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Spent the day serving the 16 Auto, greasing all moving parts and pieces. Changed the oil and checked the Hydro for fluid level. This tractor is a dedicated snow blower and only gets used this time of year. Then moved on to the Ç160 that's the plow tractor. I had already serviced it when I took the deck off. So I put the weights and chains on and swapped the front wheels for the set with roller chains. Finally putting on the 48" snow plow. So every thing is ready for the snow they say we have coming. Doesn't sound like much.

It took me a near-drowning incident to discover that I had AFib. That was in 1995. Since then, all of the "old guy" stuff has slowly crept up on me. Cas, hopefully all the things that they have found can be treated successfully. Good luck with those conversations. I was told by one specialist that the conversation was being recorded. I told him that I too was recording on my end. At that point he immediately stopped talking and told me that he had to refer me to the legal department. That was the end of my relationship with that guy.

@WHX?? if you sending me a couple more thousand dollars would make you sleep better, I’m all for you getting a good nights sleep. I’m always thinking of others.

Note the new dirt in front of the door. Trina built us a nice little gravel ramp to get the cars in. She used her great big giant Honda Fit as the compactor.

Another candidate for a foot control. This 568 hr 520H goes on the block tomorrow.

UPDATE: Fabricated and scrounged for parts and it works beautifully now. Thank you to all that contributed.

Our home heating system is a hybrid unit that uses the heat pump down to 32 degrees Fahrenheit then switches to LP gas below freezing. I have the tank filled during the summer when rates are "LOWER", most years it has been in the $ 800 range but this year was over $ 1,000. The electrical bill has been about the same this year as last so far. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a rate increase for the electrical company too. Our son purchased a hybrid Toyota Camry a couple months ago and it has been getting over 80 MPG. He visited us a few weeks back and that Camry handled the steep mountain roads just fine and was recharging the battery on the down grades because of dynamic braking. Much better than an all electric car because you have no mileage limitation, just fill it up and drive. On the upgrades it uses the gasoline engine and battery power but on level ground it operates on battery only until the battery gets to about 25% power then the engine starts to assist and recharge the batteries. It is very impressive but we aren't ready to buy a new car yet so we will see how reliability and upkeep on these complex units works out.

Guess I need to teach you young whipper snappers how to build a decent stand. All enclosed and heated ... made myself a threshers breakfast in it today. Guess I should add a thing here. For me it's not about harvest it's just about getting out and observing and studying. I get more of a kick just being out in the woods and watching. Learned long ago it's much cheaper to buy a side of low speed beef. But still the piece and tranquility of the stand draws me back.

I should probably elaborate. The pic below is my driveway, and it's about 12 feet wide. The black snake on it is approaching 7 feet, and he thinks he owns the place. When we found a snake skin under the tub in the master bathroom, my wife almost gave him the house... Then about two years ago, I was bitten by a Copperhead in the back yard. It's like bleeping Australian Outback here during the summer!

Sad but true my friend. At my first Auto Parts job in 1992 we had an 11 ft catalog rack on one side of the counter and 9 ft on the other. Most of that was duplicate books but not all of it. That didn't count the system for mixing paint at all, either. We had computers for invoicing of course and the infancy of a parts lookup program which I think was Triad at the time. Once you got used to it you could be reasonably efficient but we still preferred using the old style things. Books. I'm pretty sure that's what they were called. Made out of paper.

The best mouse control by far.....

The adjustment knob can be bought from "Wheel Horse Parts & More. The little black rubber thing Is a comode bushing I use above the adjustment knob as It tend to back off from vibration. The rod is 3/8" diameter treadfed down 4".

Newbie speaking here I joined not even a year ago but hope to be around here for a loooong time. I've joined other forums before this one but they all kinda bled out. Very few posts, not really wanting to share information, clashes between mods and users and what not. How very different the vibe is on this place! Excellent content, new and useful information every day, very organised structure, incredible database and lots of fooling around Glad I joined and thank you to the ones who created this place and keep it running. Also thank you to everyone i've communicated with over the past year, for all the tips and tricks i've learned and all the compliments received Greetings from the Netherlands, Mark

There's news that few big car company's are working on synthetic fuels with zero emission to save the internal combustion engine. I for one am excited to see how that turns out. Battery electric vehicles are just not practical enough (yet) in terms of range, let alone cost.. About the home setup, some people turn to use (old) revamped traction batteries from forklifts. They are a bit bulky but relatively cheap and can store a lot of energy.

I'll see your kidney and raise you a left leg!

@JoeM I did that test. I have some used ones for sale cheap!

Some people prefer a solid link to apply down pressure, some people prefer the float of a chain. Either way, add lots of weight to the tractor for best traction

Just wait until we start exhausting the grid to charge our cars. The tables may just turn back the other way.

