Input sought on using subaru drive components in home made tractor

I've got this wild idea. My son has a rust bucket subaru station wagon that he is willing to donate to build a backhoe/bucket loader approximately 4 feet by 7 feet. I know this is not practical time wise but we both think it would be fun to build together, someday. It probably doesn't go slow enough, even in first gear low range. And I think the engine is in front of the transaxle instead of above it. So, if a hydraulic pump were fixed to the engine and a hydraulic motor fixed to the tranny could this setup be used to eliminate the clutch, provide lower speeds, provide the pressure for the bucket and hoe AND provide 4 reverse gears? What happens if the transmission is run backwards? Will the thrust from the gears change direction and perhaps ruin the tranny? I really don't have the time to do this now but mebbe some day... A good thought exersize though. And if it looks possible the subaru needs to be stripped of it's running gear, ignition, cooling, and charging systems so the rest can go to the junk yard. BTW, this car is a 1987 or 88. With a carburetor, not fuel injected. Any thoughts? Thanks, Eric R Snow, Jest dreamin'

Reply to
Eric R Snow
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The pressure on the ring and pinion teeth will be the exact opposite of what it should be. This is not an issue when backing out of a parking space, but could be trouble while pulling logs up a hill. Still- it's a neat idea. Wish I'd thought of it.

-Carl "The man who has nothing worth dying for has nothing worth living for"- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reply to
Carl Byrns

A friend did this years ago with a Corvair. Engine went in crosswize, with driveshafts going from the diff on the transaxle to differntials on both axles of the loader. 4.11 gears on the drive axles gave it a top speed in high of something like 22 MPH. If he could get the tires to link up with the ground that critter would move anything put in it's way. By the way, he was running the Powerglide Automatic.

Reply to
clare

A lot of old homemade tractors insert a second transmission behind the first. Works great.

Reply to
Ron Thompson

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