Leaderboard

I’ve had this for a few months now, and I purchased it non-running. I’ve been tinkering with it now and again and am happy to report that it’s running and driving great now! It’s a 2005 Chevy 2500HD with the 6.6L LLY Duramax. It’s got 168,000 miles on it, and I transferred the Western plow from my ‘05 6.0L gasser over. The extended cab short box will now be sold, and it should pretty much pay me back for the diesel, since buying it not running. New headlights were a great $65 upgrade too!

Takes a few minutes, but I found a way to bring headlights back when they get all crazed up. These are 11 year old OEM, and this truck stays out in the sun 24/7. And whatever you do, do not use the rattle can clear coat products. That stuff looks nice for about a year, and there are no second chances. The clear coat breaks down worse than the plastic itself. So Turtle wax scratch remover and my Harbor Freight handheld buffer. Takes about 15-20 mins per headlight. Makes a mess, but worth it. Just keep running the buffer until the paste dries up and clears off. Before and after:

Its been ages! Hope you all are doing great! Between the astronomical inflation of used/parts Horseys, building a new house, shrinking and relocating the business, and getting pretty heavy into the off road tractor scene, well, excuses excuses. The important thing is I remembered exactly where to go to brag about finally scoring a new one for the stables, and a pretty desirable one at that. 45 minute drive, 200 bucks, a couple parts swiped off an old K321 I had kicking around, and she was making tractor noises. The charging system even works! ...and no, this absolutely will NOT be seeing any offroad wheeling action

Or maybe this one..

20This is a marketplace find. There is a couple of guys who specialize in tongue and groove spruce boards and also pick up auction finds on occasion. They had several of these but this one was saved back for the owner. As they sell out very quickly he let me have this one he was saving for himself. It's rated for 660 pounds and lifts 65" The safety block is about nine inches shorter than that. The table top is 40x 20.5 All kinds of greasable fittings. The wheels are cast iron and coated with Plastic. She's nice and tight with paint in good shape. I sure wish I could find out the model and parts like the hydraulic pump. The plate with the specs had only ink applied and when I touched it to clean it up,the stuff was about gone. I plan to make a larger cover table so I can pull a tractor cross ways on it to lift it up. I have been a strong proponent for the Harbor Freight High position motor cycle lift which has been recalled. I will continue to use the three I have , but for other things. If anyone has taken my advice about the HFT lift and wants out, returning the hydraulic jack to HFT will result in your refund. I have seen a big variation of pricing on these lifts from Amazon to Northern Hydraulics. Mine was very reasonable even when compared to the lower fier pricing I will be back once the table build is complete.

Day 19 All over the weekend got ALOT done! Getting to the final steps now. Over the week me and @TonyToro mounted fuel tank, ran fuel line and fuel filter, new gas cap, got all four tires mounted onto the tractor and the rear wheel spacers installed. Filled the tractor with oil, painted all the pto rods. Installed the pto mounting bracket by the battery. Got this metallic chrome color spray can from rust oleum at katz ace. That’s what we painted the pto rods with. Also did the air filter cover that too. Added some shims to the steering so it didn’t skip teeth anymore. Put on the rear hitch and ran a new belt on it and I also painted the hydraulic lift valve handle. AndI think that was everything. Trying to get it started for the first time this week!

And so it wouldn't be jealous, I pulled out the 854.

Thanks! I like this pic better..

@ebinmaine I think it’s like the Brazilian jiu jitsu training my brother has. Or as I call it “the art of folding clothes with people still in them”😁

Pulled the C-101 off the show circuit long enough to put it to work after our latest blow.

My prediction" Pullstart's truck sticker will say Le-a ! ( "Ledasha " ) ....."Cause the dash don't be silent! "

"Inspected by # 6" Do you guys name your underwear too?

All of them look great!

That 854 is beautiful!

Norman is keeping his camper like a bully keeps his toys away from the new kid! In my first week driving it, a I still can’t get over the gearing. I am pretty sure this is a 4.10:1 ring and pinion, while Norman has 3.73:1. The torque is absolutely stunning!

When I had my V plow up front and a 16’ swing wing back blade on my last regular cab 2500HD, I did a rubby along a sweeping guard rail one time. It was just like I was a monster skateboard grinding the rail!

