Yard Mule

The Yard Mule is an affordable Do-It-Yourself solution to the hauling, towing, and dumping
problem that those who work their land are often up against. For just a fraction of the cost of an
ATV, you can build your own heavy duty workhorse that will outperform, outlast, and do exactly
the jobs you want it to do. Using only the most basic tools such as an angle grinder and a
department store welder, you can built your own version of The Yard Mule on a reasonable
budget using mostly recycled parts.
The Yard Mule is a slow moving vehicle with tremendous pulling power and cargo capacity that
can be built using either an electric or gas engine. It is designed to last a lifetime, requiring
minimal maintenance. This DIY Plan guides you through the entire build process, promoting
creative alterations along the way so that you can design a vehicle from the parts you have
available that does exactly what you want. You are free to get creative during your build and try
out new design ideas along the way, since that's what DIY is all about!
NOTE: Before you source any components or cut any metal, read this entire plan from
beginning to end so that you can familiarize yourself with the basic foundations of the design.
Once you understand how the main components work together, please get creative and try out
your own design ideas, recycling parts you have on hand, and working towards the perfect
solution to all of your own hauling, dumping, and towing problems. Your final project will
certainly look different than the one presented here, and be tailored to the work you intend to do
with it.
The following list of materials is a basic guide for some of the main components, so please read
through the plan before making your own “junk yard” shopping list!
The Yard Mule Electric Dump Trike
Some of the “must have” parts you will require:
- A car or truck rear differential (size is up to you).

