Work Horse GT1600 restoration and conversion to Hydro

[cleat 6,698]

Hoodstand plate ready to assemble.

 

Gauges installed.

 

Hoodstand plate fully assembled ready to be installed.

 

[Bar Nuthin 759]

While your dedication to restoring the tractor is incredible, your dedication to documenting and photographing everything is equally impressive!

[cleat 6,698]

Wiring connected to gauges and switches.

 

Edge trim installed on back of hood stand to protect wiring.

 

Hydraulic valve handle installed.

 

Speed nuts installed into hood stand for plate attaching screws.

 

Hood stand plate installed.

 

Back of hood stand plate showing wiring to ignition and light switches.

Light switch wire is up by the steering bearing so no moving parts to contact it and cause issues.

 

 

[cleat 6,698]

Hood latches ready to install.

All of my other machines use 2 rivets per latch but these only use one each and have a raised bump on the back side that fits into the upper hole in the console.

A backup washer is not really needed but I used one anyways.

 

Right side hood latch installed.

 

Left side hood latch installed.

 

Left side hood latch installed inside view.

Don't mind the dust, it will get cleaned up.

 

[SylvanLakeWH 26,145]

21 minutes ago, cleat said:

Don't mind the dust, it will get cleaned up

 

First speck of dust I've seen in your posts... 

[ebinmaine 68,857]

On 12/21/2024 at 9:43 AM, Bar Nuthin said:

, your dedication to documenting and photographing everything is equally impressive!

 

Absolutely agreed. 

I tried to emulate a small percentage of @cleat 's method in my carb thread. 

[cleat 6,698]

Headlight bezels ready to install.

Thanks to Wheelhorsepartsandmore for these.

 

Bezels installed.

These snapped into place perfectly and fit exactly and with no play.

 

These are the headlights I am using.

Since I basically never use them I felt switching to LED to not be a big priority.

 

Headlights ready to install.

 

Headlights installed.

 

Edited December 23, 2024 by cleat

[kpinnc 12,790]

I am still amazed at that finish on the hood. Can’t wait to see the finished tractor. 
 

I still say this thread should be pinned as the “proper” method of restoration…  Of which not one of my tractors come close to matching! 
 

I mean, you gotta have standards… Regardless of whether the rest of us keep them! 

Edited December 23, 2024 by kpinnc

[cleat 6,698]

6 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Absolutely agreed. 

I tried to emulate a small percentage of @cleat 's method in my carb thread. 

I did like that carb overhaul. 

[cleat 6,698]

Wheel stud bolts and lug nuts ready to install.

These are 7/16x1.5" full thread bolts

The two silver grade 5 bolts did not use the washers pictured.

I am using chrome plated open ended bulge nuts just because I like the looks of them.

 

Wheel stud bolts partly installed.

Note one of them is a grade 5 and the rest are grade 8.

Grade 8 likely not needed but I had them so I used them.

I need the thinner head of the grade 5 and it's lack of a washer for clearance to install the set screw.

 

Small bit of blue loctite applied to each bolt.

 

Wheel stud bolts tightened.

 

[ebinmaine 68,857]

3 minutes ago, cleat said:

.

I am using chrome plated open ended bulge nuts just because I like the looks of them.

 

Same here. 

 

3 minutes ago, cleat said:

 

Grade 8 likely not needed but I had them so I used them.

 

I buy almost exclusively grade 8 nowadays. 

We have a vendor,  Bolt Depot, in Massachusetts that has excellent customer service AND pricing. A combination to find. 

 

I like the harder bolts for our worker tractors. Better reliability. They stay properly torqued longer. 

They take higher torque for a stronger connection. 

Also, it's possible I've been known to overtighten a fastener. 

 

3 minutes ago, cleat said:

I need the thinner head of the grade 5 and it's lack of a washer for clearance to install the set screw.

 

 

I found that partially installing the set screw solved this. Thread it in all the way, Thread in the wheel stud, back out the set screw enough to install the hub. 

 

[cleat 6,698]

Hub set screws and lock nuts ready to install.

I reused the originals because they are in great shape and the hubs are tight so likely would never move even without any set screws installed.

 

Hub set screws installed and torqued to 30ft/lb as per manual.

I used an 8 point socket and you can see how it just clears the thinner bolt head.

 

I then tightened the lock nuts just good and snug using a box end wrench.

 

 

[cleat 6,698]

Christmas festivities done for now so I came out to feed the birds and put another piece on the Work Horse.

 

Front axle and pivot pin ready to install.

Pivot pin is a new one that I made and uses a cotter pin instead of an E clip on the front.

Also the mounting tab is much heavier than OEM.

 

Axle has been bored and bronze bushings installed.

 

Front axle installed.

