Custom made volkswagon powered 8x8 with sea doo pump

[chris davison]

I forgot to say how the brakes work now that I did all that work reinforcing the caliper plates. I havent noticed any more movement and the steering has gotten even tighter. I can push the vehicle in neutral but just as soon as I give 5 detrees of steering wheel movement the brakes begin to grip. Im not going to try it but I think I could spin sideways at 25 and just slide sideways. The foot pedal brakes work fine they can lock up all the tires at any speed. Just made some drawings for pump drive and will start soon.

[chris davison]

Finally found and installed a voltage regulator for my ebay 55 amp alternator. Was'nt sure it was the right one but with engine off the batt is 12.56 vdc. With it running and 260 watts of lights on its 14.3 vdc this means I can run at night now. No more charging the batt for test runs. I'm going to get the plugs, wires, points, condenser, cap and rotor for this engine also to tune it up.

[mudbug3]

chris davison

Sounds great Chris. How soon can we expect a deep water test with the jet pump running?

[Kohler cowboy uk]

Its extremely unusual for an alternator not to have an internal voltage regulator.

The old generators do need a separate regulator, but not usually alternators.

Anyway, your voltages are bang on now. Looking forward to seeing her (him?) lit up.

[chris davison]

This Alternator is one of the first generation generator replacements for air cooled VWs but just as you say they are now all internally regulated. Its real neat to see the lights so bright now. There are four 55 watt head lights two red rear 10 watt lights and one 55 watt light looking to the rear. Im not sure when the water pump test will be maby Ill head down to the Machine shop this week with some parts.

[chris davison]

Ive been busy gathering parts for the rear pump drive. Ive decieded to come off the rear fan pully with a universal joint drive shaft to the clutch shaft mounted on an alum. plate right over the pump housing. This solves two problems and leaves me with one belt not two. First problem side pull on crank shaft if I used a timing belt pully on the eng. pulley, second is another 60 lbs of weight to one side. This new idea puts all parts in the center with no side pull and one belt straight down to the cog pulley on the pump drive shaft. It also moves criticle parts further from the engine heat and it gives me the option to drive something from the other end of the clutch shaft like an air compressor or generator or hyd. pump.
Sunday I found a small trail off a dirt road that walley just fits on 1/2 mile to the river to a place real private but beautiful nobody there fishing looks good nice picknic area I will take the wife there this weekend for a private lunch. Walley still scares her but she thinks its a blast.

[chris davison]

I Saw pics of a land tamer for he first time your right Walley looks a lot like one. Wonder what mtr. it has? There are a lot of differences though. Length weight height boyancy. a lot of intended use differences. Wonder what the chain setup is?

[chris davison]

This is what I have gathered so far. The big air clutch and all the parts in line from left to right will be on top with universal joints to the aluminum fan pulley. the other shaft with the yellow splined drive is the pump drive. It will be just underneath the top one with a 1/2 " aluminum plate between. The bearings to both shafts will be bolted to this plate. This uses a 1.5 inch wide belt that has teeth on both sides so I can spin the shafts in opposit directions.

[chris davison]

Spent 2&1/2 hrs today experimenting in the river bottom. Found some difficulties to over come. Going into deep water off a steep embankment brings water flooding in over the front end. Need a hood over all in front of the windshield and a bilge pump. I reversed the tire pattern today for testing and it drives forward about 1.0 mph in the water. I noticed water coming in at high tire rpm and found it was going under the 3/4 conduit cap I welded around the edge to the top of fender and flowing down the slanted fender to the inside. A bead of silicone on the bottom should solve that. I had difficulty climbing out of water on an embankment where the bank was 4" above the water and straight down 12" the front hull hits and the tires cant find a grip.
Im thinking if the pump was hooked up and I hit the bank with that momentum and push with the tires running in first I would make it. As it is I can climb out as long as the tires find traction first before the hull hits. I was really impressed with the climbing ability, in first I can hit a hill hard enough and steep enough to raise all but the last two tires off the ground pushing the hull over the ground till the front tires grab, at about 1800 rpm it seems unstopable going up a hill. There is no motor bog or any straining noises. First tops out about 7 mph with max torq at 2500 rpm. It can just idle along at 1 mph over rocks with the ability to push in the clutch if needed. I am just waiting for some alum stock from ebay to arrive to start on the pump drive.

[chris davison]

The aluminum has arrived and I have purchased a CB antenna. I have several parts on bid at EBay inc. a bilge pump and float switch. Just working to much right now to work on anything at home. Had to fix the ride on mower first It has a 20 hp v twin.
Will post pics when the aluminum is formed and welded in.

[mudbug3]

Chris

I'm looking forward to seeing you in some deep water with you custom 8x8.

[chris davison]

So am I. It would be scary right now to see shore 50 yds away with virtually no propulsion or steering.

[chris davison]

Ran across a serious problem today, as most know skid steering with an 8x8 is most stressful on the last axle of either side. Its the one that travels the most when locked up sideways. My hub plates are bending giving a wobble to the tire. The other 6 seem to be ok but being made of 3/16 mild steel the two rears cant take it. So I will cut them off and weld on cast steel hubs from a junked atv seems there is a lot on Ebay.

[chris davison]

Finally got time to work on my rig, bought # 50 chain sprockets from EBAY that were already bored to 1.375 cut the teeth off on a lathe drilled and pressed in my studs welded them on. Back on the road. Still going to school finished allen Bradley CL5000 programming, panelview+ programming and now in CNC class.

[amphibious drew]

I was actually thinking about your build over the weekend. I can't wait to see some more videos of your machine in action.