Great Dane excavating co.

[Cooper]

Well I wasn't sure about power of the gearhead motors I got, so I got some new ones in mail, they are .55horsepower each. They should move it fully loaded. But on the serious side, this thing may be pretty heavy, tires are 4 pounds each, that's 24 pounds just in the tires!! I really don't know what weight she will be but it's probably gonna come in around or over 80 pounds. I'm planing on frame and most structural stuff alum, the dump bed sheet steel. I hope my brazing skill will improve. I really don't want to have a bunch of ugly tack welds on dump box necause it will be pretty visible when raised.
Steve, thanks for the kaydon bearings, they are the slim type I was looking for, but,,,,, those little suckers are $100 or more for one!! Changed my ideas around on the axles to suit more practice bearings. I have almost 6" between rear tires and duel wheels spread almost 5" so plenty of room to hide motors/support bearings and anything else in rear axle. I also thought about 1:5 and 1:8 scale gas RC trucks rear differentials but I'm thinking they are even small for this!! And the gearhead motors I am getting have a 1/2" shaft, 1 1/2" long. Keyed and end hole tapped on shaft. That will make a really solid set up for removing load from motor shaft to the truck axle.