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How to make a racing lawn mower

by mowerracer on July 11, 2008 Table of Contents How to make a racing lawn mower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro: How to make a racing lawn mower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Configuring the build. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Frame reinforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: Steering system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 4: Installing the transmission or- the RAGB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 5: The Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 6: Installing the floor plates,"mower deck" battery, and electrical system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9

Step 7: "Puke tank", seat, and engine mounting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Step 8: Engine modifications and installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Step 9: Paint and finishing it up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Step 10: Updates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Step 11: Updates: New rear axle chain tensioner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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Intro: How to make a racing lawn mower

In this demo, you'll get some ideas of how you can make a real racing riding mower used in national events. Have fun turning what used to be the family lawn mower into a fire-breathing high speed racing machine. Also- I'm constantly making changes and modifications to the final machine so check back to see what I've done. The next plans I have include steering upgrades. Please read the following paragraph before proceeding. Before we start, there's a bit of safety to discuss.Yes, racing lawn mowers from an outward perspective is sort of funny ( which it is!)But its important to realize that racing mowers such as these are heavily modified to handle much greater speeds than the original mower was designed for. Many of these mowers go 50MPH or more.Making a race mower isn't as simple as taking a stock tractor and making it go fast without any alterations. So its important that the frame, brakes, steering, engine, and wheels are modified or altered to handle this additional speed.So to make this point doubly clear, it is NOT a good idea to take a bone stock mower and make it go fast. You can, and will get hurt if you do so, and trust me- I've seen enough people wreck due to this very reason. So play it safe. Secondly, if you do plan on racing, make sure and check out the rules for your chapter and wear appropriate safety gear such as a helmet ( motorbike), gloves, boots, and long pants.My mower is built using ARMA ( American Racing Mower Association) rules and regulations. Lastly, your mower must have an approved jet ski/snowmobile style safety tether switch. If you fall off ( which we often do) the mower must automatically shut down or it'll keep right on going! Racing mowers might seem silly, which it sort of is, but you can get hurt if you're not careful. So be safe! Ready, let's get started! The 'victim' I chose for this build is a late 60's Grants mower. Tiny little mowers like these were produced back when riding mowers were still deemed a luxury. They're little more than a seat sitting on top of a mower deck. Most used smaller engines. The advantage of using such a little mower is that you can reduce the weight dramatically by simply having a 'legit' riding mower complimented with a larger engine, hence a higher power/weight ratio. Don't get attached to it. When its done, there won't be much left of the original. The first step is to strip the mower down to the frame. Modern mowers usually have a single stamped piece of steel. Older mowers like this one have frames made of square tubing or slabs of steel. This will give you an idea of how much of the mower is actually usable and how you can lay out the drive, steering, and brake components. Besides the hood, what's leftover to use isn't much. The rest are worthless such as the stock wheels, steering wheel, and transmission.

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Step 1: Configuring the build.

The next step is probably one of the more difficult parts of the build: configuration and finding parts. Building one of these is sort of like building a small car with all its various systems. Since all of these racing mowers are one-off type builds, finding the parts that will work can be a pain. I've had a lot of questions about where the tires, clutch, and right angle gear box ( transmission) comes from. the gear box can be found on ebay. The tires are go cart tires and can be found online on any site that sells go cart parts. The same is true for the brakes and rear axle components. The front axle is a custom unit built by a company called Acme Mowersports. A list of parts needed for this build are: A: Engine B: Transmission ( right angle gearbox) C: Centrifugal clutch D: sprockets E: Front axle and spindles F: Rear axle and axle hangers G: steering wheel H: Brake system I: chain J: electrical components K: Wheels, tires, and hubs M: Gas lever N: high endurance engine components Many of the others need to be made by hand. One thing that's helpful is that many of these components such as the rear axle and hangers,wheels, hubs, spindles, and brakes are basically go-cart components. Some golf cart and motorbike components work as well. Sprockets and such can be had from sites such as Mcmaster -carr. Once you get all the parts, the build actually goes pretty quickly.

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Step 2: Frame reinforcement

The next step is to beef up the frame or make alterations that will work with your components.Its important to realize that these mowers will be racing on what tends to be really rough dirt track. They have no suspension, thus the frame takes a severe beating. Reinforcement is critical to avoid having the frame flex and ultimately crack from fatigue. The rear of the frame was cut about 6" from the rear. Throughout the build, I used 1x1 square tubing which is easy to weld and work with. This is what I used to create the square frames in which the mounting brackets were welded into to hold the rear axle bearings. I chose to use a 1/1/4" rear axle because that size is highly common and thus easier to get parts like wheels and sprockets for. These square frames were welded into the frame, then the end I cut off was welded to the back. The minimum height requirements for my class is 4" from the frame to the ground. So its important to know what size wheels you plan to use and where to mount the axles in order to meet that requirement. The lower you can go, the better handling the mower will be. Mine site just at 4" off the ground. Next, I welded two lengths of square tubing along the top of the axle brackets to the front tubular frame. I did this because the transmission will go underneath. A piece of diamond plate will cover it, and above will be the seat. This will give me easy access to servicing the chain and transmission and also protect me from flying debris or potential chain failures. I am using a right angle gearbox for this build. Why? Because the other choice is to use a 3-5 speed gearbox used as standard equipment on mowers. These work fine, but it also means you'll have to change the grease in them and perhaps invest in hardened gears since the originals will strip out much easier. With a right angle gear box, or RAGB, there's only two moving parts. Plus, they are made for higher speed applications and therefor perfectly suited for this application. More simplicity means more reliability. Additionally, I am using a centrifugal clutch. This is a higher quality, higher HP rated unit that is heavier duty than typical go-cart clutches. The springs can be adjusted for higher or lower engagement.