- Two rims and tires to fit your differential axles.
- A front end from an old motorbike, ATV or lawn tractor.
- A motor capable of between 4 and 20 horsepower (electric preferred).
- 16 feet of 2 inch wide square tubing with a 1/8 or slightly thicker wall (main frame).
- 36 feet of 2 inch wide 3/16” or 1/8” thick angle iron (dump box frame).
- 8 feet of 1.5 inch square with a 1/8” wall (battery box frame & foot rest legs)
- 6 feet of 1 inch square with a 1/8” wall (lower front frame & foot rest frame)
- 4 Four #40 sprockets of various sizes with about 10 feet of roller chain.
For this project, I used these tools: Angle grinder, basic welder, hand drill.
Estimated cost to build: Between $1,000 and $3,000 depending on parts chosen.
Estimated time to complete: Between 10 and 90 days, depending on your day job!
Of course, this list is just a guideline. The only actual “must have” parts will be the rear
differential and some type of engine. Read through the entire plan to understand how the
vehicle is built. You will be able to form your own shopping list based on the creative alterations
you will make in order to build your perfect Beast of Burden!
© AtomicZombie.com ~2~
A scrap 1980s Ford F150 rear differential.
An automotive rear differential is a perfect platform to create many different types of vehicles
from because it includes a robust gearbox reduction system, independently powered dual axles,
brake supports, axle tubes you can weld to, and a place to mount a drive sprocket or pulley. All
you really have to do is supply a motor and a simple front end for steering in order to make a
functional vehicle.
Another benefit to using a car or truck differential is that it is used to carrying the weight of a
3,500 pound vehicle up to highway speeds, so anything you can ask of it here will probably
seem like nothing. Even after 100,000 miles of use, your differential will never require further
service or see any more wear in an application such as The Yard Mule.
You can purchase a differential at any car scrap parts dealer. Depending on the make, it should
cost you between $100 and $300. The good news is that you don’t need to be choosy here, as
any differential from a car or truck will be good for this project. Tell the dealer your price range
and let them show you what is available. You can also get a differential from a car scrap yard for
quite a bit less, but you will be required to pull it out of the car yourself, a bit of a chore using
only hand tools!
When scrounging up a differential, here a few things to consider and look for:
1) The overall condition of the unit. There is nothing wrong with a differential from a
1950s truck as long as it is not rusted internally. External rust is not a problem and will
certainly be present unless you plan on spending a fortune on a newer unit. Check the
rear cover to make sure it is not rusted so much that there are holes, or the gearbox fluid
may have leaked out. If you can turn the wheels and the drive shaft also turns, then this
is a good indication that everything is in decent shape internally.
2) The type of mounting hardware on the drive shaft input (pinion flange). Since you
will be mounting a sprocket to the differential, you want to choose one that has at least 4
bolt holes on a flat surface. The optimal hardware will be a round flange with 4 or more
tapped holes, but the more common clamp style (like I have here) is also fine.
3) Gearbox offset. The gearbox (also called pumpkin), will likely not be completely
centered between the wheels. This is not an issue and may actually work in your favor.
My 1989 Ford F-150 differential was about 4 inches offset to one side which is fairly
typical.
4) Brake hardware. If you intend to make use of the original brakes (a good idea for
working around extreme hills or in a populated area), then finding a differential with
usable brake hardware is a bonus. You can, of course, get a “brake job” done later, but
you won’t need perfect or new brakes to stop this lightweight vehicle.
In order to identify and refer to the various parts of the differential, I will be using the names
shown on the diagram below. You won’t need to take the differential completely apart, but
the diagram does show the inner workings and what the proper names of all of the
components in case you ever have to replace anything.
A 1970s Kawasaki minibike frame from the scrap yard.
For the front part of your DIY vehicle, you will need some kind of steering system. It can take on
many forms from a simple home built fork and wheel to a dual front wheel tractor like steering
system. For a three wheeler like I have made here, the perfect front end can be taken from an
old scrap motorcycle as it will give you everything you require, even a front brake. A small
minibike like this scrap 1970s Kawasaki 175 is a good source of parts that will include a front
wheel, suspension forks, head tube and bearings and a place to mount handlebars.
If you decide to look for a junk motorbike, the only thing that matters is the condition of the front
rim (not too bent), and that you get enough of the frame to salvage the head tube and bearings
for the steering system. This old bike included a 21 inch front wheel and was found at the local
dump on top a large scrap metal pile. Although a bit beat up and rusty, it cleaned up just fine as
you will see in the final build photos.
Various electric motors, sprockets and a motor controller.
You have many options when it comes to the engine that will power your DIY vehicle. Because
the gear reduction differential will be driven by either a belt or chain, you can use any type of
motor that includes a horizontal output shaft. The Yard Mule presented here uses a medium
power DC electric motor, but you could certainly use a larger or smaller DC motor or even a gas
engine such as the type found on a snow blower or tiller.
This photo shows the motors and sprockets I had in my collection, including the 20 horsepower
capable motor I used (bottom left) and a smaller 4 HP motor just above. Also shown in this
photo is the 300 amp motor controller I used that would have been fine for both electric motors.
When choosing a motor, you have to consider how fast you want to move, and how much
towing or loading capacity you want. It can be a lot of guesswork when setting up your motor
and gear reduction system, so let me tell you what I have found over the many years of building
small and large motorized (gas and electric) vehicles so you can make a good decision based
on these basics.
Horsepower, Torque, Watts or Amps?
The world seems to like to rate motor power in units of horsepower. However, I think it’s
basically a meaningless rating system that measures how much work can be done over a length
of time, rather than the amount of power that can be delivered by your motor at any given time.
Nonetheless, I find myself using it as well since most people can relate to it, and it can “sort of”
be converted into a proper rating such as watts to give you a basic idea of what to expect form
an electric motor.
So, let’s say that one horsepower is equal to about 750 watts when trying to size up an electric
motor if you decide to go that route.
A typical push lawn mower engine is about 3 HP, so that would translate into 2250 watts which
is in the range of a large electric scooter, or twice the power of an electric assist bicycle with a
hubmotor. A motor of that size is about as small as you would want to use for his project, so if
you’re looking for a gas motor, stay in the 5 to 20 HP range. If you’re looking for an electric
motor, stay in the 3000 to 20,000 watt range. My electric motor is at the higher 20,000 watt
range and would be equal in HP to what you would find on a medium to large size lawn tractor
which would be 15-20 HP.
Speed and Power, a JackShaft Trading Game.
The Yard Mule is a slow moving vehicle that is designed for pure towing and carrying capacity
rather than the race track, so there is an intermediate set of sprockets on a shaft that take
reduces the maximum RPM delivered by the motor in exchange for a lot more power to the
drive wheels. This intermediate transmission is commonly called a JackShaft, and you can see
it in many of the photos shown in this plan.
The jackshaft here is basically a one speed transmission and does the same job as the
transmission in your car by using chains and sprockets instead of gears. This reduction is
necessary because the rotational speed on the output shaft of a gas or electric motor would be
in the range of 1000 to 3000 RPM. If you were to connect this directly to the drive shaft of the
differential, then your resulting vehicle speed would be about 50 miles per hour, much too fast
for this project!
Of course, if you did manage 50 miles per hour, you would have very little power (torque) to the
wheels and would most likely stall on the first hill or attempt at towing anything. So, the jackshaft
trades RPM for Torque through something called gear reduction. Your differential already
includes a gear reducer that lowers RPM from the drive shaft to the axles by a factor of between
3 and 4 times, so you are ahead of the game even before choosing a gear reduction for your
jackshaft. There are other factors that will alter the total torque delivered from your motor to your
wheels such as the actual wheel diameter and your motor controller maximum power, but I will
cover all of these basics and present a simple formula you can use a little later in the plan.
Knowing your differential gear reduction is the first step. That will be shown soon.
Motor Cost and Availability.
Without getting too wound up in the calculations yet, the simple fact is that you will be building
your DIY vehicle based on a budget and the parts you can source, so that certainly narrows
down the motor choices. For gas engines, a typical 5 to 10 HP side shaft engine with a pull or
electric start will work well, and for electric, any motor and controller pair that will run on 24 to 48
volts and deliver between 3000 and 20,000 watts will work. The motor you will be looking for will
also have an output shaft of at least 3/4” in diameter and have some way to mount it to a basic
frame. If you have not done so already, read this entire plan to see how I built the yard Mule
around my motor. Be sure to consider size and position before you begin shopping.
As for cost, an electric system will cost you 2 to 4 times as much as the same rated gas engine,
but the benefits are well worth it in my opinion. The Yard Mule is designed to be low
maintenance, quiet running, environmentally friendly and very safe to operate. If you decide to
run with a gas engine, these qualities will be greatly reduced or erased completely. Having said
that, I will try to defend the old petrol engine a bit by saying that you cannot beat the range of a
tank of gas. A 5 gallon tank of gas will outrun a set of large batteries 10 times easily, whereas
my electric system is typically good for one full day of work before I plug it in at night.
Ok, I will switch back to the build at hand and come back to all of this gear reduction calculating
once you have picked out your rear differential and cleaned it up for welding. Time to visit the
car yard!
Working out a general idea on a paper notepad.
Once you have a rear differential picked out and some idea of what you plan to use for the front
end, it will be time to plan your basic vehicle design. There are so many ways you can configure
your DIY yard Tractor. The types of tasks you intend to use it for will have the greatest impact
on your final design. No doubt your completed project will look completely different than mine,
but the underlying basics that make it work will be the same. Grab a notepad and a pen, and
find a quiet spot to sketch out your ideas. Your drawings don’t have to be pretty, but I can
promise you that no computer CAD will ever be more efficient than your imagination pouring out
at the end of a pencil or pen!
When I first conceived the yard Mule, it was much different than the completed vehicle shown
here. Early drawing board versions used a 5 HP snow blower engine, had 4 wheels, a full body,
and looked more like a 4 wheel ATV. As I considered what I wanted to use the Mule for, the
design became more practical and based around the junk I had laying out back. Some of the
main things I considered that carved out the design are:
Cargo Capacity and Loading Methods.
One of my most difficult yearly tasks is collecting enough firewood for the brutal Northern
Ontario winter, which lasts 5-6 months and can be -40 degrees for days on end. For me, that is
about 8 cords of wood split into 16 inch long quarters. Before building the Mule, I would cut 32
inch logs and then haul them out of the bush to where the log splitter was sitting. After splitting, I
would then have to move the wood again to the wood shed, so I was working in three different
places with two moves of material. Now, I can connect the splitter to the hitch, throw my
chainsaw and gear in the back and head out in the bush to return with a full load of split
firewood. The large dump box and towing hitch allow me to work in one place and move
material just once.
So for me, a large size dump box and ability to tow my splitter became the top two priorities in
the design. For this reason, I chose a wide truck differential and added large truck rims and tires
for off-road capabilities. The ability to dump the load also allows me to use the Mule to move
and spread gravel or compost for our large garden.
If moving cargo is your primary goal, then work your design around the size and shape of the
cargo box or bay, even if it means a radical departure from my configuration to something like a
front loader or tanker truck like vehicle. There are no limits to what you can do with this design!
Maneuverability and Terrain.
I live on 120 acres of somewhat cleared land that is made up of mostly steep hills, so the ability
to drag heavy loads up hills and over brush was important which is why I chose a fairly large
electric drive and huge 32” diameter truck tires. The tires are also wide, so the vehicle doesn’t
leave ruts in the nice part of my yard, or cause damage when driving over the septic field.
Maneuverability is very good on my design as well do to having a somewhat short track width
and a steering system that can turn quite sharp. I can turn around in the width of our small
country gravel roads, which is important since I have not bothered to add a reverse system.
If you live on a small lot and have many obstacles, then perhaps a narrower vehicle would
better suit your needs. No problem, just look for a Pontiac B-2000 differential or one from a
small truck, and you can easily shave a foot or more off your vehicle width. You can still carry
plenty of weight on a small car differential because the weight of the original vehicle is not a
factor anymore.
Parts You Already Have Available.
I am all about recycling junk I have so the yard Mule design was finalized on the day I found a
burned out Ford F-150 laying on its side at our local dump. It was used in a fire drill, but besides
some melting on the tires and interior, all of the mechanical parts were ok. I came back with a
© AtomicZombie.com ~ 10 ~
hacksaw and spent 6 hours removing the differential by hand. A week later, the old motorcycle
frame and front end materialized at the dump. Now, I had a design.
Don’t be afraid to try something different with your design, especially the front end and steering
system. A scrap lawn tractor could be used to give you 2 smaller front wheels and a steering
wheel instead of handlebars, or that old ATV could work well, offering front suspension. Use
whatever parts you have available or can find on your expected budget.
How is your notepad sketch coming?
A automotive differential includes a robust gearbox.
At this point, you are familiar with the entire plan and have a good idea of what type of vehicle
you intend to build. The project will be built from the rear forward, based on the differential you
have acquired.
I will assume you have what looks to be a typical rusty 20+ year old differential with half rotted
tires sitting there like mine, so the next few steps will be all about taking it apart and cleaning it
up for reuse in your new vehicle.
Place your differential’s gearbox horizontal and in the right orientation so that the fluids do not
leak out of any ports that may be on the top of the housing. The drive shaft and pinion flange is
usually offset to the lower side of the housing, which is the opposite of what is shown in this
photo, where I have it upside down. If you are not sure, just visit google images and type the
make of your differential in to see a few photos. A quick search of "1989 ford f-150 differential"
brings up plenty of good photos showing the orientation and break out diagram of mine.
You will need some rust penetrating fluid, a wire brush, lug nut wrench, a good hammer, and
plenty of patience for the next few steps!
Dealing with extremely rusted lug nuts.
My donor differential was not only 30 years old, it was set on fire and then left exposed to the
elements for years to follow! My tires are melted and the surface rust was really bad, although I
knew the internals would be fine. You can start your cleanup by pulling the hubcaps and then
removing the lug nuts. Sounds easy enough?
My lug nuts were so rusted that I had to spray them with WD-40 and let them sit for a few hours.
I also had to smash on my tire iron with a 10 pound hammer to get them to turn. These are the
joys that auto mechanics get to deal with every day. If you find that your parts are seized by
rust, then find a bigger hammer!
Removal of seized on brake drums.
Once I managed to free the lug nuts, I was presented with a pair of heavily seized and corroded
brake drums with the pads melted into the drums just to make life more difficult. Hey, the
differential was free, so it was still worth the effort to salvage it.
To unseize the brake drums, I actually had to smash on them with a sledge hammer, hitting the
face and sides all around. Don’t be afraid to pound away; you won’t hurt anything or bent the
axles. The studs can also be replaced if you happen to flatten a few threads.
All of the brake hardware removed.
After a vigorous half hour upper body workout, I managed to bash the brake drums free and
then remove all of the rotted brake parts from the differential. None of the brake parts or drums
were salvageable. I wasn’t planning to add rear brakes, so this was not a loss.
If you intend to use the rear brakes, at least keep the drums, as they can often be cleaned up
enough for this purpose. You will be using the mechanical emergency brake hardware and not
the hydraulic parts, so keep those parts handy if they are salvageable.
Measuring the bolt circle and hub diameter.
Once you have cleaned up your differential to expose the studs and the face of the axle shaft,
you can now familiarize yourself with the bolt circle and hub diameter in order to choose a set of
rims that will fit. There are quite a few different bolt patterns out there. They often differ between
auto manufacturers, so knowing the make and model of the original vehicle can certainly help.
To measure your bolt circle, use the chart below which is based on the number of studs on your
axle flange.
My 5 bolt Ford F-150 bolt pattern was 5-1/2” as measured across the center of one stud and
then to the outer diameter of an opposing stud. Yes, the 5 bolt measurement is different than all
the others for some reason. A “5 on 5.5” bolt circle is also very common. I knew I would be able
to find a set of rims easily.
Also, measure the diameter centering hub as shown in the photo. This is the chunk of material
that extends beyond the face of the axle flange to help center the rim on the axle. This hub can
also prevent you from mounting rims that would otherwise fit the bolt circle, but as you will soon
see, I found a way around this annoyance using my favorite tool.
Pounding out the wheel studs.
The wheel studs are also removable from the axle flange by pounding them out. The studs have
a smaller diameter section on the end so that a bit of mushrooming out from pounding will not
hurt them, allowing them to be pounded back in from the back side of the axle flange.
If your wheel studs are in good shape and you do not intend to modify the centering hub as
shown later, then there is no reason to pound them out.
A set of yard sale Dodge Ram wheels.
Yard sales and online selling sites are a great source for decent rims and tires since many
people upgrade their vehicles. I found a full set of 4 Dodge RAM 1500 rims and tires for $100, a
great deal considering I am building a second vehicle that required large wheels as well. I had
the owner measure the bolt circle and also verified online that it was also a 5 on 5.25” pattern as
my differential required.
The Dodge hub diameter was too small to mount.
While attempting to mount the rims on my differential, I realized that the Dodge centering hub
diameter was half an inch too small for the ford axle. If this was a vehicle for the road, then this
would be a showstopper, but in this case I wasn’t going to let something like that beat me.
In the past, I have made rims fit by hacking out the centering hub to make it larger, but I do
remember that being a lot of manual work with a round file. It can certainly be done and I did
that exact thing on the other set of these rims by hand filing them until the centering hole was 4
inches in diameter to fit a Jeep differential.
If you need to hack your rims to fit, then I will show you an easier method than hand filing.
Grinding away the centering hubs.
The centering hub does not add any strength to the axle. Besides assisting in getting the rim
centered for bolting, it has no other use other than to block you from shopping for rims at the
competition. Once the lug nuts are tight, they take over the job of centering the rim, not this hub
in any way. It’s gotta go!
Take your angle grinder and a new zip disc, and begin “machining” off the centering hub as
shown here. You can even let the axle turn while you do this so you can hold the grinder in
place and hack away. It take about 10 minutes to completely cut away the material.
Centering hub rough cutting completed.
After rough cutting with the zip disc, you will have a nearly flat hub face. The material that was
removed did not impact the strength of the assembly in any way.
Cleaning up the hub using a sanding disc.
Using a sanding disc (flap disc), clean up the leftover material until your axles shoe no signs of
ever having the annoying “anti-standards” centering hub installed. You are now free to mix and
match rims from all manufacturers as long as the bolt circle is the same. Another small victory
for the garage hacker!
Dodge rims now fit on a Ford differential.
Here is my mix and match rear end after modifications. This 30-year-old Ford differential is now
sporting some newer and much larger 17 inch Dodge rims with off road tires. I wonder if this
modification has even been done on a street driven vehicle.
Some of the axle mounting hardware will not be required.
To finish up with the differential cleanup work, you can now cut away all of the mounting plates
that you do not intend to use in the final design. The differential will likely have two very large
pads near the ends where the leaf springs used to mount, as well as several smaller and thinner
wall brackets to hold various sway bars and stabilization systems.
Because the differential axle tubes are made from heavy wall mild steel, you can easily weld
your frame directly to the axle tubes. It is your choice if you want to remove all of the old
mounting pads and brackets, or find a way to use them in your design.
I decided to keep the large leaf spring mounting pads, as they offered a nice platform to weld
the square tube frame without requiring a fishmouth (rounded) cut at the ends to mate with the
round axle tube. Some differentials have these main pads on the bottom side. If you want to use
them, then hack them off at the joint and weld them back where you want them.
Removal of the stabilization brackets.
The smaller stabilizations brackets were only 1/8” thick, so they came off easily with a few
passes of the zip disc. Try not to dig into the axle tube material, keeping your cuts just above
the joint.
Cleaning up the leftover weld metal.
After chopping off all of the unwanted mounting accessories, I cleaned up the axle tubes using a
sanding disc. The differential is now ready to begin life as something much better than a burned
out old pickup truck.
Working out some ideas using my donor parts.
After I work out my basic notepad sketch ideas, I like to take the actual parts and visualize them
just to get a real sense of size and potential pitfalls. The two main considerations of this
exercise were the overall size of the dump box and where I would be sitting in order to reach the
handlebars and not collide with the dump box frame. Everything seemed to work out. As usual,
you can make small changes as you build one step at a time.
Don’t be afraid to alter your plans as you go; this is what DIY is all about!
Figuring out the differential gear reduction.
Now that you have your differential all cleanup up with the set of rims and tires you plan to use,
it’s time to figure out the rear gear reduction for later calculations. You will need to make note of
two things here: the total diameter of your wheels as measured from tread to tread on the tire
and the gear reduction ratio of the differential.
Start by measuring your tire diameter and write that number down. The tires shown here are 32
inches across.
Differentials can have varying gear ratios (reduction), but are typically in the 3.2 to 3.7 range,
with 3.55 being the most common. This simply means that for every single rotation of the
wheels, the drive shaft would have to make 3.55 turns. In gear reduction terms, this is a 3.55 to
1 reduction ratio (3.55:1). A reduction is good for us because the torque transmitted to the axles
will be that many times higher (3.55 times in my case).
You can determine your differential’s gear reduction by placing it on stands and counting the
revolutions of the drive shaft versus one revolution of both wheels turning in tandem. For our
sake, round off to the nearest half because we are working with very low speeds. I knew my
differential had a 3.55 reduction, so I noted 3.5 for my later calculations.
To make counting easier, place pieces of tape on both wheels and the pinion flange as shown in
this photo. Now, turn both wheels around once at the same time so that the tape stays in
alignment all the way around. As you have probably noticed, you can actually turn only one
wheel, and the pinion shaft will turn at half the speed. This is the magic of a differential at work,
splitting the drive between wheels moving at different speeds.
Once you know your differential gear reduction, make note of that number for later.
Taking apart the motorcycle triple tree fork.
The goal for the next few steps of this build is to create a rolling chassis that includes all of your
wheels and steering components mounted to the base frame. From there, you will only need to
add the motor, transmission and cargo components. As you have no doubt figured out when
working with the differential, this vehicle will weigh a lot! Just lifting the differential up on the
buckets was quite a chore; having a rolling chassis will make moving your work around a lot
easier. It’s time to get your front end components ready.
I recycled an old motorcycle for the front end, but you can use any type of front configuration
that will add steering to your vehicle. If you have a different front end to use or plan to make
your own, then skip ahead through the next few steps that deal with the motorcycle fork and
head tube salvaging.
In this photo, you can see a typical motorcycle front fork with the top plat removed. This
configuration is called a “triple tree fork” since it has three tubes placed horizontally - the two
fork legs and the fork stem. An upper and lower plate hold everything together with the lower
plate also carrying the fork stem. Start by removing the top plate by loosening the bolts that
release the clamp around the forks and removing the top nut or bolt holding the center of the
fork stem.
Removal of the motorcycle fork legs.
The fork legs can be pulled out of the lower plate once the clamping bolts are loosened or
removed. You can pry open the clamp with a flat head screwdriver if the fork legs are a bit
rusted as shown in the picture above.
Fork bearings and hardware dissasembly.
Motorcycle fork bearings are basically loose balls that fit between the two races. Be sure to
place a bucket lid or something under your head tube to catch the balls as they drop. Also note
that the upper ball bearings may be smaller than the lower ones. Bearings will fall out once the
top threaded race and locking nut are removed. A pipe wrench works well for this task.
The motorcycle front end after complete dissasembly.
Once the fork set is completely disassembled as shown here, you will have the following parts:
2 suspension spring fork legs, a bottom plate with fork stem, a top plate, a top threaded race
with locking nut, and a bunch of loose ball bearings. The only other part you will require is the
actual head tube which will be cut from the frame.
Salvaging the head tube from the frame.
The head tube can be freed from the frame using a zip disc or a hacksaw if you feel like an hour
of hard labor. Try to cut close to the head tube without cutting into it or the top and bottom
bearing cups.
Grinding away the original frame tubing.
To get the head tube cleaned up for transplant, start by using a rough grinding disc to take away
most of the original frame and weld material. Work away the material until you are naerly flush
with the head tube surface, but don’t dig into the head tube shell.
The head tube after removing all of the frame tubing.
This is what the head tube looks like after rough grinding away all of the original weld metal and
leftover frame material. It’s almost ready for transplanting.
A recycled head tube ready for transplanting.
Clean up all of the rough grinding and old paint with a sanding disc. Your recycled head tube will
now look like it came from the factory shelf where it was made.
A complete motorcycle front end.
Here is my complete front end ready to begin its new life as an electric yard tractor. After buffing
up some of the chrome with a rag, the scrap forks and rim started to look good again. The tire is
certainly shot, but that will be dealt with much later.
Converting the differential for sprocket drive.
When we start building the main frame, it will be done around the differential, working from the
rear to the front where you will connect your steering components. Although the motor and
transmission will come later, you do need to have your final drive sprocket available so that you
can ensure proper clearance between the sprocket and your frame tubing. This is the sprocket
that mounts directly to the differential’s pinion flange as shown here.
The final gear reduction that you choose will determine your output torque along with the
vehicle’s top speed. Several factors will determine the total gear reduction required, including
the wheel diameter (you know this), the differential gear reduction (you know this), the top
speed of the motor, the reduction introduced by the jackshaft, and finally the number of teeth in
this final drive sprocket. Wow, lots of numbers to deal with!
Actually, it’s will be easy because you can pretty much do all of the gear reducing on the
jackshaft and not worry much about the other factors besides knowing what they are for
calculating purposes (shown later).
As for the number of teeth (diameter) of the final drive sprocket, work towards a sprocket that is
not much larger than the flange. Your sprocket should be at least an inch wider than the flange
so that the bolts will not interfere with the chain. This minimal diameter sprocket helps minimize
the height required on your frame boom as well as maximizing ground clearance. Look ahead
and you can see why this is the case.
The sprocket shown in the photo here is a number 40 sprocket with 42 teeth, making it 5.5
inches in diameter. A 6 or 7 inch diameter sprocket would be fine as well.
As for the chain size, you will require #40 chain and sprocket for the secondary drive and
possibly the primary drive if your motor is capable of more the 4 HP or 3000 watts. You do not
have to worry about the primary drive chain now, but do have to choose the proper size
sprocket for the final drive (this one) now. You can refer to this chart to see the various chain
sizes that may be an option in this project. I have removed all but the relevant chain sizes.
I use #40 chain and sprockets for everything since my motor is capable of 20 HP. This chain
size is readily available. The smaller #35 chain would be a bit too small for my primary drive and
certainly too small for the final drive likely stretching or wearing very quickly.
Also note that there is a #41 chain which is not much better than the #35 chain. I added this one
to the chart because it is easy to mistake #41 and #40 since they have the same half inch pitch.
If you want to make the choice easy, then use #40 chain for this sprocket (final drive on the
differential) and for the primary drive (jackshaft to motor) use #40 as well unless your motor is
rated less than 4 HP or 3000 watts.
When choosing the final drive sprocket, ask your supplier for a sprocket that can be drilled.
Usually a plain bore sprocket can be drilled because it can also be welded (softer material). On
this type of sprocket, only the teeth are hardened.
A quick way to get your bolt hole pattern.
I am building the Yard Mule out in my back woods using minimal tools and as quickly as I can,
so I will show you the time cheating dirty tricks I use to get some things done “right away” and
with “close enough” precision. Feel free to take your time and be more precise though!
I threw a ruler across the pinion flange to measure the bolt circle, but it was neither spot on in
metric nor imperial, likely some odd fractional measurement. Instead of walking all the way back
to the house for my digital caliper, I made a “rubbing”. Just as it sounds, you place a sheet of
clean white paper over the holes, and then rub your dirty fingers over the paper to magically
create a template. This may seem like an inaccurate way to drill holes, but when you think about
it, the weak link here will be your punch and pilot hole, not the template.
The key to using the rubbing template is to firmly hold the paper in place while you mark all the
holes. Notice that the hole pattern on my flange is not even a circle; this technique made the job
much quicker.
Verifying the the template acuracy.
After making the rubbing and then plotting lines through the centers for verification, I could
measure each line segment form center to ensure all 4 were equal. If one of the lines was not
equal to the others, then the template was bad. The actual centers will be punched for drilling
and marked by eye. When you work out in the field with minimal tools, you need to learn to trust
yourself.
Fastening the pattern to the sprocket.
Using the center point on the template (crossing lines), I positioned it so that the factory drilled
hole in the center of the sprocket would match up. The template was then taped to the back of
the sprocket by folding it over the sides, making sure the center alignment was not lost.
Punching the holes to be drilled.
With the template centered on the sprocket, I then punch the holes so that I could drill a pilot
hole using a 1/8” drill bit. I keep my punch super sharp by reworking it with my sanding disc
often.
Drilling the 1/8” pilot holes.
Yes, I own a basic tools such as a hand drill, angle grinder and AC welder and have built every
bike, trike and project on the AZ site and intend to keep making projects using simple tools. My
point is that you do not require a machine shop to build this project; anyone can do this. Of
course, if you own a drill press or small CNC machine, then this job is easier.
Drill a pilot hole using a drill bit no larger than 1/8” in diameter, using the punch marks to get the
bit started in the correct place. Once these holes are driller, larger bits will stay centered as they
cut through the material.
The drilled sprocket ready to mount.
The final drilled hole size, number and position will be determined by the hole size that already
exists on your pinion flange. My sprocket required four 3/8” diameter holes, which are shown
driller here. If you plan on purchasing the required bolts right now, you must use grade 8 bolts,
which are the strongest bolts readily available. A softer bolt may just sheer from the torque.
The differential is now side driven by a sprocket.
This photo shows the final drive sprocket mounted to the pinion flange using a few old bolts I
found in my random bucket. These will be changed out for proper grade 8 bolts when the yard
Mule is put together for real use. To check your sprocket alignment, prop up one axle and give
the free wheel a spin. If you see no up and down bouncing of the sprocket, then you are good to
go. Some small misalignment will be ok, but no more than 1/8” in total.
New 2 inch tubing and flatbar from the steel supplier.
It’s time to start filling in the frame, joining the differential to the front end. How many feet of
tubing you will require will be based on your design and the parts chosen, but if you are working
on a design similar to this one, you can expect to require at least 16 feet of 2 inch wide square
tubing with a 1/8 or slightly thicker wall. This is a commonly used construction steel generally
available at steel suppliers.
If you prefer to make a single trip to the steel supplier for the heavy lengths and plan on making
a 4 x 4 x 2 foot dump box like mine, then you will require at least 36 feet of 2 inch wide 1/8” thick
angle iron, another commonly available size.
Most tubing comes available in 20 to 24 foot lengths. You will likely need to get them cut in half
for hauling, so consider this when calculating what you require. Having more material on hand is
not a bad thing either because the DIY lifestyle usually means you are always making
something.
Some of the other approximate lengths of tubing you may require (and can swap out for a
different size) will be:
• 8 feet of 1.5 inch square with a 1/8” wall (battery box frame & foot rest legs)
• 6 feet of 1 inch square with a 1/8” wall (lower front frame & foot rest frame)
Most of the other small parts can be cut from the leftover bits you have after making the frame,
but a good pile of random small scrap metal parts will certainly come in handy.
Working out the length of the vehicle.
The width of your vehicle is already demined by your wheels and rear axle, but the length is
totally up to you. A vehicle’s width is called “track width”, a measure from tire tread center to
center, and its length is called “wheelbase” as measured from rear axle center to front axle
center. Here are my Yard Mule measurements for your reference:
• Track Width = 64 Inches / Total Width = 74 Inches

