OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

well figured id start a thread as to keep up with what i get done in the future to this old marathon..its one fugly muttha but after seeing you guys lifted carts im very inspired to do it up right..
on my list;;new 5 inch longer shocks
fab up 5 inch lift for front
all new motor mounts needed
hope to buy 15 inch coils for rear instead of coil spacers? opinions needed?
22-11-10,or can i use the stock rims and put on 22-11-8 tires?
sloppy steering parts need replaced
when lifting it 5 inches wont that bring the rear tires foward a slight hair?should i make drop down brakets for the swing arm mounting tabs to keep the s.arm and engine at stock angle?opinions needed?
all seat pads need re done in blk w/blue stripe and blue pipeing on edges

heres "OLD BLUE" in original clothing,,fugly:mrgreen:

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...oldcart003.jpg
heres a local cart in my area for sale for 3500 bucks"yeah right"but i like the color sceme as to what i want.
are these stock rims and hub caps?
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/.../bluegcart.jpg

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

just got done checking the inside of the fuel tank,,cant see much,too dirty on outside but i can tell it has not been out in a long time,gotta get underneath?i guess to remove the band bolt?
i will be asking stuff i normally wouldnt,(im a ole gear head mechanic myself) but since past few yrs my bad back has got the best of me,, i like doing things once instead of the ole up down and up down and under the cart lol..or id be shot the first few times and will take me much longer to get anything done..

this cart seems to run very good and fast,my bloodhound can barely keep up in its stock form w/out the gov..:lhmo:

it is smoking slightly at times when smashin the pedal a lil white and 2 stroke smelling.
i hate to waste all the fuel in it as it smells fresh,and is half full,but i dont no where i stand?if previous owner mixed it correct or not?
what would be a way to tell?
maybe drain it out thru a couple socks to filter it and then clean tank.
if it smokes a puff of white,and smell it every so often ya recon it has enough oil mix,or should i add more oil to be safe? leave it alone?
wait;maybe i should just get it out and use it in my rider mower and just put the fresh i mixed with 1=1/2 oz to a gal in and be done..prob answered my question:roll:

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

OK - let's see if we can't answer these all at once ... 5" lift = Monroe 31000 and 31125 shocks (2 each for front and rear), You'll need to reuse the rear lower shock bushings but other than that it's a bolt-in. Longer coils are an option, but will run around $100 from what I've seen, the coil spacers really work just fine on the 5" lifts and considering the whole lift kit is around $60, I'd just run them and if You hate it, change it later (but again, theres really nothing to hate, they look fine and work well). Stock rims work fine with 4 PLY 22x11-8's (try it with 2-ply tires and you'll sway and wander all over the place BADLY) ... And all angles are fine with a 5" lift, nothing will be affected to the point of compromising structural, operational, or ride integrity.

Seats - www.uptoparcovers.com - best prices, great quality, and a breeze to install (plus they do any custom color combo at no charge)

And those are 10" steel rims with hubcaps - which you can also get for stock steel 8" rims

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

Oh, as to post 2 (sorry - wasn't paying attention) yes, you'll have to pull the band bolt as well as the bolt at the rear of the tank, then it tilts out carefully (tight fit) ... The correct premix is 128:1 (one ounce per gallon) - running at 1.5oz/gal won't help your smoking issue at all and although it won't HURT anything, will have your cart running far less than optimally.

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

thanks bcm:thumbup: is the first shock number the front in above post?
i like the idea of smaller rims for better ride qaulity with lower pressures also.

so i read i should run it 1 and a 1/2 oz if i run it hard,an you no hey we all are lol..
did you mean at 1 oz per gallon it will run better? and not hurt it with my heavy foot?
also,anyone have a close up pic of the rear 5 inch coil spacer so i can make one?
thanks for saving me so much up and down guess work!:thumbup: this site rocks.. and rolls:mrgreen:

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

oh yeah,,i guess the noise i hear when beatin thru the yard is the motor moving everywhere on the swing arm as i can grab the muffler and move it side to side a inch ir so,,no bushings at all it looks like lol..am i gonna create a bad prob if i keep playin on it much? it darn sure gets up and go,s ,haha

any leads on best priced motor mounts?