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Step 3: Steering system

The next step is one of the most important of the build. Many people go out on the track with the stock steering setup. That's a big mistake for a number of reasons. For one, the stock components aren't made for going 50MPH, as is none of the other stock components. Secondly, there's more to steering besides making the wheels turn. You also need to have the proper caster, pitch, and turning radius so that the chassis will handle corners better. Most mowers come with a gear driven steering setup. These are worthless and tend to pop out of place. So you'll need to make a "direct steering" system. In other words, a solid connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. For this build, I bought a pre-built front axle from a guy in Texas. He has a small business called " Acme mowersports" and can be found at www.acmemowersports.com. His front axles are a good deal because even if you were to build your own, the cost would be only slightly less. With the Acme axle, the proper caster and degree of inclination are already built-in, which will save you lots of time. These come with the radius arms as well as connections for the steering axle, which on mine runs down the center of the front of the mower over the top of the engine. Next up is the installation of the steering shaft running along the front of the frame. This mower has an unusual setup where the steering linkage runs over the top of the engine. An a arm runs from the steering wheel pitman arm to a shaft running down the front of the frame to the radius arms of the front axle spindles. First, I got some 1/1/4" steel pipe and cut some lengths about 2" long. On each end, I placed a bearing in which the steering shaft fits through. The top of the front steering shaft has a removable lever to attach the piece of linkage coming from the steering wheel. This enables you to remove it if needed. If you look at the pic entitled "pitman arm detail", this is the steering wheel shaft with the pitman arm welded on. As you can see, the arm on the end is rounded and has three holes. There's a reason for this, which is to prevent the heim joints, which are the screw-on ball bearing pieces on the ends of the rods from binding. The reason for the three holes is to give you adjustments to the steering sensitivity. Further out gives you more slack. Further in tighter. It is also important that the arm running across the top of the engine area has threads on either end. This way the heim joints can be screwed in or out to adjust the amount of right and left turn in the wheels. In The pic entitled: "Steering arm", you can see how this system works together. Lastly, the "turn right" pic shows the underside linkage and radius arms. If you see the "t" shaped piece, that's where the radius arms connect. The "T" is welded to the bottom of the front steering shaft. Another step is to determine the angle of the wheels. Generally, it is better to have the left wheel turn in more than the right . I usually have the left wheel turn in @ 10:00 and the right at 2:00. Lastly, you will need to install what are known as "stops", which are basically welded on rods or bolts to prevent the wheels from turning too far. If they turn too far, the steering wheel will turn completely over, thus reversing your steering! Not good! For this build,. all I did was weld two 5/16" pieces of steel rod to the front of the axle, right where the spindles swing in and out. The spindle arms simply hit the stops. I held the wheels in place at the correct position and placed the stops at exactly where the spindle arms hit, then welded them into place. Once you have the steering done, then you've just completed one of the hardest steps!

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Step 4: Installing the transmission or- the RAGB

The next step is to install the RAGB ( transmission). This was a tedious task because the RAGB I chose has an unusual triangular shape and a strange bracket. Additionally, the RAGB shaft has to be far enough off the ground, yet not too far up as to protrude above the diamond plate covering it. When all the measurements were done. I had 1/4" between the top of the RAGB and the cover. The RAGB sits on two cross members welded in the frame. If you look at the pic called: "Battery bracket", you can see how it is configured. In the next pic you can see the RAGB bolted into place. Before we get any further, you'll need to determine what your gearing ratio will be. The RAGB is a 2:1 ratio, meaning that two turns go in, one comes out of the output shaft. I suck at math, but my gear setup is as follows: Centrifugal clutch is 14 tooth. Input on RAGB is a 14 tooth. Output on the RAGB is 12 tooth, and the rear axle sprocket is a 40 tooth. That worked out well, but I have no clue what the final ratio is. The engine speed is around 4,500-5,000 RPM. I'm using an all chain drive system. Many use belts, but I like the idea of using a chain. I used #35 chain for this build, but many use #40. The next step is to install chain tensioners. The chain needs to be somewhat taut, but not tight. All chains will loosen and 'stretch' with use. So you need to have tensioners to keep that tension at the right level. The RAGB to rear axle tensioner was a problem because there was very little space to install one. My solution was to install a skateboard wheel that slides up and down in a 1x1 piece of steel with a slot milled along it's length. This enables you to slide the skateboard wheel up and down against the chain. You wouldn't think skateboard wheels would hold up, but they work great. Seeing as how they are designed to handle a person riding on asphalt, chain doesn't cause any damage to them at all. In this setup, I just have enough room to get into the area with a wrench to loosen/tighten the tensioner.