• Wheelbase = 72 inches / Total Length = 104 Inches
Of course, your vehicle will be slightly or completely different depending on the differential you
start with, as well as your overall design goals.
These three pieces make up the rear frame.
The main Yard Mule frame is basically a T made of 2 inch square tubing as you can see by
reading ahead. This T shape forms the backbone of the vehicle, aligning all wheels together and
supporting the weight of the dump box and rider. The three pieces of tubing shown above are
cut to fit around some of the dimensions of your rear differential, so you must work these out
using your own differential. Don’t cut any tubing until you have been through this entire plan at
least once and read ahead again somewhat to see how you will derive the lengths of these
three rear frame tubes.
The short explanation is that you want to build a frame that is an inch above the differential
gearbox housing and about 2 inches narrower than the measurement between the inside of
each rear tire.
The clearance above the differential housing is obvious, but the width being slightly less than
the width between the tires is to allow some room for your dump box to live when you add the
hinges. You can see this in the photos that show the dump box being built. Also, not all rims
have the same offset (dishing). Having 2 inches of space between your dump box side walls
and the tires will let you use different rims with a slightly deeper inward dishing.
For reference only, the long tube shown above is 47 inches and the shorter tubes are 7 inches,
each cut at a 45 degree angle. Yours will likely not be the same.
Cutting 45 degree angles for welding.
When welding two pieces of tubing together at 90 degrees, cutting the ends to 45 degrees will
completely close in the resulting frame so there are no open end. Use a square with a 45
degree side and mark the tubes for cutting. All of my cutting is done using a hand held angle
grinder and a zip disc since I do not own a chop saw.
Test fitting of the rear frame tubes.
This is the goal of the rear frame section: to clear the gearbox housing and sit slightly narrower
than the distance between the inside of the tires. You can also see that I chose to utilize the
landing pads that were left on the differential axle tubes, but that is completely optional. You can
certainly weld directly to the differential axle tubes as they are just mild steel like your tubing.
Horizontal levelling of the gearbox is important as well, so read ahead and see how this is done
before welding anything together.
Welding the rear frame tubes together.
Welding a 45 degree joint is done in a specific order to minimize distortions cause by heating
and contracting weld metal. First, weld the outer edge of the joint (A) and then check your 90
angle, adjusting if required. Next, weld both sides (B) and let the tubing cool down a bit. Finally,
you can weld the inside joint (C), although this optional on this part of the frame, since that weld
adds little strength to the joint once the frame is welded to the differential.
Setting up the differential level to the ground.
The differential’s gearbox is designed to operate in the horizontal positon for the most part.
Since the housing is filled with oil, too much of a tilt will cause the gears to run dry, although it
would take an extreme angle and a massive amount of distance to really cause a problem. Of
course, it just makes sense to level the differential anyhow because this will also put your motor
and transmission at 90 degrees to the frame for easy alignment later.
Ensure you have determined which end is the top of your differential before moving forward
because running it upside down will likely result in a gear oil leak and dry running gears.
Use a level and find a flat surface that is horizontal to the drive axle as shown here. Keep the
level in place as you complete the rolling chassis, using it as a reference as your frame
progresses to the front end. In this photo, my final drive sprocket would be at 90 degrees to the
horizontal, which can also be verified with the level.
Checking the angle of the vertical frame tube.
The two small tubes that raise the rear frame tube up over the gearbox housing should be at 90
degrees to the horizontal, which is easily checked with the level as shown here. You will notice
that I had to cut the ends of the tubes that mate with the landing pads to some unknown angle
since the pads were welded to the differential that way.
To calculate that angle, I first took my best guess and then worked the tube down with the angle
grinder until the level told me I was close enough. Yes, none of this build requires high
precision, with the exception of getting your chains aligned.
Welding the rear frame to the differential pads.
After working out the angles to compensate for the landing pad position, I was probably no
further ahead of schedule than if I just removed the pads and welded the square tubing directly
to the round axle tubing. Next time I salvage a car differential, I would remove all of the pads
from the axle tube right away. This photo shows the square tube welded front and back onto the
landing pads after verifying the angles with a level.
Horizintal levelling of the main frame boom.
The main boom is the backbone of the frame. It runs the length of the vehicle, joining the front
end to the rear end. Some forward planning is required to determine the total length of the main
boom because it will dictate the dump box size you can use and where you need to mount your
seat to reach the handlebars or steering system you choose to use.
This section of my main boom is 48 inches in length which works out well for the boat seat I am
using as well as the 4 foot square dump box. If you are not sure yet, do some mocking up with
lumber, just to get your plan figured out.
The main boom tube is perpendicular to the rear frame tube as well as horizontal to the ground
(and the differential as levelled). This also makes the tube perpendicular to the face of the
sprocket and easy to align your drive train later on.
Checking the 90 degree angle of the main boom.
The main boom will be positioned in the center of your vehicle. Mark a line in the center of the
rear frame tube as a reference point. Note that due to the offset off the differential housing, do
not expect the pinion flange to be directly under this tube; it will be off to one side or the other at
least by a few inches if not a lot more. This is fine.
Welding all the way around the main frame boom.
Welding all the way around the joint is steal easy to do at this point because you can flip the
frame over for easy access. This won’t be the case for much longer, though. You will need to
tune up your “all position” welding skills soon.
When welding this perpendicular tube, weld the top and bottom of the joint first, keeping a close
watch on the 90 degree angle using a square. The side of the joints are welded last.
Flip the frame to access the underside joints.
At this point, you can complete the rest of the welds, including the side welds on the small tubes
that seat the frame to the axle tube or its landing pads.
Checking the position of the dump box.
You can now work out the optimal position of the front end, which is determined both by the size
of the cargo area as well as the position of the seat. If you are planning to make a dumping box,
then it should be positioned so that more of the box is resting on the frame as compared to the
section that is floating over the rear of the frame. This forward positioning will help stop the box
from tipping if a load is imbalanced, yet still allow for manual tilting of the box.
My dump box is 4 foot square. I placed 28 inches onto the frame and let 20 inches hang over,
which seems to be working just fine for me. Again, feel free to design your machine any way
you like, even using a hydraulic system for the dump box or a side dumper. It would be great to
see all kinds of creative alterations to this plan in the Atomic Zombie Builder’s Gallery!
Once you do figure out how much frame space your cargo box or bed will take, you can mockup
your seat (or use the actual seat) positioned a few inches in front of the end of the box. You only
need a few inches of clearance in front of the dump box to the base of the seat mainly due to
the seat back support being on an angle. Looking way ahead to the second last photo, you can
see that my seat back almost touches the dump box panel, but still keeps my body away from
the box.
The second thing to consider is where your feet will rest. In the photo above, the tape measure
body is the end of the dump box, leaving just enough room on the main boom to mount the
small (14 inch) boat seat. To verify this doing a real world check, I carefully placed a board on
the frame and put my legs into the riding position, making sure they would end up resting on
some kind of foot rest that would not interfere with the front wheel when turning. Mockups really
help out when you are building like this using the parts you have on hand.
Cutting the angle from the end of the main boom.
If you are using a similar scrap motorcycle front end, then the head tube will likely be higher
than the main boom tube. You need to continue your frame by adding a tube that is angled
upward to join the head tube to the main boom. You can clearly see this in the previous photo
where my head tube is about 16 inches in front of the main boom and about 12 inches higher.
Shown in this photo is the line I intend to cut that will place the new tube at the required upward
angle so that it meets up with my head tube. I have no idea what this angle is since I cut it
based on holding a 2x4 mock-up in place to make a rough guess. I usually cut a bit less than
required so I can work the angles with a grinder until they are as close as necessary.
Once again, you can work out the length and angle of the joining boom tube by using your
mockup as shown in the previous photo. Also note that the head tube is positioned on a slight
forward angle, which in bike terms is called “head angle” or “caster angle”. This slight forward
angle creates a smoother steering system when moving at higher speeds, so obviously it is not
important for this project.
Choose a head tube angle of about 15 degrees as measured from the vertical. Don’t worry
about being overly accurate here; a slight angle is fine. If you want to eyeball the angle, look
ahead at some of the side shots and copy what you see.
Test fitting the front boom to the main boom.
Checking the angles that will join the head tube to the main boom tube is done by holding the
tubes in place with the front end still propped up where I would like it to be. After reworking the
angled cuts on both ends of the two tubes, I eventually got them ready for welding.
In case you are trying to actually measure your angles, the angle to be cut on the end of each
tube will be half of the desired angle. For instance, if I wanted a 24 degree upward angle
between the two tubes, I would cut a 12 degree angle out of each end to make the required
joint. That is actually close to what is shown here.
Clamping the boom tubes for welding.
On the backside of these two tubes (out of view) is a length of angle iron clamped along the side
to place the two tubes in parallel alignment for welding. Once again, the order of operations will
be: bottom joint, top joint and then both sides. When you have a few years of welding
experience to draw upon, you will instinctively know how to reduce warping when welding a
joint. Of course, some small deflection won’t break this project.
Welding the main boom and front boom.
This is the last time you will get to manipulate the frame for easy access to underside welds.
Once the front end is installed, it will not be easy to swing the frame up in the air like this. Take
this time to complete and clean up all welds you can access. This is also a good time to take a
wire brush or sanding disc to that rusty differential to clean it for painting.
Setting up the front end and head tube angle.
To set up the head tube to the approximate 15 degree forward angle for welding, I blocked all of
the wheels and reset the head tube on the end of the new upward boom tube. The 15 degrees
is measured from a vertical line taken from the horizontal ground. Don’t get too picky about this
angle, just get in the ballpark.
Marking a line to cut the end of the front boom.
Once you have your head tube angle the way you like it, trace a line on the end of the new
boom tube as shown here, using the edge of the head tube shell as a guide. Using a zip disc,
cut this small section out so that your head tube rests fully on the end of the boom tube at the
required angle.
Checking the head tube angle after cutting.
With the small pie shaped slice removed from the end of the new boom tube, the head tube is
now resting flat against the end of the tube at the approximate 15 degree angle. If your head
tube angle is a bit off, no problem, because you can make corrections when you make the
fishmouth cuts in the next few steps.
Marking the fishmouth to be cut.
Find a washer or disc that is close to the diameter of your head tube shell and mark the top and
bottom of the boom tube like this. This fishmouthing of the tube will allow the round head tube to
fully mate with the square tube for proper welding around all of the joint.
Rough cutting of the fishmouth.
To make the rounded cut, use a zip disc to rough it out as much as possible so that most of the
work is done easily. I like to keep worn zips disc for this, as the small diameter makes it easier
to dig out small chunks. When roughing out like this, stay outside the line.
The completed fishmouth after grinding.
The final fishmouth is ground out using the standard heave grinding disc, using the head tube or
a similar diameter object as guide. Final perfecting can be done using a round file, although it is
probably not necessary since your welder will close up all gaps less than 1/16” easily on the first
pass.
Setting up the head tube for proper alignment.
The vertical alignment of the head tube is also important, so take a few stpes back and get a
good view of your vehicle to ensure all three wheels are standing vertically from the ground. I
am working on completely uneven ground and on a hill, so I just tweaked the front end until it
looked good enough. The photo looks good to me, how about you?
Final adjustments to the fishmouth before welding.
The fishmouth cuts on the top and bottom of the upper boom tube will cradle the head tube at
your required 15 degree angle and allow welding fully around the entire joint. Double check your
front end alignment from the side, front, and rear, ensuring all three wheels are standing in
alignment.
Tack weld the head tube to the front boom tube.
With your front end aligned the way you like, add three solid tack welds to the head tube,
starting at the top and then the lower corners of each side as shown here. You can now give
your wheels one last alignment check and then remove the forks from the head tube so you can
lift the frame up one last time to weld the underside of the joint. If your alignment is not to your
liking, a quick grind of the tack welds on the sides will allow for easy tweaking.
Weld the top joint after verifying your alignment.
The vertical alignment of the front end is more important than the head tube angle. Begin
welding at the top of the joint as shown here, followed by the bottom. Once the top and bottom
are fully welded, there will be no side-to-side distortions when you weld both sides of the joint.
Removal of the forks will be required so that you can flip the frame to get at the underside of the
joint.
Completing the head tube welds on all sides.
The bottom of the head tube joint is fully welded in this photo. Now, the sides can be done
without worry of distortion. Since welding vertically is very challenging, stand the frame up
vertically so you can weld the side joint in the horizontal position. I needed a ladder to stand on,
but that was still better than welding vertically, which produces a “chunky” looking bead when
using a stick welder.
The basic Yard Mule rolling chassis.
With the head tube and basic frame completely welded, you now have a rolling chassis, the
foundation that everything moving forward will be built upon. The vehicle probably weighs
around 300 pounds already, but it is easy to move around like this.
Adding handlebars for easy moving of the vehicle.
Adding handlebars now will make it easy to push your rolling chassis around when you are
adding all of the accessories. The handlebars from my scrap motorcycle were completely bent,
so I used these BMX bicycle handlebars instead. The bicycle handlebars have the same size
tubing and although they are a bit thinner walled, that is fine for this vehicle.
A 200 amp DC motor and 300 amp controller.
You are now ready to choose a motor to power your vehicle. There is a large selection of both
gas and electric motors suitable for this project, so consider some of these factors when looking
for a motor if you do not already have one chosen.
Gas Engines and Clutches
The only constraints here are that the motor needs to include a horizontal output shaft and be
rated between 4 and 20 horsepower. A lawnmower engine will not work, since the shaft is
positioned vertically.
Some of the machinery you may be able to salvage a side shaft engine from include: snow
blowers, rototillers, wood chippers, go-carts, and even a motorcycle, since these are already
sprocket driven. You can also purchase a new 4 HP side shaft engine for around $300, which is
certainly less than the equivalent electric motor and controller combo.
Since gas engines cannot deliver much torque at low speed, some type of clutch will be
required in order to get moving. The simplest type of clutch you can use on these engines is
called a “centrifugal clutch”, and it also includes a sprocket. These types of clutches are
designed for gas engines. They allow the engine to get up to a certain RPM before the clutch
engages the sprocket. These are commonly available, so once you know your engine shaft
diameter, search for “centrifugal clutch”, and look for one with at least a #41 chain size sprocket.
If you decide to use a small motorcycle engine such as a 100cc minibike engine, it can be
mounted sideways so that the output sprocket faces the sprocket on the differential. These
already include a clutch and often a gearbox with 4 or more speeds. You may be able to leave
out the jackshaft completely and run from the motor directly to the sprocket on the pinion shaft.
One final thing to note on gas engines. They may be somewhat tall, so you may need to add a
“well” (like a fender well on a truck box) inside your dump box to make room for the top of the
motor when it is mounted for proper ground clearance; however, this is not an issue.
Electric Motors and Controllers
Everything about an electric drive appeals to me over a petrol engine with the exception of cost.
A good electric motor and controller will certainly cost you $1,000 or more, plus the $500 cost of
a pair of large deep cycle batteries. Having said that, my design goals included not paying
$10,000 for an ATV, as well not making a lot of noise. For my purposes, electric drive fits this bill
perfectly.
Electric motors are typically rated in watts, but as a comparison, 750 watts is equal to one
horsepower. You will want an electric motor capable of at least 3000 watts, or beyond 10,000
watts for some serious hauling capacity. The motor shown in the photo is a PMG-132
permanent magnet DC motor and will happily put out 4 HP all day with short burst of up to 20
HP for a few minutes at a time. At 24 volts (2 batteries), the shaft rotational speed of this motor
will reach around 1700 RPM. I paid $1,000 for this motor, and it is very well built.
When looking for an electric motor, a good source is online companies that sell parts for
converting gas vehicles into electric. Many of these companies will offer motor and controller
combinations and all of the wiring you require so you can get up and running easily. Take some
time to research these amazing online sources of information and get familiar with the options
available. You will be looking for the same size range of motor that many are using to convert
motorcycles into electric vehicles.
Earlier in this plan, I discussed my motor controller (the small blue box that takes battery power
and sends it to the motor based on the throttle position). Mine is an Alltrax MPX-4834 golf cart
controller and is capable of 300 amps continuous with 400 amps peak. The simple rule is to get
a controller that is larger (in amps) than the total capacity of your motor.
You do not need to be an electronics expert to wire a motor controller. It has very few
connections, usually just battery input, motor output and throttle. I will show the wiring diagram
for my motor controller later on in the build, although yours will probably differ.
Once again, get online and do some research on electric motors and controller, and soon
enough you will be talking the lingo. The only real difference when switching from petrol to
battery is that you will think in terms of watts or amps rather than horsepower.
Fuel Tank or Battery Capacity
The one place where a gas vehicle can outperform an electric vehicle is in the capacity and
weight of the fuel. Considering a 5 HP (3750 watt) motor, a five gallon tank of gas will take you a
lot further than a pair of large deep cycle marine batteries. The tank of gas may weigh a few
pounds, but the batteries will weigh over 100 pounds. Of course, front end weight is actually a
good thing in this vehicle, but that isn’t usually the case when comparing.
Calculating “mileage” in either application is a fool’s game because this completely depends on
what you are doing as well as many other conditions such as slope, wind, temperature, and
transmission efficiency. When I was initially testing the Yard Mule with my old, mostly shot
batteries, I found that I could run for an hour down my gravel road, easily doing 5 miles, but
when I tried climbing the massive 500 foot hill in my front yard, I just barely made it to the top.
On the flat road, I measured a 5-10 amp draw, but up the hill, the motor demanded over 100
amps, a huge difference due to slope.
So to make this very simple, you will require a battery pack capacity of at least 50 amp hours, or
a gas tank of at least 2 gallons for a guaranteed good day of work. The battery/fuel box will have
plenty of room for either.
The PMG-132 electric motor specifications label.
For reference, here is the specifications label on the back of my PMG-132 motor. You can look
this one up for the full datasheet, but the important numbers are here, telling me that this motor
will run fine on 24 volts and can deliver a maximum power of about 17 horsepower. The label
also tells me that my motor controller must exceed 200 amps or it will not handle the peak stall
current of the motor.
Although this motor was more expensive than many with similar ratings, I it because many of
the websites I visited to learn about electric motors had shown this one being used in street
driven motorcycle conversions. This motor also works well on 24 volts, which means I only had
to purchase two 12 volt deep cycle marine batteries. Some motors and controllers start at 48
volts, so that means four batteries have to be used. This motor also has a 3/4” output shaft, so it
was easy to find a sprocket to fit. The only downside to this motor is that it was “timed”, which
means it is designed to turn in one direction (clockwise) for maximum efficiency. Yes, this type
of motor will run in reverse, but it will not be nearly as efficient. What this means is that you have
to be sure to connect the motor mechanically and electrically the right way.
For those that like power curves, here is the graph for my motor:
You can see that this motor is extremely efficient when run at 24 volts and will deliver 4
horsepower (3000 watts) all day long at over 85% efficiency. At that power, my motor controller
will be asked to deliver 170 amps, which is no problem for its 300 amp continuous rating.
Also, remember that we are talking about maximums here. For the most part, the motor may
only by running at a few percent of its capacity during normal use. Just like your car, it may take
50 HP to get up to the speed limit, but once there you can keep rolling on a fraction of that.
If you want to discuss motor options in more depth, please stop by our forum and open a new
thread. It is always a good topic for discussion and continued learning.
Choosing a drive sprocket for the motor.
The output shaft on the German made PMG-132 motor is actually specified at 19mm, which
works out to 0.748031 inches, but certainly close enough to allow the mounting of a standard
3/4" sprocket. The sprocket shown here is called a “taperlock”, and as you can see, it actually
squeezes a collar onto the shaft. The small difference in diameter is no issue.
Since your motor (gas or electric) is dealing with a large amount of torque, you will want to use
hardware that includes a keyway. A “key” is just a bit of square stock that forms a joint between
the shaft keyhole and the sprocket keyhole. Smaller sprockets are sometimes put on with just a
set screw, but that will absolutely not work in this application.
Also remember that you should not use a chain of less than #35 (see earlier chart) for the
primary drive chain (from motor to jackshaft). To be safe, use a #40 chain and sprockets (not
#41) for everything to avoid problems.
For this sprocket, choose one with a small diameter (minimal number of teeth) so that you can
get a head start on your gear reduction. The smallest sprocket I could find with this taperlock
style mounting system was 15 teeth.
Make note of the number of sprocket teeth. This will be required for later calculations.
Taperlock sprocket mounted to the motor shaft.
Taperlock sprockets are great because they are easy to mount, easy to remove and extremely
reliable. One thing to note is that the bolts that pull the conical collar into the hole must be
accessible or you won’t be able to remove the sprocket when it needs to be replaced. I learned
this the hard way! So, ensure the bolts face outward when installed on a motor like this.
Components used to make the jackshaft.
Ok, it’s time to get out your calculator and crunch some numbers!
The goal of this exercise is to create a jackshaft gear reduction system that will convert the high
rotational speed of your motor shaft into a slow but powerful speed at your drive wheels. You
will be increasing torque (power) in exchange for speed.
I will use two letter short codes for all of the values so that the formulas used to calculate them
are easy to follow. These numbers you already know and are required for calculations:
(DS) Desired maximum vehicle speed in miles per hour

