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Been a long time almost 10 years since I've made a post here. Brought home a couple nice tractors. Purchased them separately just making one post of it. Got a nice 1055 from a fella, had to do quit a bit of work to make it satisfactory. A complete rewire, throttle cable was right on the butterfly, not good, and just a good grease and lube. Runs really good. The second is a sweet little 877 hydro. All it needed was a carb cleaning and a serious greasing. They both run really good and are so much fun. It's so hard to find these tractors down here in Florida and get a good deal. I paid at the upper end for these but not too much. What made these two guys worth it was both decks are in great shape and ready to mow.

Happy Saturday all!! Big show is getting close!! Alot of "Horse Play" today... Sold and delivered one to Scituate R.I. Sold snd delivered one to Brooklyn C.T. Picked up two headed to scrap... Feels good goofing off with tractors Ahhhhhh... may none of us loose the Wheel Horse spirit or run out of tractors EVER Tony

So to my surprise without asking Uncle Sam sent me my Medicare card. Very nice but it’s weighing on my mind. Where did time go? Wasn’t just the other day I arrived at Kennedy Airport and thought all cars in the US were yellow ?

Ok... Please... Suggesting use of atomic bombs in one of @Pullstart's threads??? Really? I am 2 1/2 hours down wind of him... And he is probably already in his chicken coop thinking through a reactor design using chicken poop, an old bus, three ounces of Wheel Horse bourbon and the remnants of a snowmobile...

I was looking at some photo albums the other day. I thought; "Who the heck is that young buck with my wife!" She hasn't aged a bit. Sometimes when we go out, they think I'm her Dad. Maybe it's this David Letterman beard?

Have been toying with the idea of a FEL for my GT 14. Closest thing I found was going to run into $$ and being as old as it is I really didn't want all the potential for hydraulic problems (valves, leaking rams, etc). Plus if I need an actual FEL it would have to be a 4 wheel drive Kubota or something similar based on my terrain. Wanted a simple bucket to handle moving some dirt, topsoil, mulch, etc. so I fabricated a used ATV bucket coupled with a 1000# linear actuator. Added 200# concrete rear end weight with a converted 200 amp service box attached to the 3 point hitch. Simple, works like a charm and total cost around $1000! Yes I know its not an FEL, never claimed to be....BUT it beats a shovel and wheel barrow!

When I began my electrical apprenticeship in 1968 I bought a set of Stanley 100 plus screwdrivers. Much like John @wallfish I have used them as pry bars, chisels and occasionally I have used them to install or remove screws. They have been touched up with a file from time to time (never grind a screw driver tip) and a couple have been lost along the way but fifty five years later they are working just as well as in '68. Wish I could say the same for myself!

Yes I know, no WH but c'mon.. are these wide or what!?

I actually just mounted the tires on rims just now. They just barely touch the pan but with human weight they will touch so I'm going to raise it half inch. She looks meeaaaannnnn. Still gotta do fronts, they were a bear to get on there!

A square file makes the corners pretty quick. They don't need to be exactly perfect either as the pressure will force the square into the hole. A good solid handle on the file helps or if you hold both ends of the file. I use and aggressive file. Too fine of a cut takes too long. Getting an adapter and file for a reciprocating saw will make short work of it too https://www.amazon.com/Reciprotools-RCT-A10-Reciprocating-Saw-Adapter/dp/B001CNHDR2/ref=asc_df_B001CNHDR2?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80676721523958&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584276297280457&psc=1

You find all the good ones Bryce! Did you keep the other square body dooryard find too? A few things I’ve learned about body work…. Only replace what you have to. Save as much good sheet metal from the original as you can. Repop panels are great. They still might not fit perfect, so use as little as possible. When welding, jump around. @19richie66 shared an article with me about welding process on sheet metal. Often most people do a tack every inch or so, then grind, then tack, then grind, etc. ALWAYS PEEN THE TACK WELD BEFORE GRINDING IT OFF for best flat results. Start on the panels you won’t see and get used to welding sheet metal. Though welding is great, check into gluing panels. It seems that rust prevention in the future is easier when you don’t introduce a bunch of welding to it. Though we all get better with welding, there will still be pin holes here and there. Get everything straight and true as possible without bondo. Like the welding pin holes, bondo can trap moisture, crack, shrink, etc, if used too heavy. TAKE YOUR TIME and don’t rush the job. Enjoy your work though tedious, and it’ll come out better than you give yourself credit for!

