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Dirty HARRY
New member
Username: Dirty_harry
Post Number: 1
Registered: 06-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 03:06 am: | 
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Hello everyone! Been a long, long time since I was here. (So long in fact that I actually had to re-register as a new user!) Anyhow... my Max II has sat for several years and I am now in the process of resurrecting it. I took the old battery out when I put it in storage way back when and I stupidly never bothered to write down the model/part # for it.
Does anyone here have a Sears Diehard or other brand of auto battery in their Max II? If so, I need that part number so I can order the proper model for mine. Unfortunately, parts catalogs never list a Max (or any amphib ATV) and no one even knows what I'm talking about when I've called an auto supply type store for price & info. Otherwise I'll just have to take the internal battery compartment measurements and try to get the biggest one that will fit. Please HELP!
Looking forward to getting it DIRTY again!! Thanks. |
Jeff bar
Advanced Member
Username: Argo8x8
Post Number: 151
Registered: 03-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 11:08 am: |
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Harry
Sorry I do not know the battery number, but just order one for the small, (full size, not motorcycle battery) which fit almost all garden tractors, I Buy mine at AUTOZONE, the sell two, same phy size but one with 180 amp and the larger better one with around 250 amps, only cost about 30$ great deal
Jeff Bar |
Dirty HARRY
New member
Username: Dirty_harry
Post Number: 2
Registered: 06-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 22, 2009 - 02:06 am: |
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Thanks, Jeff. I figured that the ones used in most golf carts and utility/UTV buggies will fit. I've taken the measurements of the battery compartment. I'll buy whichever battery has the most amps/cranking power that will fit in it. |
Erich Kelter
Advanced Member
Username: Fisherman
Post Number: 115
Registered: 11-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 22, 2009 - 12:30 pm: |
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I don't know if your MAX takes the same size as an ARGO, mine is an oddball size, Group #51, long and narrow. Go to the Exide spec sheet for all the dimensions. http://www.exide.com/pdf/exide_battery_specs.pdf |
Jeff bar
Advanced Member
Username: Argo8x8
Post Number: 152
Registered: 03-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 22, 2009 - 03:43 pm: |
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Erich Thanks I will bookmark that site too
Jeff Bar |
Dirty HARRY
New member
Username: Dirty_harry
Post Number: 3
Registered: 06-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 22, 2009 - 10:10 pm: |
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Well... I started bringing this beast back from the dead this evening. I have begun the ugly task of removing rust from the frame with my drill and a bronze cup wire wheel. (Not as bad as I thought - so far.) I also soaked all chains, nuts and moving parts (steering & shift linkage, etc.) with PB Blaster to loosen everything. I will soak the lugnuts again later tonight, then loosen them and pull all six tires off tomorrow morning. Then I can put the machine up on jackstands and greasing all the zerk fittings.
I have a slight concern with my steering levers; the left lever won't pull as far back as the right one. Hopefully this stickiness will work itself out once I have it back on the trails and gently break it back in. If not, I will likely have to pull the T-20 and have it re-built. Wonder if there are any places around here that can do something like that, or if I'll need to ship it to Recreatives for a re-build??
Once tires are pulled I will zip the rust off the wheels and re-paint them, then perform the same procedure for the frame.
I have new cables from Recreatives, and the SuperQuiet muffler upgrade kit from Richard. (Man, my old unit was rotted out something horrible!)
Are there any other items that I am overlooking???? |
Dirty HARRY
New member
Username: Dirty_harry
Post Number: 4
Registered: 06-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 - 07:44 pm: |
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Have all the wheels off now. They cleaned up well and painted up really nice with an even coat of flat black Rustoleum. Two more coats and they will be ready for re-install. Need to hit all six axles now with a heavier brush-on paint. Same with the frame.
I found out though that my young cousin had been operating the thing with the middle bearing on the left side blown out completely. I think it will be alright once I pull the axle and replace it. Doesn't look like any damage was done. Thankfully I can pick up a replacement bearing at the local tractor supply place. Shouldn't be too expensive - I hope!
Now the really sad news: while removing the various bits and pieces of the old exhaust system I discovered (to my horror) that the leak in the old flexible muffler tubing had allowed excess heat to partially melt the area when the pipe passes through the body. It is now an oval-shaped hole, reaching just past the edge of the factory inner heat shield. There is also an angular, jagged crack that was hidden beneath the inner heat shield, which runs between the four bolts holding the shield in place. It won't affect performance, but it sure looks ugly.
However, the bottom edge of the L-shaped outer heat shield should have been slightly pre-curved out away from the body by Recreatives prior to install. That shield acted like a Ginsu knife and over the years it sliced through the lower body tub. There's a six inch horizontal cut right through the body. That is a huge, HUGE design flaw on the part of the Recreatives engineers. Obviously this particular Max won't be doing any swimming again, unless I want to pony up a big wad of cash and replace the entire lower tub. I can't even imagine what that would cost me!!! On that note: would anyone care to share their reliable, cheap methods for repairing the plastic HDPE body of the Max?
All sanding and painting operations moving forward with no problems. Should be done with it tomorrow, then I'll tackle a carb cleaning and all fluids & filters replacement. Then a new battery and it will be ready to crank over for the first time in many moons. |
Erich Kelter
Advanced Member
Username: Fisherman
Post Number: 116
Registered: 11-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - 11:51 am: |
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Unfortunate design of the heat shield. How wide is the horizontal cut? As long as it's not over 1/4" wide, I would try to caulk it, probably something like 3M5200 Marine sealer. It's good for sustained underwater use and will stick to more things than silicone. Rough the edges and surrounding surface with a bit of 120 sandpaper and then clean with alcohol to have a clean working surface, NO dirt or grease/oil allowed. |
Dirty HARRY
New member
Username: Dirty_harry
Post Number: 5
Registered: 06-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 08:47 am: |
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The cut isn't really gapped wide at all. Trouble is that the section above the cut is bowed outward, beneath it is bowed inward. No C-clamp I've ever seen would reach that far down and around the overhang to compress the upper & lower portions to get them to properly align. I suppose I will have to contact a few local body shops to find one that has a plastic welder and would actually be willing to tackle this issue.
Not that it really matters, as I don't plan to take it into any bodies of water, it's just that anytime I get to slinging muddy stuff, (which is often since there is a mucky, swampy section of woods beside my house), it will work its way into the bottom of the tub through that stupid cut.
I was thinking of just over-sanding around the inside & outside of the cut, then slathering it with some sort of Gorilla Glue-type epoxy, slapping thick sections of HDPE on the inside & outside of the tub and then pop-riveting the two patches together to completely bandage the "wounded" area. Then silicone the whole thing and paint it flat black
*SIGH* |
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