a time. I checked and measured each bolt to get a good secure connection thru the tubs. No misses on the lower tub lip this time. Doing them 1 at a time with longer bolt, then going back with shorter bolts took forever but the long sides and rear are good. The front is a pain now. The old bumper mount holes do not align at all.. need to spend some time figuring out whats wrong. More then likely, I'll have to weld the holes and re-drill the lower body and frame extension.

[amphibious drew]

Did one or both pieces deform a bit? Maybe a heat gun on both pieces will get them back together. I am sure you will get it worked out though. Might just take some time.

[Dan67]

Both deformed a good bit over the year they where apart. Used heat gun, prybar, and a block of wood to get the sides lined up and bolted straight, the back went on effortless. Started there and worked my way down the sides, 1 bolt at a time. Doubt I'll get more down this week, leaving for Myrtle Beach on Friday.

[highrollinmopars]

I started on one corner and worked my way down clamping the upper tub lip with vise grips to keep it from coming loose. 3 sides fit good and you had to work the 4th and final side to get it to slip on. Then I drilled my holes for it.

[brushcutter]

I can feel your pain guys, my first 6X6 was a max IV that had sat outside a lawn mower shop for some years with the top unattached before I got it. That was a world championship wrasslin match to get the two halves back together. Then my 950 sat separated for some months before I remembered what a fight the max was. Too late... even with no frame in it it was a fight from the first bolt to the last. It was no better when it came time to separate them for the short time it took to fit everything for the brush guard and such. I'm fairly sure I was the first to ever break it apart, as there were no "extra" holes, but there were some that just did hit the lower tub, which makes me think that even at the factory they didn't go together real easy. Always seems the last side is the worst.

[Dan67]

Exhaust

All I have left to to is redo the engine exhaust. Kinda sucks, I bought a muffler and it just does not work.. It is too big and won't fit int he back. I was going back through the gallery and Stonewalls exhaust caught my eye. I like it. So I'm gonna try to copy it. Any ideas where to get the 1.25" piping and the 2-1 pipe and RVL Silencer?

[Stonewall]

Hey Dan, glad my exhaust can be an inspiration to you. I got the pipe from Columbia River Mandrel Bending. They also have collectors, but none of what they had was what I needed, so I used a collector from Robertson's Torque Tubes. It's the same collector that Whipper used on his Max II exhaust. I made my own flanges using the exhaust gaskets as a pattern. One piece of advice: don't use a 90 degree upward bend on the end, run it straight out the back, otherwise you'll go deaf. I never put a muffler on mine, it is just a straight header, and it is LOUD. Good luck!

[Dan67]

Did a bit more on the front bumper, had to plastic weld the original holes and re-drill the lower bolts. I had to add 2 spacer blocks of HDPE between the body band supports and the lower body. Got that fight finished and started on the back floor pan. Upon inspection, I noticed my bilge pump had come loose and the wiring clips became unglued from the frame. Gonna have to go back and rebuild an "L" bracket for my pump. Need to drill some holes in the frame rail to mount the wiring loom better. One step forward, one step back.. I really want to finish this sucker off for Busco. Like to take both to play in the mud.

[Dan67]

The new 12" wheels arrived the other day. I dropped them off at a local tire shop, I've been going to them for 20+ years.. Hope to pick them up tomorrow after work ready to put on the Hustler. Just need to get this exhaust done and then its the minor tying stuff up and its finished.

[Dan67]

I got all the parts to get my exhaust done. Now I need time, and that is a problem.

My wife's mother suddenly passed away on us this past week. She was 85, lived at home and was in really good health. All my free time is now devoted to my wife and helping her with her mothers estate. According to my mother inlaws Will, my wife is the executor of her mothers estate. To make matters worse, her sister is being an ass. Her sister is trying to take charge and push my wife into decisions that I know are immoral, possibly illegal, and not in regards to her mothers last will of testament.

So they way it is looking now is I will try to make Busco. But it won't be with a finished Hustler.. Oh well, just gives me more time to re-engineer a few components I had planned.

[fmints]

Hey buddy, if all you need is to fab up the exhaust,,, if you bring the exhaust pipe, I'll bring my welder and grinder. We'll fix you on up!! Shouldn't take long at all, probably 30-60 minutes.

So, sorry to hear about the situation at home. My prayers are to you and your family!

[Dan67]

Thanks Fred.

Spent some time on the hustler, not as much as I wanted too.. But I am getting close to having it ready, cept the exhaust.. Tying the rear seat in, thought I had it perfect, and now stuff not lining up like I had it, sees some holes moved on me> Need to weld in the holes I drilled for the back seat bar and move it back 1/2" or so.

[Dan67]

Finished!!!

It is finished! Well 99% of it is. Going to Busco and get exhaust done. All I'll have left to do is add a second fan and padded seats on the engine cover. Add metal grates under the back seat to protect riders legs and metal grate and the rear.





Whoops in my excitement I did forget 1 small issue. I was not getting full throttle when I did a test run of the engine. I think my throttle cable clip is to blame.

[fmints]

It is finished! Well 99% of it is. Going to Busco and get exhaust done. All I'll have left to do is add a second fan and padded seats on the engine cover. Add metal grates under the back seat to protect riders legs and metal grate and the rear.





Whoops in my excitement I did forget 1 small issue. I was not getting full throttle when I did a test run of the engine. I think my throttle cable clip is to blame.

congrats on the 99%, as for the full throttle,,, i believe all you need is to adjust your throttle cable. On every engine that I had to rebuild or install, always resulted in at least 10-15 minutes of fine adjustment. Shoot, I'm only 85% happy with my throttle, cause im only able to throttle up to 85% of the hp of the engine.

anyways, I'll see ya at Busco!