(WD) Diameter of your drive tires in inches
(GR) Total differential gear box reduction
(MR) Maximum RPM of your drive motor
(MT) Number of teeth on your motor shaft sprocket
These numbers you do not have yet and will be working out using the above numbers:
(WS) Required wheel RPM for desired speed

(PS) Required pinion RPM for desired speed
(JR) Required jackshaft gear reduction for desired speed.
The value for DS (desired vehicle speed) is your choice. For reference, the average brisk
walking speed is about 3 to 4 miles per hour, which is what I chose for my top speed. A slower
speed will directly translate into towing or hill climbing power. I am very pleased with my top
speed and almost endless power. You could certainly create a much faster vehicle, but as you
double the top speed, you cut the drive torque in half. I will use my 4 MPH as an example.
Let’s begin by calculating (WS) Required wheel RPM for desired speed.
To determine how fast your wheels need to turn (WS) in order to reach your desired top speed,
use this formula:
WS = 63360 x DS / 60 / (WD x 3.1416)
So, for my desired 4 MPH top speed, using my 32 inch tires, my calculation would be:
WS = 63360 x 4 / 60 / (32 x 3.1416)
The result of that calculation is that WS = 42.017, or rounded to 42 RPM.
So, my wheels will need to be turning at 42 rotations per minute to achieve a maximum speed
of 4 miles per hour. Once you have the value of WS, write it down.
Ok, now that you have WS, we can easily calculate PS, the RPM speed that the sprocket
mounted on your differential’s pinion flange needs to turn at in order to bring your vehicle up to
DS, your desired maximum speed.
PS = WS x GR
This one if somewhat obvious because the gear reduction inside the differential gear box forces
the pinion shaft to spin that many times more in order to turn the wheels around once. So, for
my desired top speed of 4 MPH, using my differential with its 3.55 total gear reduction as figured
earlier by spinning the wheels, the calculation would be:
PS = 42 x 3.55
My answer for PS (required pinion speed) is 149.1, or rounded off to 149 RPM. That means that
to travel at my desired 4 miles per hour top speed, my differential sprocket has to turn at 149
rotations per minute.
At this point, you have a lot of the math done, and you can see that further gear reduction will be
required as most motors turn at speeds well over 2000 RPM. If my motor were to turn the
differential pinion directly at 2000 RPM, then my Yard Mule would be moving at a top speed of
54 miles per hour, which would not be safe for this kind of vehicle!
The last bit of math you need to do will determine the required gear reduction of your jackshaft
assembly (JR) in order to trade your motor’s speed for torque. This calculation is completely
based on the ratio of teeth from one sprocket to the other, which creates the gear reduction.
You will need to count or calculate all of the teeth on all of your sprockets. Let’s begin by
naming them according to where they are on the vehicle.
You can see that sprockets S1 and S1 form a pair as well as sprockets S3 and S4. You already
have sprockets S4 (differential) and S1 (motor). You only need to calculate the number of teeth
for sprockets S2 and S3 in order to add the required jack shaft gear reduction (JS).
Gear reduction through a jackshaft is multiplied. The resulting total reduction is a multiple of the
pairs, which means (S1:S2) x (S3:S4) is the total reduction from motor to differential.
Derived gear reduction through a small to large sprocket pair is calculated by dividing the larger
number of teeth by the smaller number of teeth. Working on the first pair (S1:S2), I have 15
teeth for S1, and 60 teeth for S2. This is a gear reduction of 60/15, which equals a total
reduction of 4 times.
The second sprocket pair (S3:S4) have 15 teeth for S3, and 42 teeth for S4. The resulting gear
reduction is 42/15, which equals a reduction of 2.8 times.
Now, we multiply both calculated reductions together to determine the value for JR, which is the
total jackshaft reduction. This value will be 4 x 2.8, making JR = 11.2.
Now we know that the motor’s maximum speed (MR) will be divided by JR, which in my case
will be 11.2 before it reaches the differentials drive pinion.
If you divide my motor’s maximum speed of MR by JR, that equals 1670 / 11.2 = 149.
This should be very close to the calculated PS (pinion speed) value, which it is.
One final tip on choosing sprockets for your jackshaft is to make room for a larger sprocket for
S2 to slow your vehicle down if required. If you don’t add that clearance, it will be impossible to
adjust the gear ratio for slower speed later on if required.
Ok, you can put that calculator down and get back to the fun stuff.
Moving forward, you can assume that all sprockets and chain are #40 size and all shafts are
3’4” diameter with keyways. I also use taperlocks on all sprockets. This has been a very robust
combination on the many large vehicles and robots I have made over the last 20 years.
Adjusting chain links using hand tools.
The #40 chain you will be working with is much heavier than bicycle chain, but the design is
exactly the same. Depending on the size and placement of your sprockets, you will require
between 6 and 8 feet of chain, normally available in various lengths.
Chain can be cut and rejoined using nothing more than a hammer, a punch and some kind of
small rod to pound the pin out. For number 40 chain, I find that a roofing nail makes a good tool
for pounding the chain link pin most of the way out. To pound out a pin, place the chain over a
nut as shown here and then use your punch and hammer to get the pin started, pounding it
down past the first link plate. The roofing nail can be used to push it the rest of the way through
until it sits mostly on the other side of the plate as shown in the lower section of this photo.
Putting a chain back together is the revers operation. Pound the pin back through the chain with
the unconnected plate is sitting over the nut so the pin can push slightly past the face of the
plate like it is on the other plates.
After rejoining a chain like this, it will be stiff. To loosen the chain, force it back and forth from
side-to-side to loosen the plates from the center links a bit.
Master link are used to join the chain.
When you have the final lengths of your chain worked out, use master links to reconnect them.
A master link allows you to easily remove the chain if required. One reason you may want to
remove a chain is if you have to manually push the vehicle more than a few feet. As you will
soon see, pushing the Mule around is like, well, pushing a mule around!
Working out the placement of the jackshaft.
You can now complete your transmission and drive system using all of the hardware that you
chose by working through the previous calculations. From this point on, consider this plan to be
more of a guide because it is highly unlikely that you will have the same parts I have here. Do
not be afraid to try something completely different to get the same result – a functional vehicle.
If you are planning on adding a dump box or flat deck cargo area, then consider the space
above the frame to be forbidden. If you keep all of your sprockets and motor below the top face
of the main frame tubing, then your cargo box or bed will not interfere with the components
below.
If you chose the gas motor route though, you may need to invade some of that space because
of a tall motor. Do try to keep it to a minimum though; it will require building a well around the
components so they do not interfere with the cargo hardware.
Another thing to consider when laying out your transmission and drive components is your
ground clearance. I made a rule to not place any part below the lowest part of the differential
gearbox, that way if I bottom out, the tough cast iron gearbox will take the hit.
Even following those two rules, I could have installed a snow blower engine or small motorcycle
engine between the wheels without any clearance concerns. Of course, you may be working
with a much smaller differential, so work out your clearances carefully.
Once again, nothing beats using the real parts for a mock up fitting test. In this photo, I made up
a chain and propped up the jackshaft axle to see where it would live if placed just below the top
of the frame. This seems like a good spot.
Note: Don’t forget to take into account the rotation of all your sprockets when you choose a
location, especially if your motor has to turn in one rotation only. My motor was designed for
clockwise rotation and so was the differential input pinion, which places all of my sprockets on
the right side of the pinion as viewed from the front. Getting this backwards after welding will be
a monumental fail, so don’t do that!
Tack welded jackshaft frame being test fit.
When creating your jackshaft, which is nothing more than 2 sprockets on a 3/4"shaft with pillow
block bearings between them, try to keep the shaft length to a minimum. I used 6 inch long
shafts, placing the sprockets about an inch apart just so I could get access to the taperlock bolts
easier. A longer shaft will mean more possible flexing, so try to keep length to only what is
required.
Once you find a position for your jackshaft that you are happy with, simply work around it,
adding frame tubing as required. For the jackshaft supports, use the same 2 inch tubing as the
rest of the frame as you want to make them as rigid as possible. There is a lot of tension on the
final drive chain, so a weak support frame would likely flex.
This photo shows my basic tack welded mockup of what will become the jackshaft support
frame. I clamped the pillow block bearings to the tube so I could visualize everything before
making any welds. I changed this around a few times before I was ready to commit the design
to welding.
Jackshaft frame clamped in place for test fitting.
Here is a front view of what eventually became part of my jackshaft support frame. This photo
shows how I use leftover lengths of tubing or even 2x4 lumber to mock everything up. The
position of the large sprocket is good, as it sits just below the top of the frame (with chain
installed) and the final drive chain makes it to the differential with minimal length. Shorter chains
are always better.
When mocking up your jackshaft, also note that the final chain is adjusted by the slight ability to
slide the pillow block bearings on their slotted holes. You will be able to see this later on in the
plan, as well as the idler sprocket that deals with keeping the primary drive chain tight.
Although this mockup gave me the ideal placement for the jackshaft, I made the frame
differently to deal with the position of the motor as you will see. Visualizing always helps to find
the best way.
Determining optimal position for the drive motor.
When it came time to mockup the motor, I realized that the chain would need to sit lower than
the frame tube to avoid interference. This placed my motor lower than I wanted. I ended up
reworking the frame design to allow the motor to live at a higher position.
The next few steps show how I supported the jackshaft as well as placed the motor high off the
ground and close to the large sprocket. If you motor is similar in shape and mounting style, this
design may also work for you. Once again, build around your own parts, making a mockup to
see exactly how everything will fit together first. Scrap 2x4 lumber is great for this.
Welding of one arm of the jackshaft frame.
These bearings are called “pillow block bearings”. They include a robust cast housing with
bearings that can self-align almost like ball joints. The housings also include slotted holes. You
can move them forward or backward about half an inch, enough leeway to make a chain
adjustment. I made the slot a little longer by working it with a round file. Now, I can adjust the
pillow blocks nearly an inch if required.
This welded section will carry one of the jackshaft pillow block bearings. It mounts to the frame
as shown in the next photo. If you just happen to have the exact same differential, motor and
sprockets, then feel free to cut these tube to the same measurements as I am using, which is 12
inches for the long tube and 10 inches for the short tube.
As mentioned previously, all shafting is 3/4" diameter with keyways. These pillow block bearings
also have a 3/4" internal diameter (ID).
Jackshaft frame clamped in position for welding.
What worked out in my favor is that the large 60 tooth sprocket sat just below the top of the
frame when I mounted the jackshaft support tubing under my main frame tubing as shown here.
This allowed for easy welding of the support frame to the main frame. The 45 degree segment
of tubing that extends past the frame boom later become part of a differential housing support,
which will also be explained.
Final test fitting of the motor position.
A test fitting the motor with the first section of the jackshaft support frame clamped in place
checks out as expected, allowing me to place the motor as high as the large sprocket far above
the ground. Both chain lines are also nice and short with just enough room for small
adjustments that will keep them both tight.
Pillow block bearing bolts installed.
The pillow block bearings can be mounted to the support frame by drilling holes through the
tubing at the desired location using the proper bolt size for your housings. Large and heavy
washers are placed on the side of the tubing without the housing so the nut does not crush the
tubing when you tighten it down. If you can’t find large washers that are at least 3/16” thick and
have a diameter of 1.5” or more, cut some steel plate and make your own.
End caps welded to the ends of the open tubing.
When you are making the frame for your jackshaft, complete as much of it as you can before
welding it to the main frame because you can no longer flip the frame over for easy access to all
of the joints. I also like to cap off any open ended tubing so that rain or critters cannot get inside
and rust out the tubing. This photo shows a cap welded on the end of the jackshaft support arm
I am about to mount. Stick welding always looks ugly before you chip away the slag to reveal
the weld metal!
End caps cleaned up after welding.
After removing the slag and cleaning the weld, the capped off tube is looking much better and
ready for installation into the main frame. When end capping an open tube like this, it’s a good
idea to drill a small 1/8” hole someplace if the tube is completely air tight. Having an air hole
actually helps prevent internal rusting due to condensation.
Checking alignment of the jackshaft sprockets.
Now that I have competed all of the welding of the initial jackshaft support arm, it can be
permanently installed into the frame. I like to make tack welds with the actual components in
place, just to be sure that everything will work as expected. To protect your components from
weld spatter, cover them with an old rag. Expect it to catch fire, of course!
Check all angles very carefully here so that your chains are all running true. I know my final
drive sprocket is perpendicular to the main frame boom. The 90 degree square confirms that I
am ready for tack welding.
Welding the jackshaft frame tubing.
This will become the second of the two arms that make up my jackshaft support frame. The arm
assembly is ready to install with all welding completed and the pillow block bearing mounting
holes drilled. If you are building a clone of my Yard Mule, then this tube is 24 inches on the long
side and 14 inches on the short side.
Second arm drilled and clamped to the frame.
The second arm of my jackshaft support extends the width of the frame and then makes a 90
degree turn to mate with the short tube that connects the rear frame to the differential. I made
the jackshaft frame this way because it seemed like the optimal way to go to allow short chain
runs, a high motor mount and the adjustable idler sprocket. There are many ways this could
have been done, but this worked well for my motor because it has a pancake style shape.
Checking sprocket alignment before welding.
Here is an underside shot of the jackshaft support frame right before I committed all of the
welding. Notice that my pillow block bearing is pulled all the way to its minimum adjustment with
the chain already tight. This means that I will be able to move back to tighten the chain if it
happened to wear in and stretch slightly over time.
It might seem hard to believe that a chain of this size could stretch, but this does happen after
many years of hard work. If I have to pull the pillow blocks past their maximum adjustment, then
that would be a sign to replace the chain and sprocket. Same as a bicycle or motorcycle.
Front view of the jackshaft assembly.
Although you can make minor alignment adjustments by moving the pillow block housings a bit,
it is still important to have all of your chains in alignment. Of all steps presented so far, this one
is really the only truly critical step, so get it right. Once tack welded, I lifted the differential up
onto a bucket so I could spin the wheel. Seeing the chain run smooth and quiet on the sprockets
while the wheel was spinning was a relief. Now, I can weld everything permanently.
The tube extension that will support the differential.
These next few steps will likely be required no matter how you build your frame. At this point,
my final chain drive is running smooth and the jackshaft support frame is completely welded to
the base frame. What is missing though is a very rigid support for the end of the differential
gearbox where the pinion shaft comes out.
Consider an extremely hard pull of the final drive chain to understand why this is necessary.
As you can imagine, the chain will attempt to pull the differential housing closer, which will
create a small flex through the entire frame. This flex, although small, is enough to make your
chain somewhat slack, which could lead to a derailment. I could clearly see this just by forcing
the wheel to turn while the large drive sprocket was held in place with a clamp.
The good news is that there is an easy fix for this problem. It is already built into the design of
the differential housing to deal with it in its original automotive application. This is where that
small overhanging tube will be used as you will see in the next few steps.
Figuring out the differential support hardware.
The differential housing includes some kind of mounting pad placed near the pinion. Yours will
probably look different, but all differentials are supported somehow near this area. Your goal is
to mount a strong support here and fasten it to a rigid part of your frame.
As you have by now guessed, I am going to add one more tube from that overhanging segment
down to the landing pad on the differential housing.
Making a paper pattern for the support plate.
To make a plate that will allow me to bolt to the landing pad, I once again used my favorite
method of transferring a pattern to paper. Because all of the forces will attempt to drive the
housing into the plate, a single bolt (or even no bolt) will be fine.
Test fitting the differential support hardware.
This small tube and plate bridges the gap between the frame tubing and the differential support
pad, making the entire assembly more rigid. The bolt wasn’t really necessary since the housing
wants to move upwards into the plate, but it did help hold things together for welding.
Welding the support hardware to the frame.
Even with only the top of the joint welded, it is now impossible to relax the chain. With any
amount of torque I can introduce into the wheels with the sprocket held from moving. When
designing your frame, make sure to include this front housing support in your design, no matter
what form it may take.
Positioning the drive motor for optimal mounting.
The drive motor is probably the most difficult component to mount as it will require a carefully
crafted or even machined mounting plate. Well, I thought that initially anyhow!
You do have to ensure that your motor is in good alignment with the large sprocket and that the
hardware you use to mount it can take a lot of torque without flexing. Many suppliers of motors
like this also offer mounting plates you can weld onto, so consider that when making your
purchase.
This photo shows the location I intend to mount my motor, which just to the side of the jackshaft.
You can see that my motor has a circular mounting face with a centering hub, much like the way
a car wheel mounts to the differential axle flange. This is an easy mounting system to use as
long as you have a nice solid 1/4" thick plate with all of the holes and center already drilled
accurately, but I had none of that and also no patience to order one.
Once again, a trip to the bucket of scrap steel bits and some creative thinking to the rescue!
Drive motor chain added to check alignment.
It’s a good idea to work with your proper length chains when setting up the jackshaft and the
motor so they can become your guide. With all chains installed, I decided that this was certainly
a good place for the motor. There was also room to add a larger motor later if I wanted.
Working out a motor mounting system.
I do not own any CNC equipment or a lathe, so making an accurate mounting plate would be
next to impossible using only a hand drill. Instead, I decided to create support arms out of some
scrap 1.5 inch square tubing to bring the frame to the motor for mounting. By creating three
individual motor support arms, I could then drill the mounting holes using my hand drill. This
mounting system worked out perfectly, and I would use it again even if I had a properly made
mounting plate available.
This photo shows how my mounting arm idea came together by fiddling around with scrap
pieces to see what I could make using what I had on hand.
Tubing and plate used to make the motor mounts.
Three 5 inch long pieces of 1.5” square tube and three short pieces of 1/4" thick flat bar is all I
needed in order to securely fasten my motor to the frame. My motor does have four bolt holes,
but when looking at most of the other DIY motorcycle projects that used the manufacturer
supplied plate, I noticed it only captured three of the four bolt holes.
This actually made sense to me when I took another look at the motor’s power curve graph.
With only 24 or 48 volts supplying the motor, it will not reach its maximum torque potential,
which would require 72 volts and a massive motor controller. I felt safe also using only three of
the bolt holes. The Yard Mule has been working just fine.
Motor support arms and plates welded.
The motor support arm idea is very simple and can be made without requiring any high
precision machined parts. The 1.5 inch square tubes are extremely rigid, so they will easily
support the motor without any deflection under heavy loading. These 1.5” square tubes have a
1/8” wall, and the end plates are 1/4" thick pieces of leftover flat bar.
Marking the cut for the motor collar.
To mate with the motor’s centering collar, I had to grind the ends of the plate to match. I am not
sure what the diameter is here, but this worn out grinder disc was close enough. I used it as a
template to mark the area to be cut.
Test fitting one of the motor support arms.
This photo shows how the mounting arms will fasten the motor to the frame. Another thing that
just happened to work out perfectly is the position of each arm on the base frame; two arms
were exactly on the bottom of the frame and the top arm sat flush on the top of the frame tube. If
this wasn’t the case, I would have shimmed the top tube with plates until it sat flush.
Motor support arms drilled and fit to the motor.
Here are the three support arms mounted to the motor after grinding the collar shape to fit as
well as drilling the mounting holes. This mounting system worked out very well considering it
was built based on what was in the scrap bin.
