Work Horse GT1600 restoration and conversion to Hydro

[cleat 6,357]

Hoodstand plate ready to assemble.

 

Gauges installed.

 

Hoodstand plate fully assembled ready to be installed.

 

[Bar Nuthin 542]

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

[cleat 6,357]

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 6,357]

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 25,965]

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 68,406]

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 6,357]

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 Monday at 02:56 PM by cleat

[kpinnc 12,539]

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 Monday at 12:04 AM by kpinnc

[cleat 6,357]

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 6,357]

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 68,406]

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 6,357]

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 6,357]

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.