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Recently I was offered this Cat 955L for free! It belonged to my father in law who passed almost three years ago, from a sudden massive heart attack. I remember operating this machine for him close to thirty years ago. It’s been sitting since his passing.He was semi retired from the excavation business and just used it on his wife’s horse rescue farm, to do things that you do on a horse farm with a bulldozer…..Anyway his wife contacted me and asked me if I wanted it, and at first I was like heck yeah! I have the means to move it and a place to store it so why not? Then I started thinking 🤔 how much money am I going to put into this thing? Because I know it’s going to need batteries and a muffler and that could be just the beginning. I know I’d want to paint it because that’s the way I am.Then what? It sits on my buddies farm where I’m probably not going to use it but once or twice a year? Yes I could fix it up and sell it but honestly I have enough to do without this project. I also have access all kinds of heavy equipment if necessary. So I started thinking (again!) who would want this machine, that would bring it back to life and take care of it? And then BINGO ! The Long Island Antique Power Association! Last year I gave them my antique road grader and they loved it. I contacted the president of the organization and right away he said “Heck yeah, we’d be happy to add it to our collection!” They have guy’s that will be all asses and elbows into it to get it running and move it to their property. They (I🙂) will use it during demonstrations at their shows 3-4 times a year just pushing dirt around. We have not nailed down a date yet to get it moved but I’m sure with new batteries and fresh fuel it will come to life. As you can see the track adjuster on the left side is not working properly so maybe they just pump it up for the demonstrations? Or maybe they fix it ? I don’t know. I feel like I’m doing the right thing by giving it to the association and my father in law will be looking down and be happy! Pictures will be posted when we bring it back life and move it. Thanks for reading.

Not my video, but wanted to share. I hope, maybe someday to get up to Waterloo and other Deere places to tour their stuff:

Hey guys, I bought this mower early May to replace my John Deere L120 and have been blown away with it. Bought it for $1k with 1100 hrs on the clock. Changed all fluids, cleaned out carb, got new tires and adding washer fluid for weight. This tractor mows my hills much better than my last. Only has the 42” rear discharge deck but might switch to a 60” eventually. Just thought I would share some pics!

Today's trash pick... A classic Schwinn Suburban 3-speed with lights and odometer!!!

No winning numbers for me either. If by chance I do hit it some day, I will do every thing I can to get fired from work. Just so they can pay me unemployment for a while.

My apprentice! Looks like he knows just the tools to go for!

How many miles? Driven by an old lady on Sundays?

It's important to remember that just because the OE manufacturer did something right, years ago..... It can still be improved upon. Ford built the 300 straight 6. Inarguably one of the most durable engines ever made by any brand. They also built the pinto..... 😳 Yes, properly tuned good points work just fine. Also yes, there are more efficient ways to create power.

I’m typing this while at work…so I don’t think I have to tell you how my tickets panned out

Money pit fer sure. Track roller frames & pins turned... who knows? Odd ...clubs around here would push it back to their many piles of projects... you know Don too many chiefs and not enough Indians. ABSOLUTELY you are doing the right thing. The even better thing, if/when they get it running spring for signage with the history... just sayin.

I used one of the old style transdenser he made before this style and liked it and never had a problem with it. You really appreciate the light to time it with when you get old and can't see as well. A few guys said why fool with it when the points/condenser work just fine for years?? I said wait until you get older and can't see, then you will know.

Got some more pieces on tonight the old 753 is getting closer to coming back to life

Thanks to all who have sent out prayers for my well being following a stroke that occurred June 1. 2023 while we were visiting our granddaughter in Florida. The rehabilitation center had no guest internet so I have been unable to keep in touch with my Red Square brothers and sisters. Special thanks to @BOB ELLISON for filling you in on the situation. After six weeks of hospitalization and rehab I was able to make the twelve hour trip home. In the past I would have done the driving but my wife stepped up to the plate and with me as her navigator and GOD as our co-pilot we had a flawless trip from Mount Dora, Florida to our home in North Carolina. It will be a slow recovery but I will be getting better every day. We were blessed to have my wife be able to stay with our granddaughter for the majority of my rehab time. I will keep you updated on my progress and please continue to pray for a good outcome. GOD bless all of you, Dick Schmidt

Has any one tried an Over Night Solutions transdenser II? Seems like a good product. I also like the fact that you can set the static timing with out using a multi meter. Seems a might spendy though. https://www.kirkengines.com/downloads/Trandenser_II_Installation_Plus_Schema_V3_3.pdf http://overnight-solutions.com/Index_Files/Transdenser II Information.html

@Wheel-N-It Yes that is an L series, the last of the front engine track loaders. Then came the rear engine 943,53,63 and 73 machines. Around here you rarely see them anymore, the excavator and skid steer have taken its place. That machine is odd for Long Island because it doesn’t have a 4-in-1 bucket. Today I was on this machine.

did not hit , POWER BALL OR MEGA MILLIONS , so i,m still in la la land , grandaughter is in europe , sending me pictures and notes , that make up for it , grampa , pete

As you turn the engine over your voltage should go on & off as the points open & close. Should read voltage across the coil terminals when the points are closed, no voltage when the points are open. Your points actually provide the ground for your coil. Points closed the DC voltage builds up in the coil, points open the stored voltage is released to the spark plug. If you do not have voltage across the + & - on the coil when the points are closed, then you need to clean your points better.