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

[IMG]http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/...957FE37FA4.jpg[/IMG]http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/...9583A8B8BC.jpg
This is what I came up with.

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

looks good to me:thumbup: thanks..do they just sit on the originals ones,or did ya torch them off and weld them in place?

been cleaning my shop all night since 6 pm and im whipped..
amazing how much crap accumulates from different projects..guess i should clean up more often :thumbdown:

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

I hear ya about the shop getting messy, I can't hardly walk thru mine right now.

If you look close at the pic you can see where I welded an extension on to the original. And if that is what you do you can't just put them on there plumb with the old ones, you have to tip them forward because you are changing the Angle of the swing arm.

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

[IMG]http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/...67FECFEF87.jpg[/IMG]
Just to show you the clearance I get with that setup.

heres a pic of my rear setup. its a 5" kit i bought.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/10/07/a2a2a5yn.jpg

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

Here's a pic of the blocks that come with most lift "kits" - it sits right over the old spring mount and the old spring sits right on the lip ...

Attachment 73290

I had fears a couple of years ago as to the structural integrity of the setup as the spring just holds itself in place, but my cart has been rolled, flown, folded, spindled, and mutilated many, MANY times since then without a hitch :lhmo:

Also - if you look at 1fast's pic, you'll see the shock extenders that come with the kits - in my photo, you'll notice the shocks go all the way to the swingarm ... Those are the Monroe 31000's, in addition to doing WONDERS for your ride, they also eliminate the noise and instability that the extenders contribute to. This last kit I bought I was able to finagle a deal on as I only needed the lift blocks and spring risers (none of the extenders or associated hardware) because I am installing Monroes all around ... at around $15-17 per shock, it's a HUGE investment that won't break the bank and believe me, I would never think of lifting another Marathon without going the Monroe route

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

hey thanks lilrascal :thumbup: that set up,height and clearance look like just what i need for sure..back to cleaning the shop today:mrgreen:

heres my cart with a 5" lift and 12" street tires.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/10/08/durenyve.jpg

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Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

very nice! been looking thru your stuff last week also:thumbup:
got the shop clean with 7 ft all the way around the cart,so plenty of room.

got the cart all blocked up 8-10 inches and level,tommorow will remove the wheels and start stripping stuff down for the lift..will get pics as i go8)

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

oh yeah,,today when backing in up into the shop i noticed everytime i was in reverse i herd a lil slight metalic tap"or knock",,so i drove round the merry go round forward and no knock,,try reverse again and it knocks as soon as ya step on the pedal in reverse..this normal? wrist pin wear? timing?or should i repair something while i have it on stands?

also wanted to ask,if i stay with 8 inch stock rims do i need spacers to fit the 22-11-8 tires?
trying to search pics of my cart with 8 inch rims and 22-11-8 tires to see if i like it or beter off with 10 inch rims,,thanks again for you fellas help:thumbup:

john

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

Not sure about the knock but mine has a good knock when it gets warmed up not sure if its the clutch or motor? But if I was you I would shoot for 10x7 rims with a 3•4 offset. Then you will get a much greater selection for tires. I did look for 22" tires for my stock 8" rims and only found a couple sets. And yes you would need spacers, my 18/9.5-8 only had a 1/4 inch gap between the tire and swing arm.

X2 on the 10" wheels. the taller you go the wider stance you need to be stable. like rascal said the tire selection is greater.

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Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

thanks,,i will siep up on the rim size and back spacing for sure sometime when mulla alows..right now im getting the front plastic nose off,,its trashed anyhow..i seen on here but cant find it,,where someone flipper there front stock axle and re welded stuff to make work and have ground clearance..
anyone have a link or remember this???
i may just fab up mu original axle to work on top,but then the weight would be pressing on the opposite side ot the axle?
this shouldnt matter as long as i put the washer thats under the nut on the other side where it will now be riding on? any opinions here?
wanting the ground clearance so back to thinking a bit:roll:

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

I understand wanting ground clearance but your diff is always going to be the lowest part on your cart even with the front Axel the way it is but that just my 2 cents. :thumbup:

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

Rascal is right - other than bigger tires there is no way to get that pumpkin higher off the ground.

