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Tell us about yourself:“I’m a heavy-duty mechanic for most of my life with a mechanical engineering background, and make small machines as a hobby. I also designed a mini dozer, mini skid steer loader with remote control, mini excavator that rotates 360 degrees, a portable bandsaw mill, backhoe and a portable mini refinery that makes different fuels from plastic. I like new challenges.”
It’s interesting to see the kind of things our readers can design and build to help with various tasks. Gaetan’s machine looks like it can haul a lot of material quickly and efficiently, saving a lot of manual labour and time in the process.
Excellent work, Gaetan! Thanks for sharing your project with us!
What is it? It’s a one-ton dump truck with diesel engine, and disc brakes on a 4-wheel, hydrostatic drive. I built this in the winter of 2019. It’s used to carry sand, gravel dirt, material, topsoil, etc.
What is the main power source for your project? (e.g. electric motor, gas engine etc.) 22 HP diesel engine with vertical shaft.
How do you control your project? (e.g. hydraulic control valve(s), electric switches etc.) The drive is manually controlled with your feet (forward and reverse). A lever steers the machine left and right from the centre, and you lift the box with a lever.
What components are used to perform the work for your project? (e.g. hydraulic cylinder(s), hydraulic motor(s), sprockets, pulleys etc.) Motor, hydraulic cylinders, pump, voltmeter gauge, oil pressure gauge, hour meter, lights and switches.
What design/build challenges were overcome? I wanted to keep the design compact as possible, especially around the engine compartment. There is an electric-hydraulic parking brake, but the service brake system with the four disc brakes are manually activated by hand. There was no room to install a pedal there. I wanted the front of the truck to be as short as possible, so I used a 22 HP diesel engine with vertical shaft that is only available in China; the shape of the dump box was a challenge to design, too. I used a walking beam for the suspension, to run over 10-inch rocks.
If you had to build it again, what would you do differently? No, it would be 100% the same. It performs very well!
Which Princess Auto location do you visit most? Windsor, ON