4-WD Wood Box Gets Job Done

2007 - Volume #31, Issue #4, Page #29

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"I needed a driveable wood box to carry 2-ft. logs to my wood stove," says Arvin Maitland of LeRoy, Mich., who built his own powered wood hauler.

    "I took a 10 hp Tecumseh engine out of a Sears garden tractor and mounted it on a square tubing frame that I made from scrap material," he says. "It has a 37 by 48-in. dump box over the top of the engine. The box sides are removable."

    The unit has a hydrostatic transaxle drive out of a Cub Cadet garden tractor, and this is what drives all four wheels with chain drives. The wheels have 8-in. rims with a sprocket on each of them. Two of the wheels come from the Cub Cadet and the other two from another garden tractor, he says.

    "There's a 3/4-in. axle that goes across the back with a sprocket drive. The axle turns on the pillar blocks to make it drive easier and last longer," Maitland adds.

    The unit has handlebars off an old exercise machine, which Maitland says "looks kind of goofy, but works." When he pushes them forward, the unit moves forward and when he pulls back on the handlebars, the vehicle moves backward. Maitland made sure that the rig stops and automatically goes into neutral when the handlebars are released.

    New hand grip Tekiro bicycle disk brakes are used to steer the machine.

    "The bicycle disk brakes should be bigger because it doesn't steer as well as I'd like on bare ground," he points out.

    Maitland built his motorized wood box in his spare time over a six month period, and it cost him about $200 in parts and materials. He purchased two new V-belts and pulleys, four new 18 by 850-8 tires and two new bike disk brakes. He already had the used engine and the used transaxle drive.

    "I sit on the box with my feet sticking out and ride it to get the wood, but once it's loaded, you have to either walk behind it or pull it toward you. It's not much longer than it is wide, so I can drive it right in near the stove. The short wheelbase makes it highly maneuverable," he says. "It's a handy-dandy thing to have around when you want to move something, and it'll haul about a 1/2 cord of wood and works well anywhere, including in snow, hills, mud, etc."

    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Arvin Maitland, 15094 130th Ave., LeRoy, Mich. 49655 (ph 231 768-4886).

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4-WD Wood Box Gets Job Done WAGONS/TRAILERS Miscellaneous I needed a driveable wood box to carry 2-ft logs to my wood stove says Arvin Maitland of LeRoy Mich who built his own powered wood hauler
     I took a 10 hp Tecumseh engine out of a Sears garden tractor and mounted it on a square tubing frame that I made from scrap material he says It has a 37 by 48-in dump box over the top of the engine The box sides are removable
    The unit has a hydrostatic transaxle drive out of a Cub Cadet garden tractor and this is what drives all four wheels with chain drives The wheels have 8-in rims with a sprocket on each of them Two of the wheels come from the Cub Cadet and the other two from another garden tractor he says
     There s a 3/4-in axle that goes across the back with a sprocket drive The axle turns on the pillar blocks to make it drive easier and last longer Maitland adds
    The unit has handlebars off an old exercise machine which Maitland says looks kind of goofy but works When he pushes them forward the unit moves forward and when he pulls back on the handlebars the vehicle moves backward Maitland made sure that the rig stops and automatically goes into neutral when the handlebars are released
    New hand grip Tekiro bicycle disk brakes are used to steer the machine
     The bicycle disk brakes should be bigger because it doesn t steer as well as I d like on bare ground he points out
    Maitland built his motorized wood box in his spare time over a six month period and it cost him about $200 in parts and materials He purchased two new V-belts and pulleys four new 18 by 850-8 tires and two new bike disk brakes He already had the used engine and the used transaxle drive
     I sit on the box with my feet sticking out and ride it to get the wood but once it s loaded you have to either walk behind it or pull it toward you It s not much longer than it is wide so I can drive it right in near the stove The short wheelbase makes it highly maneuverable he says It s a handy-dandy thing to have around when you want to move something and it ll haul about a 1/2 cord of wood and works well anywhere including in snow hills mud etc
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Arvin Maitland 15094 û 130th Ave LeRoy Mich 49655 ph 231 768-4886

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