conversion kit to redesign the MAX IV

[ARGOJIM]

I like the idea of the conversion but gotta believe the engine and tranny are stacked for balance in the water. I fish out of mine a lot with two adults in the front seat and it floats so nice. I think that's why the front axel is further ahead as well. I go 240 and the girl friend..... Well better not say (lol). But it floats nice and level I'd like to see how one floats with the conversion, maybe not much difference. Should be more stable anyway.

You'll have to get together with LarryW and see side by side, I'd compare the Buff but can't see it with me in it.

[tbone9]

Ha ha I'm sure you could find a driver Jim. Larry had really nice setup there. Kinda simple too.

[rcn11thacr]

I like the idea of the conversion but gotta believe the engine and tranny are stacked for balance in the water. I fish out of mine a lot with two adults in the front seat and it floats so nice. I think that's why the front axel is further ahead as well. I go 240 and the girl friend..... Well better not say (lol). But it floats nice and level I'd like to see how one floats with the conversion, maybe not much difference. Should be more stable anyway.

I know one thing richard did was to "center" the motor during the conversion process. When i go in deep water my max 4 will list to the left very easily compaired to leaning to the right, which takes a bit more effort. I still plan to do this conversion on my own since there is no kit for sale. I rarely take my max in the water so thats not a reason for me to do this. However, to get to the rear axles and chains....now there is a good reason to do it. I hate the idea of pulling the motor all the darn time to get to things that should have been better designed from the plant. If its a routine maintance item, it should be easy to access. I'm not a little guy so its pretty tough to fit into the smaller recesses to make adjustments and grease everything. I just ordered the conversion kit from adair argo (for all 6 axles) to go from factory bearings to the larger argo bearings. Thats gonna be fun. But its primarily being done because poor access to the rear axles leads to poor maintaince which inturn leads to premature bearing failure. So i figure if i beef them up and then get the above mentioned conversion built as soon as i can make time, it will all lead to a max thats much easier to work on and has stronger parts in the end.

[tbone9]

Sounds like a major renovation. But it will be nice when you're all done. Hopefully you can post some pictures.

[Rusty-Gunn]

Yes, pictures. Very interesting stuff.

[rcn11thacr]

Deff an indepth job. Its gonna take some time before i get my new shop set up. I moved a few months ago and i just got finished renovating the new place, now im focused on the shop. ill take pics...

[Noel Woods]

You know, I think the best bet is to talk to the manufacturer, I would venture to say Matt O. has thought about this as well. I've always thought that there is a more simple and reliable way to build these machines, and also lower the center of gravity and off road abilities of the machine.

There's got to be thousands of Max4s out there and even if only 1 in 100 bought a conversion kit, that's a bunch of kits. Best case scenario would be a major overhaul of the factory design so that a new machine with a better design would roll off the production line.

Maybe we will see this in the upcoming Max4 8x8 rumored to be in the planning stage.

[rcn11thacr]

Noel, talking to Matt O. would certainly be nice. Having him make and sell a kit would be great and i bet the odds (1/100) are much better than that. If they did make a kid before i made one, i'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[akcrawler]

I think Richard did an excellent job with the kit. I would be concerned about heat buildup in the exhaust box during long/difficult rides, but I sure like the look. The other advantages would definitely be worth the effort of figuring out how to get this done. I would buy one of the kits if anyone can get one put together.

[rcn11thacr]

I wish i could find a person with one of these machines for sale... or one so inclined to let me get dimensions of the parts. Zrichard said he sold 12 kits before taking them off the market. Pretty small group to say the least. I wonder what his selling cost was for a kit?

[Noel Woods]

The more I think about it, it seems more likely that we will see a simplified Mudd Ox rather than a revised Max4. The Max4 will probably get some revisions in the form of advanced engines, auto-adjusters for the chains, and better build quality. It makes more economic sense to offer a Mudd Ox with a t-20 transmission and the 29hp Kohler like the new Max 2 & 4 and Buffs have. Just think if that machine kept the double #80 chains like the current machines have, it would take forever to wear a set of chains out.

[ARGOJIM]

The more I think about it, it seems more likely that we will see a simplified Mudd Ox rather than a revised Max4. The Max4 will probably get some revisions in the form of advanced engines, auto-adjusters for the chains, and better build quality. It makes more economic sense to offer a Mudd Ox with a t-20 transmission and the 29hp Kohler like the new Max 2 & 4 and Buffs have. Just think if that machine kept the double #80 chains like the current machines have, it would take forever to wear a set of chains out.

Somewhere on here was a post that a MuddOx will never have a T-20.

[kghills]

Somewhere on here was a post that a MuddOx will never have a T-20.

I think you are right about a T-20 in a Mudd-Ox Jim, but maybe it is sort of a James Bond/Sean Connery kind of thing with "Never say Never". Speaking of spys....


Keith.

[Rabbit929]

Just thought I'd drop in to say,
Muddox did it.
They freakin' did it.

[Rusty-Gunn]

They did what?