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Put the Ber Vac to work this AM. 14F outside and 40F in the cab. Two hours later....back in the barn.

He likes to keep m clean. He likes to wash and wax. Nice but not for me. I like lending him stuff comes back shiny.

The Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory The Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory (NTTL) is a program operated by the University of Nebraska in accordance with Nebraska law to test the performance of agricultural equipment that is to be sold in the United States. The NTTL has operated since 1920 as the common standard reference for tractor performance in the United States. Impetus for the Nebraska Tractor Test Act of 1919, or Nebraska Tractor Law, came from a Nebraska farmer, Wilmot F. Crozier, who had been disappointed with the performance of several tractors he had bought. One had been marketed as a Ford tractor, but the Ford Tractor Company of the time was completely unrelated to the Ford Motor Company, and its products were of poor quality. The new law was enacted to address problems of false advertising of tractor features and capabilities, requiring that all agricultural tractors sold in Nebraska must have their performance verified by three engineers. The laboratory was established in 1920 at the University of Nebraska as a central location for tractor testing. The first tractor to be tested at the NTTL was a Waterloo Boy, which passed the test.

1972 Fabuglass with a 60 Johnson. Pic of me and Dad who passed 1 year ago at 95. We had the boat 49 years... IMG_7921.mov

Adjusted the doors on my Newly acquired Cab to close good now. New springs on the door mechanism. Also routed the cab to heat the inside with a drilled out belt guard. The Onan puts off enough heat for it to be comfortable enough to wear a hoodie and work gloves. ... and ... ya know, jeans and such. lol Was able to adjust the tall chute all the way forward and make a pile for our kids and a couple of their friends. With all the snow lately and 🥶 temps we've been seeing here in PA near lake Erie, can't say enough about how nice it is to blow snow without worry of it blasting me in the face with a gust of wind! @Ed Kennell ...I've kept up on it and it's still quiet as a 🐁. 😆 .... My neighbor is borrowing my 2 stage again this year and your bervac? upgrade looks sweet!

My neighbor was out on his horse. Cleaned up the snow in my driveway. A man could get used to this. lol (Maybe you can figure out how he ended up with a horse of course) It is a nice one we drive over into OH to get it, just needed a little TLC and tires. IMG_7579.mov

No Snow = 1...

So as mentioned before I had to close the gaps between the hood and the steering column. Here are some 'before' shots of what I'm talking about. As you can see the radius of the hood is different as the radius on the dash. How to mate these two corners had me scratching my head for a long time but finally I decided to take it step by step. Started with drilling a few holes at about 45° in the radius part of the hood and made a cut from the dash into the hood landing 'in' the hole I just drilled. This gave me some relief to start hammering the (now two) parts of the hood closer together. I hammered until the parts got closer and ground away the excess bits as I went until the hood met the dash reasonably well. Then I welded the two parts and smoothed everything out with various grinding discs and flap wheels. Some parts I had to cut and re-weld to get the shape and fit just right. The left side I completely cut loose again after my first attempt to meet up with the dash resulted in a faillure. After much more welding, cutting, grinding and sanding these are the results. Not perfect but I'm satisfied with it.

A few of my many rides that I moved on down the road.

That's a neat handy tool/stuff carrier. I don't imagine removing the existing hitch would do any harm but be VERY conscious of not getting any crud in the top bolt holes during removal. Those holes are directly open into the transmission. As to a new aftermarket hitch I'd recommend the one from Wheelhorsepartsandmore for the reasons of strength, ease, and efficiency of changeover.

Nonethanol is like Frank's hot sauce, I use that sh?t in everything. My generator sat for probably 6 months with a full take of regular gas, no additives, and when I needed it, it started on the 1st pull. I can get it at a couple of different places, locally. For the extra cost, I consider it insurance.

All back together!

You izz sooooopr lucky this is a family show.

As we get older and not necessarily grown up do you sometimes wish you could open the garage or barn door and hop in or on something that you seriously would like to enjoy again , but maybe not feasible ? Post up some pictures if you have them or a description of it. Here are a few from my past.

This old Ford has always been my favorite. I guess that is why I still own it. Lots of family history in it. And yes the dozer too.

Little clip I made from welding and grinding the hood.

