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@wallfish

Last Friday we went over to youngest daughters for for son-in laws birthday BBQ. While there I spotted a cast iron gutter hopper in a corner of their yard. They have had new modern guttering etc along the front of their Victorian era house. Asked if I could have it. "Worth money", Alan said. "Your not going to charge me for it?", I replied. "Oh take it," he said. "Most likely be lying there for ages." So it came home with us. A cast bird bath did that a rear or so ago. Took me most of yesterday, chipping and scraping, to get the layers of paint off. Then today finished off with abrasive disc on the angle grinderette. Bit of damage on one corner but we have an idea on how to repair that. If it works.

Hello all, Just picked up this 312-8 from the original owner. I seem to be a farmer at heart without all the necessary farmer skills (welding, fabbing, mechanical). :) This will be a work tractor for an oversized suburban yard. I can't wait to plow a little snow. I bought it yesterday and already cut the front yard. Quite a bit different than my current MTD lawn tractor. Over time I plan on sprucing it up a bit, as much as my limited skill will allow. First order of business is to figure out how to adjust the hood. Right now the hood has an "overbite". It overlaps the engine bay and pushes down on the throttle. After that? The sky is the limit.

Side shot playing in the dirt!

Just picked up this old girl today. Older restoration. Need to get more info on it. Got it from vintage sled collector. Has not been run it at least 10 plus years I would think. Looking forward to getting it running but this will be a nice addition to the barn…

So I seen this huge copperhead whose head had been run over… I put it at about 39-40 inches long, 1.5 inches think. This is a huge copperhead… largest I’ve ever seen. Most matured adults I’ve seen are no more than 17-20 inches long and 1 inch thick. WOW !

Had some out today, I know it’s not Saturday or Sunday but it is a holiday so I think I get a pass! I guess I should have taken my phone case off as the pictures are not that clear. My C-161 wouldn’t start so that didn’t make the photos, and my C-141 loader tractor I just plain forgot! To get the rest out was more than I wanted to get involved with today. I wasn’t sure which pictures to post so you’re getting all the them! I know you guys like pictures anyway!

Just got back from Pocono raceway Got a chance to go for a few laps around the track. What a ride, 6600 rpm's = about 130 mph.

@WheelHorse_Kid has decided he wants to try garden tractor pulling so we have been on the hunt for a tractor to use. Ultimately we decided to use his C-121 to start with since he is going to try the “strictly stock class” at the next pull in October. My friend Carey and his son are just beginning to get into wheel horses but are loving them. Friday Carey found a tractor located in New Hampshire about a hour away and set up a time to go get it. Unfortunately the guy had no morales and sold it out from under him. So I searched and found a similar tractor. a C-100 after asking all the important questions off we went a hour plus away to snag it. Unfortunately even asking those questions we got there to find the engine stuck and the trans pretty sticky itself. I was able to talk the guy down significantly since he wanted it gone and we brought it home. I think we can get it unstuck and he already has messed with the transmission and has it shifting better. The tins are in great shape and very straight. From a previous post in the transmission section on here some of you know we have been having issues with Alex’s 8 speed from the C-121. I plan to fix it but happened to be on market place and a guy listed a parts pile for sale that included a 8 speed. So Sunday evening carey and i loaded up and drove an hour to pick up the pile. Turns out it was a complete tractor minus the engine, frame and tires and rims. This transmission shifts and spins like it’s brand new. The fluid in it was even clean. If I cannot get Alex’s fixed before the pull we will slap this one in to get by. My friend, who is a mechanic for ugly green tractors, was at a job and the lady mentioned she had an old wheel horse she wanted to get out of her yard. This was 3 plus months ago. I lost her number and found it a Sunday night so I called. 20 minutes later I was off the phone gathering what I needed to get it after work Monday. Carey and I took off yesterday and found it behind her house sitting on flat tires kind of covered sitting on top of an old pool liner surrounded by bushes. We evicted a few snakes latched on to it with the 856 I brought to tow it out and couldn’t get enough traction to pull it out of its hole. Hooked up the come along broke it free from the ground and dragged it to the trailer and loaded it up. The woman believes it’s been sitting for close to 19 years. I believe her half hearted covering saved the transmission and engine from sticking. I am hopeful we can get it running again. Alex and I started lubing and freeing things up when I got home. It’s rusty but I think it’s got life left in it. This one turned out to be a 14 8 speed. Haven’t had a weekend of tractor picking like that in a long time. Just wish Alex was home to have helped.

Oil them!!!! Enough said

Refurbed a gear drive deck Drive pulley for a spare. The old bearings were stuck and there are ridges on both ends so you can't just press them out. plus there is a spacer between them to make it tricky. Needed a little bit of the flame wrench and a hook on a slide hammer. New bearings from Bearings Direct. You can see how much grease they don't have from the factory. Added the green stuff. All back together and I'll prolly never need it!