857 on my HF table lift. Had this thing close to 15 years and use it a lot! I also have the HF motorcycle lift that a PO retrofitted an air operated jack.

@Greentored knows Trina has a 1045. I'm not sure if he understands the ... uhh... training Trina has. 🥋🥋🥋🥋

Thanks all for weighing in your valuable opinions/advice! I don't have a stick car anymore, but drove stickshift for years and years. I guess what I find hard about "feathering" the clutch on this damn tractor is the fact that, when the pedal is at the point between being disengaged and engaging, the pedal is nearly vertical. That's a hard angle my foot to even be at. I'm used to in a car, where the clutch would engage with the pedal at something like 45 degrees, not 0 degrees. Makes it so my foot has to be floating when using the clutch pedal, as I can't pivot my ankle that steep of an angle! I have adjusted the clutch pedal as far as I can to lessen that angel but still it's just too much. I did buy a new belt today. Won't have time until next week to swap but will report back then!

Hoodstand ready to install. Hoodstand mounting hardware. Hoodstand wire and hose retaining clips ready to install. Hoodstand wire and hose retaining clips installed. Hoodstand installed. Foot control auto center lever installed. Overview showing roughly how hydraulic supply hose is to be routed.

Chopped a branch off a black walnut tree out back and made 50 Christmas ornaments for a lady at work. Her mom and dad go every year to a local children’s home and they give them out so the kids can decorate the Christmas tree.

Didn't think they were going to all come down before the snow started to fly this year.The 420 was pulled into the mix this year. It took 10 outings with 3 tractors and 2 broken rakes to get them under control. The 418-A with 42'' SD did the mulching and blowing them into the woods as well. Glad it's over..The raking does keep the upper body strength in check.

I decided to take advantage of the 50°+ day and fit the tall chute blower to the 2005 for the first time. I had this on my 76 last year. So, you'd think plug and play right? Nope. The first thing was the lift tube length. On the 76 I used a shaft collar on the lift flag and the lift amount was just right. I removed the shaft collar and it's still a bit much but I'll live with it. I'm not shortening the tube. Then I go to put on the support arm for the direction crank. Not only was the belt guard in the way but the PTO as well. I was about to get clearance with a conduit bender, Geez! That thing was tough to bend but it's good to go now. Then I try to put the belt on. Nope. Even with the idler out of the action it's still too short. It calls for a 9750 belt (.625 x 69") I'm thinking try a 71" for starters. Anybody else have a blower on a Command equipped tractor?

Same process I use on old turntable dust covers.

It should. The big thing with this is that if the plastic is burnt on the inside instead of the outside it doesn't work at all.

Nice truck Kevin !! Ruby sounds like a good name, was just thinking a bit more formal yet sticking with the same theme. Like for instance "Rufescent". https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rufescent

Look at the diagram in my first response. Battery power comes from the solenoid post the positive lead is on and travels thru the ammeter to the switch. Your fuse is probably on the solenoid side of this feed. With the ammeter unhooked the voltage wouldn't reach the switch unless you bypass the ammeter. The millivolts your seeing is probably ghost voltage from a sensitive meter.

This is the recalled lift. It's name was High Position Motorcycle Lift. Harbor Freight never displayed these in the showroom,but they were stocked in the back room. Never did I intend to put the regular HFT lift table down . The problem with my lift is that uneven loads could twist and break the welds. Thus the recall. My big lift table is a 36x96 lift table from South Worth made in the Eastern US. Rated at one ton and bought all beat up grom industrial salvage . I still love these little lifts. They are rated to eleven hundred, but the most I feel ok with is maybe 750

You read my meaning perfectly.

thanks for explaining Ed. I think I do have that belt brake tab,yes

Whatever you end up calling it, it is a nice looking "Oil Burner" It will seem strange plowing at 2200 RPM with gobs of torque.... Norman no look happy about the new kid....

Bushings came in. Here they are cleaned and ready to be installed. I used a bit of this to ensure bushings do not move once installed. Bushings pressed in. Ready to be drilled. Bushings drilled. Blocks tapped to 1/4-28 for grease fittings.

I use this calculator to get into the ballpark when I’ve been doing “custom” work!