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Step 5: The Brake system

Next up is brakes. There are several types of brakes you can use: mechanical or hydraulic. The later is generally better and easier to install because you can route the brake lines to wherever you want them. The brake system I have is an MCP go cart brake kit. They run around $150 including the master cylinder, rotor, rotor hub, caliper, and brake line. You can also use motorbike brakes if you have any laying around. First, I drilled two holes through the frame where the bolts holding the caliper would go through. Many people create a caliper mounting bracket. Mine just happened to conveniently work without it. After that, I bolted on the caliper and made sure it aligned properly with the rotor. The rotor and other components on the axle are adjustable and slide back and forth on a keyway milled into the axle shaft. Once adjusted, you lock them down with set screws. Next, I installed the master cylinder. This is bolted through the frame. The aluminum piece with the three holes is the connection for the brake pedal connecting rod, which is made out of 1/4" steel rod bent @ 90 degrees. The other end of the rod connects to the pedal. I welded a nut to the end of the rod and drilled out the threads. Make sure you do a real hot, molten weld here because you don't want that to fail. The pedal is made out of scrap steel and a short length of 1x1 square tubing with a hole drilled through the bottom in which to run a bolt through the frame. A nylock nut on the other side allows it to stay in place yet swivel back and forth. Once you've gotten everything to work smoothly, you'll have to bleed to brakes. But hold off on that until closer to the end.

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Step 6: Installing the floor plates,"mower deck" battery, and electrical system
Next up, I install the "mower deck", or in this case, the simulated mower deck.In some classes ( yes there are different classes of mower racing machines) you can install a replacement for the original mower deck as long as it is in the approximate location and height. Mine is made out of more of the steel square tubing welded into "C"s with wire mesh tacked on top. This not only makes for a nice foot rest, but it is much lighter than the original deck. These are simply welded directly to the bottom of the frame. Then I installed the battery, which was originally to go under the seat. The seat is sitting on top of the original bracket I welded directly to the top of the deck frame. But the battery was too tall. Its a small lawn tractor battery, and the ONLY place it would fit was right behind the engine. I welded two angle iron pieces pointing upwards to form a bracket in which the battery sits. The space is TIGHT. This actually works really well because it moves the center of gravity to the center of the mower, adding further stability. Following that was the installation of the floor plates made of thick diamond plate. These were cut to size and screwed on with self-drilling screws so that both panels can be removed for servicing the RAGB, transmission. The fit was very tight and I glued on a piece of rubber to the battery to avoid abrasion from the diamond plate. The fit was perfect and snug, which is what you want with batteries.Diamond plate is costly stuff, so try and find scrap if you can. The same was done for the dash, which is where the electrical stuff goes. That brings us to the next step, which is the creation of the electric panel. In order to keep everything neat and serviceable, all of the electrical components were screwed and bolted to the dash panel. This includes the starter button, starter solenoid, and tether switch.

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Step 7: "Puke tank", seat, and engine mounting.

Our next step is to make what is known in the racing world as the "Puke tank". No- it isn't for seasickness, but rather for the engine. Since the engine will be running at sometimes 50% faster than it was originally designed for, the crank case will sometimes spit oil from the crank case breather. Since you don't want that stuff all over the track or you for that matter, you make sometimes called a puke tank. Mine is made out of ABS plastic pipe, brass hose fittings, and PVC for the breather on the right side (in white). This is mounted to the back of the mower under the seat, connected with a hose to the engine valve cover. Next, I decided to machine slots into the engine mounting pan. I made keyhole shaped slots that enable the engine to be slid forwards and back so that the chain can be fitted and tensioned properly. This is the longest chain on the build, thus a spring-loaded tensioner was fabricated in addition. Since the chain here is hanging horizontally, you want to have constant, gentle pressure applies to keep it from falling off. The tensioner is simple, using a channeled nylon idle pulley typically used on mower decks. Like the skateboard wheel, nylon holds up just fin on chain. The pulley is mounted to a arm that is bolted to the underside of the simulated mower deck via a nylock nut and bolt. A spring is attached to it as well as a bolt welded to the underside of the engine pan. As you can see, the chain fits nicely from the centrifugal clutch to the RAGB. Now the seat. This step is actually kind of important. You'll find that staying on these mowers on a bumpy dirt track with sharp corners is difficult.The inertia will threaten to throw you off. But at the same time, if you do fly off, you want to clear the "scene of the accident" and not get run over by your own mower. So it needs to be low. The solution is to have a low seat with low sides that keeps your rear attached to the seat. It'll actually give you more control. One last word- it helps to have padding. A steel seat with no padding can be... painful. My Wife covered mine with upholstery from an old chair.

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Step 8: Engine modifications and installation.

