Pictoral build of my hustler 950

[zoood]

When I took my hustler in the water and did a short video of it. I noticed how the back end floated a little lower than the front. So I took a plastic water tank I had here from an older motorhome. I had cut it up and built a box. I will be filling it with a builder's expansion foam ( the foam will not absorb water)and fitting it below the rear bumper and over the tow hitch. Hopefully this will keep the ass end from dipping lower than does now. My concern for doing this. Is if my wife takes a ride in it and the dam thing sank! I would never hear the end of it!

[fmints]

Very nice work Zoood! I second what JP said, I just might have to use a few of your mods. Great work!!

[zoood]

winch mounts reinforced

The second time I took the atv out. I had gotten stuck in mud. Even though there was a foot of water flowing over the mud. I couldnt get it loose. I removed my winch from the rear and secured it to the winch mount in the front. I then hooked the cable around a small tree. It pulled me out of where I was stuck. Only to get stuck again. This time the nose of the atv was pointed upwards and when using the winch. The mount broke. Long story short. I managed to push and pull the atv loose while in was in gear. I reinforced the winch mounts. Now I can use the winch no matter how the atv is positioned.

Before



After





zoood

[zoood]

Very nice work Zoood! I second what JP said, I just might have to use a few of your mods. Great work!!

Thank you fmints.

[brushcutter]

That's REALLY NICE RJ, I thoroughly enjoyed this thread. Absolutely love the dashboard mod, and what you said about the 950 tsunami brought back some memories. I don't think you'll be having that problem any more. The quick change winch mod will definitely be a plus, I had a giant fish hook to use when stuck, spool out enough line to reach a log, toss it over and winch. A lot of times you only need a nudge in the right place to get going again. I think your tracks will greatly reduce the amount of use your winch will see. Keep up the great work!

[zoood]

thanks for your comments brushcutter. Ill be heading down there again today. Nice to only drive from the garage to the other side of my property. I installed a floatation addition to the back of the atv last night. I want to see if it keeps the ass end from sitting down in the water like it does. After that I'll put my tracks on and see how it does over all that dead laid down briar patches. In the future sometime. Maybe I'll have the lower acreage set up for camping and hold a aatv (only) bash down there. First Ill have to cut the trails with my hustler. Though I have the Hustler the way it should be. I do however have a few more mods in the works.

That's REALLY NICE RJ, I thoroughly enjoyed this thread. Absolutely love the dashboard mod, and what you said about the 950 tsunami brought back some memories. I don't think you'll be having that problem any more. The quick change winch mod will definitely be a plus, I had a giant fish hook to use when stuck, spool out enough line to reach a log, toss it over and winch. A lot of times you only need a nudge in the right place to get going again. I think your tracks will greatly reduce the amount of use your winch will see. Keep up the great work!

[zoood]

I added a floatation addition to the back of the Hustler. Will test it out tomorrow. Hopefully it keeps the ass end from sagging.





zoood]

[amphibious drew]

I added a floatation addition to the back of the Hustler. Will test it out tomorrow. Hopefully it keeps the ass end from sagging.



zoood]

Hopefully you dont destroy it and spend several hours chasing pieces of foam around. Be carefull backing up and on any inclines.

[zoood]

I will. Its only mounted with the tow hitch, but snug under the bumper. I'd like to make something else that flows with the body, following the same slope and contour. This is just for testing.

Hopefully you dont destroy it and spend several hours chasing pieces of foam around. Be carefull backing up and on any inclines.

[brushcutter]

WOW, those tracks really make that hustler look mean, can't wait to see vids of it in action! The float should help to level it out in the water. I don't think my 950 sat so low in the rear, but don't I remember you saying you were gonna move the battery towards the back or maybe I'm thinking of someone else? But this could be an advantage, the "nose high" stance should help get you over logs and climb out of the water. I was looking at some vids of my 950 a while back and noticed water POURING into the rear of my machine at the back of the engine compartment as I tried to climb out of the water up a short, steep bank. I had never realized it was doing that, but it's something to keep in mind.