Thank you John. Great article. Should be required reading. It so touches on and reflects what we are living through today. A little story if I may. In my 20’s while under the tutelage of the most influential person in my life working as a assistant foreman in one of the most prestigious woodworking firms in NYC we hired a Chinese carpenter recently arrived in this country. The man’s methods were so different and strange that they actually bothered and somewhat angered me. I wasn’t alone feeling that way. During a conversation regarding it, with my mentor, he calmly listened to all my grievances. When I finished expecting to be agreed with, to my surprise he merely asked how were the end results of his work. Sure enough even though up to that point I had been total blind to it, I now had to answer that his work was not only impeccable but also very efficient. Of course the next question was “so what is the problem?”. Now I just chocked and altogether lost the ability to even answer him. He proceeded to elaborate telling me that the only problem there was me and everyone else who were so blinded by our beliefs that only our ways were right that we couldn’t see a great thing when right in front of us. Be tolerant and respectful of others and their ways and you may learn something. And so another life lesson was learned from a man that would always look into my eyes as he answered others. I miss and think of him every single day.

Find a stock Harley muffler, many bikers take them off in favor of a custom one.

It was hard parting with this pair, they were ridden in nearly all snow states across the country. Old age with bad knees, salted roads and less and less trails pushed me to the decision to give it up after 40+ years.

I'd like to replace this hitch with a more traditional tow hitch adapter that would better agomedate a weight box or an actual hitch adapter. I have a Big Tool Rack Yard Rack (picture attached) that attaches to a traditional hitch setup. Is removing this existing hitch going to hurt anything? Id also be interested to see different setups y'all are running. Thanks guys.

A Wheel Horse can do more work than most people realize. I have been amazed many times. I use my tractors year round. I plowed snow today using Wheel Horse Power. I included a picture. Thank you for your post.

This conversation can be like discussing politics. Everyone has different opinions and beliefs and there is merit to most of them if one is to be open minded and reasonable. Here I have no option to what gas I use. All that I can say is that in all of these years I never had fuel related issues. I have here a 550 that hasn’t had the carburetor removed in 15 years and starts and runs well all the time. Same with a 653. They sit most of their lives. . I make sure bowl and tank are drained. On units with two piece tanks I just leave enough to wet gaskets and stabilizer. Just last week someone asked me to borrow my splitter with a Tecumseh engine. It’s been in woods under a tarp for two years. No fuel. Added fuel it started on second pull. Any fuel left in carb for long periods without use it’s going to be a problem. I do replace my fuel lines periodically as a matter of maintenance. I only have found cracks on the outside so far when inspecting them. Clean fresh fuel and making sure all gas is out of unused machinery is done religiously here. I have no option as to what fuel to get.

That’s a great analogy that I can relate to. Here is the tanker that I was on the purchasing committee for and am one of the main drivers of. As a volunteer fire department we are not required to have a CDL to drive fire trucks. However it is our department policy that you need a class A CDL with tank endorsement for this truck. I have taken it to many fires and of course parades since the purchase in 1996.

Gas Barista If you're close enough to a marina they were selling non E fuel but I haven't been fishing down there for a while now If the e10 is used quickly it isn't as much of an issue is my experience. Once winter is underway I run e10 pump gas in blower tractor because it gets used then the last tank is always the E free. Hasn't been an issue starting up after 7,8, or 9 months of storage with fuel in it using that canned gas. Same process for the summer engines, pump gas when they're used a lot but always stored with canned gas. It's easier and less messy to fill the tank than it is to drain them.

Pete - I did the same on the 502 - tapped the ends for a center retaining screw, the E clip groove was well worn. There is a slight "pinch" on the inner races now. Tossed out the original worn hub bushings, pressed in new sealed flanged ball bearings - after purging the original grease & replacing it with Lucas Green....

The analogy I have used for the grid would be fighting a large fire in a remote location without a water source. A temporary tank is set up and the firefighters pump from the tank to extinguish the fire. The tank is being filled and replenished by several tankers of various sizes bringing in water from several other nearby water sources. As long as the temporary tank is being replenished it doesn't matter what water source or tank truck brought the water. But, if the tankers can't keep up with the fire fighters' water needs the tank will go dry and the fire will not be extinguished. Many power generating stations, large and small, put power into the grid to support it. When smaller reliable but "inefficient" generating stations are removed from the system and replaced by"green energy" and we have a cloudy day with high wind conditions that require wind units to be shut down I guess EV owners will just have to stay home.

You gotta have a tired face after submitting yourself to these mental pictures so often!

Like always I curse myself.....I get the snow removal equipment ready.... and a bullsnot 1-3 or a dusting....... after i took the picture i realized i didnt put on the chains.. they are on and i need to pick up carriage bolts for the steel plate weights i have..

Ya know as an avid hard water fisherman one could cut the bottoms out, extend them down to the ice with a pvc pipe. Sit there and jig thru them without the snow blowing the hole shut.