May want to add anti-chafe where pump supply goes between pump/motor housing and hoodstand/tunnel frame. I used tubing there to make sure I had fixed clearance.

Hmm..my son just inherited my dads 2005 Duramax. Will have to tell him about this.

I’ll send the thing I saw for it

I don't think higher RPMs will be beneficial. Mine rotates at about the same speed as it did in the heat/AC system it was removed from and generates a good volume of air movement rolling a big pile of leaves as you go by. I experimented with a smaller duct size attempting to achieve greater velocity but it wouldn't move as many leaves, just seemed to generate turbulence in the fan. My conclusion is that volume of air is the key with these squirrel cage fans. I seem to recall someone last year went for higher RPMs and the fan blew apart on them.

No. I'm experimenting with the diameter trying to get the blower speed where I want it at about 1/2 throttle. I have a smaller one on the blower now which should be about what I want. Close to a 1:1 ratio would do it.

I see I need to clean these fins a bit more.

I use a hydro so it doesn't have that spring nor is it needed. Try connecting the spring to the lift rod first. Then connect the rod to the tractor and the blower The most tension on that spring is when blower is down and the handle is down. That's how it assists with lifting. I'm thinking, connecting the lift rod to the rock shaft on the tractor should be the last thing connected. Seems like there is more opportunity to grab / push / pull / jack / lift things vs pulling directly on the spring. The blower can be jacked up to help with installing and making proper tension adjustment. When you let the blower down all the way is when tension on the spring will be the most.

We are in our Ky location. Got back to the shed project - applied shingles to 1/2 of the roof. There has been just enough rain lately to make the red clay dirt a bit greasy in our woods. That, in combination with the worn tread on the truck tires, and the tilt of the property caused us to have to get the come along, nylon strap, and chain out to get the truck out of a shallow soft spot I managed to find. Fun, fun. Looks like a new set of tires for it just moved up on the to do list. I also realized that we've put some 110,000 miles on it since we've owned it.

I've got an Echo backpack blower. Works OK. I also have an older Craftsman handheld blower with a sticker that claims 215 mph wind speed. The hand held seems to work better than the backpack. The handheld starts with a pull or two, you pick it up and go to work. The backpack needs to be on the ground for it's pull or two to get it started. Once started, you need to wraasle it onto your back before going to work. The handheld moves the leaves better. I've thought about putting a nozzle on the backpack to increase the blower's exit velocity. Have not gotten around to building a nozzle. Not to confident that it would make a big difference.

I repacked the bearings in an electric PTO that I am getting ready to put on my Bronco. Thank you @WHX??

Everybody has an opinion, mine is if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Here's what makes up a Kohler carburetor.

There's a tire recycler business about 12 miles from me. They pull and stack "possible good tires" as they unload the the trucks. They also let you walk the outside of the huge 2-4 acre pile they are constantly working adding to and removing to grind. I visit one or twice each winter. to many crawly critters in those tires during the summer. I bring a chopping hoe with me to reach a little further to pull tires off the pile. It also keeps my hand out of unknown things inside tires. I was looking for 2- 23 x8.5-12 turf tires. didn't find them, but found 2 NOS tires. and one very lightly used one that still had some nubbies left. Prices have gone up, now $8 ffor the 2 smaller one and $12 for the larger one. I'm amazed that almost every visit I come home with at least one NOS tire. I guess businesses just change inventory and toss them (at the state mandated $5 recycling charge per tire)

Wanted score these seat pads while they were available. You never know when sources dry up. Had to try them on for size before packaging them back up and storing them for future use.

My pulling tractor has a ch20 and has hydraulic valves. all you do is tightem them down and your good to go.

Auto center lever for foot control ready to assemble. Auto center lever for foot control assembled.

@Alrashid2 I’d run it and get used to it. You’ll eventually find the sweet spot where it just goes. I’ve had mine three years and it still jumps every so often. But, you will get it. The plow does help with weight on the nose and it isn’t so abrupt. Wheelhorse did sell a weight kit for the front that I have on my 312. You probably could make it with some Quick Crete, some long heavy duty bolts to mount the blocks. A 1/4 thick 1 inch flat bar bent into a C to fit the front of the frame. There are some existing mounting holes for 5/16 or bigger bolts and a horizontal quick release bar there.