There is a fellow on ebay, wildcruiser (2027) who sells 3 different ones that connect to the front "attach -a -matic" after removing the deck mule drive. I have all three. One you put what ever ball you need on it, the other is a 2" receiver. The third attaches permanently to the front and you don't have to remove the mule drive after you install it. They all work great my favorite is the permanent one. They are all for the front of the tractor so pulling you boat or trailer a fair distance is a bit difficult, but when it comes pulling them out or putting the in tight spaces they a the bomb, (think airplane tug). On the 2" receiver I use a 4" lift hitch, it get what ever your hooked to a bit more level, even easer to use. On the permanent one I use a Change-a-Ball, I'm sure that's not the right name but close, you just change what ever size ball you need with out removing the shaft (No Wrench Need).

Always nice to see that thing working! Loose material under the tires is more of a problem there than the weight. But getting used to using the tractor and using different techniques will come as you try different things. Like slow continuously forward while raising the bucket will fill it quicker rather than going straight into it then lifting. Basically scraping about 3-5 inches deep off the front slope of the pile and raising it gives the material somewhere to go in the bucket. Raise up faster if the tires are losing traction or go slower forward. You can get nice full buckets that way but the limiting factor is moving it because the bucket doesn't tilt back far enough when it's lowered to prevent it from spilling out. I was going to make little extension adapters for the arms to tilt the bucket back further and the trade off is it won't dump quite as far. Not a big deal for dry material like that. Sticky mud or clay is something else. You'll get better and faster at it each time you use it

Few yrs back I had several Blue Bird boxes up - couple were on trees at the recommended 4-5 ft. Was walking across yard and noticed something ... odd? through the entrance hole (this box had 4 pretty little eggs we were watching) was suspicious and using a stick I lifted the lid and took a peek------ WHOA!!! the box was full of a Copper head! Dang, how am I gonna get that thing out of there??? Decided to get a can of brake cleaner and give him a taste, lifted the lid, again with a stick, and boyoboy he didnt like that! and came outa that box in a hurry! I had a hoe handy that I had thought to bring along and was able to kill him, Whew! Drug him over to drive and took a measure ..... a whopping 42 inches Done a little reading and seems that one over 40" is in the records as BIG!!

That is a beauty. I'd love to have a copperhead to go with my rattletail.

Looks good. But now all the cobwebs are off, where are the spiders going to go?

Me too Pete. Great stuff, not only to keep wires neat and secure, but works as a nice abrasion protection as well. Plus, it won't accumulate a bunch of dirt like others do.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YYW28MN/ref=pe_27541390_746495980_em_2p_0_lm?th=1 regularly use this to contain wiring , also get some peel n stick cable mount pads , screw on or remove sticky pad cover , great protection , neaten things up , pete

Don't you just love all the scams? Hardly a week goes by when mom (88 years old) asks if she needs to reply to or do what some scam email instructs her to do. Needless to say, her computer is in the shop from time to time. If I've got time to kill, I'll drag a scam call out until they finally hang up.

I worked on the other fence post today… To get the height I need, I have to dig down 28 inches to keep from cutting the bottom of the post off. I don’t like to cheat on most projects. I brought the post off of the house by about 11.5 inches. I will close the gap with two 5.5 inches wide dog-eared fence boards like I did on the other side. I’ll let the post set at least until Tuesday before I put the split rails and wire back on. Of course being as anal as I am I had to wash the post hole diggers, shovel, wheel barrow, and most of my tools before storing them. Then I took the Wheel Horses for a run…

We set the engine on the frame to see how it fit in the fore n aft direction.

Couple of filters for a Z turn. I know most books say to oil the outer foam and squeeze excess. Often times drips in the filter housing attracting more dirt and making a mess. Thinking the theory is the oil attracts small dirt particles like the old skool oil baths but shouldn't the paper filter do that too? Oiling the foam makes the inner filter last longer? The cheap price of these filters I'm inclined to not oil and just replace more often. Many don't come with the foam anyway. Thoughts & comments?

Some real nice pics on here guys from previous years. Thought I would get it going again.

I bought a can of K&N filter oil about 7yrs ago. I give my new foam filters a light spray with it, also use it again if I wash the foam filter out. https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_990516?cid=paidsearch_shopping_dcoe_google&campaign=GSC-Chemicals&campaign_id=6478876245&adgroup_id=115972171828&adtype=pla_with_promotion&gclid=CjwKCAjwo9unBhBTEiwAipC110cZP7CmvCxbDFq7UYgpRinRWXSjBolxxHAdbeFc_9lns0ESNS4vsBoCK68QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds& Yes it is expensive but I'm still using the same can that I bought 7yrs ago, figure I have another couple years left in the can yet.