 

Washer and cotter pin installed.

 

Pin bolted into place.

 

[cleat 6,698]

Front spindles ready to install.

I punched out some Teflon washers to hopefully work as a thrust bearing to make steering easier.

These are 3/4x1-3/8"

 

Left spindle installed.

I ended up using a 1/16" thick teflon washer.

 

Right spindle installed.

I ended up using a 1/16" thick teflon washer on this one as well.

 

Both spindles installed.

 

[Ed Kennell 39,153]

Really interested to see how the teflon bearings work.        https://www.mcmaster.com/95649A119/          I wonder how these would work.   

[cleat 6,698]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

Really interested to see how the teflon bearings work.        https://www.mcmaster.com/95649A119/          I wonder how these would work.   

I used Teflon because I had some here.

Nylon would likely work as well.

I would have stacked two Teflon washers so they could slide on each other but there was not enough clearance.

 

The forward swept 520 uses a roller thrust bearing and they steer real nice, even the ones without gear reduction.

 

Edited December 26, 2024 by cleat

[cleat 6,698]

Tie rods ready to assemble.

These are 7/16 Heim joints and rod for extra strength (and because I had the parts here already).

The spindles and lower steering shaft were drilled to 7/16.

 

Tie rods assembled and ready to install.

 

Left tie rod bolted to lower steering shaft.

 

Both tie rods bolted to lower steering shaft.

 

Left tie rod installed.

 

Right tie rod installed.

 

Pin in upper steering shaft to verify steering wheel mounting hole is straight up.

 

Preliminary alignment complete.

 

Both tie rods installed.

Here you can see where I bent the plate on the lower steering shaft back a bit for clearance.

Wheel Horse did this with the swept 520 as well to clear the larger tie rods.

 

Front end complete minus wheels and tires.

 

 

[cleat 6,698]

Steering wheel and tube ready to install.

Thanks again to Eric (ebinmaine) for the steering shaft and tube or this step would not be possible.

 

Steering tube installed and shaft coated with never-seize where steering wheel mounts.

 

Steering tube flat and wave washers installed and a very thin coat of grease applied to wave washer.

 

Steering wheel slid onto shaft and locating pin installed.

 

Roll pin coated with never-seize then partly driven in while locating pin holds wheel in proper alignment.

 

Steering wheel and center cap installed.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2024 by cleat

[cleat 6,698]

Front wheel bearings ready to install.

 

Front wheel bearings installed.

 

Front wheel assemblies ready to install.

Variety of shim washers shown to get proper end play once installed.

 

Left front wheel installed.

Note how I flattened cotter pin a bit to ensure it would not rub dust cap.

 

Left front wheel dust cap installed.

 

Right front wheel installed.

Inside view, outside looks identical to left side.

 

Both front wheels installed.

 

Edited December 29, 2024 by cleat

[Horse Newbie 7,159]

@cleat ,

Did you get new front rims, or paint, powder coat ?

You do exceptional work, and great documentation to boot !

[cleat 6,698]

1 hour ago, Horse Newbie said:

@cleat ,

Did you get new front rims, or paint, powder coat ?

You do exceptional work, and great documentation to boot !

These are the wheels and tires from my 312H when I upgraded it to 8"

These have been painted and clear coated.

 

The Work Horse should have 8" as well but these 6" will do for now.

The Work horse came with John Deer wheels that had the wrong offset so they had to go.

At least I have the proper spindles for these 6" wheels installed so the tractor will sit level.

 

Edited December 29, 2024 by cleat

[cleat 6,698]

Tail lights ready to install.

These are standard incandescent light holders with LED bulbs installed.

 

Tail light installed.

 

Both tail lights installed.

 

Tail lights lit without covers on.

 

Tail light covers on.

 

Tail lights lit with covers on and complete.

 

 

 

[cleat 6,698]

Battery holder ready to install.

 

Battery holder installed and battery clamped down.

 

Battery hooked up.

 

I then cranked engine while moving lift up and down to purge air out of hydraulics.

I then added fluid as required to bring fluid level to full mark on dipstick.

 

 

 

 

[cleat 6,698]

Foot rests ready to install.

 

Foot rest stop made from a large nut with set screws to hold in place.

This prevents foot rest from moving in too far and contacting any moving parts.

 

Right side had this from the factory.

 

Foot rests installed.

 

[cleat 6,698]

Air cleaner assembly ready to install.

 

Breather tubes installed into air cleaner body.

Manual states to install these into body before installing onto engine.

 

Intake tube installed into blower housing.

 

Air cleaner gasket placed onto carb.

 

Air cleaner body installed onto carb then all three tubes fully connected on both ends.

 

Air filter cartridge and plate installed.

 

Air filter cover installed.