First picture is from 1972, the 2nd is from 1974. An old time Wheel Horse dealer and a future Red Square vendor on the families' first Wheel Horse......

…so I brought some reading material with me while I’m in Guam to satisfy my tractor addiction. I’ll be hitting the Guam Home Depot Monday or Tuesday, I’ll see what they have for tractors . Surprised to see the Kmart is still here and equally surprised that there IS NOT a Wal-Mart on the island! Or a Dollar General !! On my second flight from Chicago to Hawaii there was a veteran of Iwo Jima sitting behind me! Real nice guy (97 years old), I did chat with him for a couple minutes. He was hard of hearing and planes are kinda loud so we didn’t chat much. His son was taking him to Hawaii, I assume to visit Pearl Harbor.

Sounds like an awesome time!! Gonna be doing some traveling, trading, & wrangling myself next weekend.

Here are some close ups and video. Used 3/8 steel for rails bolted to the frame and 3/8 steel for front bracket and angle iron under actuator. Video was hard due to installing rocker switch on the tower. Battery is old so will be replacing it and have more power. bucket will lift 200-300# which is all I need to handle at a time. IMG_3308.MOV

My 877.

I'm with Kevin on everything but the above statement. I usually set the new panel over the top of the old panel and mark around the out side of the new panel. I then cut the old panel out leaving no more than a 1/2" of material for an over lap at any splice area. When replacing your cab corners & rockers it is easiest to remove the front fenders and slide the box back. Do not remove the doors. You will want the doors on to check fit before welding them in place. If your new floor panels do not have the inner rocker on them you will need to make new ones. The inner rocker turns the rocker panel into a tube for added strength. New outers without good inners leads to sagging cabs & doors that won't close properly. Take a good look at your cab mounts too, they tie into the rest for strength. A 5/16 pilot point drill bit works great for drilling out spot welds. It allows you to only drill through the first panel with out leaving a big hole in the second panel. Gluing pinch seams is a great idea, much more rust preventative that spot welding or through hole welding. Any butt or lap seams should be welded. When done make sure all seams are well under coated. In the late 80's early 90's I did more than 30 square body rusto-rations. Normally 2 fenders, 2 wheel wells, 2 doors, 2 box sides, rockers, cab corners, floors, & tailgate. A basic thought on body work is, just simply try to copy what the factory did. No need to reinvent anything.

So I tore out the squirrel nest, stripped the wires back, soldered new wires in, shrink wrapped, taped up, remounted… Maybe an hour. I need to get to Academy Sports…

I'm done for the day, but front tri ribs are on. I gotta touch up the rims after mounting all tires. But went well. The wide rear rims I got online cheap, I'm not sure what they were off of, but they were rusty and yellow so I cleaned them and sprayed them. I first bought 8.5 wides but they were too narrow for the look I wanted so got these which are a couple inches wider. Was trying not to have sidewall bulge. Its crazy what a difference tires make tho.