2 more! Betwixt and boots!

@gretle_2.0 nice lookin unit , think I would stay with the 42 deck , from what you hear about , the related negitive 60 " for added drag and related issues . weight , maintiance , also agree with @Brockport Bill with damp grass and added hydro drag , always cut at highest setting for less build up and better venting . you can add a rear light rubber flap , on that deck to assist in stoping hydro fin build up , pete

congrats --- RE: having a rear discharge mower with a hydro --- Suggest you be sure to clean with leaf blower the underneath rear of tractor after each lawn mow -- notably the hydro fins -- if grass sticks and build up then the hydro fins won't cool as well and hydro can get hot --- this is especially likely if mowing damp grass, or mowing in spring with lots of moisture in grass blades

You can see I used 2" ABS and clamped it in place wirg a hose clamp. My friend with the lathe was sick, or I would have had him to turn some wood spacer to center it.

This will be a picture “tutorial” of what I did to “widen” an eaton 1100 for my GT14. I wanted to replace the worn out sunstrand that was in it with a newer Eaton I had from a 520-H. The problem being is the stock gt14 rear transmission is 29-1/2” wide from axle tip to axle tip. The eaton is way narrower. I finally lucked out on a fix by accident and this is the way I did it. I will continue to add content as I can. This transmission is out of a 418-A I bought for parts. It is being widened in the same way to go in a 1054 for my wife. First I got it on the rotating stand I built. I then pulled the hubs which was a chore. After I got those off I degreased the transaxle and scrubbed all the gunk off of it. While the hubs were off, I installed lug studs in them, 7/16x20-2” tap bolts. loosen and removed the pump. This will also get a new pump to case gasket (part number 108319) upon reassembly. remove brake hub and bracket Split the case. Be careful pulling the case half off. The brake shaft can come out whith the case and there is a shim under it that can come off and end up in the bottom half. So here it is. The stock Eaton 1100 differential with axles. After you split the differential , you’ll find the left axle is 10” long. The right side axle is 13”. I then cleaned out the lower case and rotated it 180*. I inserted the whole axle/diff assembly into the axle housing backwards. This should give you the longer(right) axle facing up. Remove the four bolts hold the differential together. I removed the top axle, top diff case plate leaving the pinions in the bull gear and lower plate. Now remove the longer(right side) axle from the top differential plate. I then removed the shorter(left side) axle from the bottom plate and insert the longer (right side) axle in it’s place. Now take the shorter axle and toss it. I then took a D-160 axle(16-1/2”) and insert it back into the top differential plate. Reinstall it back onto the bullgear/differential assembly and reinstall the four case bolts. The bolts/washers come through the short side and nuts end up on the long side axle(right). Torque these to 35 ft pounds. If you remove the snap rings and gears off the ends of the axles, pay attention to the snap rings. They have a “sharp”side and a rounded side. The gears are also beveled. The above excerpt from the eaton manual shows the correct installation of these parts. I couldn’t get a camera to focus on the details. Long axle pointing up now. 👍 So now you should have an axle assebly that looks like this. A little over 30” from end to end. More on that in a bit. You see the old left axle laying on the ground. May as well install all new axles seals while it’s apart. These are part number 6449. I found these on ebay for less than $10 a pair. They are aftermarket but look identical to the original seals. They are double lip seals. We’ll see how they hold up. New brake shaft seal. CR 7443. New case gasket (part number 108312). Everything back in where it’s supposed to be. all back together with added width. Should be right about 5-5/16” to 5-3/8” sticking out the left side case. If you pull on the axles they will move back and forth a little. I go by 5-3/8” With that being the case, you end up having to cut about +\- 3/8” off the right side to get it the same as the left side. You will end up using a stock smaller keyway on the left side. You will end up with a larger D-180/GT14 size keyway on the right side. Doesn’t matter what hub you run they slide right on. You can use 4 lug Gt14/953/1054 hubs, 6 lug D series hubs or the standard 5 lug hubs. They all fit 1-1/8” axle shafts. Aldon runs 6 lug hubs on his GT22-8, I have 5 lug on my GT14 with custom wheels. Your choice. The 4 and 6 lug hubs are wider with more surface area on the axle. Again, you have a smaller keyway on one side and a larger one on the other. Just depends on what you plan to do with the tractor your putting it in. People have been abusing eaton 1100’s with the smaller keyway axles. Also, all the puller preferred 8 speed transmissions have the smaller keyways too. Your choice. There you have it. A “widened” Eaton 1100 that will now work in a GT14 (of course the linkage and connecting parts will have to be modified a little). This one as said before will be going in a 1964 1054. That is what has to be cut off for the hub to sit even with the axle. This is what the cut is like. This is after the axle is cut and filed down. That’s it. I have been asked about this several times and wanted to make a video but I don’t have a camera man to help film so I guess this will have to do. Hope this answers some questions that some have had. I’ll continue on later about the linkage if anyone wants to see that. Any questions, ask away.

