Amphibious Massey Ferguson

[Gergy]

Thought you guys might enjoy these links. Its a couple of clips of a stunt we carried out last year to raise funds for Autism NI and the local church.

This infact was not the first time this type of stunt was undertaken by someone in our family. In 1987 my dad and the local Young Farmers club floated my B6000, I have some photos of that event too which I will scan and post at a later date.

Feel free to ask any questions, alot of work went into it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LcQoCZV_dI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc4SHARhRnI

 

[skeets]

OK Bubba, you had better post some pictures how younz guys done that, and just how the trailer was hooked up and how you figured out the flotation ratio. A neat stunt to be sure, and for a worth cause too,,,but please next time wear a PFD!

 

[Butch]

Skeets.... I know how to calculate the center (COG) of gravity and the bouyancy factors to counteract the COG.

But the REAL trick is to make our orange iron functionally submersible....

Butch

 

[Gergy]

Here's a link to a selection of pic's taken from the event.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/574244203QLsRiX

I have better pic's taken using my camera but haven't had the chance to upload them all yet, they show more of the linkage between the tractor and the tanker, and the prop shaft and propeller driven from the PTO which drove us through the water. Will upload ASAP guys. Here's a couple of pic's taken on the first morning before we lauched

 

[skeets]

Ahhhhhhh reallllly long hoses????

 

[Gergy]

Ahhhhhhh reallllly long hoses????

Don't follow

The tanker was hitched to the tractor in the normal fashion, then a triangularised (if thats a word) top link fashioned to keep the tanker rigid so we could control and steer.

This top link incorporated a hydraulic ram which allowed us to pitch the rear of the tanker further into the deep water giving us better drive. By pulling the ram in it allowed us to lift the rear off the tanker off the ground meaning we could reverse into and drive out of the river without damaging the propeller.

 

[skeets]

But the REAL trick is to make our orange iron functionally submersible....

Butch

Really long hoses to the air intake and the exaust,, aint ya never seen a Jeep run under water??