Pop mule drive off the front to open the hood all the way then loosen the 4 nuts at bottom of hood just enough for it to slide around with a bit of nudging , close hood to where it closes properly on the steering wheel stand, you shold be able to reach in with a 7/16 wrench to snug down a couple of nuts on either side , and then open hood and tighten down all 4 nuts the rest of the way, should be a nicely adjusted hood. If it won't move any further forward, look for bent hood mount brackets and/or deformed hood. - If the hood is slammed open too hard it is possible to bend its mounting surface, also. Either case, can usually unbolt the hood entirely and a hammer and block of flat wood (2x4?) to straighten things out and/or remove the mount bracket to straighten THAT , if bent.

Front hitch..."Shorts" Paul made this for me. Works excellent and should be easy to fabricate using these pictures.

Don't I wish! That would be fun on the turnpikes!

Jay will have his finished long before Kevins.

Got the board laminated, cut to shape, and sealed with resin. It slipped right into place and I got a couple bolts installed to hold it in place before the humidity-driven torrents came today. Hopefully will be able to work on it some this week. A few pictures follow. Steve

Got the 316 Briggs Vanguard running good after carb, and fuel pump problems So I put it to work taking the grass out of my drive way. Still have both ends and the turn-a-round to do.

wow -- i got mine --- works great -- best deal ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just kidding !

For consideration, my K181 powered 502… It has no fuel pump. The tank is higher than the carb. Gravity has been holding true for quite some time. Originally I ran the fuel line out and about but it was not clean. I clearanced the fan shroud and built a little tube and bracket to run a fuel hose through. Cleaned up, it looks pretty nice if you ask me…

I got the axle almost finished today. Some more welding to do on the ends and one more hub assembly to build.

Might just have a can of that yet if I can find it...

Falls, Chicken Wings and now Steve McQueen. Randy living the High-Life! At least you can fit Thu the window! I would get stuck!

That there reminds me of an ex wife when the check is late - only quieter..... got attitude!!! Well done, well done John too.....

Amazing isn't it? No transmission work yet. We want to finish getting this pile of stone out of the way first. When we change the transmission and fuel tank I think I'm going to put the Carlisle Tru Power AG tires on that I've used in several other tractors. They're on Cinnamon Horse now. They're a little bit larger and have a more angular tread with squared off bars. They're also fluid-filled. Certainly won't hurt traction any.

I use the foam and lightly oil it. The foam will catch a lot of dirt saving the rather expensive paper element. Usually only the very fine particles get thru the foam, so when checking the paper element hold a light inside. I have had some that looked almost new that turned on the dash light meaning they were in need of replacement. If you have two foam pre-filters, you can rotate leaving one to dry after washing.

Woah!

A 3.4 Billion dollar program indexed to keep pace with inflation... Offices in all 50 states and around the world...

Two young kids, wife had pneumonia (better now). I tell you what though. My dad retired 5 years ago and he is busier now than when he was working! He's always into something! Thanks for your help and encouragement.

I was careful to remove the cobwebs ONLY from the front half of the machine. It will be a carefully considered spider relocation program.

That your daily driver Randy?

I'll go the other way and recommend a ball hitch for the front. Easy fab to make one to clip on a mule attach. Always easier to maneuver even in small yards. I have no pics but on the tractor do list to make one. Many of the boys here have done it so hopefully they have some pics. I do have dedicated tractors with a ball mounted right on the draw bar but then useless for tub duty or anything else. Problem with Lowell's hitches is you might lose the axle bracket and there goes the tiller. I doubt you would be able to use anything but a receiver hitch. I don't see any lift for the tiller tho? Kev is right that Holy piece is a PO dream.

Split loom is good too

I had a k161 I bought from another Red Square member about a dozen years ago. I had it sitting in the Garage for about 7 or 8 years. Magneto type and pretty original from an old Wheel Horse. Finally used it on a 603 I bought from the late John Campbell in Toledo. He had a great 603 tractor without a motor. My motor was perfect for the 603 even though the original tractor had a Tecumseh on it. Of course my K161 was magneto/recoil start not an s/g type. Bob, the K161 should work fine for power on your 854. Lots of tractors have K181s on tractors that were originally 6 or 7 hp powered. I am not a very good motor man but I think you should be able to covert the K161 block to a K181 with the steps you are taking. That condenser issue detailed by Richard is something I have run into on these early motors used in Wheel Horse tractors . You definitely need to match the condenser to the other parts used in the motor you select.

We hiked out to some cellar holes between the mountains across the street. Roughly 5 miles. Did some metal detection. Cool stuff. Stopped for some soup and cheese then came home. Excellent day!!

Took a little trip for the Labor Day weekend. Been quite a few years since we visited the Falls. Now it's off to Highmark Stadium for the Chicken Wing Nationals at the home of the Buffalo Bills.