Bobcat M-444, Fabricating an 05 Kubota Diesel

[kuny123]

Well the last thread i started, none of the pictures worked, got some advice, hopefully they work now. I started this project by purchasing a 1963 Melroe M-444 with an onan gas engine.
The engine was seized solid, but I had other plans, I got my hands on a 2005 Kubota 3 Cyl Diesel, my plan was to do away with the old clutch and belt drive and run an orbital motor so I would "almost" have a hydrostatic unit.

Yah, it's an old beast aint it? haha

As you can see in this picture the rad that come with the motor fits perfectly into the read opening, as for the orange melroe weight, I will be welding 2x4 inch angle iron to the inward facing lips, I can then remount the weight using the factory "clamps"

I had to build an extension for the muffler to sit on to get over the rad, Well first i had to buy a new manifold, the one that came on the motor faced straight out towards, You can also see the orbital motor fabbed up with the chain running down to the jack shaft. Right now it is geared 2:1, I will changing that to about 4:1(moves waaaay to slow, about 1 mph)

On the bottom of the motor there are 2 hyd. pumps, the one on the left runs the up/down and tilt fuctions, replaced old pump that cam with bobcat to a new 12GPM pump. The pump on the right is for the forward/reverse only, before it runs to the orb. motor it goes into a variable speed valve giving me the option of slowing the machine down for more torque.

I relocated the battery from underneath the seat(where the variable valve is now) to under the floor boards beside the filter housing.
In total I have about $2500 CAD into this machine(2 new hydraulic pumps and orbital motor were 1/3 of the cost) and about 75 hours into this machine. It may sound like alot to some people, but for a running machine even in this condition are selling between 45-6500 around here.
Any questions/concerns, feel free to post, I hope this info and pictures give other the incentive to go out and try there own project.

 

[Tazza]

This is very interesting. How have you gone with the power its putting out? a 12GPM pump on a smaller motor seems a little excessive, that and drive power. I know if you go easy it will be fine.
I'm interested to see how it all turns out when completed, i have never modified a machine like this, yet it looks interesting. Are you going to add another oil cooler or a larger one for the extra heat generated by the drive pump?

 

[kuny123]

This is very interesting. How have you gone with the power its putting out? a 12GPM pump on a smaller motor seems a little excessive, that and drive power. I know if you go easy it will be fine.
I'm interested to see how it all turns out when completed, i have never modified a machine like this, yet it looks interesting. Are you going to add another oil cooler or a larger one for the extra heat generated by the drive pump?

I don't really have a problem with power, the motor is rated at 26 hp at 3000rpm, right now its only running on 2 cyl, I have had it out in the snow, filled the bucket up and kept pushing more snow, it powered through it all only on 2 cylinders.
The one pump is 12 gpm and the pump that runs the orbital motor is 22 gpm. The old motor was only 12 hp and ran the 10 gpm pump, so i figured over twice the power should run all this, plus the diesel give alot more torque.
As for the oil cooler, I havent realy thought about that yet, How the hydraulics are routed, I have no return going back to the pumps or the motor, All the oil that it getting returned is getting put right back into the tank. So the pumps are forced to draw new cool oil right out of the tanks.
If I need to, it wont be too hard to add an oil cooler behind the rad.

 

[Tazza]

I don't really have a problem with power, the motor is rated at 26 hp at 3000rpm, right now its only running on 2 cyl, I have had it out in the snow, filled the bucket up and kept pushing more snow, it powered through it all only on 2 cylinders.
The one pump is 12 gpm and the pump that runs the orbital motor is 22 gpm. The old motor was only 12 hp and ran the 10 gpm pump, so i figured over twice the power should run all this, plus the diesel give alot more torque.
As for the oil cooler, I havent realy thought about that yet, How the hydraulics are routed, I have no return going back to the pumps or the motor, All the oil that it getting returned is getting put right back into the tank. So the pumps are forced to draw new cool oil right out of the tanks.
If I need to, it wont be too hard to add an oil cooler behind the rad.

Excellent, i thought the stock engine would have been larger, but obviously it did the job and this one has a lot more.
I think a cooler will be needed if its run for longer times, but as long as you keep an eye on the temperatures and add one if it get too high.

 

[kuny123]

Excellent, i thought the stock engine would have been larger, but obviously it did the job and this one has a lot more.
I think a cooler will be needed if its run for longer times, but as long as you keep an eye on the temperatures and add one if it get too high.

Just thought i would update you guys with the progress of my project, dont have alot of time to spend on it, thats why its taking so long.

in the paint booth prepped for paint

Waiting for crank to get rebuilt to put engine back together

the engine mount with the two hydro pumps on the rear, and the orbital motor on top to drive machine

the gearing set up, I mentioned earlier i was going to gear it differently to give more speed, well here it is, a 4:1 ratio.

waiting for its turn in the paint booth after getting sand blasted

the first thing too come out of paint booth, looking all glossy and sexy, lol

 

[Tazza]

Just thought i would update you guys with the progress of my project, dont have alot of time to spend on it, thats why its taking so long.

in the paint booth prepped for paint

Waiting for crank to get rebuilt to put engine back together

the engine mount with the two hydro pumps on the rear, and the orbital motor on top to drive machine

the gearing set up, I mentioned earlier i was going to gear it differently to give more speed, well here it is, a 4:1 ratio.

waiting for its turn in the paint booth after getting sand blasted


the first thing too come out of paint booth, looking all glossy and sexy, lol

A coat of paint sure does make them look shmexy. I remember my 743, looked awesome. My cousin said it looked like a fridge.... I felt that was a bit harsh, yet it was very white.
Keep the updates coming, hopefully you will find more time to play. I know i'm in the same boat, so many jobs to do, yet no time to do them.

