Tractor Tales

Congrats on a good surgery, Snag. That's always a relief when you get a goner back on the road.

I have found that it is more effective to throw the money at the parts suppliers. When throwing money at machines they just sit there. Sometimes they may grin a little, but machines can be subtle and you can't always tell when they are laughing at you. A good indication is when you start the engine after installing some spendy part and it promptly sticks a rod through the block. The engine equivalent of sticking your tongue out. Eric

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Shoulda checked its pedigree (or degree of bitterness) first, Eric. I'm happy to say that nothing I've ever bought has done that to me, save for the frozen welder, and that cost me $100. I nearly tripled my investment selling it as-is, too.

Actually , it was only minor surgery ... and may actually have been unnecessary . I pulled the starter - which means unbolting the motor and pulling it out- and cleaned and oiled it . Got all the tin off the tractor except the column that houses the battery/steering gear/ etc . Tomorrow I start ordering parts ... I wasn't about to start spending any serious money before I knew the machine was worth repairing . Apart from the axle and a set of tires it looks like the only other problems are a bit too much slop in the steering box and a blade missing from the hydro pump cooling fan .

Hmmm , a point well taken !

As it should be.

Axle problems? That can be big money.

Eek, tires, too? That's a definite lot of money.

OK, those could be minor.

I've already located all the parts needed for the axle problems , around a hundred bucks for used on eBay . Still shopping tires , but a pair for the rear will run around 150 bucks . Fronts might be able to get away with just new tubes . Steering is probably an adjustment and I have stock that'll work for a blade that'll at least balance the fan . I suspect the PO looked for the cause of the vibration and never found it . It does explain all the fatigue cracks in the sheet metal .

Do you have the tools required? I've heard they can be, um, interestingly assembled.

Wow, that's a steal!

That'd be nice.

No doubt.

So far the only difficult part was pulling the outer bearing race from the axle housing . I ended up using the dremel to cut it to release the tension . The only strange thing I found was 2 seals back to back - hydraulic oil on one side , grease on the other . Well , got the financing details worked out with the Mrs , gotta move some money and get parts ordered .

Awesome!

I don't recall -- what is it?

Terry Coombs wrote:

Do not know if this would be of any help. But I have a couple of 20 x 8.00-8 tires , a couple of 5x 6.00-6 tires and a couple of 20x10-8 tires.

Dan

Did i miss a post? What make and model are you doing?

I asked:

Have at 'er, and let us know where to find the pics when you're done.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I thought he had said "tractor". No wonder the parts were so cheap.

Wayull, hayull! I guess they can be converted.

You musta ... and more than one ! I got lucky and found a steal on a 1982 JD model 317 yard tractor with a mower deck and front blade . So far I have got the motor running and tested the hydrostatic trans , and got all the busted/wore out stuff removed and repaired/parts ordered . It had a trashed bearing on the LR wheel that also took out the axle , hub , and bearings/seals . Right now I'm looking at tires , and I'm leaning towards tractor type lugs instead of turf tires . This thing is going to be pushing dirt and snow and mowing the orchard - ain't no puttin' greens here and never will be .

I'd like one too ! But for now I'll settle for mowing and pushing snow/dirt . That is the same basic machine I got .

Ayup. That mini-backhoe really draws me, though.

Some day...