22X11-8's are about the easiest tire to find, actually - These are the ones I used on the current project, they're nothing super spectacular but they are priced right and they are 4-ply, so the sidewalls are far stiffer than the 2-ply crap most cart places will try to sell you if you're on a budget:

http://www.greaterclevelandtire.com/...ne-D929/Detail

As to offset rims, they'll run you around $17 each plus shipping for regular steel ones, the other option (which I use on my carts as it gives you the added stability of a wider wheelbase) are wheel spacers, they'll run you right around $15 a wheel and are available in both 2" per side and 2.5" per side depending on how wide you'd like to go (I went 5" wider on my 88 because it has flares on the rear fenders and 4" on the current cart because it doesn't - the more tire you expose the more mud and poop you'll be throwing all over when you drive) - search Ebay for username "ATVEngineering" - their spacers are really well built and a breeze to install.

Lastly, while the look of 10's, 12's, or even 13's is really cool, keep in mind that the higher the rim size the less sidewall you'll have - on the upside the bigger tires have very little "sway" even if you are running them at low pressure, on the downside unless you ARE running low pressures they tend to ride like a brick offroad

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

yep seems correct lilrascal,,as i been looking at that myself past few minutes..so all i got to do is get some 3 inch pipe tomorrow and i have the rest of material laying around..
i have some 2 inch dom 1/4 wall round tube left over from my jeep long arm build a while back and will use that for the front lift,and weld it all the way around on the old axle perch and bolt the springs to the top..
well got the wheels off and the front spring plates,,been soaking the shocks as im gonna have to lock down on them with bf pliers to get the bottom nut off.
some rust at the bottom but frame looks good.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...oldcart004.jpg
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...oldcart001.jpg
i scraped down some paint and it seems it was a maroon red originaly i suppose,,grey primer under that..
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...oldcart006.jpg

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

Hay brew, can you post a link to the wheel spacers?

And this is what I came up with for the front lift. I had to put a slight bevel on the top of the blocks to push the front tires away from the body. [IMG]http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/...28D2023121.jpg[/IMG]

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170460284066...84.m1439.l2649

These are the 4" ones I used on the new project, if you want to go 5" just view the sellers other items, they're the same price just 1/2" wider per side ...

Lift looks good - the other shot to extend that front end is to use these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251125966813...84.m1438.l2649

Don't go running out and buying them just yet though - I haven't actually installed them on my cart yet so give me a few days to make sure they work like they should. The stock springs are 19", these are 20.5" so that should be just about right to get that axle out front a bit more

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

thanks guys:thumbup: i can see looking at mine that if you push the front end out too much like that then the pass side tie rod gets closer to the ground also...
brew,what wheels and tires on the green one in your avatar??
i think im def gonna go with 22-11-10 with the offset to push the wheels out a lil,,then make my own flares..prob go with sahara tires..i had them before and liked them,,they will see more off road than on but a lil on road as well.

if 23,s will fit id rather go big now tho lol :lhmo:

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

..

oh yeah,,looks just like what a wanna do except i think my round tube is smaller but 1.4 thick dom..should still work..
i wasnt gonna put the plate on botom and bolt them together,,im gonna weld the bottom to the axle plate thats there,,should be just as safe that way you guys think? i will gusset it too but dont think its needed

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

I absolutely LOVE the tires on my 88, they're Chen Shin Lumberjack 4-ply's ... I bought them a couple of years ago on clearance from Dennis Kirk for $40 each shipped - unfortunately to replicate them on the current cart would be well over twice as much, that's why I bought the Deestones for this one (that and I wanted something that wouldn't tear up the grass like the Lumberjacks - they're **** rough on the yard, even if I'm careful)

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

Hay sassycat. Have out got any progress done on your build yet? Love to see more pics.