All my life I have been relatively healthy. I am also not a worrier and in fact treat any ailments rather carelessly aiding to potential problems sometimes. Now in a matter of days I find myself under the care of five specialists and spending most of my time with tests and traveling back and forth to them and doctors. Beginning to need a secretary to keep track of constant appointments, cancellations, reappointments, insurance issues etc. I am also learning an entire new language and vocabulary since I am totally illiterate in these matters. It’s been a real test primarily to my usual good nature and patience dealing with the logistics of this whole thing specially the insurance part. The ironic thing is that I don’t feel sick or bad at all. It all started one day looking out of my window and looking at the top of my van. It was filthy . Decided to wash it that day. Of course I need to do that using a ladder . Driveway is steep also so between the stress of being on top of ladder and still having to each to get to the center I hurt my back. Similar stuff had happened for years a million times. I had a prescription of Celebrex for those occasions by it was empty now the last refill bring in 2019. I only took one or two when needed and that was only a couple of times a year. Sure enough I have to see family doctor to get another. While there he asks me how is everything else. Well I said, there are a few things which have been brewing for a while and annoy me sometimes. So he suggests a couple of X-rays. I guess I should have known that it was going to be like taking a look into the engine bay of the 25 year old car. There has to be something wrong there. It found some serious problems with my spine , cartilage problems in my hip and last but not least some spots in bones around pelvic area. Pursuing this and five specialist later including a hematologist now is basically taken over my life and not really contributed to my wife’s welfare either . The logistics of it ,particularly the insurance and the monopoly and unfairness of the whole system ,make me outright angry when I very rarely get that way. Needless to say we have had some very interesting and entertaining conversations with those people. I may have not been ready for them but quite honestly they were also not quite ready for me. Learned many things such as when they tell you the conversation will be recorded for quality of service concerns and i tell them I am also recording it for potential future legal concerns somehow I get much more cooperation and understanding. Somehow peer to peer calls with them and doctors where tests were not approved then, I have gotten 100% approvals myself so far in those situations. Sometimes I don’t know what is worse. Dealing with one’s health issues or dealing with insurance companies. It’s definitely a test to one’s sanity. So it looks like on top of all the hobbies and interests I have now there is one more which is taking care of my body that unfortunately has taken second priority up to now. Many times I think that not knowing is best and there is a certain peace of mind that comes with oblivion or ignorance wether natural or intentional. I have come to realize however that it is selfish and irresponsible so to the doctors I go.

It snowed all day, from 8am on, but the ground is still melting it a bit. We have about 1.5-2” on the ground. These almost look black and white, but this is what I stared at all day long. No naps when the snow is building up on your eyelids!

Going the other way on seeing anything. Does milling about all day and spoonbill came in for a visit. I call him that cause he's got a spoon on one side. It was either call him that or Mike the spoonspike... hey you guys name your tractors! Holding out for a nice 6 I saw when moseying out to the stand yesterday... perfect rack but no brow tines. Long season yet & got meat from last year Kev won't help me clean up. We got an easy 4 inches of tracking dust on the ground and 28 here now. They stand out like a sore thumb in the big woods.

Cold and snow all day in Grayling... No deer yet. But snow is beautiful... Been out since 6:00 am. Going till dusk.

@formariz can relate , been active my entire life , recent exposure of osteoarthritis ,lower spine and related hip area . its generic with my father , coming up to next stage of what can be done , and related issues. just have to do things differently , or relate to it. relate to cartilage issues , porosity and loss of slide areas , injection helped . just staying at it , in a different way . maybe some lucas grease fittings , go greasy , pete

@BrianKoch thats what i,m talking about !, how does that steering quadrant work? thats another detailing issue , use , red aerosol spray grease on the spring pulled slide pin , just behind quadrant , use can tube extension , pop off frame cover spots for access . firm up the push lever mount points / washers and grease , also use elastic lock nuts on the related squeeze lever , movement points . bolt thru , use elastic nut to hold perfect swing point . my slide movement pin , slides like a rifle bolt , use hairpin clamps on the back of frame swing lever point , pete

You’ll also want to replace that cutting edge, looks like it’s already been flipped. Amy good metal shop can make a new one for you, or you may find one online.

OK all, here is the picture of the dipstick taken 10 minutes ago after running 15 minutes at 1/2 throttle. I installed a new plug, correctly gaped, adjusted the Walbro carb according to the manual. Engine is warming up now after 10 minutes. Currently draining the oil and will replace with 5-30 wt and see what happens next.

Kind of you, cafoose, but learning to do searches on the forum by practicing is also good.

@ebinmaine The place we own was opened in 1938 as a international dealer and services center. I'v still got the old microfish somewhere in the back office.

Me too.....

So long as you don't give them Meow Mix. They tend to get lazy if you do...

I'll take all the big buggers you want to send North but you can keep the poisonous ones... We don't have any according to State officials and I'm okay with that.