Now that the chassis and other vitals are now complete, now its time to work on the engine. The engine I'm using is a 12.5 HP Briggs and Stratton with a cast iron sleeve. These are one of the most common engines on riding mowers. Mine in particular is what's known as a "flathead" because the other variant has overhead valves. These engines are extremely simple and inexpensive. The flathead takes up less space too. But to use an engine such as this stock would be a mistake. First of all, the governor will be removed. enabling engine speeds to approach double what the engine was designed for. This means that parts are going to take a severe beating and certain items should be replaced. First and foremost- the flywheel. The original is made out of solid cast iron and weighs in at 12-15 pounds. Cast iron is somewhat susceptible to fracturing from stress. Even microscopic cracks, not seen by the naked eye can cause a flywheel to explode at high speeds. While this rarely occurs, its something to think about since the flywheel will be less than a foot away from you -know-what. There are two fixes, once better than the other. The first is to make a scattershield, which is a 1/4" frame made to fit around the top of the engine shroud. These can be bought at a number of sites, including G-team racing. These will at least contain the explosion if it occurs, but not absolutely. The safer, albeit more expensive solution is to purchase what's known as a billet aluminum flywheel. These are milled via computer guided mills out of solid billet aluminum- the stuff used to make aircraft components. Not only will the wheel be lighter, but stronger and almost indestructible.Considering the cost of the milling machine, the cost is reasonable. Around $350.

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Next, the governor is removed. You want to remove it entirely, including internally. That involves removing the oil pan. You will see a brass sleeve in which the throttle lever slides through. After you remove the throttle, use a punch to remove the brass sleeve. To seal the hole, I simply use a bolt and a nut, washer, and rubber o-ring. The second specialized part is what's known as a "dogbone" connection rod for the large cast iron counterweights. These large weights help the engine run smoother. The crank runs directly through it. The wimpy aluminum factory original is prone to breaking. If that happens, the counterweight will slam into the sides of the crank case, breaking right through it. Say bye-bye to the engine if that occurs. So again, a billet aluminum replacement is used. Additionally- as mentioned in the new "updates" section, the stock piston rods in these engines do not deal well with the additional engine speeds. So as a recommendation, invest in a billet aluminum rod. You will also have to buy another piston, most often being a magnesium Briggs unit. I ordered mine from a company called G Team racing out of North Dakota. They are well worth the money not having to worry about an engine blowing out on the track, which trust me- is rather scary and potentially costly. Next, the linkage for the carburetor needs to be setup. For the gas throttle, A bicycle brake lever and brake line is connected to a spring that pulls against the throttle control of the carb. The pull of the spring is what snaps the brake lever back in place.The lever is attached to the steering wheel. As you can see, I simply bent two scrap pieces of diamondplate aluminum. These face each other. On one side, the spring goes to the throttle lever of the carb. The brake cable comes from the other side, attaching into the same hole as the throttle spring. To hold the brake cable in place, I used a brass nipple fitting that stops the cable sheathing, but allows the actual cable to come through. The spring holds the cable into position. Lastly, I fabricated the exhaust system. It is a 2.5 foot long pipe. To get the correct curves, I bought a muffler header pipe that is made to fit a Snapper riding mower from a mower parts supply site- cheapmowerparts.com This will fit 8-12 HP engines, hence it fits mine. This is cut and a second curved piece was made from the exhaust pipe of a 1980's Honda Civic( which apparently had tiny exhaust systems). These two curves gave me the right geometry to curve out and under the foot rests. The end of the pipe is simply a length of straight muffler pipe. These are held to the bottom of the foot rests via pipe hanging brackets used for electrical conduit. By the way- this exhaust will make your engine extremely LOUD. Just a word of warning in case you have... neighbors. close by.

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Step 9: Paint and finishing it up.

Now for the funnest part of the build: Painting. Now all of that hard work gets to get shown off. But before painting, you need to do some prep. The chassis is likely oily and dusty from welding. All of the welds are also likely not "clean" meaning they're splattered. You can quickly clean up the frame with sandpaper flap discs attached to a grinder. Clean all of the rust, splatter, and rough edges to a smooth surface. I used a oxide primer primer, which is a good foundation for the paint. I used plain ole' black spray paint. I chose spray paint because the frame is very likely going to get pitted with rocks and future mechanical modifications. So it can easily be touched up. Plus its cheap. The fiberglass hood was painted with orange engine paint, which I find dried quick and smooth. Now the entire mower is put back together. Wheels, engine, brakes, electrical, etc. The mower went back together surprisingly quick. Less than two hours was all it took. With the mower put back together, all that's left is to bleed the brakes, install the battery, fill the engine with oil, and then give her a test run. Wanna' see it run? Watch the video. Anyhow, it was lots of fun making this mower and so far I've been in 3 races this season. Feel free to ask questions if you want to make your own. if you want to see me in action, visit my racing club's web site, http://www.pvmowerracing.com

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Step 10: Updates.

Its been a year since this mower was completed. After a year of racing I've learned what the weak spots were on the machine. First, stock pistons in Briggs flathead engines do not hold up well under stress. I wound up blowing two engines early in the season when the rods snapped. So the first improvement was in purchasing a billet aluminum rod and a lightweight magnesium piston. So far this rod has held up well under the stress. Secondly, any nuts and bolts that can come loose will come loose unless they are secures using nylock nylon lock nuts and loctite ( the blue bottle). Otherwise the severe track vibration will cause things to fall off, which they did frequently. So spend the few extra dollars and secure everything down and save the headaches. Lastly, the cheap stamped bearings I went with in the steering system have way too much slop in them. I replaced all 8 of the bearings with sealed ball bearing units with steel snap rings. This removed all of the slop in the steering and made the handling much more accurate and responsive, which in turn is much safer. So make sure and invest in better high quality bearings for everything that moves. Oh yeah- one more thing- Orange was not a good color. So now it is all-black. The video is of our first event of the year. Enjoy!

