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Just doing a final proof on Lawn & Garden Tractor Magazine. Yes, I am the weirdo who still has to proof a printed hard copy. Congratulations to Dan @Achto and Red Square International Wheel Horse Forum for the excellent article and photos! More Red Square features to com. Thanks friends! Dan, I'll be sending you some freebies in a few weeks. It goes to press on Monday. (PS: Tractor celeb Wild Bill has an article in there too )

@The Freightliner Guyslow down a bit. Do not be so concerned about some stuck nuts to the point where you want to give up. Second.... If swapping out engines is an option for you, then get what you can afford. Look on CL, FB Market Place for an affordable option. I put a Predator engine in a Lambert project I did and was VERY happy with it. 99 bucks, brand new, shipped to my house. Also by going with that engine I eliminated getting new fuel tank, fuel lines, etc. With your project I would start with things like repairing the steering. Tires and or tubes for tires. Get it to be a decent roller then address the engine. Having a running engine isn't going to help you if it won't steer and roll. I have never owned an RJ so I'm not familiar with how big or small of an engine you could use. If I did I would just ask these guys here and they will give you options. Don't give up.... takes time. That Lambert project I did the tranny was rusted solid. Soak , soak , soak. Every night for weeks I was out there soaking it, then it finally broke free. Time and effort, you will get it done. Here was the Lambert. Sat outside for many years. Every nut and bolt rusted solid. Got it to a nice roller with new tires, new tie rod, unsiezed the transmission. THEN.... I addressed the engine by selecting the Predator.

From now on I think I will limit myself to WH engine removals. This one is going to the machine shop for an overhaul. i am not exactly looking forward to the re-installation.

Should we take a poll ?

Anyone who doesn't know that I have a loose nut hasn't been paying attention. Just ask Waldo!

Sadly- Kohler, Briggs, and nearly every "domestic" brand now has the majority of parts supplied from overseas. Sure they might be assembled here, but are not manufactured here. Same is true for much of what is in most folks driveways, even if the company is American. So my short answer is this: nowadays, no matter what brand engine you use really matters, unless it's 25-30 years old. If I'm in a pinch, I'd rather repower an old tractor and get use out of it than let it rot in the shed. But that is just me...

To be honest, I have come to the place where I personally have no appreciation for the label "Chinese" (particularly since we have a wide variety of different people on the forum and you have no idea where they are from or what their background is), and thus I will not answer questions or commentary about that. I choose to have more respect for people. You want to ask me if I think PREDATOR engines are junk, then so be it. Even then, I will give you some facts. Predator is made by Lifan. Lifan produces everything from small engines to motorcycles and full blown cars. If you are so incredibly picky about engines that you don't want anything Chinese, then you are up the creek and down the waterfall without a paddle, because nowadays, I don't know of any small engine that doesn't have 1 single Chinese (or other foreign countries) parts on it. Briggs and Straton has used cheap Chinese slave labor for YEARS. Honda produces engines and parts in China, Thailand and other countries. I have used a wide variety of engines, and have never had issues with Predator, Massimo, or other engines. I have never used "no-name" clone engines on Ebay. I can give you a dump-truck load more information, but hopefully you get my drift. Don

Why is it when that tractor needs to get moved at a show I am the first to hop on it?!? That's it my subscription gets renewed today Kate!

I have a dollar figure in mind for what my horses are worth. However, should I die and my wife is tasked with getting rid of them, you can bet that figure will be a lot less.

Getting there. Very small details tedious to execute. Any wrong move and a critical chunk will break off.

My 416 Kohler would backfire terrible when shut off.. Has 1400 hours so thought maybe this is the end. Would start and run great until shut off, so did the following one at a time....... Checked valve settings..... ignition module gap...... carb ok....took head off and looked great.... Compression 135psi when cold....... Was throwing me off as it would backfire if engine hot or cold which eliminated much of what it might be.... Then I read of the forum where somebody wrote it could be the key switch so looked at the wiring diagram and removed switch and sure enough, still making some connection instead of zero ohms across the tabs when key turned to off which would help provide a spark to make engine backfire. So...... carefully bent tabs on back of switch open enough to lift it out. Beadblasted the slide connectors to clean up and possibility of leakage from one connector to another, cleaned up the contact points on other side and put back together and bent tabs around switch back over. Checked all the points that manual said should be in start, run and off and they looked great. Problem solved at no cost too so maybe this will solve others with same issue........ So thanks for the help on the forum!

I had an issue with periodic jamming in the rear, so time to take a look. Why am I not surprised? The infamous Pawl! The damages. Appears there was a second bearing in pieces wrapped around the axle I had use the utility knife followed by "wood chisel method" to get around the case into the gasket Had to push the case half back, then polish the axle around the imprint from the set screw Snap ring or clip finally accessible The stubborn hub brought to the press, 9 tons later the hub ,cover and axle all separated nicely

A moment of silence for 1979…as I recall it was a good year…

This could get interesting.

I'll fess up... both... But let's mot throw stones when we live in a glass house Waldo...

Here is part of my woods cruising from last weekend too.

Congratulations Dan for a tractor nice enough to make in to LGT magazine.

Congratulations Dan Seeing that tractor in person at the big show was a real treat as I liked everything about it. Excellent craftsmanship and design

Up here In the hills .