Test fitting of the motor and support arms.
This is how the three support arms will fasten the motor to the base frame. You can also see
that the chain does not interfere with any of the support arm tubes once it is pulled tight. The
support arm tubing will also serve as a base for creating the idler sprocket adjust later on.
Clamping the motor support arms for welding.
The motor is clamped into place for a final alignment check. A spin of one rear wheel will get
everything turning so you can see how your chains are running.
Checking the motor support arm alignment.
Once again, the 90 degree alignment is double checked as well as the horizontal alignment so
that the sprockets are perfectly aligned. With taperlock bushings, you can move the sprockets
on the shaft. Some final fine tuning will be possible as long as the motor is not tilted.
Welding the front of the support arms to the frame.
Welding is done to minimize distortion as always, this case starting with the ends of the joint as
shown here. At this point, I decided to get some power to the motor and do some real spin up
tests just to verify my alignment and motor direction before finishing the motor mount welding.
Making changes is still not too big of a deal here as the motor mounts are only welded in one
place that is easy to grind with a zip disc.
High current wire and solderable cable lugs.
To carry the high current from the battery bank to the motor and controller, you will require some
heavy gauge wire and connectors. This high capacity cable is rated in “AWG Gauge”. It is the
kind of heavy wire you find on arc welders, jumper cables, and wiring from a car battery to a
starter. You might think, why not just use house wiring? The large cable from the stove to the
panel looks heavy you might think. Nope, the amount of current that this electric vehicle is
capably of drawing makes your stove look like a battery operated kid’s toy!
If you are purchasing your motor and controller as a pair from an online source, then ask them
for the recommended wire and connectors as well, since they probably carry everything you
require. If you prefer to get your wiring from a local electrical supplier, then you can use this
chart as a general guide when considering the AWG size of cable to use.
There is a lot going on in the chart above, but you can basically ignore everything except the top
line with the grey shading, since it rates capacity based on cable lengths of less than 6 feet. To
do everything “by the book”, then you would look at your motor controller’s peak sustained
capacity in amps and then choose a wire size from the chart. Everything above 200 amps would
call for number zero wire, so that is easy enough.
My controller can put out 300 amps peak, but in reality that is highly unlikely due to my motor
having a 200 amp maximum capability. Also, normal operation, even hard towing is unlikely to
cause a power draw anywhere near the maximum ratings, and if you do happen to stall, the
draw will only happen for a few seconds before you let go of the throttle. In my working
experience with a motor of this size, drawing even 100 amps is almost impossible. Even if I do,
this chart is based on constant flow of the maximum current.
I chose 4 AWG wire for all of my wiring and have no problems with it. My longest wire span is
about 6 feet, and I have done long and heavy uphill towing tests to see if anything would heat
up. Even after a 1,000 foot steep hill climb through brush with a load of green wood in the box,
and a log splitter in tow, the motor, controller and wiring is still as cold to the touch as it was
when starting out. I doubt I will ever create an overload situation.
Using a torch to solder the cable lugs.
These large cables will require proper connectors in order to link the batter bank to the controller
and then to the motor. Although I will discuss the final wiring later on when everything is wired
up for completion, it is a good idea to get your motor spun up now just to make sure your
chains are properly aligned and that you didn’t mount anything in reverse.
A blow torch is used to heat up the body of these solderable connecting lugs, which in my case
are made for AWG number 4 cables. Carefully remove just enough of the insulation to expose
the copper wire so that about 1/8” of copper is exposed after pushing the connector all the way
onto the bare copper wire.
Once the connector is hot enough, apply flux core solder at the exposed copper area and it will
melt and flow into the joint thanks to capillary action. Keep feeding in the solder until it is
dripping from the joint, which tells you the body is completely filled. At that point, carefully place
the wire down to cool off. Don’t point the connector downward when it is still hot or it will just fall
off the wire.
Color coded red and black cables with connectors.
The black wire in this photo is shown with the connector soldered and ready to go. When
purchasing your wire, make sure to use both black and red wiring to distinguish between
positive and negative polarity. You do not want to see what happens when you accidentally
dead short a pair of car batteries capable of delivering 800 amps! Of course, you cannot
electrocute yourself with the low voltages we are using, but you can certainly cause a smoke
show with a lot of arcs and sparks.
Connecting the cables to the drive motor.
Electric motors have many different methods of connecting the supply wires. Look at your
motor’s datasheet or instructions to determine what type of hardware you require. The PMG-132
motor I am using is pancake style motor that has somewhat different than normal rear
connectors as shown here. I had to drill a new mounting hole in the center (negative) wire
because if used as is, the connector body would have shorted to the outer positive ring.
Other motors that have this pancake style and are suited for this project are the Etek by Briggs
and Stratton, the Lemco Lynch, the ME series by Motenergy, the Agni, as well as many new
brushless motors that can deliver between 4 and 20 horsepower.
Connect your motor polarity properly if the motor is designed (timed) to run mostly in one
rotation only. The PMG-132 is a clockwise rotating motor that requires the negative connection
in the center, as shown here. Motors that are called “series wound” will only turn in one direction
no matter which way you connect the polarity. A car starter motor is an example of a series
wound motor.
Testing the direction and alignment of the drive hardware.
Before you connect any power to your motor, understand this warning!
These electric motors are monsters of torque when they start up. Unlike a gas engine that has
to scream like a demon to produce real power, an electric motor will burst into action instantly,
drawing its maximum current for an instant while it spins up to speed.
For this reason do not EVER connect a high current supply like a car battery directly to a
large motor like this!
If you do drop a wire from a 12 volt car battery to a motor like this, the contacts would weld
together after a huge arc, and the motor could rip itself from the mounts or break your chain,
sending it whipping around to slice of anything in its path, including your arm. I am not kidding
about the amount of power you command here, so respect it and fear it!
Having said that, you can certainly spin up your motor with a low current source such as a 12
volt, 5 amp battery charger or small 12 volt wall adapter. A few amps of 12 volt power will spin
up your motor just enough to see your chain running smooth. Obviously you also need to get
one rear wheel off the ground and put blocks on the others so that your creation does not run
away on you!
This photos shows my motor spinning up after connecting it to a portable 5 amp car battery
charger. At 12 volts I am only getting maybe 500 RPM from the motor, but it was enough to
show that my entire transmission was stable and that the rear wheels were actually turning in
the proper direction.
A 300 amp golf cart motor controller.
To properly engage your electric motor, you need a motor controller that can handle the amount
of current your motor may ask for (and some more). The controller shown here is a fairly
common and popular golf car controller made by Alltrax and it can deliver 200 amps all day long
with intermittent burst of 300 amps. This controller is a good match for my PMG-132 motor that
can draw up to 200 amps when it is working at its upper limit.
Motor controller specifications label.
Here is the model and spec label for my motor controller. This Allrtax NPX-4834 model will also
work with series wound motors, and is also available in a 400 amp peak version for larger
motors. Although your wiring diagram may be slightly different than mine, the following diagram
does show how simple it is to connect this motor controller and many like it.
Besides a few small accessories I added like the headlight and horn, this is all there is to my
main wiring diagram using the Alltrax motor controller and a pair of 12 volt batteries. The
batteries are wired in series to double their voltage from 12 volts to 24 volts and the fuse is rated
at 400 amps, which is higher than the maximum motor controller current so that it will break only
in an extreme failure incident like a short circuit.
The large master switch is required so that you can kill the power anytime to park the vehicle
safely and so that the batteries don’t slowly drain from the small amount of residual power draw
that the motor controller would steal. A kill switch is important because a motor controller failure
will result in either no power at all (most common) or in full speed ahead with no control. It’s
better to play it safe and have the kill switch mounted where you can easily reach it.
Mounting the motor controller to the frame.
I found a suitable place under the rear of the frame to mount the motor controller close to the
motor so that my supply wires would be nice and short. The motor and controller are protected
from the elements by the dump box, so they won’t get wet if I am caught in a downpour. I do
also keep a tarp in the back, just in case.
I used a few lengths of 1 inch angle iron to make brackets for the motor controller as shown
here, welded them to the frame, and then bolted the controller in place.
Trying to revive some old car starter batteries.
Since I am planning to do a full power test of the basic Yard Mule to prove out the transmission
and basic wiring, I required a pair of large 12 volt batteries. These old car starter batteries were
laying around running small pumps, so I hooked them up to my smart charger to see if I could
bring them back to life.
One battery reached a decent 13.2 volts, but the other topped off at only 12.5 volts, which is not
good for a car battery. Either way, I knew these would deliver a decent amount of power for my
testing purposes. I will discuss batteries in more detail later on in the plan.
Test fitting a battery box support frame.
The size of the battery or fuel tank compartment is up to you, and will be based on the largest
size of battery or gas tank you intend to install. Looking at the many battery sizes available, I
went with a compartment that would easily fit a set of large deep cycle batteries with room for
the master switch and some other small electrical parts.
The basic battery box frame shown here has a total inside perimeter of 32 inches in length by
12 inches in height and is made from 1.5” square tubing with a 1/8” wall. The battery
compartment frame also supports the foot rests. Use the 1.5” tubing at least for the vertical tube
at the front so it is rigid. Other than that, design around your goals and the parts you have
available.
Seat temporarily installed for testing.
Another part of this project that is full of possibilities is the type of seat you use. I had this boat
seat leftover from one of the DIY cargo trike plans I made (LodeRunner), and it was already
modified to mount to a 2 inch square tube. Boat seats are a good choice since they are
inexpensive, waterproof, and easy to mount to anything.
Other good options for a seat would be a car seat, modified office chair, or a seat just made
from plywood, foam and vinyl covering. For now, I tack welded the seat to the frame for my
initial testing. The seat will be fully mounted once I complete the foot rests.
You will also notice a new tube in this photo that runs from the head tube back down to the
bottom of the battery box frame. In bicycle frame terms, this is called the “down tube”, and it
adds strength to the frame by creating a triangle. I used a 1” square tube with a 1/16” wall for
the down tube because that’s what I had laying around. It is about 22” long.
Adding foot rest support arms to the frame.
The Yard Mule isn’t as tall as a real mule, but you still have to step up and lift your leg over to
get on, so the foot rest support arms need to handle your weight. If you built this section using
1.5” square tubing with a 1/8” wall, then it will be good to a few hundred pounds easily.
The foot rest support arms shown here extend out 12” on each side of the frame, but you can
build them however you like. The foot rests will be shown later in the build.
Lifting the frame to access the joints to weld.
Lifting the frame for welding is not as easy as it was when there was no front end! Now, some of
the welding is done vertically, which isn’t my favorite way to make a nice weld, but this is a farm
vehicle and not a hot rod, after all. When welding near and above your tires, place a board on
top of the tire to protect it from being melted by a large slag ball.
Temporary battery holder installed for testing.
These two old car batteries are a lot smaller than the batteries I ended up purchasing, but they
were good enough for a full ride test. The two lengths of hacked up bed frame rails are tack
welded to the frame in order to hold the batteries in place for the test ride.
When manipulating your batteries near the frame, be very careful not to short the terminals on
the steel tubing of your frame. You will blow a hole in your tubing and damage the battery if that
were to happen. Those 500 amps will do that!
Completing the motor and controller wiring.
The rest of the heavy current carrying wiring was installed after adding all of the connectors as
shown earlier. The motor, controller, and batteries are not going to move, so I was able to cut
the wires to the proper length, adding a little extra just in case. Ensure your wires and
connectors are far away from potential interference by the frame or any of the moving
transmission components. I used electrical tape to hold my wires along the frame for now and
will be adding a more secure wire harnessing system later.
A very basic Yard Mule getting ready for a test run.
Pictured here is the extremely basic yet ready to test ride Yard Mule. I think a test run is
important at this stage, although I will also admit that I just really wanted to ride it for the sheer
fun of it!
The batteries, motor, controller and hand throttle are all wired up as per the diagram shown
earlier. I initially made sure everything was working while one of the rear wheels was lifted from
the ground.
Even with this well-worn car batteries as a power source, The Yard Mule sprang to action and
easily took my up the huge brush covered hill in front of my welding shack. It was great to feel
the almost unstoppable power delivered by a clean running system that only made some subtle
whirring sounds as the sprockets spun around. I must have put 5 miles on the Mule before
coming back home, and the old batteries still had a lot of power left.
The Yard Mule has now passed the test run.
The test ride was a great success. I resisted the urge to drive around all day and made the
journey back down the hill to my welding shack out in the back yard. Flat front tire, half the bolts
missing, no brakes, tack welded frame, shot batteries, but lots of fun!
Cutting 45 degree angles for the dump box frame.
The Yard Mule is just a giant electric go-cart at this point, as it has no ability to carry cargo or
tow anything. Now comes the point in this plan where you can really set your imagination free
and create the ultimate working vehicle for your needs.
My goal was always to carry a 4 foot by 4 foot dump box, so the next section of this build will
detail how this is made. At 2 feet tall, this makes my dump box capacity 32 cubic feet, which is
on par with what I could get into my small truck. My cargo will often be split wood and
sometimes gravel or dirt. I didn’t want to make the box too large due to the weight. If you were
only planning to move only light cargo like wood, then a cargo box of much larger size could
easily be made.
For my dump box frame, I required 36 feet of 2 inch angle iron with a 1/4” wall. This is probably
overkill for a dump box, but it was readily available at the steel supplier and will create a frames
strong enough to park a house on top of.
The angle iron is cut into 7 pieces at 4 feet of length and 4 pieces at 2 feet in length to make the
frame. All 90 degree joints are cut at 45 degrees for easy welding. As shown here, I used my
favorite (and only) steel cutting tool – the angle grinder and zip disc.
Checking and cleaning up the angles for welding.
To clean up the 45 degree angle for welding, it is checked with a 45 degree square and then
finished up using the rough grinding disc. Don’t worry about small gaps less than 1/8” when
working with heavy steel like this as the weld metal will fill those right in.
Welding the dump box frame together.
I work mostly outdoors, but when it rains I work in this old dirt floor shack. Welding a nice and
square frame is not difficult to do and does not require a flat workbench or perfect concrete
floor, it only requires a square for checking and some patience. Always tack weld the corners
first and then adjust your angles of necessary. If you mess up a weld, that’s what your angle
grinder is for!
Welding angle iron on the outsides of the joint.
When making a frame like this from angle iron, the face of the weld shown here is done last. If
you weld only the corner joints first, you can make small adjustments if needed. I weld only with
a basic AC “buzz-box” department store welder, and I only use 6013 rod with a 3/32” diameter. I
weld heavy wall tubing as well as thin bicycle tubing the same way. I guess the point of that
statement was to reinforce the fact that practice is always more powerful than better tools.
Using clamps and guides to get the 90 degree angles.
Clamping a piece of tubing or angle iron with a straight side is another method that will assist
you in making a perfect square frame or box. You can also use longer tubes or flat bar to brace
from corner to corner, which will hold the square shape from moving as you weld.
Checking alignment after tack welding components.
You can never completely control the distortions that will be introduced to the metal during the
welding process, but you can learn to work around them. A good practiced welder can tack weld
a joint at a slightly “off” angle and then let the weld contraction bring it back to shape. Of course,
us normal folks can just do our best and check angles with a square as we go along.
Test fitting the dump box as welding progresses.
Since my work shack is too small for the dump box, I moved it outside to complete the frame.
Here, I checked to make sure I didn’t mess up the size by placing it on the frame where I intend
to install it later. So far, so good.
Adding the last few pieces of the dump box frame.
The top frame of the dump box only has three 4 foot lengths because the rear end of the box
needs to be open when the tailgate is down. The design of this dump box is similar to a full size
dump truck except that my tailgate will hinge from the bottom instead of the top.
This photo shows the top frame clamped square for welding.
End caps for the tailgate side of the dump box frame.
The open end at the top of the dump box frame needs to have the end capped as shown here.
This is the place where the tailgate will lock when it is closed up. To make the cap, I cut a piece
of the angle iron with the zip disc.
The completed dump box frame.
Welding all of the joints on the dump box is easy because it can be rolled around for easy
access. I always try to avoid vertical position welding if I can because it doesn’t make a very
nice looking weld, and always requires grinding.
Fitting the dump box frame into the desired position.
The completely welded dump box is shown here sitting on the frame in the place I intend to
hinge it. I have about 2 inches of clearance between the dump box frame and the inside of the
tire. I can use rims with a different offset sometime if required. The Yard Mule is starting to look
a lot larger now, and it is certainly growing in weight as well.
Marking the dump box frame hinge location.
My dump box will be hand operated by a retractable lever that allows the operator to tip the box
almost all the way to the ground. To create a good balance of weight and stability, I offset the
dump box to the front of the hinge so that about 60% of the weight would be on the vehicle side
of the hinge. Of my 48 inch long dump box, 28 inches sit on the frame and 20 inches hang over
the rear.
This has worked well, but does require properly loading heavy cargo light gravel or wet dirt. Like
most farming equipment, some common sense is required. I remember to shovel the load to the
front of the box as much as possible. The dump box does lock, but it’s still better to load the
middle of the vehicle rather than the rear.
This photo shows the mark that I made after measuring the position of the dump box on the
frame. I will be installing the hinges here.
Making dump box hinges from some scrap plate.
To make the heavy dump box hinges, I dug into my scrap bin to find this half inch thick piece of
plate. The hinge sections will be 2 inches wide and 3 inches tall with a 3/4" bolt hole drilled in
each one.
Drilling pilot holes in the hinge plates.
To drill the hinge bolt holes in the plate, I marked them all out and drilled them before cutting out
all 4 plates from the sheet. When I drill large holes using my hand drill, I always start with a
small diameter pilot hole and then work my way up. I use WD-40 as a cutting oil as well,
splaying it in the hole once and a while, which greatly speed up the drilling and keeps the bits
sharp. Axle grease works for this as well. Dip the bits into the grease.
Test fitting the 3/4” hinge bolts.
I also want my dump box to be removable with little effort, so I will be using high grade 3/4” bolts
to make the hinge pins. When I want to swap out the dump box for some other implement, I can
remove these bolts with a wrench in a few minutes.
Separating the four hinge plates.
The 4 hinge plates are cut apart using a zip disc after drilling the 3/4" holes. It’s amazing how
much work can be done with just an angle grinder, my favorite tool!
Hinge plates rough cut for final grinding.
The 4 hinge plates are shown here after separating them and cutting the edges away from the
top corners. These are looking a bit rough now, but the grinder will soon fix that as well.
Grinding parts together to make them all the same.
If you are ever grinding multiple small parts, a good trick is to place them all together in a vice
so they can all be done at once. I used the bolt to align them all perfectly so I could finish them
up with a rough grinding disc.
Hinge plates rounded off at the tops.
The rough grinding disc easily rounded off the tops of the hinges so they are now all the same.
Completed dump box hinges and 3/4" bolts.
Here are the completed dump box hinges with the 3/4" bolts that allow for easy removal.
Tack welding the hinges to the frame and dump box.
I designed the hinges so that they would be welded to the main frame as well as the differential
landing pad for optimal strength. Your configuration will most likely differ, but the goals are the
