Gravely

[HOSS]

I just picked up this Gravely unit that I want to make into a trailer mover. Any pics out there from people who have made these mobil boat movers?
Model L
Serial # SR12748
Manufacturing Number E-17097
It has a huge axle and pto, chain driven.
Thanks
James

[HOSS]

Found out it has a studabaker motor, 7hp.

[058]

Pics.....we need pics!!!

[HOSS]

Will do tomorrow. Camera at house.

[HOSS]

Its either a 1945 or a 1961 model. Should make one hell of a trailer dolly.

[Jim W]

Laugh all ya want but this thing moves hundreds of boats for me each year.
Jeep CJ 5 made into a trailer mover. 2 balls up front and the one in the rear. Both front and rear work with hyd. controls. I dont leave the drivers seat.
The front ball closer to the driver can be swapped from left to right side. This allows me to "sight down" the side of a boat while I place a moving boat next to a parked boat. I usually allow 1" between boats for storage.
If I was going to do it again, I would build something with a 2 cyl. engine running a hyd pump and driving the front wheels. A 2 stick control like a zero turn lawn mower controling the front wheels would give you zero turn and the engine in the back would act as a counter-balance. Ive actually thought of producing these things for the marine market but the liability scares me.
Be good, Jim

[TollyWally]

I grew up with one of those and a few years back bought one. For Lawn equipment they are extremely hardcore. Is yours electric start? The reason I ask is that I don't believe they are chain drive. What I think you might be seeing is the chain drive that goes from the electric starter around a big toothed sprocket. The one we had as a kid was electric start. The one I have now is pull start. You wrap a strap around the flywheel like thing on the ass end of the moter and pull like hell. Really old school! Mine is loud as hell, the neighbors hate it(me, :) )

[Norseman]

Laugh all ya want but this thing moves hundreds of boats for me each year.
Jeep CJ 5 made into a trailer mover. 2 balls up front and the one in the rear. Both front and rear work with hyd. controls. I dont leave the drivers seat.
The front ball closer to the driver can be swapped from left to right side. This allows me to "sight down" the side of a boat while I place a moving boat next to a parked boat. I usually allow 1" between boats for storage.
If I was going to do it again, I would build something with a 2 cyl. engine running a hyd pump and driving the front wheels. A 2 stick control like a zero turn lawn mower controling the front wheels would give you zero turn and the engine in the back would act as a counter-balance. Ive actually thought of producing these things for the marine market but the liability scares me.
Be good, Jim
A friend of mine has what he calls a sidewinder. It's a midframe mounted front wheel drive V6 mounted with the transaxle running long ways in the chassis, each axle shaft is connected to a 4WD jeep front end, one in the front and one at the rear of the chassis. Both axles are steered with a hydraulic setup controlled by 2 joy sticks. He built it to move cars and trucks around his parking lot. He owned a transmission shop for 50 years, and liked to tinker.
Damn thing will turn on a dime and move a bus.

[HOSS]

I grew up with one of those and a few years back bought one. For Lawn equipment they are extremely hardcore. Is yours electric start? The reason I ask is that I don't believe they are chain drive. What I think you might be seeing is the chain drive that goes from the electric starter around a big toothed sprocket. The one we had as a kid was electric start. The one I have now is pull start. You wrap a strap around the flywheel like thing on the ass end of the moter and pull like hell. Really old school! Mine is loud as hell, the neighbors hate it(me, :) )
Yeah, its electric start,,the starter is chain driven,,this thing is amule and a half. All axle and pto housing, its insane.

[SmokinLowriderSS]

Here's a website, looks like a lot of info:
Gravely Model L Info (http://gravelyinfo.com/weblink/view/5/2)

[HOSS]

SmokinSS, thanks a billion. There is a pic on that site of a guy who made one that mounts to the pto cover. AWSOME!

[HammerDown]

I would need something small for storage...but it would also need to be HEAVY with tons of torque to jack a tandem trailer in on a sharp 90 degree turn. :rolleyes:

[SmokinLowriderSS]

If you had a pair of front casters HD, big solid ones like the 6" rubber tired (solid) ones I used to make an engine storage/roll-arround dolly a couple years ago, you'd have the tongue weight to help with weight. They carry ... 410 pounds each. The 2 non-swivels I used were something like 700 or 800 pounds each.
Here's the swivel ones I used, about $16 each.:
Shepherd brand caster Ace hardware (http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1296608&cp=&pg=2&origkw=casters&kw=casters&parentPage=search&searchId=17848552851)
The closer the ball is to the drive wheels, the more weight transfer.
Just a thought.

[HOSS]

Going with an 8" swivel. I`ll get the pic of basic design I`ll be copying. :cool:

[HOSS]

pics,,,won`t be exactly like this but you get the point. This Gravely is all axle and pto,,,solid cast iron. Built to last. Just need to find motor parts.

[HOSS]

Can`t fing the guy (livingstone) who makes/made adaptors to run a 13hp Honda on this.