Lol ... please tell me Don my dog does not mind all the rumblings and shaking! Short story... when I went to the Navy recruiter at ripe old age of 17 I mentioned to him I was working for an excavator running heavy. He said I should sign up to be a SeaBee... no thanks I said those guys get shot at... what about submarines???

Today was a good day for you !!! It is amazing what an excavator and skid steer can do working as a team. More especially with the skid steers being manufactured now. Some of them are really powerful and fast. I downsized from a Bobcat 863 to a 773 for my needs around home. The 863 was a big boy back in 1998 when new, but these new machines are stronger and run circles around it now.

Respectable way to keep FIL alive Don ... even if they just use it as a static display.

……On Sundays to church, occasionally the grocery store. No basket so only a few items. 😜

Got the KT17 installed. Had to notch the frame in two places to allow for the hex bolts attaching the motor to the mounting plate. Luckily the 420’s frame had the notches already, so I was able to make a quick template. Still waiting on a few parts, choke and throttle cables. Need to change the drive pulley to the bigger for the hydro. IMG_0984.mov

New points have a coating applied to them so they don't oxidize in the package. All new points need the contact surfaces cleaned to remove that coating. Then set points. You won't see anything to the - side of the coil if the points' contacts aren't connecting or the points are open

to the Chris. Thanks for the great intro. Sounds like you're doing some good maintenance and trouble shooting. The charging issue.....Make sure the RR has a clean ground. It is grounded thru the bolt that fastens it to the tins. You could add a ground wire from that bolt to the neg battery post. Any sign of heat in the 9 pin molex connector? The oily filter....clean the crankcase breather filter. The floppy drain pipe....next time you drain the oil, you could remove the nipple and elbow and add a lock nut to the elbow.

Welcome Unfortunately many new electrical parts these days are bad out of the box... Do you have a multimeter of some kind.? Is the idiot light on? Check voltage engine running. Should be 13.5 or more. If not run a wire from the F terminal on the Generator and ground it when the engine is running. Engine should sound like it is working a bit harder and voltage should go up. If it doesn't change then problem is probably internal to the generator (field coils)

I made some new carb gaskets for my mate, Dunc, over in Scotland. Also made a spacer for betwixt carb and engine. Only material at hand was some ply wood about 2mm thick. Fitted them today with a gasket either side of the ply with a smear of flange sealant between all surfaces. Seems to be working ok, though the carb was a right pig to set up right. His C-125 was also fitted with new rear boots. A set of liquid filled AGs. Should climb the steep slopes on his property like a mountain goat now.

"Ran when parked"

Thanks and thank you for the tips!

Thanks for the tips! I always spray the whole tractor down after every mow

Foam water pipe insulation will work ,or if you want to get colorful, use a pool noodle !! LOL !!

I didn't win either but I wasn't figuring on it happening because I haven't bought a ticket since about 1995 or so... 😂

@Achto my reference and experience was years ago , on a used pick up . it was simple and easy , must have had the combo , pete

same here.

They MUST be installed on a flywheel with limited amounts of magnets so one with a charging system normally won't work. The other caveat to that is, sometimes the position of the magnets is just a few degrees off. We have a 1978 Briggs 8 horse single cylinder on Trina's Pony tractor. Was a 657. My engine shop installed a Nova system in it ... Man.. I don't even know now. 20 years ago? Still works great.

Those running boards on the one I had were just some homemade deals. I don't believe they were factory because you couldn't lift the mower deck up with them. But as far as the square pan seat being that olive drab green color, I can't speak for that not being factory or being factory because I have had several square pan seats on wheel horses and a few others that were the same color.

There has been hype about various ignition systems since gasoline engines were invented. The bottom line is the mixture has been ignited or was not. If you have a problem where the engine is "missing", then perhaps another system might be of some benefit.

Your engine has an automatic compression release for easier starting, so it is hard to take a compression test. One other possible issue to try would be the condenser. A bad one will cause the same symptoms.

Kohler swapped 603 is done.

When in doubt, go back to the last thing that you did. Clean the points again with some 400grit or finer sand paper, then run some paper through them again. Just as a side note, I try to use the original points as long as I can. New points, OEM or after market are not as good as the older points were.

Too awesome not to share! Princess Leia's light saber, with glow in the dark green or light up white telescoping blade. Printed in full color, no painting!

I'll dress the bare pipe up with something. Not about to cut it down that's for sure.

I raised mine to , but I added about 3" to the column the fender was also raised about 2". When we fixed the wallered out steer wheel on my 520 it was raised 2 1/2" [/url

Well, unfortunately he did not , but maybe he just figured that red was bad luck. It is a great movie anyway

Taller fan gear. I'd use it just like it is. Maybe find a piece of gray PVC that covers the whole length, Split it and glue to the existing plastic cover. Black plastic water pipe or rubber air hose would work too. Nobody would know the difference.

Early this year I got a pallet 6 of engines for $15 at auction. Cleaned the carb and S/G, bought a new regulator and it runs. One other K181 I think will be saveable... MVI_0822.MOV