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Image Notes 1. This is the Billet aluminum rod and magnesium piston. I strongly suggest getting one because the stock pistons are problematic.

Image Notes 1. A high quality sealed bearing ( left) versus a cheap stamped bearing ( right). Getting a high quality bearing makes a BIG difference, especially if you have as many moving steering components as this mower has.

File Downloads

pv_mower_racing_playdate.mp4 (4 MB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'pv_mower_racing_playdate.mp4']

Step 11: Updates: New rear axle chain tensioner.

Here's another update, and this time its again for the rear chain tensioner. I had a lot of issues with the chain jumping off the sprocket for the rear axle. I tried a few things, namely the experiment I mentioned in the previous step involving two roller skate wheels, one on top of the chain, one underneath. That system didn't work. So I came up with a new tensioner that involves using a chain sprocket idler which is spring loaded. The old tensioner idler was mounted to a bracket with a slot cut in the side to enable the idler wheel to be moved up and down. This is shown in step 4. So I used the same bracket but instead of having the idle sprocket be stationary, it "floats" up and down in the slot with the help of a sturdy spring that ensures that it keeps constant pressure on the chain. I accomplished this by using 2 large fender washers on each side of the mounting bolt going through the bracket, then having nylock stop nuts on either side, backed up just enough to allow the mounting bolt to move freely up and down. I welded a bolt to the frame above the idler sprocket so that the tension spring could be attached. The idler sprocket itself is mounted to a thick piece of 1/8" steel. This has worked out great all season. The tensioner can not only move up and down, but also slightly forward and back thus not matter what the chain does, the tensioner keeps constant pressure on it. With both chains staying put, the mower is now pretty reliable. The rebuilt engine has held up great this year. Its now broken in so the synthetic oil stays almost crystal clear for a good 2-3 races. We also just redesigned our web site and you can check us out at www.pvmowerracing.com

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-racing-lawn-mower/

Image Notes 1. Bolt welded to upper frame. The tensioner spring mounts here 2. Mounting bracket with slot cut in the side. The bolt going through it holds the idler sprocket. The mounting bolt has nylock nuts on either side of 2 fender washers, backed off enough to allow the bolt and thus idler to ride up and down.

Image Notes 1. As you can see from this side view, the idler sprocket is pressed against the chain and tension is supplied by the spring.

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http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-racing-lawn-mower/

Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 462 comments

chivesg5 says:

Mar 19, 2009. 5:40 PM REPLY I am using a ragb and balts what size poles should I use how fast would it go and from the ragb to the axle iam doing by chane what size sprocte shoul i use

mowerracer says:

Mar 20, 2009. 11:15 AM REPLY I'm not sure what you mean by Poles. As far as speed, it depends on your ratios. On mine , the clutch has a 14 tooth sprocket. From there it goes to a 14 tooth sprocket on the RAGB input. My RAGB is a 2:1, meaning 2 turns in, 1 turn out. The output on my RAGB is a 12 tooth sprocket and from there it goes to a 40 tooth rear axle sprocket which gives me around 35-40MPH on avg. Making the sprockets bigger or smaller will affect the speed. For example, putting a smaller rear sprocket on the axle, like a 35 tooth sprocket would increase the speed. Its hard to determine exactly what the speed will be. Most of us just make a rough approximation then fine-tune by adjusting. I already went to a smaller rear sprocket to slightly increase my speed. Just be aware that most sanctioned racing organizations have a limit on what the final ratio is. I believe 8:1 is typical, but double check with the USLMRA, or ARMA organizations first.

Ken Chevy says:

Aug 8, 2010. 1:16 PM REPLY

Engine/clutch 14tooth -> 14tooth on RAGB=Same ratio. RAGB has 2:1 ratio. Now engine turns twice for axle turning once. RAGB has a 12tooth and rear axle has a 40tooth. 40tooth / 12tooth = 3.33 ratio x 2 (from 2:1 ratio in RAGB) = 6.66:1 over all ratio. Tires are 11 inches in diameter. With that ratio your speed will be: 5000RPM=24.56MPH and 6000RPM=29.48MPH. Changing ANY of the numbers changes the MPH. If you change to a 36tooth rear sprocket then the ratio becomes 36/12=3:1x2(RAGB)=6:1 total. Then the speeds become: 5000RPM=27.27MPH and 6000RPM=32.72RPM. These are TRUE numbers, IF the clutch is locked up and not slipping. Using belts, there may be belt slippage, making your speed a little slower. With a 40/12 ratio, changing rear tire from 11 inch to 12 inch diameter changes speed at 6000 from 29.48MPH to 32.16MPH. It would be easy to put all of that into a spreadsheet to show speeds for every 1000RPM and what happens when changing sprocket ratios or tire sizes. I made a formula over 35 years ago to figure numbers like that out, the formula is: RPMRearRatioTransRatioTireDiameter336.13524=MPH Nice Instructable. Ken Chevy 080810 1316

gschmidt-2 says:

