amphicat help

[thenewguy]

so i really got to take the thing in some light mud and water.. man this thing is fun.. 382168_443864729007961_864601412_n.jpg

then i broke an axle.... was able to quick repair it and get back riding in about an hour.. 248895_443864589007975_1959464019_n.jpg

drilled a new hole down the shaft a little.. lucky i broke it near the inside holding bolt...

now that axle keeps breaking the bolt at the hub.. i already fixed a front one from doing this but that took drilling it out slightly bigger

i think its time to pull it apart and put new bearings and axles and chains.. all the wear out parts...
so im wondering should i keep with a solid axle or go with a good thick hollow axle? i know hollow is normally stronger but are they in this app?

also what kind of bearings am i gonna need? are they a normal sealed bearing.
and where can i get good strong chain and about how much does it take??

thanks!

[jpswift1]

Your best bet is to stick with solid axle material. 4130 Chromoly would work very well. Just make sure you NEVER deal with Richard Clark/Route6x6. He has burned MANY, MANY new folks in the hobby, his customer service is horrible, and his prices for inferior quality products are ridiculously high. As far as chain and bearings go, call Buffalo Bearing. Many 6X6World members deal with them, and they're great folks. Their number is (716) 874-1720. Tell them you're from 6X6World and they'll take very good care of you. You'll need triple lip sealed bearings. Hope this helps.

[thenewguy]

Your best bet is to stick with solid axle material. 4130 Chromoly would work very well. Just make sure you NEVER deal with Richard Clark/Route6x6. He has burned MANY, MANY new folks in the hobby, his customer service is horrible, and his prices for inferior quality products are ridiculously high. As far as chain and bearings go, call Buffalo Bearing. Many 6X6World members deal with them, and they're great folks. Their number is (716) 874-1720. Tell them you're from 6X6World and they'll take very good care of you. You'll need triple lip sealed bearings. Hope this helps.

helps a lot

now do you know if all the bearings are the same form machine to machine?

[jpswift1]

helps a lot

now do you know if all the bearings are the same form machine to machine?

I really have no idea when it comes to Amphicats. Your best bet would be to get a set of micrometers and get the specifications on them to be certain.

[thenewguy]

I really have no idea when it comes to Amphicats. Your best bet would be to get a set of micrometers and get the specifications on them to be certain.

figured that would be the case. my dad has a set so i wont need to buy any..

thanks for the info..

[jpswift1]

Glad to help, hopefully you get it back up and going very soon.

[thenewguy]

Glad to help, hopefully you get it back up and going very soon.

my only prob is i really need to do repairs to the tub.. some one already fiber glass the crap out of it should i bother trying to remove it or just go with the flow?

my idea is to fiber glass the whole bottom tube like making a new tube... i know abs and fiberglass dont changes temps at the same time and cause cracks.

i can ride it right now.. but i wanna get it all fixed for the summer next year! so when i wanna ride it for 8 hours non stop nothing is going to break because its all new parts! im just glad the framing is all solid and everything is there.. but the seat, from what i can tell

[thebuggyman1]

Do NOT waste your time trying to add fiberglass. The Amphicat is made from ABS plastic and can be patched with a goo made from pieces melted in acetone. For larger holes, some people have used the cloth from fiberglass to absorb the goo and form it. Another possibility is the epoxy I used when I made my bigfoot. WEST SYSTEM | Plastic Boat Repair - Kayak Massacre But you MUST prep the plastic properly first or it won't stick either.

Here is my bigfoot build thread http://www.6x6world.com/forums/max-a...-tall-tub.html

If you need some donor ABS, I may have some. I just need to test it to make sure it is ABS

[thenewguy]

Do NOT waste your time trying to add fiberglass. The Amphicat is made from ABS plastic and can be patched with a goo made from pieces melted in acetone. For larger holes, some people have used the cloth from fiberglass to absorb the goo and form it. Another possibility is the epoxy I used when I made my bigfoot. WEST SYSTEM | Plastic Boat Repair - Kayak Massacre But you MUST prep the plastic properly first or it won't stick either.

Here is my bigfoot build thread http://www.6x6world.com/forums/max-a...-tall-tub.html

If you need some donor ABS, I may have some. I just need to test it to make sure it is ABS

well looks like someone already coated the whole under side with fiberglass mess and caked on the resin, it don't look bad or damaged but like you said wrong repair method.. and i really dont want the head ache of removing it.. if i can safely,my plan was to completely coat the bottom tube...

i wouldnt mind some donor ABS.. how do you test it?

and suggest the removal of the fiberglass?


thanks!

[thebuggyman1]

"i wouldnt mind some donor ABS.. how do you test it?"

HDPE is chemically impervious. ABS will soften if rubbed with a cloth soaked in acetone. It will actually melt and turn to goo when soaked in it.

[Melndav]

The chain is all #40. You can get it at Tractor supply or Mcmasters, NAPA, etc. The inner sprocket shaft rides on oilite bushings. They are a standard size and are available at McMasterr also. The outer bearings are standard too, but be very careful with the blocks the bearings and bushings are mounted in. They are pot metal and difficult or impossible to repair. It's really easy to break off the mount bolts and then you have a mess with them. You might also consider having a set of bearing carriers machined for the inner axle mounts instead of the bushings as they are a higher wear item. I have had really good luck with plastic welding the body with my cheap Harbor Freight set up. It isn't hard, and the body is thick enough to be pretty forgiving.
4140 is best for the axles. The originals were heat treated, and you probably want to have that done if you are going to rough the machine up. Not heat treating them is ok if you don't jump it too hard, the non heat treated axles will tend to bend before they break. If you're running modern tires you can also shorten the axles by a few inches to make them a little more durable.

[Merkas]

Melndav "The outer bearings are standard too"

Do you know who sales these outer bearings for the amphicat 5/8" axle? (looking for the ones on the outside of the tub. Not really a bearing just plastic with seal.)
Thanks