A month or so ago I scored a really good deal on this 1982 Chevy C20. When I found it one of the first things I noticed was the lack of rust in any of the common areas these old trucks tend to rust out. Few weeks ago we pulled it up in front of the house and started messing with it. First order of business was to clean it out, as it had been sitting several years and smelled horrible inside from all the mice that had been living in it. Carpet was coming apart in shreds as we tried to vacuum it, so I decided to just go ahead and rip all the nasty old carpet out, and that's when I found the hidden rust in the floor pans and inner rocker panels. If this was gonna be an old beater farm truck I'd just screw some sheetmetal or old license plates over the holes and call it good, but my plan for this truck is to eventually pull our tractor to shows with it so I want it done right. I know the easiest way to repair it would be to load it up and haul it to the body shop in town, but I also know that I hate paying someone to do something that I could potentially do myself. I have new floor pans, inner/outer rockers, and cab corners at the shop waiting to be put in, soon as I get my welding cart finished I am planning on taking the 82 over there and beginning to attempt to tackle this project on my own. When it comes to the mechanical part of this old truck I can make the old girl run like a sewing machine again, but when it comes to body work and rust repair I'm wandering into completely new territory, do any of you have any tips and tricks to maybe help a complete novice such as myself as I begin this project?

In the mid 70's when I got in the electrical apprenticeship my Dad set me up with the basic tools needed and they consisted mainly of Klein and Channellock. The screwdrivers were all Klein and I believe all but one have never been replaced. One replacement was the result of a slip while working on a live circuit. Those tools now have their own tool box that comes out when I'm doing electrical work. I've got duplicates that are much newer but it just isn't the same to me. I also have a fancy to pick one up simply because I like the feel. I'm slowly warming up to the multi bit versions for odds and ends around the house and my favorite to date is a Lenox. The freebies from Harbor Freight are actually pretty decent too. I've got at least a half dozen of those cuz I liked the price. I'm sure liking that Klein that @wallfish mentioned though. I do have a strict policy about them though. NEVER work in a live electrical panel with a screwdriver with removable tips.

Use a small file to make the holes square?? They make broach's for making square holes. You might not like the price though. https://www.msdiscounttool.com/catalog/product_info.php?csv=gg&products_id=131226&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkp-8orbl_QIVRCCtBh2nLA28EAQYASABEgIFdfD_BwE

In situations like these, YouTube is your friend. Countless videos on all aspects of body restoration, with all kinds of tips, advice, etc. you may even find one with someone repairing the same truck you have?

Screwdrivers are indeed not a typical subject on tool talk and perhaps the most abused and neglected tool there is. As John stated they are usually used for everything but what they are designed for. They are usually the first thing one grabs regardless of the task. Something else that contributes to their demise too early is the fact that most people use the wrong screwdriver on the wrong screw head. Driving a screw by hand is a skill that most don’t have and no one learns it today. One needs to use the correct screwdriver, understand and recognize the different screw heads and know the mechanics of properly driving a screw. Not all slotted screws are the same and not all Phillips are the same. I am not just referring to the different sizes of Phillips such as the typical no.1,2,&3. An European Phillips is very different than an American Phillips. Although the screwdrivers for each look identical to most, they are not. They do not fit well when interchanged and contribute to premature wear on screwdriver along with frustration in the process. Same goes for slotted screws. A slotted wood screw is not the same as a slotted metal screw. Correct screw drivers for each are different. Like any tool one usually gets what one pays for as far as new stuff goes . I am not an advocate of cheap tools , the humble screw driver included. However, if one uses them correctly for the right purposes they should last considerably regardless of price or quality. I probably drive more screws by hand in a year than most will in a lifetime. Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I had to buy a new screw driver because what I have wore out or broke. I have bought them because I happened to like a particular one and just had to have it.

I tend to use abuse and loose screwdrivers pretty quick. For me they're chisels, pry bars punches etc etc and consider most of them throw always for that reason. So I buy the cheap ones but always keep an 11 in 1 Klein that doesn't get used for any of that abusive stuff and it's everything there in one nice tool. https://www.amazon.com/Screwdriver-Multi-bit-Klein-Tools-80027/dp/B0912BW9HP/ref=asc_df_B0912BW9HP?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80264463741084&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583863993771673&psc=1

Well I couldn’t help myself. She tried it on for size. Looks pretty good I think!

It's back.. I was going through horse separation disorder after parting ways with the 520 so today I drove just under 5 hrs each way to pic one up now to make it mine...