Mar 7, 2011. 8:50 PM REPLY OK, after looking at your build i see that you are using a chain instead of a belt. also you are using a cintrifical clutch. whats the deal??? the way we race is with a belt, double pulley clutch. the only chain we use is between the trans and rear axle. i was wondering what rules you are using?

mowerracer says:

Mar 8, 2011. 10:24 AM REPLY I built this mower under ARMA rules for the Pro-X class which means I can use a single cylinder engine and am not limited to using a geared transmission. As such I chose a right angle gear box and a centrifugal clutch because its a much simpler setup. I always found gearboxes to be a pain as there's more to go wrong.

gschmidt-2 says:

Mar 8, 2011. 11:21 AM REPLY OK, that makes sense. we only have one guy with an f/x mower. what state are you in? I'm stuck in N.E. and if your not a farmer or rancher there's nothing to do during the summer but race. right now I'm finishing up a mower that i hope will go 100mph.

mowerracer says:

Mar 8, 2011. 12:47 PM REPLY 100MPH is probably not going to happen honestly. We have quite a few machines on our team that are running modified Briggs Vtwins and even for them we're talking maybe 40MPH tops. During our races our average speed is usually around 30MPH. Trust methat is going to feel very fast on a rough track without suspension! Either way, good luck with your build.

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:
would this ratio apply to mine im running 4500 rpm with8to1 i dont know the tranny ratio yet

Dec 28, 2010. 2:59 PM REPLY

Ken Chevy says:

You say you have a box that is 8 to 1. It has two shafts coming out of it.

Dec 28, 2010. 9:28 PM REPLY

If you hook the engine driveshaft up to one of the shafts, the other shaft will either turn 8 times faster or 8 times slower than the engine is turning. You will probably be using it to gear the engine speed DOWN, so divide the RPM number by the larger number, that will tell you how fast the output shaft will be turning then.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-racing-lawn-mower/

Input RPM = 4,500 / 8 = 562.5 RPM output speed. Ken 122810 2127

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:

Dec 29, 2010. 10:56 AM REPLY sorry i wasnt really clear ive got pulleys that are 8 to 1 then they go into the transmission which is either going to be a 5 spd spicer or a 6 spd peerless from a poulan . im hoping on getting 45 to 55 out of it.

Ken Chevy says:

I can't read minds (yet - LOL) and can't see the parts you have in front of you. So, you have to give me numbers.

Dec 29, 2010. 2:38 PM REPLY

Make a mark on the input shaft of the transmission and another mark on the output shaft. Then put the transmission in 1st gear and count how many times the input shaft goes around to the output shafts ONE time. If the 5 speed goes around 10 times to one time for the output shaft in 1st gear, then that is 10/1, and 7 times in 2nd gear it would be 7/1 etc. You HAVE to have the numbers to figure out the ratios. So you will HAVE to get both transmissions, mark the shafts and count the turns to get the ratio for each gear...OR that info (transmission ratios) may be available from a dealer. But you MUST have: Engine RPM Pulley ratios Transmission ratios Rearend ratio and, last but not least the Tire Diameter. Once you have those numbers, then input them into the formula I furnished: EngineRPMRearRatioTransRatioTireDiameter336.13524=MPH If, for example, you have 4,500 Engine RPM/8=562.5 engine RPM 562.5/6 Rearend ratio of 6/1 Transmission ratio of 5/1 and a Tire Diameter of 12 inches then we would do 4500/8=562.5 562.5/6=93.75 93.75/5=18.75 18.75*12=225 225/336.13524=.6694 MPH Less than ONE MPH @ 4,500 RPM engine speed. So, get rid of the 8/1 and make them 1/1 pulleys. Then the MPH would be 5.355 MPH Change the rearend ratio from 6/1 to 2/1 and then you have 16.065 MPH @ 4,500 RPM engine speed. Then change the transmission ratio to 1.5/1 and your MPH would be: 53.5499 MPH @ 4,500 RPM's of engine speed with a 12 inch tire. 4,500 RPM engine speed (w/1/1 pulleys) + rearend ratio of 2/1 and transmission ratio of 1.5/1 with a 12 inch tire = 53 MPH Put different numbers into the formula, John. It will work every time. It is simple, 2+2=4 every time. EngineRPMRearRatioTransRatioTireDiameter336.13524=MPH I used to use that formula a lot when I was drag racing years ago. You can use a regular calculator, use the one in your computer works fine, and just do them one step at a time. some ratios, John. Try it, figure out

And, like mowerracer said, 45 to 55 MPH is pretty improbable without having an engine putting out a LOT of horsepower! And it would take so long to get up to speed too, because of lack of HP. You might try it with a 3.5 rear ratio to start with and that will be about 30 MPH and see what that is like. Ken 122910 1438

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-racing-lawn-mower/

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:

Jan 15, 2011. 10:06 PM REPLY finally got the ratio from the tranny 6 turns of the shaft = one revolution of the tire the tire is a 12.5 . so i think i got the math rite but im not so good a math either motor 4000 8to 1 means 32000 on the input shaft of the tranny = 5333 of the tire in 5th gear rite ? for every 1 turn of the motor im getting 8 out of the in put shaft on the transmission .