same - build it heavy and strong because weight is of no concern here. Also, notice the rag
placed over the motor and controller to protect them from weld spatter.
Checking the operation of the dump box.
This photo shows the position and operation of my dump box hinges. The dumb box can easily
extend all the way to rest on the ground, but I will be adding a limiting chain so that is stops
before bottoming out.
Welding the hinges to the dump box frame.
When working with heavy steel with a 3/4" wall thickness like this, pour on the amps to get a
good weld. This is one of the components you do not want breaking. Make as many weld
passes as you require for a solid weld.
Parts used to make a rectractable dumping lever.
The retractable dump box lever will allow the operator to hand control the dump box. I decided
that it would be useful to be able to dump dirt and move forward at the same time. The lever will
be placed on the same side as the throttle, so I can walk the Mule forward while I dump a load
to spread it out.
The lever is just a 28” long piece of 1 inch square tubing fit into another tube (sleeve) that lets it
slide in or out. Actually, the other tube is just two pieces of angle iron I welded together because
I could not find a tube that was the perfect size to make the lever sleeve.
Retractable dump box lever and housing.
The sleeve that the lever slides into is made from 2 pieces of angle iron welded together. The
small piece of angle iron on the end of the lever stops it from pulling all the way out of the
sleeve.
Installing the lever housing onto the dump box frame.
I placed the sleeve directly on the dump box underside and on the same side of the vehicle that
the throttle was on. Now, I can drive and dump at the same time, which is nice when spreading
dirt or gravel over a large area. The slight angle of the sleeve is to extend the lever away from
the vehicle as shown in the next photo.
The dump box lever shown in the extended position.
This photo shows the dump box lever fully extended. The lever cannot be pulled all the way out
due to the stopper, and it tucks back under the box, fully out of the way when retracted.
Scrap expanded metal grating will come in handy.
I was originally going to salvage the foot pegs from the scrap motorcycle I had for parts, but they
seemed a bit small for such a large and robust vehicle like the Yard Mule. Instead, I opted to
make my own foot rests using leftover tubing and these old window grates that were laying
around. This metal is called “expanded metal grating”, and it is about 1/8” thick.
Cutting tubing to make the foot rests.
The foot rests are made from 1 inch square tubing and have the general dimensions as shown
here. You can make these any size and shape you like, the only rule is don’t allow the foot rests
to interfere with your front wheel when it’s steering at a sharp angle.
A set of completed foot rests ready for install.
When you are adding assemblies to your frame, do all of the welding and cleanup before
attaching them, so you won’t’ have to attempt to lift the now heavy vehicle. Here are the two foot
rests ready for welding on to the foot rest support tubes.
Welding the foot rests to the support arms.
This photo shows the 5 inches of clearance between the foot rest and the front tire when it is
turned on an angle. I eventually added a much fatter front tire, but there was still plenty of
clearance here.
Grating intalled onto the foot rests.
The diamond grating was cut to the shape of the foot rests and welded to the top as shown
here. Now, dirt or rain can fall through the grating rather than resting on top as it would if the
surface was completely flat. Those old window grates came in handy in more the a few places
on this build. When DIY is your thing, you can never have enough scrap metal around!
Random metal bits used to make a dump box lock.
The dump box was installed, hinged and working well, but it needed a locking system to keep it
secure during transport. Climbing a steep hill with a ton of gravel would cause the dump box to
self-tip. Since this would not be a good scenario, a robust locking system was required.
I generally work with what I have on hand. I dumped out a pile of small metal scrap piece onto
the workbench and decided to make a locking system out of what was there.
Locking pin, plate, and housing for the dump box.
These are the 3 components I cobbled together to make a locking system that includes a pin, a
plate, and a sleeve. This will work much the same way as a standard gate locking pin.
Dump box locking assembly shown together.
Here are the parts of the locking system shown functioning together. The rod that makes the pin
is half inch diameter.
Test fitting the dump box locking system.
The locking system will secure the dump box to the frame, and is welded directly to the frame
just behind the seat. The locking plate is welded to the dump box frame.
Welding the clamped locking pin housing to the frame.
Mark the position of the components and then clamp down the sleeve so it can be welded to the
frame. Also shown in this photo is a washer I welded to the pin so the pin could not be pulled
completely free of the sleeve.
Locking plate welded to the dump box frame.
The locking plate was then welded to the dump box frame in the proper position. This photo
shows the pin in the released position with the dump box lifted slightly.
Boat seat base modified to fit the main boom tube.
If you decide to install a boat seat, then here is a quick way to adapt it to your frame. The blue
plate came with the seat. I just welded some 1.5” angle iron pieces to it so that it would straddle
the top 2 inch frame tube. This made it easy to find a nice seat angle and then weld the angle
iron to the frame.
Seat base welded to the main boom tube.
I reclined my seat base back about 10 degrees, which seemed comfortable enough. The angle
iron pieces are then welded to the frame. I only used half inch long weld beads so that I could
grind them off to move the seat later if I wanted to.
Test fitting the tack welded tailgate frame.
To make a tailgate, I made another square frame from using some 1.25 inch angle iron. The
tailgate frame fits into the open end of the dump box, leaving about 1/8” of clearance on each
side so it doesn’t get stuck.
Adding tailgate hinges to the rear dump box.
I also wanted a removable tailgate. Hinge receptacles were made like this with an open end that
will allow for pulling the tailgate up and out. The hinge receptacles are simply cut down pieces of
the same angle iron that make up the dump box frame.
Tailgate hinge pins welded to the tailgate.
This is the hinge pin which is a 1/2" diameter round bar welded right to the bottom of the tailgate
frame. Now, the tailgate is hinged and can easily lift up and completely out.
Tailgate top locking hardware installed.
Nothing stops the tailgate from falling into the dump box. I added these small pieces of angle
iron to mate with the top of the dump box frame. A hole will be drilled through this piece as well
and a locking pin can secure the tailgate from opening.
Cutting some chain links for the tailgate lock pins.
Steel chain of all sizes can also come in handy for many uses. I use chain links cut in half as
wiring guides, rope tie down loops and even handles for DIY pins and wingnuts. Chain is easy
to cut as well. Just hold it in a vice and cut it with your zip disc.
Tailgate lock pins installed.
These tailgate locking pins are made from 1/4” rod with chain links welded to the top for grip.
The pin in the foreground is shown locking the tailgate closed. The pin in the back ground is
resting in the spare hole I drilled that holds the pin in place when the tailgate is open. No more
lost pins.
Leftover sheet metal for making a battery box.
The battery/fuel compartment is the last major part of your project to build. It not only serves up
your fuel, but it really defines the final look of the vehicle. You can use whatever material and
technique you want here - the only end goal is to contain your batteries or gas tank and to make
sure that the box fits into your frame. Welded steel, riveted aluminum, wood, fiberglass are all
good options for this part of the build.
I just happened to have a few random pieces of 1/16” thick sheet metal leftover from a robot
project. I decided to go with a welded steel battery box. There was just enough steel here to
make the box, and it wasn’t badly rusted.
Cutting out sheet metal shapes with a zip disc.
Cutting sheet steel is easy using an angle grinder and a zip disc. Make the line to cut and then
run the zip disc along the line, cutting about half way into the metal. Once you have cut a track
all the way along the line, bend the parts back and forth a few times to snap them.
Tack welding the battery box pieces together.
Tack weld your shapes together and then adjust them as required before welding. Edge to edge
welding of thin sheet metal requires a lower amp setting on your welder and smaller lengths of
weld bead rather than a continuous weld. In those photo, the corners have been tack welded
together and the joint is ready to weld.
Welding the sheet metal along the edges.
The completed edge weld can be ground flush with a zip disc and then touched up with more
weld, but I am not being so fussy here. The initial pass was a bit chunky, but good enough for a
farm vehicle.
The front section of the battery box.
To make the battery box look too chunky, I angled the front inward a bit. There was enough
room on the square section (25 inches) for two large batteries. The smaller angled compartment
will house the master switch, fuse, horn, some switches and a charge port.
Test fitting the battery box into the frame.
I also wanted to be able to completely remove the battery box. It is built slightly smaller than the
opening in the frame and will slide in and out. Once complete, it will be held to the frame by
some fastening tabs and bolts. The box was put together one piece at a time, test fitting often,
and reworking with a grinder until it fit just right.
The completed battery and wiring box.
The front of the battery box will have a removable front door to allow access to the batteries and
wiring. I made a frame using 1” angle iron that will stiffen up the open side and allow hinges and
a lock to fold the door in place. More of the grating was used for the bottom to allow the
batteries to “breathe” if the Mule is parked in the hot sun all day.
Tabs to fasten the battery box into the frame.
To hold the battery box into the frame, these small cut of pieces of 1.4 inch angle iron will be
welded to the box and then drilled. A bolt can fasten the box to the frame tubing. The battery
box can then be removed from the frame by removing the bolts and sliding it out.
Test fitting the mounting tabs for frame drilling.
The holes are drilled through the frame using the holes in the mounting tabs as a guide while
the battery box is sitting in the frame. Small piece of angle iron have also been added to the
frame on the battery box opening to hold the sheet metal door in place.
Some shelf legs to be used as battery box lid bolts.
These bolts are from the legs of a metal shelf, but were a good solution for the battery
compartment door bolts as the rubber head makes a nice wingnut head. These will fasten the
battery compartment door, shown here with holes drilled to allow mating with the two nuts that
are welded to the top of the frame on the open side of the battery box.
Batery box and lid mounted into the frame.
Here is the completed battery box shown bolted into the frame and with the front door closed.
The two bolts at the top can be removed by hand to allow the door to pull out from the 4 lower
hooks that hold it in place.
Making a frame for the two inch hitch ball.
Towing capacity was also one of my top design goals. I purchased a new 2 inch hitch ball from
the department store. This size was the most common and also the same as my log splitter, one
of the most towed implements I have.
When installing a hitch ball, you need to consider the center of gravity of your vehicle, as well as
interference from the dump box if you have one. Placing the hitch as close to the differential
housing as possible as and slightly lower than the axle is a good idea. The weight will transfer
directly to the rear wheels rather than behind the vehicle, which could take weight off the front
end. Also, ensure you make the hitch mount as strong as the frame.
Shown here is a simple frame that will be welded directly to the differential axle tubes just
behind the gearbox, still allowing enough room to remove the differential cover. This frame is
made from the same 2 inch square tubing with a 1/8” wall as the rest of the frame. Fishmouth
cuts are made on the ends of the tube so they will mate with the axle tube.
Fastening the hitch ball to the hitch frame.
To fasten the hitch ball to the frame, I cut some bits of the leftover 1/4” thick dump box frame
angle iron and then built a cage around the hitch bolt. I welded the hitch directly to the frame for
strength as I am not worried about ever having to replace it. The odd looking angles are to keep
the hitch ball vertical to the ground as can be seen in the next few photos.
Welding the hitch frame to the rear differential.
This is an optimal position and mounting system for a hinge. It transfers almost all of the tongue
weight to the axle. I have 2 inches of clearance between the frame and gearbox, easy to
remove the rear cover if required.
The only drawback to this hinge addition is that the dump box cannot tilt 90 degrees all the way
to the ground, but that was a fair tradeoff for me. The limiting chain will restrict dump box tilting
to where I want.
Side view of the hitch frame showing the angle.
This photo shows the angle of the hitch ball frame, which places the ball slightly below the axle
and at a vertical position to the ground. The ball stands straight for proper hitching. Even when
loaded with heavy gravel, my trailer has little impact on the weight of the front end. This hitch
design works very well.
The open dump box does not collide with the hitch ball.
This is how far my dump box can now tilt before the bottom wood panel would strike the hitch
ball. This is more than far enough. Actually, the wood panel at the base of the dump box is not
bolted in. If I ever did want to fully tip to remove the dump box from the frame, the wood panel
would be pushed up and out of the way; nothing is lost here.
Adding a dump box limiting chain.
The dump box should be limited from completely tilting right to the ground. This way, you don’t
lose control of your load and in the case of my design, to avoid the underside of the box striking
the towing hitch ball. Large chain can be used to limit the dumb box tilt by welding a half link to
the front lower frame as shown here and then attaching the chain to the main frame at the
specified length.
Setting the limiting chain length.
The limiting chain is cut to the optimal length that will tilt the dump box as far as possible without
having the bottom strike the towing hitch ball. At this angle, all dirt of gravel would easily spill
out, and the dump box will stay titled because it its weight is now on the other side of the hinge.
The lower end of the chain is fastened to the main frame using a strong 3/4" bolt. It is easy to
remove the chain if required, or to adjust the limiting distance.
Cutting chain links to make tiedown loops.
One annoying thing I find with most pickup trucks is that there are only a few places to tie down
a rope. To avoid this limitation on The Yard Mule, you can make chain loops out of large chain
by cutting the links in half. The inside diameter of these half chain links is about 3/4", plenty of
room to thread a rope through or for a ratchet strap hook. I also found these link to be great for
routing the heavy gauge electrical wiring around the frame.
Adding tiedown loops to the dump box frame.
With more than a dozen places to tie rope or connect hooks, The Yard Mule will be able to
fasten just about any kind of load. Later, I also intend to build a screen gate that will extend the
height of the dump box to make it 6 feet deep to carry a massive load of tree branch cutoffs
when I am harvesting firewood. This gate will bolt to the chain links.
Completing the high current supply wiring.
Unless you plan on adding any other accessories to your vehicle, there isn’t much more to do
besides routing all of the wiring and getting it ready to paint. Since nothing will move now, you
can safely cut your cables to length, route them around the frame and then solder all of the lugs.
When routing your cables, try to find the shortest path but also avoid any possible interference
between moving parts, especially the transmission. When placing cables through a drilled
opening as shown here, use rubber grommets or some kind of gasket so that the sharp metal
does not cut into the cable.
Installation of a master shutoff switch.
A master switch is required so that you have a way to easily cut the power from your batteries
when stopped. The motor controller will slowly drain your batteries over a few days because it is
internally using power to run the smaller electronics even when no power is being sent to the
drive motor.
A master switch will also let you safely work around the vehicle when it is parked, eliminating
the risk that someone would walk up and engage the throttle when you are in front of the rear
wheels. The Yard Mule may be slow, but it is very heavy and powerful and it would not even
slow down while running you over. Don’t let that happen!
The large 200+ amp switch shown here is made by “Pollak”, and was found when I typed
“Battery Master Disconnect Switch” into google. There are many options available. Look for a
switch that is rated for your motor’s maximum amp draw. Bolt connection terminals are also nice
because they work with the connectors I already soldered to my wires.
I also recommend you add a fuse in your circuit, as shown in the basic wiring diagram earlier.
Choose a fuse rated for your voltage and for a little more than the maximum “temporary” current
capacity of your motor controller. My Controller was rated for 300 amps peak. I added a 400
amp fuse. Your local electrical supply store can get one for you.
Master switch and batteries installed.
The master switch is placed in the smaller angled compartment in front of the batteries, leaving
plenty of room for all of the wiring and a few other small current accessories such as a horn,
headlight switch and charging port. Here, I am still working with the older car batteries while my
new deep cycle batteries are ordered. You can see in the above picture that there are a few
inches of clearance for the much larger batteries.
Chain links become wiring guides.
The cut up chain links make perfect wire routing harnesses as shown here. The two high current
wires that connect the motor controller to the battery bank are routed safely around the large
sprocket and sit below the main frame so that the dump box frame will not pinch them.
Wire mesh used to make a large gusset.
The low current wiring such as throttle and headlight are routed the same way, using the cut up
chain links, but this time I used much smaller chain.
Parts used to make an adjustable idler sprocket.
The last part of your transmission system will be a return chain idler pulley for the primary drive
chain that runs from the motor to the jackshaft larger sprocket. The secondary chain is adjusted
by moving the pillow block bearing housing to keep the chain tight; however, this does not help
the primary chain. In fact, makes it more slack as the bearing are moved closer.
On a chain drive system (without reverse) only one side of a chain is under tension because it
does all of the work. This is called the “drive side” of the chain. The other side of the chain is
called the “return side” and it is always loose, even more so when the drive side is working hard.
To deal with the adjustment of the primary chain, we will add what is called an “idler sprocket”.
An idler sprocket’s job is to simply pull up on the slack (loose) return chain to avoid chain
derails. An example of this system that you would be familiar with is the rear derailleur on a
bicycle. The derailleur keeps the slack chain tight by pulling it up with a spring loaded cage that
contains two small idler sprockets.
Our idler sprocket system is much the same as a bicycle, except that it is manually adjusted to
keep the chain from being too slack. Your frame will likely differ from mine by now. Find an
optimal place to mount the idler sprocket support arm. Read ahead to see what the design goals
are before cutting any metal.
The one common component is the idler sprocket that you can purchase at any bearing supply
house or online from various sources. Ask for an idler sprocket with an included ball bearing
bore and for your chain size (#40 in my case). Choose the minimal number of teeth possible,
since a smaller diameter sprocket is easy to fit. Mine has 17 teeth. For a sample part number,
use Princess Auto 8069932 or Martin 40BB17.
Marking the slot for cutting between the holes.
The idler sprocket is adjusted by moving its support arm up into the slack chain and then
tightening a bolt to hold it there. Just like the adjustment on the pillow block bearings, the
adjustment here is done by a bolt in a slotted hole. The tab welded to the end of the 6 inch long
1/4" thick plate is for mounting the sprocket.
To cut a slot, drill two holes about an inch apart (3/4” in this case) and then draw lines between
them for cutting. I use small diameter almost worn out zip discs for this work.
Filing out the slot for a perfect fit with the bolt.
To clean up the slotted hole after grinding, do some manual work with a round file. This idler
sprocket assembly can now move 1 inch in total to keep the slack chain adjusted properly.
The adjustable idler pulley support hardware.
This photo shows the completed idler sprocket mounting arm ready for installation. All of the
plate used here is 1/4” thick and the bolt is 3/4" diameter with a high grade.
Installing the bolt that holds the idler pulley assembly.
To find the proper location for your idler pulley assembly, you will need to install your drive
motor, primary chain and the jackshaft assembly. The idler sprocket needs to run in perfect
alignment with the chain or it may derail or make excessive noise. You can shim it left and right
somewhat using washers later as well.
Pictured above is my installed idler sprocket assembly after aligning it using the chain and
motor. My motor mount support arms proved to be a good place to mount the idler support arm.
This angle iron piece aligns the idler pulley.
The idler support arm needs to move up and down, yet remain vertical to the ground in order to
keep the alignment between the idler sprocket and the primary drive chain. Although your
solution may differ, a piece of angle iron placed next to the idler arm will ensure that it can only
move in the vertical direction, up or down. You can see more of the idler sprocket assembly
installed further ahead in the plan.
Taking everything apart for final welding and painting.
If you are satisfied with all of your alignments, accessories and wiring, then it is time to
disassembly everything for a final inspection of welds and for painting. I left some of the more
challenging vertical joints unwelded so that I could complete them with the front end removed so
I could flip the frame over or stand it vertically.
In this photo, you can see the vertical head tube joint not welded, which was completed by
standing the frame up and working on a ladder. That is much easier than vertical arc welding.
Finishing and cleaning all of the welds.
The rear differential axle tube had a few open holes for the various auto connectors and hoses
that were once there so I filled them in and continued to clean up the rusted surfaces using a
