Another resurrected Hustler...

[zoood]

Hazard85, since your doing a total there. Do yourself a favor and keep the top half of the body attached to the tub now that you have that cleaned out and while your doing the frame. These plastic bodies change with temperatures and how they are stored. It will make the holes line up easier when you put the two halves back together. I had a lot of crud in my tub as well and I used a flat wood chisel to scrap it out. It was like cement in there.

[Hazard85]

Mike, thanks for the encouragement.

Clevernickname, I appreciate the pointers, and that will certainly make everythig a lot easier, especially drilling the holes for the outer bearings and bolts. I'm a machinst by trade; I just wish I had a mill and lathe in my garage!

Zoood, Thanks for the info, as well. I have been storing the top half leaned up against the wall on its nose, so fitment back on the lower tub could be a bit interesting.... Luckily, all the crud came out of mine at the carwash.....no chiseling required!

[clevernickname]

Lol, if a machinist cant drill holes.....

[Dan67]

If you are going to rebuild your frame, you might want to consider upgrading to Argo 1-1/4" axles. Instead of a single inner rail, make 2 and space them apart far enough that you can use Argo axles, they are already splined, and I think it would be really easy upgrade. It might add some weight but I'm sure it would make up for it in additional frame strength. I would also make the T-20 mount robust with top and bottom mounting bolts utilized.

[turtlecrawler]

Hazard85.........sorry to hear about your frame delima........I will have mine out of the tub if all goes well tomorrow........I hope to not the rust issues......I keep thinking positive being that the tub was fill up like an oil slick.....lol

[Hazard85]

Well, the frame MAY be salvageable. I have a friend who used to be a fabricator, and he stopped by for a visit yesterday. After looking over my frame, he believes that it would be OK with some reinforcement and gusseting. There is a local shop that will sandblast the whole frame for $50, and he suggested getting that done before I decide either way. The lateral bar mounts are too far gone to use, but I was planning on moving the bars to the center and using a single mount anyway, as it seems to be a popular modification.

Dan67, thanks for the input. The argo axles sound like an excellent upgrade, but I'm trying to keep things simple and on a budget for now. I do plan on beefing up the T20 mounts, though. There are some great pictures in the gallery of upgraded T20 mounts, and I will certainly be stealing someone's idea for that!

Speaking of modifications, my machine doesn't have a parking brake. I see a bracket on the LH side that appears to have been a lever mount of some sort. Is a parking brake something I shouldn't leave home without, or is it just a convenience?

[Dan67]

I took my maligned parking brake assembly and tossed it in the trash. It did not work anyway and I never even thought about using it at the 2011 April Busco ride. SO I guess I don't really need it. But I do keep a redneck parking brake (4"x4" chock block) in my kit bag just in case..

[Stonewall]

Sandblasting is a good idea, that way you'll be able to see any problem areas easily. I am in the process of sandblasting mine (this is not a fun task...), but I havn't had time to finish.

The lateral mounts are a common weak spot in the Hustlers. I reused my stock bars and made new mounts out of angle iron:


Angle iron makes a good transmount brace:


Dan is right, the parking brake is pretty much useless. I cut mine off. A 4x4 block like Dan suggested would work better anyway lol.

[Hazard85]

A redneck parking brake....Richard Clark will probably sell me one for $65 plus shipping...haha. I like the idea; I will be doing the same. Stonewall, those are some pretty heavy duty lateral and trans mounts ya got there! I might just have to do a little patent infringing when the time comes...

[jpswift1]

A redneck parking brake....Richard Clark will probably sell me one for $65 plus shipping...haha.

Don't forget handling......Clark will probably add another $20 for that, haha.

[Stonewall]

Stonewall, those are some pretty heavy duty lateral and trans mounts ya got there! I might just have to do a little patent infringing when the time comes...

Feel free to use any of my ideas, that's why I posted 'em up!!

[turtlecrawler]

Stonewall...................How is the project comming along...Haven't heard anything in a while.....

[Stonewall]

Stonewall...................How is the project comming along...Haven't heard anything in a while.....

Are you talkin about my project, or Hazard85's? This is his thread and not mine...


My project is over here---> http://www.6x6world.com/forums/hustl...ransplant.html

It's been slow the last few days because I've been distracted trying to fix this:

[Dan67]

Oh in case you guys are missing the grab handles for the rear and the front, McMaster-Carr has those too. Forged Aluminum Dull Finnish Un-threaded Pull Handle Part# 1871A65 $4.74 ea.

[turtlecrawler]

My bad.........too much work.....not enough sleep .......I meant to say Hazard85...........lol