Work Horse GT1600 restoration and conversion to Hydro

[bds1984 1,429]

Definitely will be completed by the end of summer!

[cleat 5,973]

I have been waiting on high heat spray paint to go on sale then I realized that I have a can I bought for my pellet stove.

 

I bought this little spray gun a year or two ago and have never used one before so I thought this would be a good learning experience.

 

Paint seems fairly thin so I used it as is.

 

Lower and upper heat shields painted.

 

I was going to paint the muffler a silver colour but since I already have this paint and a silver deflector will be going onto it I sprayed it the same satin black as the heat shields.

 

Spray gun worked well. The manual said to use 40-60 PSI but my little parts were getting blown all over so I reduced pressure to 30.

 

Edited July 9 by cleat

[cleat 5,973]

After much deliberation I have decided to paint my Work Horse silver aluminum with clear coat.

Footrests painted and cleared.

 

Footrest pads cut out.

 

I will let the paint cure till at least September before spraying on the glue.

That is nasty stuff that will lift any uncured paint.

 

[cleat 5,973]

Front of hood cleaned up to have holes put in by some PO welded up.

 

Bottom of hood cleaned up to get welded where it is torn on both sides of the bottom re-enforcement plate.

 

I will be adding the brace that the later models came with to prevent this happening again.

 

All decals removed.

 

[ebinmaine 67,496]

What's the bushing that goes in this home?.. the one that holds the arm for the mower deck...

 

 

 

[Handy Don 12,226]

Its a shoulder bushing with the shoulder on the inside held in place with an e-clip (the other end of the rod is in a pocket--very clever)

ID is the diameter or the lift arm crossbar

OD (small) is the diameter of the frame hole; OD (large) is ⅛” or so more

 

 

 

Edited July 16 by Handy Don

[ebinmaine 67,496]

47 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Its a shoulder bushing with the shoulder on the inside held in place with an e-clip (the other end of the rod is in a pocket--very clever)

ID is the diameter or the lift arm crossbar

OD (small) is the diameter of the frame hole; OD (large) is ⅛” or so more

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes sir that's the one.

 

Issue I am having is that what I'm seeing online is too thick. OD too big.

 

I tried my favorite local hardware store and their stuff was exactly the same.

[cleat 5,973]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

What's the bushing that goes in this home?.. the one that holds the arm for the mower deck...

 

 

 

 

Well, part of your issue is the lift arm does not go there it goes where you see it in this picture.

 

The bushing OD is 5/8" ID is .5" Length from under flande to end of bushing is 3/8", OD of flange is 3/4"

 

[ebinmaine 67,496]

27 minutes ago, cleat said:

bushing

 

That looks more like the broken flanged one I took out.  

 

So, knowing I can't get em around here... who has those?

 

[ebinmaine 67,496]

Looks like McMaster Carr? 

 

 

https://www.mcmaster.com/product/6338K572

 

 

 

[Handy Don 12,226]

25 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

That looks more like the broken flanged one I took out.  

So, knowing I can't get em around here... who has those?

 

 

22 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Looks like McMaster Carr? 

https://www.mcmaster.com/product/6338K572

Get a lathe buddy to turn down a straight bushing?

The McM link is to a bushing with ½” ID, not ⅝"

[ebinmaine 67,496]

12 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

 

 

Get a lathe buddy to turn down a straight bushing?

 

No local  lathe access to me. 

12 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

The McM link is to a bushing with ½” ID, not ⅝"

 

Yep. That's what we need.  

 

[cleat 5,973]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Looks like McMaster Carr? 

 

 

https://www.mcmaster.com/product/6338K572

 

 

 

Looks like that one will work.

[cleat 5,973]

Washed all 4 wheels and pulled front wheel bearings.

Started wire brushing the loose paint and rust off then stopped for lunch.

Then the rain started so that's all for today.

 

[cleat 5,973]

Rear wheel sanded.

 

Rear wheel masked.

 

Front wheel sanded.

 

Front wheel masked.

 

All wheels masked.

 

Ready for paint but it is going to rain today and I am painting these outside so they will have to wait for a day or two.

 

Yes these tires are cracked up pretty bad but they hold air so they will do for now.

Some day I will get 8" wheels and tires for the front as well.

 

 

Edited July 17 by cleat

[cleat 5,973]

Paint shaker I bought a couple of years ago has been a godsend.

Makes even the very old spray cans free up and work like new.

Of course it works on regular cans of paint too.

 

Edited July 17 by cleat

[cleat 5,973]

Primed the wheels.

Of course as soon as I started the winds picked up and the clouds rolled in.

 

[cleat 5,973]

First coat of white paint finished.

 

[cleat 5,973]

Second coat of paint done.

 

[cleat 5,973]

Wheels clear coated.

 

[Bill D 1,921]

22 hours ago, cleat said:

Paint shaker I bought a couple of years ago has been a godsend.

Makes even the very old spray cans free up and work like new.

Of course it works on regular cans of paint too.

 

Where did you get that from?  I'd like to buy one.

[cleat 5,973]

8 minutes ago, Bill D said:

Where did you get that from?  I'd like to buy one.

 

I bought mine at Princess Auto but I see Harbor Freight sells them as well.

There are also lots on ebay.

https://www.harborfreight.com/pneumatic-paint-shaker-94605.html?_br_psugg_q=paint+shaker

 

I mounted mine loosely on a patio stone to hold it.

When I am not using it I just lift it off of the concrete anchor bolts and bring it inside.

It would be nice to have inside but I was afraid of doing damage to my shop due to the intense shaking.

Also if a paint can ruptures and sprays paint around I would prefer it to be outside.

 

Edited July 18 by cleat

[cleat 5,973]

Wheels out in the sun to dry the paint.

 

[ebinmaine 67,496]

5 hours ago, cleat said:

Also if a paint can ruptures and sprays paint around I would prefer it to be outside.

 

Having worked for a Dupont paint seller in the past I assure you that is true.  😅

[cleat 5,973]

Masking removed from wheels.

Tires all aired up to 12 PSI (they were de-aired for masking and painting).