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:
thanks for the equation !

Jan 16, 2011. 1:01 PM REPLY

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:

Jan 1, 2011. 7:28 PM REPLY thanks just trying to get an idea of the speeds im attaining ill be putting a 18hp briggs twin on it once i race the twelve horse for awhile

mowerracer says:

Dec 29, 2010. 11:55 AM REPLY 45 to 55MPH would be improbable with a mild modified build. The average speed that we attain in our group is roughly 27-33MPH and trust me- that feels FAST out there on the track. Just as a reminder, if you are building on of these you will need to adhere to the rules and regulations outlined by one of the sanctioned organizations like ARMA or USLMRA. These rules are created to make your ride safer.

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:

Jan 15, 2011. 10:10 PM REPLY im following the guide lines from NELMRA im going to run in the prepared class when ever i finish this project.

mowerracer says:
Thanks for the math Ken. As mentioned- my math skills are not exactly great.

Aug 9, 2010. 7:37 AM REPLY

mud-dawg96 says:
there is a speed calculator for go karts, or anything really, if you go to http://www.diygokarts.com/

Aug 24, 2010. 11:48 AM REPLY

Ken Chevy says:

Aug 9, 2010. 8:20 AM REPLY No problem. I put the math there so anyone, including you, can follow the steps and figure out your ratio's and MPH@RPM.

If you change your axle sprocket to a 24 tooth, which would make it 2:1, then you could obtain 50MPH at 6,111RPM if you had enough power. It looks like it would be fun. Ken 080910 0820

billybob6 says:
whats the eaisiest way to reinforce the frame because i cant weld

Feb 23, 2011. 2:56 PM REPLY

gschmidt-2 says:

Mar 7, 2011. 8:32 PM REPLY also, the best way to learn to weld is to practice on scrap metal. under the mower don't have to look pretty as long as it holds. just remember, DON'T weld it all the way, stitch weld it so you don't warp the frame. i live in N.E. and we build mowers that can go 100 mph+

gschmidt-2 says:

Mar 7, 2011. 8:25 PM REPLY i have found the best way to reinforce the frame is to use 3/4 square stock along the top corner of the frame. this will make the frame very strong but not add to much weight

hellguy says:
where can you buy this stuff from

Feb 18, 2011. 12:17 PM REPLY

bessner50 says:
im makin one for goin muddin with my buddies and i need to get power how would you do that?

Oct 20, 2010. 9:29 PM REPLY

mowerracer says:

Oct 23, 2010. 2:18 PM REPLY There's actually a site for making offroad mowers. These aren't made for speed per say, but more for climbing and not getting stuck. Check out this site: http://www.offroadmowers.com/

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-racing-lawn-mower/

gordzooks says:

Feb 13, 2011. 6:22 PM REPLY For what you put onto one of these, you could probably pick up a used 4-wheeler that would be better suited to the application. Of course, then you miss out of the fun of building it.

mowerracer says:

Feb 14, 2011. 9:22 AM REPLY Depends. Last time I looked a new 4-wheeler costs as much as $10,000-$12,000 and used ones for $2,500 and up. You could build something like one of these for under $1,500 and plus- its would be an off road mower which would give you more brownie points in regards to "coolness" in my opinion anyway. Besides- part of the point of this sport is the ridiculous aspect of making household riding mowers into racin' machines.

gordzooks says:

Feb 17, 2011. 8:17 PM REPLY Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of lawn mower racing. It's just the idea of the off-road mowers that strikes me as more work than it's worth for the results. For the money you could pick up a used Samurai or Jimmy and torch the top off.

jeff091796 says:

Jan 28, 2011. 5:37 AM REPLY would the front axle work on a sears lt 11/36, this is a huge riding mower, my steering linkage from the gear to the spindle broke, and they don't make it anymore, thanks jeff

mowerracer says:

Jan 29, 2011. 3:38 PM REPLY It should work with that Sears mower just fine. The thing to remember is that the stock steering systems on these mowers are pretty much useless. The geared system you mentioned is notorious for breaking and slipping if used for anything other than mowing. The idea is to create what's known as a "direct" steering system. In other words- positive linkage from the steering wheel to the spindles. There are a number of front axle manufactures like Acme as well as some from a company called EX motorsports. They should have the neccesary hardware to enable you to make a direct steering system. Check out www.heymow.com and look at some of the project builds to get an idea of how to make your steering system work. There are some good ideas there.

mitchell1611 says:

Jan 10, 2011. 6:27 AM REPLY If you just want it to go fast put a 6" pully on the front and a 3" on the back my old one toped out at 70 kph take the deck off and just weled the front so it dosent flop around if all you want to do is tour with it just do that it's fun And if anyone knows What size of gear I should put on the trans the clutch is a 10 tooth should I just put a 10 tooth on?

mowerracer says:

Jan 10, 2011. 8:26 AM REPLY Not trying to be smart, but as I mentioned at the start of the instructable I don't recommend people building these just for fun. If you do build one, do so using regulations and rules setup by either the USLMRA or ARMA. These mowers need to have a fully reinforced frame, an upgraded braking and steering system- which means getting rid of the stock crappy axles- a safety tether, and so on. ARMA rules here: http://www.golawnmowerracing.com/ USLMRA Rules: http://www.heymow.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=425tiergnve1k4liie9jfhr1d4&topic=16861.0 Good luck.

redneckracer says:
what is the chain fer? and is that a cool air intake like on a car? sorry bout all the questions

Jan 15, 2011. 6:02 PM REPLY

redneckracer says:

Jan 15, 2011. 4:00 PM REPLY i ain't really got that many places to go to race. i live in lawndale n.c. and the closest place to go is harris speedway. they have them every once in a while and my buddy raced a stock one. he said that they jus let em have at it. he was on a 21.5 hp and got beat by a 5hp snapper. that wuz funny. and is there another way to make poss traction without welding the rear end? cuz that'll screw up yur rear end after a while and if it breaks during a race yur screwed. thank yu and i know its not for fun.

redneckracer says:

Jan 8, 2011. 9:50 PM REPLY howdy. uuuhhhh, i gots a question. i aint got no idear where to start building my lawn mower. i gave a murray with a 12.5 hp briggs and straton and a ( i fergit wat it is) mower with a 7 speed manual transmission. yu put er into gear tween yur legs and you shift the gears beside you. its 14 hp. i need help. is there any way i can supe it up without having to bore over the motor? i know to git a pully off the blade deck or buy a half inch pulley fer the rear end. sorry ter bug ya

mowerracer says:

Jan 9, 2011. 4:38 PM REPLY A good place to start is to determine what organization you want to be a part of. There are 2 primary organizations in the US: 1: USLMRA 2: ARMA Both have chapters and clubs throughout the US and one will probably be near you. Both organizations have set rules and classes. You will need to build your mower to these specs in order to assure it is safe. There are a number of helpful web sites devoted to mower racing. Look up www.heymow.com and take a look at some of the mower builds in the build section. If you have questions, please feel free to ask. The key here is to be safe. Read the rules for either USLMRA or ARMA and see what the specs and requirements are. Do so and you'll be in good shape. Good luck.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-racing-lawn-mower/

mitchell1611 says:

Jan 5, 2011. 5:44 PM REPLY Hey I have a 11 hp Briggs and I just bought a centrifugla clutch for100$ and it's a 14 tooth what should I put on the peerless 700 transmission (6 speed) ? Thanks Mitch

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:
hei i have a question which transmission would be best a peerless 6spd out of a poulan or a 5spd spicer from a craftsmen ?

Dec 28, 2010. 8:29 PM REPLY

mowerracer says:

Dec 29, 2010. 11:52 AM REPLY Are the transmissions you mention hydrostatic? If so you cannot use those for higher speeds. They simply burn up. If its a conventional Peerless 5 or 6 speed box, then that would be fine but you will need to make sure and use a steel plate to mount it as well as a hole for the output shaft of the transmission to fit through. That will reinforce it because otherwise the output shaft will snap.

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:
no theyre not hydrostatic theyre both gear drivin. put a steel plate around it on the top would angle iron work ?

Jan 1, 2011. 8:09 PM REPLY

stalefish skater says:

why do i need a chain when i could use a driveshaft?

Sep 8, 2009. 1:33 PM REPLY

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:
its a choice you could stick with stock or mod it up

Dec 28, 2010. 3:08 PM REPLY

dieselman2013 says:

Sep 14, 2009. 7:40 PM REPLY Hey, Were did you get your magnesium piston and aluminum rod? Im working on my race mower for a shop class project, to race at the county fair. Thanks.

mowerracer says:
I got both of them from a small shop called EC distributors. Here's a link to their parts: http://www.eccarburetors.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=136_138

Sep 15, 2009. 7:18 AM REPLY

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:

Dec 8, 2010. 7:16 AM REPLY how would i put a fuel pump carb on my 12hp briggs i/c ? carb is off a 18hp briggs vtwin i blew up a few months ago :). where deos the vacum line go / what do i do with it. help please.

mowerracer says:

Dec 8, 2010. 12:56 PM REPLY The 12HP briggs didn't come with a fuel pump so there won't be a vacuum line for one. The best bet for an engine like this is to make sure your gas tank is elevated far enough above the engine to give you proper gravity.

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:
could i run the vaccum line off the intake would it have enough vacum to do it ?

Dec 28, 2010. 2:23 PM REPLY

JOHNTHEREDNECK says:

Dec 12, 2010. 12:44 PM REPLY i know, i just want to know if it can be done because Ive got the set of skills to do what is necessary what is it just a plate with a hose fitting connected to the pcv?

coreyjames94 says:
hey i have a b-115 wheel horse lawn mower. if i want to swap out the pulleys, where would i get the parts for that. thanks

Dec 21, 2010. 9:19 AM REPLY

rilley1313 says:
hey where do you get all of your part/components

Oct 10, 2010. 6:00 PM REPLY

view all 462 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-racing-lawn-mower/