My first 6x6 Max IV project

[phabib]

I hadn't given a thought to 6x6s since I was about 10 years old and someone down the street had 3 of them parked in the driveway. Then I stumbled across one on Craigslist and it all came back. My 9 year old has been wanting to build some sort of all terrain thing maybe using one of his older brother's old power wheelchairs as a base and I thought a 6x6 could fill that urge and be a fun project.

So after missing a couple of good deals and passing on a few not so good ones, I got a max IV project for us to work on. It has no engine but the rest of it looks to be all there and not too beat up. Based on the serial number compared to others here, I'm guessing its a 94 or 95 model.

I'll be asking here for advice and help from time to time, I'm sure.

First order of business will be pressure washing the inside and freeing up all of the linkages. All chains are rusted solid. There is a coating of dried gunky grass covering the bottom, but the frame does not seem badly rusted.

After that I'm not sure. Am I better off taking it all apart and replacing bearings and sandblasting and either painting or powder coating frame and other parts, or just trying to use it and letting what breaks be my guide? I lean toward toward the rebuild, just to avoid being stranded somewhere.

I have good mechanical skills and access to a full workshop and machine shop to use. I'm looking to wind up with a solid, reliable fun machine. Not an extreme off roader or a racer.

For an engine, I'm thinking a 4 stroke of between 16 and 20 HP depending on what I can find. For starters, the shift levers on the transmission are stuck. I got one side to move and turning the clutch put force on the rusted chains, I couldn't get the other side to budge. Is this a free up and hope for the best, or should I open the transmission, clean it out and at least measure the bands?

Any advice on how to proceed would be appreciated.

Here is a picture of it on the trailer when I bought it.

FirstPicOnTrailer.jpg

[Dave Smith]

That doesn't look so bad on the outside. I'd recommend the full rebuild. You'll be able to check each part, nut, bolt, screw etc. and repair or replace it. That way you will lessen the chance of a breakdown in the field and you will know how each system works to repair it when it does. Second, you will teach your son valuable lessons as you rebuild it. Imagine his face the first time you two fire it up and tear across the yard after all your hard work. By now you know everyone on this site is willing to help every step of the way. Take lots of photos as you disassemble it, they'll help you remember how to reassemble it. Good luck.

[jpswift1]

First off, congrats on the purchase. That Max IV has tons of potential and is an excellent starting point for an AATV restoration. I've owned and rebuilt many AATVs and here's how I'd approach this machine.

-Soak the T-20 linkages, sprockets, axles. and sprocket bolts with PB blaster every day for the next week.

-I would take an angle grinder and cut all the chains off if they're that badly rusted.

-Start building an estimate on what it'll cost to get the machine up and going. Call Buffalo Bearing for bearings (716) 874-1720. You'll most likely need six 62mm OD/1.25" ID inner bearings and six, either 72mm or 62mm outer bearings (measure them when you take the machine apart and make sure you get "R3" triple lip sealed bearings for the outers). You'll need #50 chain, which you can find good deals on ebay. Then of course you'll need an engine and drive clutch.

In the mean time, pressure wash the tub, and get that top body looking like new again with the heat gun treatment. It works GREAT on HDPE AATV bodies.

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/content/252-remove-oxidation-hdpe-body.html

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/content/266-heatgun-body-repair-oxidation.html

-Then start tearing the machine down and see what's what. Keep us updated and we'll certainly be here to help you out along the way.

[ARGOJIM]

Congratulations on your purchase looks like a good starting point, since your leaning towards a rebuild that's a good direction. You may want to go into the trans. but for now disconnect the stick linkage and first check if the stick itself is stuck, then clean machine and penetrate oil everything repeat if needed and cut the chains off. JPswift's list works good and I would wait to tear apart the trans.

[phabib]

My 9 year old is, of course, bouncing off the walls excited about this thing. This morning he asked my wife to drive the carpool by the house on the way to school so he could show his best friend "The Thingy" as he's named it. So they stop and roll down the windows for a look and the friend starts talking about how cool it is and then asks why the previous owner sold it. My son says "I just don't know. I mean who would sell a 6 wheel drive AMPHIBIOUS vehicle?" "I know," says the friend "who would do that?"

[jpswift1]

My 9 year old is, of course, bouncing off the walls excited about this thing. This morning he asked my wife to drive the carpool by the house on the way to school so he could show his best friend "The Thingy" as he's named it. So they stop and roll down the windows for a look and the friend starts talking about how cool it is and then asks why the previous owner sold it. My son says "I just don't know. I mean who would sell a 6 wheel drive AMPHIBIOUS vehicle?" "I know," says the friend "who would do that?"

Kids love 6 wheelers, and every time I find a good deal on a project machine that I'll be restoring I feel the same excitement that your son does. It never gets old, haha.

[SlimChance]

Congrats phabib on your purchase!
I hope your son gets into the rebuild project as many young people need to learn some mechanical skills.
These machines do draw a crowd. In my area, they are pretty rare and I use mine as a fishing boat quite often on a small lake. People stop what they are doing and watch when I head down the boat launch. I think most are betting if I am going to sink.....

[phabib]

My son has inherited the mechanical gene for sure. My dad was a diesel mechanic and mechanical stuff has always been intuitive to me. I have always been able to look at a box of parts and put them back together. Since he was 2 my son has been taking things apart and figuring out how they work and building stuff. He has been applying Kroil to every nut and scooping out the 3 inch layer of compost out of the tub every day before and after school since the machine arrived. Last night we worked on removing the seats to get some more room to work and this morning in the carpool he told the other 3rd graders what a terrible thing it is when you need to remove 8 rusty bolts to get a job done and only 7 of 'em come out.