Off in It - YouTube

[jpswift1]

WOW, those tracks really make that hustler look mean, can't wait to see vids of it in action! The float should help to level it out in the water. I don't think my 950 sat so low in the rear, but don't I remember you saying you were gonna move the battery towards the back or maybe I'm thinking of someone else? But this could be an advantage, the "nose high" stance should help get you over logs and climb out of the water. I was looking at some vids of my 950 a while back and noticed water POURING into the rear of my machine at the back of the engine compartment as I tried to climb out of the water up a short, steep bank. I had never realized it was doing that, but it's something to keep in mind.

Off in It - YouTube

+1 on that Brushcutter! I love the way tracks look on a Hustler. That low and wide stance is very aggressive looking! That ought to make that a VERY capable machine.

[zoood]

Yes Im the one that placed the battery in the back. When I watched my video. I didnt have my bucket seat positioned correctly. The fuel tank was at 1/4 and with the seat back and the new battery position. Im thinking that all comes into play.
It rained too hard here yesterday. So today Ill try it out with the tracks. I think I'd like to find another tub, a partial one at that. I need the rear section for a mold or as a cap for the back end. I too, think the look with the tracks makes it look nasty.
Also,... looks like I'll be making an addition to the upper cap's rear. So that on a severe incline out of the water. I dont get water pouring into the open back like yours did.

WOW, those tracks really make that hustler look mean, can't wait to see vids of it in action! The float should help to level it out in the water. I don't think my 950 sat so low in the rear, but don't I remember you saying you were gonna move the battery towards the back or maybe I'm thinking of someone else? But this could be an advantage, the "nose high" stance should help get you over logs and climb out of the water. I was looking at some vids of my 950 a while back and noticed water POURING into the rear of my machine at the back of the engine compartment as I tried to climb out of the water up a short, steep bank. I had never realized it was doing that, but it's something to keep in mind.

Off in It - YouTube

[zoood]

I tried it out today with the tracks. Twice the left side tracks seemed to almost come off on a 90 degree turn. I added some more air to the center tires, 5lbs now and if I'm watchful how and where I turn. The tracks seem fine. I dont care for the noise they make when running over hard surfaces in the woods. Guess Im not use to it. I had stopped at the place I got stuck before with just tires on,...



Even though I wanted to venture in there. Very inviting to say the least. I talked myself out of it. Problem is. The plastic tracks dont swim. Besides that,... If I did have to go down stream I would need another way out if I couldnt come back up. I decided to open up a path down to the bog down stream. The underbrush in the woods was so thick. Places of it looked like a tunnel. This is the view to the creek from the end of the path I cut.



Ok now I have an exit. But I still dont have tracks that swim. Sometime in a week or two. Ill have back from a machine shop. The design I had them laser cut for me.
I'm hoping that this design will allow my hustler to swim while I have plastic tracks on.

[brushcutter]

I sure hope your idea for a swimming attachment works, I know you don't want to let it out right now, but would it be something that could be crossed over to work with any machine? The reason I am asking is ... well think of it this way, there are a lot of tires out there that have excellent mudding ability but wont swim for even a little bit, if you come up with a bolt-on attachment that would swim AND would work on any machine then... well, you get the picture!

Now, you are gonna HAVE to stop putting up pics of your playground, 'cause you're making me really jealous! That are reminds me of the place I originally built the 950 for, it was open land when I started the build, but had leased before I ever got to ride in it. Ya know, one of my favorite things to do was ride into a bunch of briars(like the ones in your pics) and donut-shred 'em. It can be a little painful cutting them out from around the axles though...

[zoood]

I see you read what Ive been reading. The answer is yes @ making them for other models. And I cant stop at sharing the pictures of my backyard. It's like the first time in the 5 years since I've moved here. That I can see these views.

I sure hope your idea for a swimming attachment works, I know you don't want to let it out right now, but would it be something that could be crossed over to work with any machine? The reason I am asking is ... well think of it this way, there are a lot of tires out there that have excellent mudding ability but wont swim for even a little bit, if you come up with a bolt-on attachment that would swim AND would work on any machine then... well, you get the picture!

Now, you are gonna HAVE to stop putting up pics of your playground, 'cause you're making me really jealous! That are reminds me of the place I originally built the 950 for, it was open land when I started the build, but had leased before I ever got to ride in it. Ya know, one of my favorite things to do was ride into a bunch of briars(like the ones in your pics) and donut-shred 'em. It can be a little painful cutting them out from around the axles though...