Ugh... Plowing with the C-105 and all of a sudden the blade starts swinging free... Rear 3/4" cross pin sheared off... Old blade and obvious PO repair finally gave up to rust / stress... On the hunt for some hardened 3/4" and a couple shaft collars... All not lost. E-141 finished up the 3 drives i do quietly and efficiently...!

You get yer head out of tractors, pullers and pu$$% and put a bike together we could round up some bros and have a nice scoot...

Would have to be a mini bike I had around '75 - '76. A five horse horizontal Briggs with a custom exhaust. Rebuilt the motor in HS power mechanics shop. What a blast! Close second would be a 1980 Ford F-150 step side I bought brand new when I made petty officer third 1979. 11,000 Washington's in the day. May have pics of that will have to dig out. Good thread Plunge 👌

I was partial to my Dynaglide that was stage 4 modded

Miss my 1970 Impala and my 1978 H.D. Super Glide. No digital pictures of either one.

Agreed. But the 14 would have a MUCH easier time keeping the blower spinning. The key will be creating traction with weight.

Boy that’s making me think, after 63 cars, 20 motorcycles it’s difficult to pick a favorite. I did have a lot of fun in my 69 Baja bug and some of the bikes. I’m revisiting the vw thing with a dune buggy I am working on.

Thanks @ebinmaine for the info. Useful to know for sure. I'm thinking vinyl like stuff they use for boat seats.. should be durable and weatherproof. The foam I'll probably buy online somewhere (like the cover material) after digging up some more info from the seller(s).

Intellectual Humility I came across this article a few weeks ago and found it interesting https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_does_intellectual_humility_look_like

https://www.enginelabs.com/news/new-mazda-engine-patent-for-a-supercharged-2-stroke-skyactiv-engine/

Octane is a fuels resistance to ignite from heat and pressure before the spark, high compression engines will compress the fuel so hard that it detonates before the spark. An onan flathead for example will run between 6.5:1 and 7:1 compression; which is way under the roughly 9.5:1 where you would even remotely start to have any detonation problems. High octane fuel doesn't add any power, not burn cleaner, or hotter, or cooler...its the same fuel as the cheap stuff except it has more anti-detonation additives to raise the octane rating. Being harder to ignite, high grade fuels can actually hurt performance on low compression applications. But as far as lasting longer, the base additive package between low and high octane (mid is hi/lo blended at the pump), is the same.

Tractors that only run at shows or sit almost all summer (plow tractor, Power King loader) are stored with VP 4 cycle from Tractor Supply. I use maybe a gallon a year.

Wonder if there is a padded version? If you don't use minnows, you could throw a hand warmer in there an ice fish in comfort. Use in conjunction with that portable dear blind.

In the process of gathering information I did find a few more pictures of the early days of tractor testing. The BELT HORSEPOWER rating was done in the laboratory with a flat belt driving a dynamometer at a specified RPM as shown below. I presume that the cart being towed by a tractor in the picture in my post above was a ground driven dyno. but wasn't able to find any proof of that. The Larsen Museum has a great deal of historical information on the Nebraska Tractor Test history. This visitors guide is a tractor trivia treasure chest. https://tractormuseum.unl.edu/larson-tractor-museum-visitors-guide

Alright I want to keep the stack but this guy doesn't want to use his tractor because its too loud... (I don't know how he's my child, must take after his mother...) I need to find a slim quieter muffler. So the stack will most likely be no more and want it to under the tractor so he can use more and enjoy it this year. Any suggestions on quiet mufflers???

Can't mistake the sound of that Hydraulic lift. Music to my ears the older I get. @JoeM

I just did my driveway 2 days ago & it was about 0 degrees out, my stock headlight has led's in it but it might as well be a candle, doesn't light up anything. I solved that problem with led's on top of the cab, SUPER bright. My cab has all plastic windows though & no heat gets in it since it's a K341,C161 & the snow doesn't stick to it. Only a little frost on the inside of the windshield from my breath but hardly noticeable. I absolutely LOVE my cab! I paid my dues for many years without one, covered head to toe with snow & ice with my eyes almost frozen shut.

One "issue" with standard cold rolled round stock is that it runs .003 to .005 undersize. The bearing is usually right on the money for size - that allows the inner race to spin if it wants to - and that is what wears the groove in the spindle.... We have had decent sucess with TIG welding the groove back up and hand filing the excess down to size so that the inner race has a light press fit onto that area. Thre inner race cannot spin , but the bearing does.... Shown is one such repair, with a dab of JB Weld to fill in any small remaining voids.......

Been snowing all day here. Just got home from work and got some seat time in plowing the driveway. 875 did not even work up a sweat pushing the white stuff around. We got about 6 inches. I get to do it again tomorrow !!!