The little red ones are possessed little demons. They will taunt the human to no end.

C'mon Spring

That’ll fit right in this thread!

I very happy about the way it came out. I was so nervous about fitment and looks because I spent a lot of money on the tires, but glad I did. I feel like I'm part of the "big tire" club.

weeeee doggy! 26x12-12 is a big piece of rubber for sure!

I use a similar version of @wallfish method - its simple, inexpensive and works quite well. After all, the square doesnt need to be anywhere close to 'precision' , just enough to get it started and the nut will pull the bolt thru. (Disclaimer - obviously only on sheet metal similar to what is on our horses!)

If you are going the aftermarket repair panel(s) route, do yourself a favor - buy ALL the panels from the same brand. Not all replacement part dies are the 100% same as factory parts... Same goes for mix & match on exhaust systems.....

YES - but is homemade. I made a 3/8" square high speed steel Lathe bit into one a few years back for the carriage bolts on a home made plow cutting edge. Had to use a carbide cutter to get to a pilot diameter - just a bit smaller than the thru holes in the part. NOT a tool to be struck with a hammer - had to use the 20 ton press. AND you still have to hand file the broached hole oversize to get the true-to-size carriage bolt head in..... OR - you forego eating solid food for a while and order a 9/32" square broach from McMaster - $178 + shipping. That too must be used in a press. Broaches cut progressively with small bites and little physical effort - but they can shatter if mis-aligned...

very cheesy, but pretty cool!

For sure…when you travel 35,000 miles per year with a family of six and luggage…Gulliver is perfect. The huge bonus is the 22mpg average fuel economy👍🏻

Yeah… since a tractor ride turns into a clay spinning class!

My first real barnfind! Straw and dust incuded.

Besides these jobs I have done a bunch of sevice work to several tractors. So all new oil, oilfilters (engine and transmission), new fuelfilters, airfilters, cab filters and so on. 250hp tractor on the engine (pto) dyno. Clever tool to drain oil out of the planetary geared hubs without making a mess. Finding and repairing a leaking tank. Had to drain half of it first unfortunately. Nearly new (50 hours) wheel loader needed full service and a few extra work lights. So far it's been a pleasure to work there. Lots to learn and no day is the same. I'll keep you updated! Greetings from the Netherlands, Mark

Wet dirt equals mud. Kev could get his weekly mud bath quicker.

I put the shaker on solid mounts before I start tilling. Interestingly, the shaker mounts were fine but the rear motor mount was loose on the frame. That explains the excess shaking

Today I replaced the front wheel bearings on my 414-8. Changed the grease in them with Lucas Red & Tacky and greased the tractor. I lubed all joints and lube points and adjusted the pto brake. Then I changed to the ag tires for plowing. Plowed two garden plots and hopefully will start planting by April 1.

Tires are in and only had time to put on one wheel spacer tonight. Getting there...

The ol 1257 got new home made tie rods (with greasable ends of course.)

Just had a idea and I decided to do it I put a HH100 Tecumseh big block on my 856 originally had a k181 8 horse small block kohler that I had laying around it popped wheelies in 3rd I have yet to get a belt the stores are closed till Monday but she runs and all with the larger front pulley being double the size I bet she’ll be a little bit quicker too I got a 6 speed transaxle I’m rebuilding now to put in it too to make a short frame hot rod in a way

You could perhaps make a punch by finding an old file with a suitable size ‘Tang’, make a few file cuts across the tapered tang, to provide teeth, (similar to a keyway broach, but on all four sides). Heat the tang to red hot and quench then temper slightly. (The tangs are not usually hardened). Then use it in a press, big vise, or, if you can find a piece of wood, sit the gate latch on the wood and hammer the punch into the round hole. Whilst hardening the tang, heat the other end of the file and let it cool without quenching to soften it, or use a copper, etc mallet. Don’t hit the hardened file with a hard hammer and risk flying splinters!