sanding disc, wire brush, and sandpaper.
Making end caps for all open tubing.
The open ends of all square tubes will also get end caps so that water, dirt or other debris does
not find its way inside the frame. You can cut end caps from either sheet metal or by hacking
pieces out of the leftover square tubing that you used to make the frame.
End caps installed on the motor support tubes.
With end caps installed on all the open ended tubing, they will be protected from moisture. One
thing to remember is to drill a small hole into any completely sealed assembly to allow moisture
to escape. A 1/16” hole on the underside so that rain cannot get in will be fine.
Draining the old gearbox oil from the differential.
Since you cannot know the condition of your rear differential’s gear oil, it’s a good idea to
replace it. If you plan on removing the brake mounting plates like I did, then you need to pull out
the axles to do this. It’s a good idea to replace the oil at the same time.
Place a bucket under the rear differential housing and then remove the back cover to spill the
approximately 1.5 quarts of dark and very smelly gear box fluid. You can purchase replacement
fluid from any auto shop. It is not expensive.
The next few steps will also show you how to pull out your axles and check over the bevel gears
in your differential to ensure they are in good working order.
Removal of the single kingpin bolt.
I will refer back to the breakout diagram of the auto differential posted at the beginning of this
plan to name the components that are removed as we pull out the axles.
There is a single bolt on the differential cage called the pinion shaft lock bolt that when
removed, will allow most of the differential to basically fall apart. Yes, this single bolt is like a
king pin that holds everything to together like a puzzle.
In this photo, the head of my wrench is pointing to the pinion shaft lock bolt. You can remove it
now using the correct size wrench.
The kingpin bolt allows the other components to free.
The pinion shaft lock bolt has a threaded section and a pin section. The pin section is fit through
a hole in the larger shaft called the “pinion shaft”; it holds two of the smaller differential bevel
gears in place. Completely remove this bolt.
Bevel gears and axle removed.
With the pinion shaft lock bolt removed, you can push out the pinion shaft with your finger,
which in turn will drop two of the differential gears and their thrust washers right out. Here are
the four components shown in the photo above after removal from the differential cage. The
thrust washers are still clinging to the gears held by the viscosity of the gear oil.
Push the axles inward to release the locking rings.
The last two differential gears are held to the axle splines by two C locks. To remove them, push
your axles towards the differential. The C locks will be exposed as shown here. You can now
pull everything apart, releasing the last two differential gears as well as both axles.
The locking rings are all the hold the axles in place.
These C locking pins can be removed from the axles once they are pushed forward enough to
clear the well in the gears that they were sitting in. Collect the next two gears and thrust
washers as they fall from the differential cage.
Pulling out the axles from the housing.
With the C locks removed, the two axles will pull away from the roller bearings at each end of
the differential. That’s all there is to disassembling your rear differential - one bolt!
The differential with bevel gears and axles removed.
You do not need to remove anything else from the differential now. Use a rag to wick up the last
of the old fluid as it will probably contain small metal filings and other grit.
Components that can easily be removed from a differential.
Here are the components that can be removed from a rear differential by remove the single bolt
that locks them all together. Putting everything together is done in the exact opposite order. You
may find that setting up the gear teeth when they go back into the housing can be a bit tricky (or
fun) depending on your outlook, but you will figure it out with a little patience!
Cutting the bolts that hold the brake mounting plates.
Place a rag into the open ends of the differential to protect the roller bearings from moisture and
debris while you work. You may consider replacing your main seals as well at this point since
you have easy access. These rubber seals fit over the roller bearings to prevent the gear oil
from leaking. I must admit that I wish I changed mine because I do have a small drip out of one
side when the Mule sits in the hot sun!
If you plan to remove the brake assembly plates, it is much easier to just cut off the bolts with a
zip disc, as they are probably far gone from rust. This photo shows the first bolt cut.
Brake mounting plates freed from the axle tubes.
The brake assembly plates will fall off the mounting flange once all four bolts are gone. It’s a
good idea to keep these parts in case you want to redo the rear brakes or make your own
parking brake system later.
Setting up the frame for painting.
With every part removed from the frame, it is now time for painting. Since the frame still weighs
a lot more than I care to lift, I propped it up vertically for easy access to both sides. The rear
differential cover is put back on with a few bolts, and the ends of the axle tubes are stuffed with
a rag to protect the internals from moisture or wandering critters.
You can now do your final degreasing, sanding and cleaning of the frame for painting.
Painting the frame from the top down using a ladder.
Painting outdoors in the Northern Ontario woods can be quite a challenge! It can rain twice a
day without warning, and every black fly and mosquito will find its way into the wet paint. Oh
well, this is a farm vehicle and it will be looking a lot worse once I put it to work out in the bush
anyhow. If you paint vertically like this, you will need a ladder; however, this is a good way to
paint both sides at once.
A good oil based marine paint is recommended.
Oil based paint is a must for a work vehicle like this. Oil based marine paint is even better, since
it is designed to take the abuses of moisture and the sun for many years. I found a deal on this
“Holland Yellow” marine paint.
Painted frame and components curing in the sun.
The dump box frame was painted black to compliment the yellow and cured in the sun. To
speed up the painting process, I used a roll for most of the application, and then finished up with
a brush. It’s not a perfect paint job, but that’s how it goes out here on the farm.
Painting the inside of the rims.
The rims were also given a coat of black paint on the inside, as they had slight surface rust.
While the paint was drying, I had some time to buff up all of the old chrome which came out
quite nicely, especially on the old headlight and front rim.
Creating a gearbox filling port.
The Ford-F150 rear differential had a gearbox oil filling port that was really placed into an
awkward position. It would have been a challenge to replace the oil once the cover was sealed,
so I decided to make my own filling port on the back of the cover. Knowing that the fill level was
about half way up the axle tubes, I cut a hole in the cover at this point. I also cut a small bit of 1
inch conduit and ground it to conform to the housing shape.
Filing port completed and cover painted.
The small conduit tube was then welded to the port. Now, I can fill the rear differential with oil
using a funnel, pouring it in until I see it at the proper level. This worked well. A plastic bottle cap
fit nicely over the top to close it off.
Making a mounting system for the giant headlight.
With paint curing, I had time to work on the headlight mounting system that will adapt the huge
vintage firetruck light to the motorcycle forks. Looking at how the original motorcycle light mount
worked, I just copied the design using this leftover 1.5 inch fence tubing and small lengths of 1
inch square tubing.
Headlight mounting hardware completed.
Here are the custom headlight mounts, which slide over the forks between the triple tree plates.
The arms extend wide to capture the headlight.
Cutting the side panels for the dump box.
The dump box will require five sides made from 3/4” treated plywood. By planning the order in
which the panels are installed, you can minimize the number of bolts required. Basically, cut the
side panels to fit and then let the bottom drop in to hold them in place.
Measure the inside dimension of your dump box and subtract 1/4" so the boards are not too
tight to fit. Some wood swelling will also occur after painting.
Drilling holes to mount the dump box panels.
If you install the dump box panels in the correct order (front, sides, bottom), you can get away
with using only a few bolts on the side as shown here. I used 5/8” carriage bolts, drilling the
holes in the side rails and then using them as a guide to later drill the wood.
Installing dump box panels in the correct order.
This is the first panel to be installed and it is cut to fit in snugly to the inside of the frame. The
side panels will prevent this panel from falling out once they are installed.
Carriage bolts fasten the wood into the frame.
With the side panels installed, the front panel is now locked into place. Drill the holes through
the wood, using the holes in the dump box frame as a guide. Also, remember to mark all panels
as to where they go and which side is up and out. Plywood is typically smooth on only one side.
I face that side out so the completed dump box would look nicer.
All sides and bottom added to dump box.
The bottom panel is the last panel to measure and fit. It will now prevent all other panels from
moving. You do not have to bolt the base down, as it will remain tight as the other boards press
up against the corners.
Painting the wood panels in the great outdoors.
I call this “working in the field”. I build most of my projects out here behind my welding shack. All
of the panels have been painted and are now curing in the sun. I used an off white oil paint for
the insides of the dump box panels and the same yellow marine paint for the outside.
Intalling components, starting with the rear end.
Once your paint has cured for a few days, you can begin to reassembly your vehicle one last
time. It makes sense to work from the rear end, as this will let you move the frame around once
it is sitting on wheels again. Everything looks brand new with a fresh coat of paint. Most people
find it hard to believe that The Yard Mule was made from mostly rust scrap yard parts!
Paint lid tools are great for tire installation.
My 1970s motorcycle tire was completely shot, so I had to change it for a new one. You can
change a motorcycle tire by hand; it is not much more effort than changing a bicycle tire. I found
that paint can opening tools are perfect levers for working on a tire. Use a sanding disc to round
of the edges so they are not sharp.
You will also want a spray bottle with a teaspoon of dish soap and a cup of water. The dish soap
will make the rubber slide on the rim a lot easier than when it is dry. A lot easier!
Inflate the tube before installing it in the tire.
Start by inflating the inner tube just enough to expand it out. You can then thumb on the tire to
the rim, as that will be easy to do. Now, feed the inner tube into the tire and lock down the valve
stem using the supplied nut. The rest of the work will require some prying.
Use a lot of soapy water to help the rubber slide onto the rim.
Using the modified paint can levers or a rounded off screwdriver, carefully pry the tire over the
rim, just an inch at a time, using two levers to close the gap. Spray on a lot of soapy water when
you do this and the tire will slip right over the rim. Avoid pining the tube by only wedging the
lever slightly over the bead edge of the tire.
Installing loose bearings, using grease to hold them.
Motorcycle bearings can be reinstalled using the grease to hold them in. Place a decent amount
of axle grease on the lower race and then place the balls all the way around. Also, grease the
inside of the bearing cups on the head tube and then reinstall the fork stem and top threaded
race just as it was on the motorcycle.
Intalling the fork hardware and legs.
The motorcycle forks are reinstalled just like they were originally, but now they look new and
have a fresh coat of grease. I placed the fork legs a little higher in the triple tree to lower my
front end a bit, as I built it on more of an angle than I wanted due to my sloped ground and
much fatter front tire! No problem, this 2 inches of lowering did the trick.
The completed headlight mounting system.
The headlight mounts worked perfectly, adapting the vintage chrome headlight to the front forks.
The little accessories really make the final vehicle look refined, even though they are often an
afterthought or the simplest components.
Yard Mule rolling chassis looking good.
The Yard Mule painted chassis looking good. Putting it all back together will seem easy now
that you have done so twice already.
Installing the motor, controller and wiring.
The motor, controller and transmission will be the first components to install, followed by the
wiring. Use new bolts for high current connectors and recheck all of your polarities based on
your controller’s wiring diagram.
Transmission system completely installed.
The full transmission system, including properly adjusted idler sprocket pulling up on the return
chain to keep it tight. If you find that your adjuster cannot move close enough to keep the chain
tight, remove one link and then set it back all the way. With an inch of travel, you can adjust for
one full length of a chain link. All bolts used for final assembly are also new, especially the
grade 8 bolts on the final drive sprocket bolted to the differential.
Installation of the painted battery and wiring box.
The battery box is finally installed. All wiring is fed through the routing guides and into the
battery box for connection to the battery pack and throttle.
The dump box installs in the fully tilted position.
With the bottom panel removed from the dump box, it can be installed on the vehicle by placing
it fully tipped on the ground. The hinges will align by backing the vehicle up into the dump box
for installation of the hinge bolts.
Dump box limiting chain and securing bolt.
The limiting chain is bolted to the frame at the setting you require. Because a single bolt
connects the chain to the frame, it is easy removed or adjusted to a shorter lockout angle by
capturing a different chain link.
The dump box base is the last panel to install.
Install the dump box panels in the correct order as per your earlier markings. The bottom panel
is the last panel; it holds all other panels tight to the frame.
Closeup image of the dump box locking system.
Here is a close-up of the locking pin after painting. That other small rod on the outside of the
locking lever allows it to snap down as an extra safety feature. This way, any rattling over rough
terrain won’t work the locking pin free from the plate.
Dump box locking pins and rear reflectors.
Rear reflectors were also installed, along with a flashing magnetic light so that I could safely
drive down my country road when I need to work far from the house. The tailgate wood panel is
held into the tailgate frame using large woodscrews as shown here.
Throttle and small wiring neatly installed along the frame.
The throttle and headlight wiring is run neatly along the side of the frame, using the cut up chain
links as a wiring harness. You could also hide small wires in the frame tubing if you don’t mind
fishing around to pull them through.
Adding a front parking brake.
Although the electric motor acts as a brake when you let off on the throttle, it’s still a good idea
to have a manually operated brake. It’s certainly required on a gas powered vehicle. I utilized
the original motorcycle front brake that was good enough to slow the vehicle down when
ascending the large hills around my place.
For heavy loads like gravel or an IBC full of 2200 pounds of water, you will want to install the
rear wheel brakes, using the emergency cables that come with the standard braking systems in
all vehicles. You can also salvage the emergency brake lever from a car and mount it on your
frame for easy access.
For parking safely, I always carry two short pieces of treated 4x4 lumber and wedge up the rear
wheels so the vehicle cannot roll away. The Mule is a slow mover, but it can roll on its own.
A bicycle brake lever converted to fit the motorcycle cable.
Since the motorcycle brake lever was shot, I adapted this bicycle brake lever to the motorcycle
cable. The mechanics are the same; it did require drilling a slightly larger hole for the head of
the cable to fit. I can also slide a ring over the engaged lever to make a basic parking brake that
locks the front wheel.
Filling and sealing the rear differential.
If you have not done so already, fill your rear differential with the required amount of gear oil as
recommended by your automotive supply store. There are many types of oil, so tell them you
are filling a differential on a DIY tractor and get the cheap stuff. One can of oil costs about
twenty bucks.
Also, ask your dealer for oil grade engine caulking for a rear differential cover and apply it as per
the instructions. I looked online for a video on the recommended application of rear differential
calking and followed it. After the caulking set for the time stated, I added the fluid using my new
fill port and a funnel. If you overfill the housing, this isn’t all that bad, but you will see some
leaking out at the wheels here and there.
Charging up new 80 amp hour AGM batteries.
Finally, The Yard Mule gets a brand new set of batteries! When choosing batteries, consider
better quality AGM deep cycle marine batteries, as these will last you five or more years of
moderate use. The two batteries shown here are 80 amp hour AGM deep cycle marine batteries
with length of 11.5 inches, a width of 7 inches, and a height of 10 inches. They are big!
Typical car starting batteries are not good for this kind of application, as they will not last long if
discharged and recharged often. At a bare minimum marine grade deep cycle batteries should
be used, and they must be of the same size, brand, and age. Expect to pay between $150 and
$500 a piece for batteries that are rated for this kind of usage.
If the sheer selection of batteries seems overwhelming, then visit a reputable solar system
dealer and let them know what you are doing. A little online research on battery terminologies
such as AGM, deep cycle, lithium, lead acid, etc. will also go a long way when choosing a
battery to fit your budget.
As for a charger, purchase a computer controlled smart charger like the one pictured here.
These chargers will not only give the batteries a proper charge, but they will run a maintenance
cycle and can be set to match your battery chemistry (AGM in my case). Another benefit to
these types of chargers is that they are available for 24 volts. It’s just a matter of adapting an
external plug to your battery box in order to plug in an charge both batteries at the end of the
day. I installed a trailer style plug for charging, adapting it to the charger shown here by
soldering to the output.
Adding the other electrical switches and accessories.
Some of the other electrical components I added were: a headlight switch, horn button, half
speed switch and an LED to let me know when the power was on. All of this wiring is low current
wiring running from one of the 12 volt batteries. If you need some assistance on basic 12 volt
wiring at this stage, drop by the AtomicZombie forum and visit The Yard Mule support thread. I
will give you some advice.
Spare grating and angle iron make this chain guard.
The chain and motor guard shown here was actually made later because I did not realize that I
would need it. After moving through the brush, I found that the very tall grass was getting eaten
by the chain and sprocket, making a bit of a mess. Once again, the metal grating came in
handy. This removable motor guard bolts to the underside of the frame and protects the moving
parts from tall grass or brush.
Test fitting the removeable chain guard.
The frame of the motor guard is made of 1 inch angle iron, and the mounting tabs are the same
the ones used in the battery box, 1.5 inch pieces of angle iron with holes drilled. A simple bar in
front would have also worked to deflect tall grass, but this all around method of protecting the
moving parts has proven to work well, even when riding over small trees in grown-in trails.
The completed and painted chain guard.
Pictured above is the painted chain and motor guard ready to be bolted to the frame.
Underside shot of the completed Yard Mule.
The completed Yard Mule, showing off what is “under the hood” by lifting the dump box. Many
people are surprised to see the size of the motor, which is not much larger than a truck
alternator. When you consider that the resulting gear reduced torque to the wheels is easily
comparable to a real truck, it does impress those who are not familiar with the amazing power of
electric vehicles.
The completed Yard Mule ready for action.
The completed Yard Mule really turned out well. The contrast of yellow and black with just the
right amount of chrome makes the final product look almost store bought. Of course, I like to just
play it cool and say, “Yeah, it looks pretty good for something I made with basic tools and mostly
stuff from the scrap yard.” Of course, that is a true statement!
Rear view of the completed Yard Mule
The dump box has been working very well around the farm here, and all of my design goals
have been met. Wood hauling is so much easier now. I can move huge amounts of dirt around
the yard without leaving any ruts in the grass. Having such wide tires and a lightweight base
vehicle (when compared to a truck), I can even safely drive over the septic field with a
moderately heavy load in the back.
The dump box fully extended showing the lever out.
The dump box is great for spreading dirt and gravel as well as efficiently moving split firewood
right to the woodshed. In case of drought, I can also fit a 275 gallon IBC (large tank) in the back
and move water back from the creek. A full IBC weighs 2,200 pounds, which is no problem for
the truck axle to handle.
Tailgate supported by the limiting chains.
The Yard Mule is a reliable work horse, ready to tow, haul or drag your stuff around, and it will
do so without making much noise or fuss. You can even carry your buddie’s expensive ATV out
of the bus when it needs another thousand dollars in repairs! The Yard Mule requires minimal
maintenance because all of the main components are highly over rated for the job they are now
performing. Replacing batteries every few years is about all you ever have to do.
Hauling the log splitter out for a day of work.
The ability to drag a heavy log splitter out in the bush and come back with a full load of cut and
split firewood is a massive time saver for me. If I can consider my time to be worth something,
then The Yard Mule has already paid for itself ten times over. The cost of recharging at night
does not even register on our hydro bill as well!
Running on clean electric power and always ready for work!
What will your Yard Mule do for you? There are so many ways you can configure your own DIY
tractor that the possibilities are truly endless. If you have just completed your Yard Mule, then
please stop by the AtomicZombie Forum and show off your work! If you are just reading this
entire plan for the first time, then it’s time to scroll back to the top and get started building!
Thanks for supporting AtomicZombie and our amazing DIY Community. We hope you enjoy this
build, and put your DIY “beast of burden” to good use for many years to come.

