Turning a vertical shaft into a horizontal shaft

[sirweldalot]

Can I turn a vertical shaft riding mower engine into a horizontal one? I have 17.5 Tecumseh.

 

[dadsEH]

Why?

 

[PAToyota]

Right angle gearbox...

 

[dowmace]

I'm going to bet it's for a racing mower. I've done it with a Briggs. I ended up just using an electric oil pump to keep the engine from starving for oil.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

[zkling]

O this takes me back to the 10year old wanting to build a go kart days. Can you? Yes, but very seldom it is efficient, space, weight and money wise. Can you tell us what you plan on doing with this? Briggs makes some nice 20hp and under side shafts.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Can you? Yes, but very seldom it is efficient, space, weight and money wise.

+1 !

 

[rslaback]

There isn't usually anything inherently different in the block. Sometimes manufacturers actually use the same block for both horizontal and vertical. However, your biggest issues are going to be oil and gas.

Oil.
You will need to figure out a different way to lube the engine. The oil pump or splash finger will most likely not be in the oil level now.

Gas.
You will somehow need to twist the carburetor 90 degrees to get your float back to level.

You'd likely be better off finding a different engine.

 

[sirweldalot]

I am building a homemade sawmill. I did some research and it looks like I can use what is called a ''mule drive'' pulley system. I have a nice 17.5 engine with elec. strart. If anyone on this forum has an idea or drawing for this, that would be great. It is a budget issue. So this is why I want to use what parts,engine,steel I have here. Thanks.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I am building a homemade sawmill. I did some research and it looks like I can use what is called a ''mule drive'' pulley system.

Yep ! Commonly used in the opposite direction (power from a horizontal shaft lawn tractor engine is turned 90° to drive mower blades).

No specific design numbers, but you will need a loooong belt and a fair amount of space between the drive/driven pulleys and the "mule drive".

 

[rslaback]

If it is a homemade sawmill I assume you are using two trailer type tires for the bandsaw wheels. If that is the case, why not drive the tires from the sidewall with the engine mounted above them. Done correctly you could even put a tapered pulley on the shaft of the engine which would give you variable speed based on which part of the pulley is touching the tire.

 

[vartz04]

I can take some pics of the lawnmower set up if you need them. It be fairly easy to do though.

 

[Highlux]

****** may help with this problem.

 

[theoldwizard1]

There isn't usually anything inherently different in the block. Sometimes manufacturers actually use the same block for both horizontal and vertical. However, your biggest issues are going to be oil and gas.

Oil.
You will need to figure out a different way to lube the engine. The oil pump or splash finger will most likely not be in the oil level now.

As most of you know, CARB and EPA have pretty much killed 2 stroke engines. A couple of years ago, Honda designed a new line (GX 25/35) of small 4 stroke engines that can work in any position.

Oiling is done by an internal fan that literally splashes and blows the oil around inside the block. Synthetic oil is required (probably because they don't foam as much). The belt is INSIDE the engine.

It has a very "interesting" OHC cam design with only ONE cam lobe.

 

[kbs2244]

Your “mule drive” concept has been used for a long time.
I had it on my Corvairs in the 60’s for the cooling fan.
And I have it now on an 18HP Sears garden tractor.

The Corvairs had idler pulleys to guide the twist.
The tractor just spaces the pulleys about 30 inches apart with steel pin guides to keep the belt from jumping.

But do a u-tube search.
There are vidios showing it done.
But useually in the 3 to 5 HP range.