Hustler 980 I/C

[kghills]

This is a Hustler 980 I/C according to the manual. It was originally purchased by a Doctor in Jonesboro with a partner for duck hunting. The gentleman passed away a while back and the 980 went to his daughter. I purchased it from Jeff his son in law. Jeff got it running about three years ago with plans to use it duck hunting himself. He even painted it green. He used it a couple times and it has been sitting in the driveway until I puchased it. It fired right up and drove on the trailer. Here are a couple pictures after I washed the dirt off it and blew the leaves out of it.


It has an older 18HP Briggs engine that starts right up and runs great. Even has a chrome air cleaner.


I adjusted up the chains. One is at it's limit so it will need replacing and an aduster gear has a shot bearing. The belt could use replacing but I threw some oil on the chains and took the boys for a ride.


Even got the original manual.


This machine deserves Adair tracks. Look at all that room. 27 inch GBC Gators with tracks. Do the Hustle!


Keith

[mudbug3]

Keith

The Hustler 980 Bigfoot that you recently bought is begging for a set of Adair tracks.

[kghills]

I was just measuring it up outside and I have call into Tim. I am scheduled to take the Max IV out to Adair the end of next week and if I can get the Hustler on the trailer I will take it also. I will need a tire to work with the grousers. I would like the largest possible. Looks like there is 3/4 between the rear tires with the Terras. Maybe fmints can chime in and let me know how much room he as with the 26" Mudbugs. I am thinking 27" GBC Gators might fit as they are said to run a bit small.

Looks like the drive belt is a bit loose also. Time to read the manual.

Keith.

[fmints]

Welcome to the club. Congradulations one the new machine!!

[fmints]

I was just measuring it up outside and I have call into Tim. I am scheduled to take the Max IV out to Adair the end of next week and if I can get the Hustler on the trailer I will take it also. I will need a tire to work with the grousers. I would like the largest possible. Looks like there is 3/4 between the rear tires with the Terras. Maybe fmints can chime in and let me know how much room he as with the 26" Mudbugs. I am thinking 27" GBC Gators might fit as they are said to run a bit small.

Looks like the drive belt is a bit loose also. Time to read the manual.

Keith.

Just read your post,,,, looking like 1 1/4 inches between the center and rear 26'' Mudbugs, buddy!

[highrollinmopars]

Just a heads up. You will have to buy some 1 1/4" wheel spacers to make the Adair tracks clear the hump on left rear section of the lower tub. I recommend putting them on both sides as the 980 is a less stable swimmer and will lean to one side if the tires are not spaced evenly. I can count up the grousers and let you know how many it takes for the 26" tires.

[kghills]

Just read your post,,,, looking like 1 1/4 inches between the center and rear 26'' Mudbugs, buddy!

Wow, if you have 1 1/4 between the center and rear wheel that means there would be room for 28" Mudbugs. From what I understand Mudbugs run pretty true to size. I was going to go with GBC Gators because they are known to run undersize. What kind of tire pressure are you running with those? You sure you got an inch and a quarter? Both sides? I have a touch over 3/4 between the Terras that are on there now. I will need to tape their circumfrence in the morning to see what size they are. Maybe they are bigger than 26".

Just a heads up. You will have to buy some 1 1/4" wheel spacers to make the Adair tracks clear the hump on left rear section of the lower tub. I recommend putting them on both sides as the 980 is a less stable swimmer and will lean to one side if the tires are not spaced evenly. I can count up the grousers and let you know how many it takes for the 26" tires.

I was planning on 3" spacers on each side like I run on my Max IV. I talked with Tim and they have every width spacer in stock up to 6" so I should be covered if the 3" spacers don't look optimal. The Max IV will be fitted for 18.5 wide tracks with the case hardened chain over 25" Rawhide IIIs while I plan on trying to have the Hustler fitted with the thicker style grousers they are using on the Max and Muddox machines that uses a bolted together dog bone style link where every other grouser is staggered and spaced a little farther apart. I would like to figure out the tallest tire I can fit without the center and rear tires contacting each other.

I am scheduled to be in Adair IA on Thursday with the two machines. Just need to get the wheels blasted and powdercoated before the trip.

Keith.