 

[drider77]

Just thought i would update you guys with the progress of my project, dont have alot of time to spend on it, thats why its taking so long.

in the paint booth prepped for paint

Waiting for crank to get rebuilt to put engine back together

the engine mount with the two hydro pumps on the rear, and the orbital motor on top to drive machine

the gearing set up, I mentioned earlier i was going to gear it differently to give more speed, well here it is, a 4:1 ratio.

waiting for its turn in the paint booth after getting sand blasted


the first thing too come out of paint booth, looking all glossy and sexy, lol

Wow that looks like quite the project!! I would be interested in some of the take off parts if you still have them? Email me at [email protected]

 

[HarryN]

Just thought i would update you guys with the progress of my project, dont have alot of time to spend on it, thats why its taking so long.

in the paint booth prepped for paint

Waiting for crank to get rebuilt to put engine back together

the engine mount with the two hydro pumps on the rear, and the orbital motor on top to drive machine

the gearing set up, I mentioned earlier i was going to gear it differently to give more speed, well here it is, a 4:1 ratio.

waiting for its turn in the paint booth after getting sand blasted


the first thing too come out of paint booth, looking all glossy and sexy, lol

Thanks for the pictures. Makes for a interesting read. Did you sand blast yourself? If so, what is your set-up? Great job so far. Can't wait to see it finished!

 

[kuny123]

Thanks for the pictures. Makes for a interesting read. Did you sand blast yourself? If so, what is your set-up? Great job so far. Can't wait to see it finished!

ya i blasted it myself, i just went to princess auto and bought a 100 lb pressure blaster, was on sale for 140 bucks, for media i went to our local concrete business and got a bunch of pails of the gravel they use in the concrete, built myself a screener from an old steel window screen and a motor to shake it, dumped in the gravel, it screened the small stuff into the bottom for use in the blaster, i then used all the larger rocks for my driveway infront on my shop.
I blasted everything inside my shop, built a blasting booth/painting booth, its roughly 15x15, used an old furnace fan and mounted it to wall, then ducted it out a near by window, the got rid of all the air born dust, after all the blasting was done i cleaned the room top to bottom to use it to paint in, works awesome.

 

[kuny123]

ya i blasted it myself, i just went to princess auto and bought a 100 lb pressure blaster, was on sale for 140 bucks, for media i went to our local concrete business and got a bunch of pails of the gravel they use in the concrete, built myself a screener from an old steel window screen and a motor to shake it, dumped in the gravel, it screened the small stuff into the bottom for use in the blaster, i then used all the larger rocks for my driveway infront on my shop.
I blasted everything inside my shop, built a blasting booth/painting booth, its roughly 15x15, used an old furnace fan and mounted it to wall, then ducted it out a near by window, the got rid of all the air born dust, after all the blasting was done i cleaned the room top to bottom to use it to paint in, works awesome.

drider77, as far as extar parts go, there are none, its a restore, everything that came off, is going back on. only thing swapped out was the motor, and its pooched, in the dump now, and all it was good for was a 250 lb boat anchor.

 

[drider77]

drider77, as far as extar parts go, there are none, its a restore, everything that came off, is going back on. only thing swapped out was the motor, and its pooched, in the dump now, and all it was good for was a 250 lb boat anchor.

Ah no problem. I was hoping you still had the old sheave and hydraulic pump. Doesn't look like you are using either of those. Thanks

 

[kuny123]

Ah no problem. I was hoping you still had the old sheave and hydraulic pump. Doesn't look like you are using either of those. Thanks

ya the sheave i cut off, it was rusted pretty good, and the hydro pump, i still got that but it needs rebuilding, i blew the front seal out of it lol

 

[kuny123]

ya the sheave i cut off, it was rusted pretty good, and the hydro pump, i still got that but it needs rebuilding, i blew the front seal out of it lol

Hey guys another update, almost all back together now, a few small things left to paint and put on.
the rebuilt motor completly assembled along with the painted motor mount
need to find some good used tires/rims for a decent price, looking for 16 inch tires, these ones are only 15 and hard to find and expensive.
the motor installed in the machine and the bucket arms bolted on.

 

[Tazza]

Hey guys another update, almost all back together now, a few small things left to paint and put on.
the rebuilt motor completly assembled along with the painted motor mount
need to find some good used tires/rims for a decent price, looking for 16 inch tires, these ones are only 15 and hard to find and expensive.
the motor installed in the machine and the bucket arms bolted on.

Looking good, not much more to go. Keep the pictures and details coming.