Look at me, I can't even take the anticipation of someone else's build!!!:happy1:

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

i got everything cut up and ready except for the piece that will keep the spring in place on top of the 3 inch pipe for the rear spacers..
hoping to get it done tomorrow if nothing comes up:thumbup:

then get some shock measurments to see if any i have may work for now..
im gonna do like you mentioned and let the front lift slide the axle forward just a smiggin..
still need to buy a tie rod or 2 also..

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

On the steering rod connected to the passenger side hub I had to make a cut up from the bottom side to bend it up and reweld it in that position because the tie rod going from the center steering arm wouldn't go far enough down to reach the new position of that hub arm.

That's even confusing for me to reed.

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

makes sense i think?your saying the heavy arm thats part of the right spindle i think,correct? where the tie rod connects to?
seems like a great idea,as when you"me too"weld our lift in to push the axle out a lil more the heavy bar on pass side spindle gets lower to the ground.i think i got ya ,,correct,hhaahaha
i can heat it to bend it up easy enough,,or would that loose its temper?8)

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

I believe this is part of the reason that the lift kits out there aren't beveled - although I really don't see where a small amount of heat to bend the arm could hurt (keep in mind these things are pretty well overbuilt and that the arm in question really only takes stress from steering so you should be just fine)

Another option is to swap the leafs for 2004.5-up TXT springs - the stock pre-89 springs are 19" eye to eye, the 2004.5-up are 20.5", just a thought (although it's a $40-50 thought, so there's that, LOL)

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

Here's a shot of a standard 5" lift kit installed - the stock angle of the axle is affected just a hair, but the resulting drop in that steering arm is so minimal (1/4" or so) that it's almost irrelevant

Attachment 73505

another thing to keep an eye on is the angle of your shock mounts on the axle - those DO change considering there's a 5" or so difference in their location from stock. I heat and bend them a bit before installing the new shocks just to make the shock bushings absorb the stresses a little more evenly (if you don't, you'll be mounting the shocks at about a 40 degree angle to the mount surface - the bushings *will* take it, but will definitely wear faster if You don't straighten the tabs a bit)

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

thanks brew :thumbup: i feel the heat wont bother such a beefy part like that either..it will all more than likely be changed when i run across the right 4 wheeler donor:mrgreen:

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

i will also try to see what it takes to get the drag link above the springs someday,but prob not needed huh8)

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

LOL - maybe if you were doing like 40 in reverse and hit a small stump you'd need to have it higher, otherwise the axle protects it pretty well and even going backwards you'd likely smash the pumpkin before you bent the drag link :)

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

good point bcm..well i did a lil bit today,,thanks to all you guys help it went much easyer im sure..
is this lame or what!my mig needs a new liner,,didnt have a small roll of steel wire,so used the wire laying on the ground and run it thru my spool gun lol..it touched the ground a few times and i have burned stripes on my hand where i was holding the wire up:mrgreen: redneck engineering:thumbup:
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...tedcart001.jpg
welded the plates on.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...tedcart003.jpg
bent the spindle arm up a bit.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...tedcart008.jpg
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...tedcart013.jpg
front all done for now till i get more paint and primer.i did leave a 1/4 inch gap on one side of the top plates to push the axle out just a lil more..and i re welded the factory axle plates full on the bottom since i didnt use another plate there,,my drivers front side of the axle is bent anyway from previous owners.
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...tedcart014.jpg

will work on the rear tomorrow sometime hopefully8)

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

Looks great!!! I should probably weld my bottom plates to the axel too. :thumbup:

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

Lookin Good - now go put an ice-cold beer on those burns, LOL :)

Re: OLD BLUE,85 marathon re-construction
 

as good as a beer sounds,i didnt have one lol,,you sayin it worked almost as good tho!
got the rear done and sitting on its own weight,ran out of blk for good so need to run for paint in a lil while..

i assume the 4 slots around this worn out mount is where the rivits are i needed to drill out?? if so,,cool,there gone on both sides lol..
i can out run all of ya now,just slide the motor to the pass side tight and clamp it,,much faster,haha
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...tedcart007.jpg

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...tedcart012.jpg
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...tedcart016.jpg
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...tedcart009.jpg