C121 Hydro for my parents. (and an introduction)

[Ed Kennell 38,174]

6 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

"Methyl Ethyl Death"

Just like Ivory soap on these hands that were soaked in mercury, trichlor, lacquer thinner, and gasoline for 50 years.        Gotta have something to blame my early demise on. 

[ebinmaine 67,498]

22 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Nuther goodun is MEK.   Flashes off quick w/o resudue.

 

8 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

 

We referred to that as "Methyl Ethyl Death" back when I was doing aircraft phase inspections for Uncle Sugar. That is some good stuff, but you better gear up if you're in it much. It strips sludge, paint, and skin! 

 

We can't buy MEK around here anymore. 

We get "MEK Substitute".

For awhile I couldn't even find that. 

 

The BBT has been a professional cleaner in the past and also worked at an electronics manufacturer.  

Both careers used acetone as a favorite cleaner.  

 

[wallfish 16,999]

1 minute ago, Ed Kennell said:

Just like Ivory soap on these hands that were soaked in mercury, trichlor, lacquer thinner, and gasoline for 50 years.        Gotta have something to blame my early demise on. 

Me too. Dumb sometimes but it builds up immunity is my excuse!

 

I get super frustrated with one of the guys when he works on the small screws and wires with those thick rubber gloves on. Takes him 15-20 minutes fumbling around to do something I can get done in less than 3. There's nothing  on it that's going to hurt your hands or soak through skin so take them off for 5 minutes and put them back on! He must have nice soft hands like the Madges @AMC RULES @WHX?? LOL He does work in the library after working for me in the mornings so...

 

[kpinnc 12,049]

55 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Gotta have something to blame my early demise on. 

 

Mine will probably be me doing something stupid. I do it so often that sometimes just making it through the day can be a surprise.

 

But yeah, I remember cleaning a bad run of pc boards through a freon evaporator bare handed for four shifts in a week. Old timers would laugh about MSDS sheets, and claim "boys, we used to eat this stuff", no matter what it was. 

 

Times have certainly changed. We did extremely dangerous, nasty, highly toxic work and we're still here. I guess the next generation will live longer, because they wear rubber gloves to take the trash out... 

[ebinmaine 67,498]

6 hours ago, kpinnc said:

Mine will probably be me doing something stupid. I do it so often that sometimes just making it through the day can be a surprise.

[Ed Kennell 38,174]

9 hours ago, kpinnc said:

Times have certainly changed.

So true.   I joke about safety protection or my lack of in days gone by, but Tinnitus is no joke.

I suffer from hearing loss and severe tinnitus caused by the thousands of hours I spent in the lab studying the cavitation on model hydro turbines under a 800HP dynamometer with noise levels over 120db.        

 

And hundreds of hours inside full sized hydro turbines while a deafening 1 million HP turbine is spinning a 60'daimeter generator on both sides of the one I am inspecting.

All with no hearing protection.       

 

 

 

 

                        Tinnitus is no joke.         Please use Hearing Protection.

[ebinmaine 67,498]

Sometimes things get tuh buggin' yuh...

 

We .. me anyway. 

 

I noticed a few weeks ago that the PTO lever was loosey goosey and floppity. 

I figured on putting new bushings on the ends where it travels through the upper steering tower. 

This evening we tackled the disassembly portion of that repair. 

Not having ever ripped into a rig of this vintage there's challenges to knowing what goes where etc...

 

The "most fun" part was getting the bolts out of the bracket that holds the inner end of the lever. The one closer to the battery was severely rusted. 

 

 

The second  "most fun" part was getting a VERY stuck/broken cotter pin out from the inner end of the lever. 

 

I ground the rusted stubs off and took a few minutes to find the right punch through some experimentation. 

Got that popped out then wire brushed the whole thing. 

 

Here's a before and after of the lever. 

 

 

 

While I was poking around,  Trina got the rest if the lift handle and rock shaft all in. 

 

A few other pics: 

 

Edited April 9 by ebinmaine

[8ntruck 7,004]

  I'm going to have to do that on Morgan, the 14-8 pretty soon...

[ebinmaine 67,498]

6 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

  I'm going to have to do that on Morgan, the 14-8 pretty soon...

 

Bill, note the split nylon (?) Washer here:

 

 

 

This is the the bracket in the inside near the battery. 

On the outside, where the PTO lever passes through the sheet metal,  it's apparently a slightly smaller hole 🕳  and/or not worn as much. 

AND, it's also a thicker flange. The same split washers don't work on THIS tractor. 

We don't have another type around so we'll snip a little off one we have and try that. 

 

 

[Lee1977 6,659]

19 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

  I'm going to have to do that on Morgan, the 14-8 pretty soon...

That's an easy one it just goes trough both sides of the hood stand.

Edited April 9 by Lee1977

[ebinmaine 67,498]

The BBT Lead Assembly Technician and Incharge Do-all Manager got QUITE a fair amount accomplished today. 

Here's proof. 

HER hands:

 

 

 

I helped a wee bit when I got home from work. 

The PTO lever is back in, tightened up. 

The engine crankshaft was sanded. 

She straightened out the inner lever bracket some too. 

Complete PTO with sleeve and bell cleaned and installed. 

I even put a brake on the PTO. Figured it would be a decent idea because I don't know who'll be around while the Ole Man's mowing or whatever else...

