Modified chain Adjuster and reinforced axles....

[REB181]

Well it took me awhile but here are the pic's on the tranny chain adjusters and I was replacing the inner bearings with locking ring bearings but they wouldn't fit because the ring bottomed out before the axle could go all the way in so I asked whipper if he could cut them back a half inch. when I brought them by he also reinforced the plates because they were all bent a little now there stronger than ever should be back on the road soon....
More pic's in my gallery under hustler restore....

[jpswift1]

Great set up you have there! I think this might help out forum member Don when he does his Hustler restoration. I believe his is set up is the same as yours. Hustler changed their chain driveline and idlers around over the years they were produced. This one you have must have been formerly powered by a Kohler 440cc two stroke, I would assume.

[REB181]

yes it was... those other dual roller chain in the middle set up sucked way too much slack and slop chain slaming and banging now it's Q U I E T ...

[jpswift1]

Glad to hear it is working well for you. I talked to Whipper and we were talking about bearings and from what I heard your early Hustler had pretty small bearings like an Attex. I've been trying to figure out what components came on Hustlers during what years. Your machine must have been one of the first poly body Hustlers. Do you happen to know what year it is? Hustler never seemed to do much advertising except for in the early 1970's, so the more we can all share about the vehicles, the more we can all know. Thanks.

By the way, judging by the pictures of the last ride you guys down there all went on I noticed that your Hustler had some 22" Goodyear Rawhide III's on it. How do you like them?

[REB181]

My hustler is a 1973 according to richard at route 6x6 when I bought it I went down to richards to pick up a spare new upper and lower body and 6 new tires he said it's about a 1973 it came with a kolher 440 it also had the older style parking brake located on the middle left axle whipper and I could not figuire out how the brake calliper that I got from richard goes on so I took off the disc. it also had the dual roller set up for the tranny chain adjuster it had way too much slack and slaped and banged alot we made a new system (posted) that uses one roller but we may change it to a sprocket style. oh yea richard said my hustler was the older model and they made a few changes the next year (1974) the parking brake was moved to the right side of the tranny next to the spocket and was twice as big as mine. and yes I was driving with rawhide 22" they were an old set that whipper had around and said I should try them so we put them on one trip... 30 min after we got there we found out two weren't holding air, pulling hard right even after moving low tire to the middle they looked beefy I liked them softer ride then my rock hard tractor style but looked better on the machine than the 21" but my kenda's are bullet proof I have come home with big patches of cactus stuck in my tires and they only go in the tire about a 1/4in even with one pound of air in them. but there are still rock hard so no flats for me...screws and nails I don't know.... not sure how well they swim but my kenda's swim great...my new inner bearings have lock rings so I had to have the axles smaller cut made a 1/2 inch longer so the ring wouldn't hit the taper it stopped the axle from going all the way in fixed now...almost back together need to go riding now......I needed to go riding yesterday and the day before that and all of last week and the week before that.... hell ever since I last turned the key off......I have got to go riding before I have a ahhhhhhhhhh....lol...

[REB181]

more pic's here's a shot of my new tranny shift linkage and another shot of chain adjuster oh yeah also rebiult the tranny too....

[jerrynuss]

For your chain adjusters, it that a flat plate with a square channel then the adjuster piece pushes back on the chain with a roller?

[REB181]

For your chain adjusters, it that a flat plate with a square channel then the adjuster piece pushes back on the chain with a roller?

yes it is, the base is 1/4" steel flat plate ,then the square steel tube is 1" I.D. 1/4" wall 3 1/2" long, then we used a piece of steel stock 1" O.D. and sanded it down a little to fit then made a "u" shaped bracket out of 1/4" stock and thredded one side for the bolt to hold the roller and welded it up...may change the roller to a sprocket.... not sure yet well see...also had to add some support to the frame ..the flat plate was bowing it a little so put in a small brace...

[jerrynuss]

How does it put tension against the chain? I am trying to see how the nut works to put tension in. I have a Hustler without any tensioners so this is looking like a great way to fix that.

[REB181]

the adjuster is above the chain just behind the middle sprocket about 4-6 inches when you screw the bolt in it pushes the adjuster towards the chain it is pushing the chain back and down a little...