[phabib]

We've started digging into it and so far have removed the seats, roll bar, and about 3 cubic feet of compost. Time permitting, the axles will come out this weekend and after that the frame will have an out of body experience.

I will inspect the sprockets and replace the ones that are too beat up to use.

I can get #50 chain from Surplus Center for about 2 bucks a foot or I can spend a lot more on O-ring chain. I'm leaning towards the O-ring. Does anyone know how many feet it takes to replace all of the chain? Is there any harm in having more than 1 master link if I wind up piecing the chain together?

For later on, after its all back together, I did not get the floor pan with this thing. I'm afraid to ask how much an original would be so I'm wondering if I should just use thin waterproofed plywood or something else. I imagine the floor pan just sit on the frame rails and is only held in place by gravity, is that right?

I'm also looking for an engine. There is a 25HP Kohler for sale near me but the seller is asking a lot of money for it.

[SlimChance]

phabib,
sorry, I don't know the total length of chain you will need. I don't see a problem using multiple master links in the same run, but the master is normally the weak point.
On my 2000 MaxIV 900T, the floor pan is in two sections. The back section lays on the frame, but you will need to space 2 areas toward the rear seat for the chain adjusters to clear and a 90 degree "wall" to cover the battery and chains so passengers don't get their feet in the chains and wiring. The front pan on mine is secured down with 2 screws beside the base of the steering sticks, on on each side.
I would think 3/8 marine plywood would do the job pretty well.

A 25 hp Kohler would give you plenty of power and low end torque. I have the same engine in mine and it's very good, but a little cold-blooded during winter.

Hope that helps,
Slim Chance

[wfo]

32 ft of chain for a max iv and what is the serial # ?

[phabib]

Thank you.

It is 10586, which puts it in 1994.

[phabib]

Now that we had some time to work on it we decided it was time to get it down to a level part of the driveway. My garage is under the house with a steep driveway down, then about 20ft of level space. My idea was to tie the Max to my truck then lift the 4 corners and slide a 3 wheel furniture moving dolly under each tire and slowly drive the truck down as the Max rolled down on the dollies. Each dolly was rated for 160 pounds so it seemed like it should work. The dollies crumpled and the bent sheet metal they were made from just dug into the concrete. Time for plan B. I got a wheeled auto jack and a heavier duty dolly with some boards across it to support the weight. That took care of it. Now I had to explain to my son why I didn't lead with plan B since it was obviously the better of the two ideas. I tried to tell him how you don't want to waste your best ideas on the first try because then you'd have nothing to fall back on, but I guess he's just too young to see the wisdom in that.

My son made quick work of removing the front wheels and the setscrews on the outside locking collars came right out. I then beat on the hole in the locking collar to try to remove it as hard as I could but nothing happened. I tried both directions, applied penetrating oil, tried again. Nothing. Using a big bar I was able to turn the wheel enough to get the nut in the cross bolt to the top and remove it, but again, no amount of beating could get the bolt through the shaft. It really looks like everything is rusted pretty solid. We applied more Kroil and left it for the night.

I'm trying to decide what to do next. I could remove the outer bearing flange and give myself form room to get the grinder in and cut the locking collars, or get some ceramic wool in there to protect the plastic and apply some heat. I don't think anything short of buying a 55 gallon drum of Kroil and soaking the entire vehicle in there is going to be of much use.

I also had to get the chain off the front sprocket with a punch and hammer so I'm pretty sure sprockets are in my future. In which case, I may as well just cut things out any way I can.

Any ideas?

[steelheart]

Phabib, I just went through the same ordeal with mine yesterday! I took a small cut off wheel on my Dremel tool and cut most of the way through both threaded holes in the locking collars then took a chisle and hamered it at the slit, at an angle and they broke free. Now the outer bearing was a different story! I took that to work and used the "big " press to get that off. That sucker was tight ALL the way down!! If you end up doing this, push it down about an inch or so then release it so it doesn't kink sideways. Mine came off pretty hard but you can't even see where it slid down the shaft! Mine was built not long after your's as my serial # is
10621. Still not sure if mine is a 94 or a 95? I take it all the bearing's are the the same? I think I found some similar on line but I really need to confirm the exact sizes! These were $12.95 a piece. My chain is rusted somewhat as well. I thought about trying electrolysis as I have had outstanding luck with it! If you have never heard of it, look it up on you tube! It really works! I am just going to get mine back together with minimal new parts as I just want to get it going for now. Future plans are a full restoration!I got mine given to me as the person who had it had taken it all apart with the same idea as me as to restoring it! He lost interest so I say's, "sure I'll take it for free!" . Everything was there to along with the Brigg's Vangaurd 16 hp. engine!!! Good luck with your's, I'm having fun with mine!

[phabib]

I just came back in from just a few minutes of work and I got the bolt that goes through the shaft to move. I took that as an opening to get more penetrating oil into it and I'll go from there. I think I might do as you did and get the inner collar busted open and then use the press on the rest of it. I have a 20 ton press and I can wire brush or sandblast to get the the big crud off so that the outer can slide a bit easier. I've worked on rusty old stuff before but this is the worst.

If the bearings turn out to be the right thing, I'd love to know the source.