Just a new battery after 5 years on the old one. Started her up for the winter snow blowing season.

Got tired of looking at the weeds at the regional trail crossing into our neighborhood… E-141 cleaned it up in about 5 minutes…

867 getting an oil change and grease job for this weekends show. Probably the last one of the year for me.

Thats the TRUTH~~ Mine blew a monster hole in the housing, well not an actual HOLE, but looked like a giant spiders web with the cracks radiating out .... And on getting the hubs off, I ended up going to a buddys and putting them in his TWENTY ton press and, geez, we had a cheater pipe on the jack handle and was almost ready to think it wasnt gonna come loose when ----- BANG!!!! It finally gave in.

Last weekends woods cruise… 308-8

I remember 2 years ago you were doing rippers around the show grounds when everyone was getting ready for dinner. Looked like you had the road all to yourself.

Congrats Dan, and thanks Kate for the teaser!

Open the hood on a late model Ford diesel pickup, you cannot see even a square inch of engine. To do any major engine work the cab needs to come off.

Talking with my wife on the phone today, she reports that a heavy box showed up for me today. That would be a good front wheel for Clyde, the C-195. Got a good possibility of getting Clyde back together in time to help with leaf cleanup.

Here's Trina's "office view". Our backyahd... And here's a pic of a chicken barn at a stop for me today. Stopped the truck. Shut off the engine. Heard the chickens. Looked over to see....

The rims and fenders were original.

I have a 12-24 tap that I use to turn 10-24 nuts into 12-24 nuts. The correct size thread for the small terms on a Delco Remy starter/generator.

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 PSI. Download the manual?

I bought that same exact little light for my wife. It works awesome! I am also impressed you cleaned the garage enough to get a car in it!

I was about ready to back up a bit whenever the hub cracked loose about and 8th of inch at a time, just like an old steering wheel!

@ri702bill, @ebinmaine, here is one option for you. http://www.lagtmag.com/subscribe.html

On a bright note, the innards look alive and slick with oil, not water or a water / oil mix.... Bill

But that seat is just sssooo comfy...

@ebinmaine are preparing for you fall rock harvest then? I suppose you will be giving out rocks for Halloween?

On Thursday October 6, 2022 Kevin, a long time wheel horse fan getting back into horses, was killed in an automobile accident in North Dakota. Kevin was beginning a small collection of horses to provide community service to the town of St. Marie Montana by mowing overgrown areas and keeping the abandoned properties cleaned up. He did all of this to help the town and try to drive more people into the town. His work was greatly appreciated by most of the residents of this small community. Kevin was not a member of RedSquare, and most, if not all of you never knew him, but he was special to me. Rest in peace Kevin Lyon (1969-2022)

My two were worth WAY LESS when I bought them, and will be worth WAY MORE “if” I ever sell them…

Not addressed to me, but I'd be careful about using "Chinese" as a negative term. LOTS of well-engineered stuff comes from China. If I had an unsalvageable engine or needed a very quick and inexpensive way to repower a tractor, I'd look at Predators for sure. At the same time, I would hang onto the original engine and make as few mods to the tractor as I could--especially if it was a collectable or had sentimental importance--so that if I chose to restore it later I could. It is important to realize that the transmission and clutch may need attention as well.

I ain't taken them off to weigh them ... a real pain with loaded tires... Well I ain't color blind EB! Well I twant gonna take yer advice... wanted to hear it from the horses mouth...

Indeed. I have a Techy HH120 that is sitting on the shelf now, just in case one of my other engines goes on the blitz... and I made that Tecumseh out of pretty much a hunk of what most people would consider junk... To me... NOTHING is junk. Don

Fair enough ... 60x120 enough space to grow my herd. I won't need one Any pasture included on that deal?!?! That's a gut buster Sylvia! ...

Well said.

"Stupid" is quite frankly a word that no person should ever use about any person... Especially themselves. You're 13. You weren't born knowing ALL. You were born knowing absolutely NOTHING. Everything you've ever done up to this point has been a LEARNED behavior. You WILL learn something new every day for the rest of your life. Oft times hundreds of, or even thousands of new pieces of information will be absorbed by you daily. Some of those absorptions will be about the quandary of the tractor engine. So.... WHY exactly is your own engine ruined? What makes it wholly not savable? Around this shop yard and acreage it is highly unlikely we would use a Chinese cheapo powerplant even short term. We would really rather spend a little extra and IMHO correct money on a quality used Kohler Briggs or Tecumseh engine than a disposable import.

Finally got my new Carlisle X-Trac's mounted and installed on the GT-1848. I think these will have better steering traction than Ags, although it would look better with Ags front & back. Need to get the power washer out. It's been so dry, the tractors are getting very dusty...

Worst case scenario, you can always make a new harness. Doubt that it will come to that though.

Right there with ya Dave. I've been on both sides of the coin on this one. A few months ago I went to look at a snowblower that was attached to the front of a C160. The guy had a 20 to 30 year history with the tractor between him and his dad. He wasn't using it to move snow anymore but REALLY had a hard time letting the tractor part go. After talking to me n Trina and seeing what we've done with our herd he "assigned" the tractor to us. He even delivered it to make sure we got it ok.

Builder dude told me yesterday they're shooting to be done BEFORE the end of October!! That's a pleasant surprise .. I thought we were aiming for more like third or fourth week of November.