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The Yard Mule is an affordable Do-It-Yourself solution to the hauling, towing, and dumping

Some of the “must have” parts you will require:

- A car or truck rear differential (size is up to you).

A scrap 1980s Ford F150 rear differential.

A 1970s Kawasaki minibike frame from the scrap yard.

Various electric motors, sprockets and a motor controller.

Horsepower, Torque, Watts or Amps?

Speed and Power, a JackShaft Trading Game.

Motor Cost and Availability.

Working out a general idea on a paper notepad.

Cargo Capacity and Loading Methods.

Maneuverability and Terrain.

Parts You Already Have Available.

How is your notepad sketch coming?

A automotive differential includes a robust gearbox.

Dealing with extremely rusted lug nuts.

Removal of seized on brake drums.

All of the brake hardware removed.

Measuring the bolt circle and hub diameter.

Pounding out the wheel studs.

A set of yard sale Dodge Ram wheels.

The Dodge hub diameter was too small to mount.

Grinding away the centering hubs.

Centering hub rough cutting completed.

Cleaning up the hub using a sanding disc.

Dodge rims now fit on a Ford differential.

Some of the axle mounting hardware will not be required.

Removal of the stabilization brackets.

Cleaning up the leftover weld metal.

Working out some ideas using my donor parts.

Figuring out the differential gear reduction.

Taking apart the motorcycle triple tree fork.

Removal of the motorcycle fork legs.

Fork bearings and hardware dissasembly.

The motorcycle front end after complete dissasembly.

Salvaging the head tube from the frame.

Grinding away the original frame tubing.

The head tube after removing all of the frame tubing.

A recycled head tube ready for transplanting.

A complete motorcycle front end.

Converting the differential for sprocket drive.

A quick way to get your bolt hole pattern.

Verifying the the template acuracy.

Fastening the pattern to the sprocket.

Punching the holes to be drilled.

Drilling the 1/8” pilot holes.

The drilled sprocket ready to mount.

The differential is now side driven by a sprocket.

New 2 inch tubing and flatbar from the steel supplier.

Working out the length of the vehicle.

• Track Width = 64 Inches / Total Width = 74 Inches

These three pieces make up the rear frame.

Cutting 45 degree angles for welding.

Test fitting of the rear frame tubes.

Welding the rear frame tubes together.

Setting up the differential level to the ground.

Checking the angle of the vertical frame tube.

Welding the rear frame to the differential pads.

Horizintal levelling of the main frame boom.

Checking the 90 degree angle of the main boom.

Welding all the way around the main frame boom.

Flip the frame to access the underside joints.

Checking the position of the dump box.

Cutting the angle from the end of the main boom.