Evguy 556 #52 Posted November 18, 2022 2 hours ago, Snoopy11 said: i.e., I don't do this: Don Does that mean I shouldn’t be doing wheelies with my John Deere? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #53 Posted November 18, 2022 50 minutes ago, Evguy said: Does that mean I shouldn’t be doing wheelies with my John Deere? Ummmmmmmmm.... Don 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Freightliner Guy 1,327 #54 Posted November 18, 2022 58 minutes ago, Evguy said: I nearly spilled my drink watching this. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,202 #55 Posted November 18, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Evguy said: Too bad there's no sound to go with this! Looks like me the first time I tried to drive a stick. Edited November 18, 2022 by Jeff-C175 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #56 Posted November 18, 2022 2 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said: Looks like me the first time I tried to drive a stick It's funny that you mention that... My L-157 wasn't the first manual transmission that I ever drove. BUT... when I was first beginning to work on it... I put a donor Massimo engine (that I still have) on it, put a belt on it, stuck it in gear (not knowing that I stuck it in third gear... I wasn't familiar with the unidrive and the gear selection sticker was rusted away). At the time, it was a complete rusty mess with... literally no hood, no seat, and the tires on it were some that I had laying around from the old golf cart (the one that I used to make a trailer out of). Well anyway, after sticking it in gear, I dropped the clutch. Off the tractor went, and off I went... off the back of the tractor, that is. Luckily nothing got hurt ('cept for my pride)... and I caught the tractor as it was motoring out on the lawn... @Achto... you'll probably get a good laugh out of that... Luckily, no one saw it happen... but I drove it around with no seat, a complete rusty mess for a good many weeks before I started restoring it... so you know the female lady women around the funny farm had to laugh at me for that... Don 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #57 Posted November 18, 2022 So... I did get the 718-Z pulled into the garage today... I will start working on repairing/restoring the mowing deck hopefully tomorrow. I'm not exactly sure if I want to pull the motor off the frame... it really isn't hard to do... I just haven't decided if that is a route that I want to go with painting... @ebinmaine @Jeff-C175 what say you boys? Pull it, or leave it and paint around it? (the frame is going to be painted black, just like stock)... Don Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evguy 556 #58 Posted November 18, 2022 19 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said: Too bad there's no sound to go with this! Looks like me the first time I tried to drive a stick. With sound 1 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #59 Posted November 18, 2022 1 minute ago, Evguy said: With sound YYYYYYYOOOOOOUUUUUUCCCCCHHHHH!!!!! That's a touchy little booger, ain't it? That is one downside to the 718-Z... it is darn touchy. The Z355E is much... "calmer" But, I tell ya' ...the 718-Z is more fun that a go-cart... Don 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,202 #60 Posted November 18, 2022 18 minutes ago, Evguy said: sound That's EXACTLY what I thought it would sound like! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sjoemie himself 3,068 #61 Posted November 18, 2022 36 minutes ago, Evguy said: That's just excellent Even though you did'nt ask me anything I'd say: 38 minutes ago, Snoopy11 said: Pull it 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,562 #62 Posted November 18, 2022 1 hour ago, Snoopy11 said: not exactly sure if I want to pull the motor off the frame... IT REALLY ISN'T HARD TO DO... I just haven't decided if that is a route that I want to go with painting Pull the engine. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,202 #63 Posted November 18, 2022 2 hours ago, Snoopy11 said: Pull it If'n youze iz gwinne dewit, dewit raht ! 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #64 Posted November 19, 2022 2 hours ago, sjoemie himself said: Even though you did'nt ask me anything I'd say: 1 hour ago, ebinmaine said: Pull the engine. 37 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said: If'n youze iz gwinne dewit, dewit raht ! Okay, Okay... I'll pull it! I was just trying to be lazy... In the meantime, bedtime for big fella'...sweet dreams of a restored deck... don't let the garage mice bite... Don 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #65 Posted November 19, 2022 2 hours ago, sjoemie himself said: Even though you did'nt ask me anything Ah, don't worry about that... Eric and Jeff are just the 2 main nut-cases that egg me on in my madness... you chiming in is both welcome and appreciated! Don 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davem1111 2,030 #66 Posted November 19, 2022 4 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said: Too bad there's no sound to go with this! Looks like me the first time I tried to drive a stick. Hmmm... if not for what is probably loud engine noise, I'm thinking that the sound might be a bit disturbing at the end. It sure looks to me like the guy fell in front of it and got smashed into the door frame. Hope he didn't get hurt bad, but I'm betting that at least left a mark. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,202 #67 Posted November 19, 2022 17 minutes ago, davem1111 said: left a mark. It'll buff out. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #68 Posted November 19, 2022 Break time! Got the mowing deck removed... what a mess. The bushing shafts for the belt tensioners had completely rusted solid... so the belts were not being tensioned properly. Getting ready to fab up some pieces for the holes in the deck... then things will really start taking shape. Every one of the idler pulleys is going to have to be packed... It was only a matter of time for the belt... that's fine. Don 1 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,202 #69 Posted November 19, 2022 YIKES! The blades are GREEN! Paint them, quick!, before something else catches something! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #70 Posted November 20, 2022 There are so many metal workers here on the forum who I have so much respect for. I am just a guy with a hobby that tries to do his best... just keep that in mind as you view my work... My patches are from a sheet of 316 stainless... (I know, not cheap and a little difficult to work with, but it was the thickness that I needed... and it won't be rusting any time soon). It is not sheetmetal material... it is a little thicker than the original deck material. Hole: Patch: Hole: Patch: Hole: Patch: All welded in: After all the patching, I started working on the outside... which I filled with JB weld, allowed that to dry, and got after it with the grinder. I sanded the deck, and primered... Look Ma' no holes! If you looked closely, in one of the above pictures, you may have noticed something interesting... allow me to give you another picture as a hint... Much more work to come. Don 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #71 Posted November 20, 2022 I honestly don't know how someone gets holes in their mowing deck... maybe running over a hand grenade? Needless to say, I won't be having this problem again with this machine... the rest of the deck is in quite good shape, and I cut grass and leaves... not land mines... Don 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #72 Posted November 20, 2022 As far as the engine goes, it will be getting the shroud removed at some point, to get a full inspection for debris. It will get thoroughly inspected otherwise... but unlike my other engines, I won't be opening this one as it runs superb and from what I can tell the piston tops and valves look pretty clean. I will likely do a good bit of exterior cleaning and painting on it before it gets put back in... The frame of the machine is going to get cleaned and painted, obviously, but before I do that, I have to remove some wiring stuff and go through all of that good stuff. The wires, including the positive power wire that runs from the battery to the back of the machine will get encased in plastic wire loom. I really need to dig in to all of the machine's wiring... might start on that tomorrow... It should look stellar and be pretty sound once I am finished. Don 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,202 #73 Posted November 20, 2022 11 minutes ago, Snoopy11 said: holes in their mowing deck. By leaving the clumped up grass in those spots that it builds up. Rust. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #74 Posted November 20, 2022 1 minute ago, Jeff-C175 said: grass in those spots that it builds up. Rust. That makes sense... probably why I have never had this issue on my other machines (I'm normally pretty proactive if you haven't noticed)... Seems to me that people would take more time to clean their investment... guess people have their own ideas about things but it seems pretty stupid to me... Don 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,202 #75 Posted November 20, 2022 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Snoopy11 said: proactive I try to be also. Typically after every mow I blow off the manchine with my blower, and shoot the hose under the deck, and scrape the clumps off. Edited November 20, 2022 by Jeff-C175 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