This has been the worst year for mice that I can remember for us. The begging of last winter I brought a round bale of hay home to the horse & when I cut the netting on it the mice scattered like....well....mice. It has been a non-stop battle from that moment, they got in my wifes jeep and eat the main wiring harnesses & it took me a week to get put back together!! Luckily they havent destroyed my tractor but I do see little foot prints on it sometimes. I cant seem to make the bucket trick work, as of now the only luck iv had is with snap traps.

@BrianKoch in addition to the above advise , when ever I set up an implement , I go step by step , for function check , harder or easier to use? lubricate every movement point , verify for easier usage. very often find a spot that really improves things , do not like rust or sloppy lifting areas . just my own view of how things work , might even move your lift rod to rear hole , on lift arm , add a lift spring to it ? been going rogue so long , its just a regular thing . don't listen to me , it upsets people , pete

and I'll toss in my 2nd best beagle.

I'll start the bidding at one kidney

I used plexiglass and made a face frame out of leather on mine.

Yeah, don't do that. The safety interlocks are there for good reason.

As already mentioned, vapor barrier will make a difference. Also, whatever you cover the tractor with needs to shed water droplets, but be breathable as well. A tarp or similar will ruin a tractor. I use moving blankets in my barn for the same reason. My barn has condensation issues as well. Half of it has livestock in it, so a vapor barrier isn't feasable. It gets so damp in cooler weather that water drips off the ceiling. The moving blankets don't absorb water, so a few drips are shed. But the blankets also breathe. They've worked better than anything else I've tried so far. Another related point- Don't leave your tires in contact with the ground in that situation. Wood blocks, pavers, whatever. Your tires will rot and weather check in just a few months.

Used the 314/8 with recycling mower to mulch up the remaining g leaves in my front lawn! Took me about thirty minutes and did a great job! I have been doing this the last three years at the end of the city leaf pickup 0rocess. It helps feed the lawn through the winter and the wheel horse makes it an easy job!

Compared to my 2015 Ram 1500 with a 5.7 Hemi, the drop in range while towing is similar to the drop in range of the electric F150. I get between 20 and 22 mpg on the highway without a trailer, 8 to 10 mpg towing our 22' house trailer, 12 to 15 mpg pulling a U Haul car transporter with our Jeep Cherokee on it, and about 18 mpg towing a 2 axle U Haul box trailer. The difference is it only takes 10 mites to fill the gas tank - a much longer time is required to refill the batteries. Honestly, we could get along fine with our day to day travel with a battery electric vehicle. Would it work for long trips and towing things? Not so much. I'm just not ready to shell out the $$$$ for an electric vehicle that will only fill part of my transportation needs.

Sorry @peter lena, we're getting off topic. Joe (or any one else) if you are truly considering an EV truck, you might want to watch this video.

The only time I ever grunted in a deer, I was trying to get the cat out of the field and my biggest buck (an 8 point) run out from behind my and let me fire off a kill shot! This was a year that I got the 7 point opening gun morning and the 8 point in the afternoon! First deer(s) ever!

You can't stop mother nature. All engines breath. If it breaths in a bunch of humid air and is shut off. And then you get a big temp change which we get in the fall all the time, the moisture will condense. Can't stop the laws of science. A little thru the breather, a little thru the dipstick seal, a little thru a tiny gasket leak. It is what it is. Best way to get rid of it is to run the engine long enough to get it to evaporate. Sometimes it will take longer than you think.

In the above 1st picture 6" above the bottom of the lift arm you'll notice that part behind the lift arm with the angled slot. That's where you should have a rod with a knob on the top of it to set your height. it's called your 'Dial a Height" if you look at the parts list for your tractor you will see the parts that are missing which go in that slot.

Sad, but true, Pete. As the comedian Nipsy Russell used to say, "The cost of livin' is going up, the chance of livin' is going down".

Today I took some measures to guarantee a warmup: 1. I cleaned the lawnmower, ran it out of gas, changed its oil, and put to bed. 2. I dumped the gas out of the weed eater, ran it dry, and hung it in the garage. 3. I put the chute back on the snow thrower, gassed it up and gave it a test run in the snow from yesterday. While I was at it I also exercised the generator and shuffled things around in the garage so it can be accessed quickly if needed during one of our common ice storms we get every year. Hopefully these little gestures will be my hedge against wintertime calamities this season. If nothing else it reinforced to my neighbors the notion that I own way too many things that have engines. Steve

Put the new deck on and moved the fuel pump back by the tank, the new deck isso quiet!

I've often we learn from our mistakes. If that were true, I'd be a certified genius. I've always wanted to create a scale- from newbie idiot all the way to shop master tech. Each level would have verifiable tasks to master. Might be funny to create a thread for ideas? Also might be interesting to see where we all stack up.