All sheet metal is back on. 

 

Can anybody tell me why there's a spring on the PTO connecting rod? 

Wheres it connected to? 

 

 

 

 

Here's a passel o' pics:

 

 

 

[87 416-8 horse 420]

That looks like its going to be a great mowing rig for your dad. Keep up the good work!

[ebinmaine 67,498]

I didn't like the way the exhaust was blowing into the inside of the hood. I didn't have good options on getting pipes so I decided to move the muffler to the outside of the hood like it is on my own Automatic.

 

First picture is, before. The other pictures are, during and after.

 

 

 

[Handy Don 12,227]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

decided to move the muffler to the outside of the hood

“That’ll do..” 😉

[ebinmaine 67,498]

This evening we installed the mower deck lift link and belt. 

Not having ever attempted a mower installation we probably looked like a couple kindergarten people. 

Spray oil was generously doused liberally in many areas. 

 

We believe it'll cut grass. 

 

 

Tomorrow Trina will install the battery. When I get home we'll see how it runs and drives. Really no grass here to cut but we'll test its  operation anyhow.  

 

 

 

I did buy a Dayco brand L497 belt. 

½ x 97" 

 

A friend gave me a box store ½ x 95. 

It seems to fit OK... ????

 

Should I find that odd?

@Ed Kennell @squonk @elcamino/wheelhorse

@ri702bill

 

 

 

 

[kpinnc 12,049]

14 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Should I find that odd?

 

I'm gonna put in my $.02- That mule drive is somewhat "back" in it's range of adjustment. You've probably got 2 inches worth of negative adjustment there. 

 

And also- isn't the rule for A belts that they are two inches shorter than the number associated with them? For B belts that's a 3 inch difference. This has to do with effective length vs. actual? 

[ebinmaine 67,498]

16 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

 

I'm gonna put in my $.02- That mule drive is somewhat "back" in it's range of adjustment. You've probably got 2 inches worth of negative adjustment there. 

 

And also- isn't the rule for A belts that they are two inches shorter than the number associated with them? For B belts that's a 3 inch difference. This has to do with effective length vs. actual? 

 

 

Good eye on the Mule. It's actually almost all the way back to its minimum adjustment.

The other day I knew I had this 95" laying around but I wasn't sure if it would work so I picked up a 97, just in case.

I installed the 97 with the Mule Drive at minimum and there was a ton of free play, as you can imagine.

Just for kicks I put the 95 on and I was able to turn the adjustment knob several turns before the belt snugged up.

 

Been a while since I've had to deal with power transmission belts so I'm not sure about the length differences but I know they do vary from Automotive to fractional HP.

 

BTW... how tight does this belt want to be??

[8ntruck 7,004]

 I start mine with about 1" of deflection halfway between the PTO and mule drive pullies, then adjust tighter or looser as needed after mowing a bit.

 

If the belt is too loose, I've had them roll over 180 degrees so they are running bottom side out in the PTO pulley. 

Edited April 12 by 8ntruck

[kpinnc 12,049]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

BTW... how tight does this belt want to be??

 

I just set mine to the point that it stops slipping. Not banjo tight, but snug. 

 

Point being, if I'm going to "allow" for absolute minimal slip under extreme loading, I want it to be the belt and not the PTO clutch. 

[Ed Kennell 38,174]

16 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

A friend gave me a box store ½ x 95. 

It seems to fit OK... ????

That belt is too short to use the proper inside larger drive pulley on the PTO.       Put the 97" belt on the inside pulley to run the deck at the correct RPM.

[ebinmaine 67,498]

4 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

That belt is too short to use the proper inside larger drive pulley on the PTO.       Put the 97" belt on the inside pulley to run the deck at the correct RPM.

 

 

Tough pic to see so I zoomed in. 

 

It's on the inside. 

 

 

 

 

That's why I'm so surprised.  

 

 

But who's to say something hasn't been modified.....?

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,498]

I wondered if we'd done something wrong  but it looks OK  ((??))

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,174]

Do you have the pulley guard for the mule drive?

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

Tough pic to see so I zoomed in. 

 

It's on the inside. 

 

 

 

 

That's why I'm so surprised.  

 

 

But who's to say something hasn't been modified.....?

 

 

 

 

Sorry Eric,  My old eyes saw it on the outside pulley..my bad.     Do you have the mule drive pulley guard?    Don't wanna burn Mothers leg.

[squonk 41,118]

True "A" belts are 2" shorter than their # An A95 is 97" long. "B" belts are 3" shorter. True "A & B belts are not designed to run an their backside. 

 

A hybrid belt such as this TSC Kevlar belt is not a true A series belt. It's closer to the 4L series that are designed for backside idlers. They are called "Fractional HP belts 

 

 

A true A or B belt is considered a Hi power belt. It has a curved outer face as opposed to the flat 4L series. Side profiles are also different

 

             4L               

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,498]

28 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Do you have the pulley guard for the mule drive?

 

Sorry Eric,  My old eyes saw it on the outside pulley..my bad.     Do you have the mule drive pulley guard?    Don't wanna burn Mothers leg.

 

 

No worries Ed 👍 

 

We do have the guard, yes.  

 

That reminds me we need to chase the threads in the deck guard holes and install those....

¼" I believe.