[jpswift1]

Keith, Looks like you got a really nice Hustler. That's cool that you have the history behind the machine too......that makes the machine that much cooler when you know where it came from and all about it. If you have a spare minute sometime could you scan the literature and save it as a pdf file for the site? We'd all appreciate it.....thank you.

As far as tires go, I think those 27" Gators will fit just fine, but I can't say if they would with tracks too. There were 27" Gators on a Max IV that Recreatives was running around and I saw it in person and the fitment was A-OK, so I think you have a green light there. Quite the collection you have going there......keep it up!

[kghills]

Keith, Looks like you got a really nice Hustler. That's cool that you have the history behind the machine too......that makes the machine that much cooler when you know where it came from and all about it. If you have a spare minute sometime could you scan the literature and save it as a pdf file for the site? We'd all appreciate it.....thank you.

Seems like there is a story with most machines for some reason. I will try to figure out how to scan the manual an forward it to Mike.

As far as tires go, I think those 27" Gators will fit just fine, but I can't say if they would with tracks too. There were 27" Gators on a Max IV that Recreatives was running around and I saw it in person and the fitment was A-OK, so I think you have a green light there. Quite the collection you have going there......keep it up!

Is the wheel spacing on the Max IV and the hustler the same? If so I know I can get 28" tires on my Max IV, tight, but they will fit. 28' tires with tracks. Think of the ground clearance. 28s might also bring the upper track sections out of the water for good speed in the water. Thanks for the info.

Max, Attex, Hustler. I need to stop.

Keith.

[fmints]

you have more clearance or wheel space on a Hustler than that of a Max IV,,, the 980 Tall tub Hustlers were made to accept tracks.

I'm between 3-4 psi of tire pressure in m MB's

[Noel Woods]

Nice machine, was that Dr Rainwater's machine?

[kghills]

Do not know the doctors name and the son in law, Jeff, had never met him, his wife inherited the machine when her father, the doctor, died. I do know from the looks of the tub the duck hunting use must have been real as there is not one scuff or scratch on the lower tub so it has seen no trail riding. The tread on the tires is like 95% but they are weather-checked badly. Sitting outside for the past three did not do it any good.

I peeled the tires off this morning and sent the wheels out to be blasted and powder coated. I think 27" gators with 3" extentions on the wheels will be what I have Tim build tracks for. Hopefully it all comes together for my trip to Iowa Thursday.

Keith.

[mudbug3]

Before you buy any tires for your Hustler 980, ask Tim first if the tires that you choose will work good with his tracks. For his tracks to work properly, the tire that you choose needs to have minimal side wall tread, and with out an aggressive top tread, or the Adair track will cause chain wind up! Tim's tracks have been designed for the Good year Rawhide tire and the tires that come on the new Argo's

[kghills]

Before you buy any tires for your Hustler 980, ask Tim first if the tires that you choose will work good with his tracks. For his tracks to work properly, the tire that you choose needs to have minimal side wall tread, and with out an aggressive top tread, or the Adair track will cause chain wind up! Tim's tracks have been designed for the Good year Rawhide tire and the tires that come on the new Argo's

I'm on it. Actually the Max will be running the Rawhides IIIs and they have a grouser for it that works with the case hardened chain. The type of track I want to run on the Hustler is the design they use on the Max machines and works best with a square tire like the Kenda Dominator. They are also using this style track on Mudox's for the rep in Canada I am told. Tim seemed to think the Gators would work.

Keith.

[mudbug3]

Keith

If Tim says that the Gator tires will work with his tracks, who am I to question his judgement. I have 6 Gator tires sitting in my garage and I know how aggressive the lugs are on the Gator tire when compared to the tire lugs that are on the Good Year Rawhide 111's. I ran these tires on the Mudd-Ox I used to own. I'm now running the Carlise tires with the Adair tracks on my Frontier. Tim sent Wildtexasranger a proto-type grouser to try on a 26 inch Mudlite that he's running on his deep tub Hustler 980, and the grouser slide over the sides very easy Wildtexasranger told me. When I compare a Mudlite tire to Gator tire, the tire lugs on the Gator are a lot more aggressive and that was what concerned me. MightyMaxIV and myself have spent hundreds of dollars trying different atv mud tires, and I know how expensive choosing the wrong tire can be. I like to stay with what has been known to work with Tim's tracks.