Small engine shims/engine mounts, couplers, and more

[AuroraGirl]

Hi, any of you guys got experience repowering a small engine application? I have a 1979 skidsteer(Lahman Little Dipper, a long derelict company from south dakota), and it uses a Kohler K532, a 20hp, 880cc engine.
Its coupled by direct drive from the engine to main gear box with a 1 1/4 output (iirc, i know its not 1 inch, maybe 1 1/8.)

The engine is flat wore out, its slow, its heavy, and finding kits for it is on the difficult size just to rebuild an old flathead twin with points ignition.

I bought a new predator engine for it, 22hp, and it has a 1 inch output. I would like to couple this engine to the skidsteer, but I have no experience with such tasks, and the original motor has metal shim plates under the mounting bolts that Im guessing shim the engine to the perfect location for direct drive. Is this best to try to replicate or would it be easier/wiser to use a u joint to transfer power with where ever the engine would end up? And if not, recommendations?

I can post pictures

 

[Ricko1966]

I think you are going to find out it has a love joy coupler, your going to have to find an engine side that matches your engine or have a bushing made.You will need to shim it for alignment but a decent straight edge, a good eyeball and some common sense will make it happen.