Work Horse GT1600 restoration and conversion to Hydro

[cleat 5,777]

This is the machine that donated it's 8 speed rear to my 520-8 project.

Therefor this will get converted to a Hydro as part of it's restoration.

This is a long term project but I will keep this thread updated as it progresses.

 

This is how it looks now.

 

I have a spare frame and rear and for it and I will use the best ones.

 

Tractor and spare frame & rear end in the shop ready for the tear down.

 

[ebinmaine 67,203]

Looking forward to seeing your new project. 😀 

[Horse Newbie 7,051]

Is it a 1984 ?

[Bill D 1,901]

Watching with interest.   Any idea what that steering wheel is from?  Definitely not a Wheel Horse wheel.

[cleat 5,777]

57 minutes ago, Horse Newbie said:

Is it a 1984 ?

 

Yes it is.

 

24 minutes ago, Bill D said:

Watching with interest.   Any idea what that steering wheel is from?  Definitely not a Wheel Horse wheel.

 

I don't know, it came that way.

I have a proper wheel for it but I will require an upper steering shaft and the plastic tube as they have been cut short I assume to fit this steering wheel.

 

[87 416-8 horse 420]

I’m taking a ride on this resto train ride.

[Horse Newbie 7,051]

I have a 1984 Work Horse 8 speed, but mine does not have the lever on the lower right of the steering wheel tower. Wonder if that is a brake lock lever ?

My brake lock lever is on the transmission tunnel…see ?

[cleat 5,777]

6 minutes ago, Horse Newbie said:

I have a 1984 Work Horse 8 speed, but mine does not have the lever on the lower right of the steering wheel tower. Wonder if that is a brake lock lever ?

My brake lock lever is on the transmission tunnel…see ?

That is a mock up of the hydraulic lift valve that is part of the hydro conversion. 

The valve will be just the same as my 312H.

[Bill D 1,901]

Any chance you're going to build or install a foot pedal control for the hydro as part of this build?

[cleat 5,777]

12 minutes ago, Bill D said:

Any chance you're going to build or install a foot pedal control for the hydro as part of this build?

I sure am.

Once you have foot control there is no going back. 

[Ed Kennell 37,998]

15 minutes ago, cleat said:

I sure am.

Once you have foot control there is no going back. 

                       

[Bill D 1,901]

1 hour ago, cleat said:

I sure am.

Once you have foot control there is no going back. 

Building or buying?  Definitely want a build thread if you build your own.

[cleat 5,777]

I have Matt's foot control that was installed on the 520 that I converted to 8 speed.

I will install that onto this machine.

[c-series don 8,652]

I’m looking forward to following this project as your attention to detail and mine seem to be the same. Here’s my GT-1800 I restored a few years ago. I purchased this tractor brand new in 1984. 

[cleat 5,777]

1 hour ago, c-series don said:

I’m looking forward to following this project as your attention to detail and mine seem to be the same. Here’s my GT-1800 I restored a few years ago. I purchased this tractor brand new in 1984. 

I hope mine will look half as good as yours.

My goal is to build basically a 16HP version of yours (I guess if the engine turns out to be bad on mine I could put an 18HP engine on it and it would be a GT1800 Automatic).

 

I won't be at the grey paint stage for quite a while but I really don't know what to do as there does not seem to be a definite colour.

 

Your white wheels look really nice but I was thinking I could match them to the tractor colour or go black as well.

 

I have a set of hubcaps here as well just to throw another rod in the fire.

 

So many choices. Oh well, gives me something to think about.

 

[c-series don 8,652]

@cleat The correct colors are 1971 Lincoln-Mercury Pewter Metallic Enamel for the 1982,83 models and 1982 Lincoln Light Pewter Enamel for the 1984 model. I thought about using the metallic paint but I wanted to keep it correct for the year and the way it was when I actually drove it off and the dealer showroom floor in 1984 ! I ordered my paint through a body shop. Also, you probably know this but that tractor should have 8” front wheels on it not 6” as pictured. As you can probably tell, I like my restorations to look the way the tractor left the factory or better! Once at the Big Show Cecil Pond himself was looking at the C-121 that I restored he said to me “You know it didn’t look this good when it left the factory don’t you!” After that I was smiling for days! 

Edited May 18 by c-series don

[cleat 5,777]

3 minutes ago, c-series don said:

@cleat The correct colors are 1971 Lincoln-Mercury Pewter Metallic Enamel for the 1982,83 models and 1982 Lincoln Light Pewter Enamel for the 1984 model. I thought about using the metallic paint but I wanted to keep it correct for the year and the way it was when I actually drove it off and the dealer showroom floor in 1984 ! I ordered my paint through a body shop. 

Your colour looks awesome.

 

I will go to NAPA (the only paint supplier in town) and see if they can mix me up some 1982 Lincoln Light Pewter Enamel.

 

[cleat 5,777]

Started taking tractor apart.

Steering wheel put up a fight but it came off.

 

Pulled motor pulley off because it is too small for the Hydro drive.

I have a Hydro pulley from an Onan.

You can see the size difference.

 

Problem is the Briggs engine has a 1" crank and the Onan has a 1-1/8" crank.

Has anyone successfully used a sleeve adaptor to make this work.

I am worried that the pulley will either wobble or get pushed back by the PTO due to the sleeve.

I suppose I could drill the sleeve at the set screws so they protrude directly to the shaft instead of pushing on the sleeve.

 

[ebinmaine 67,203]

3 minutes ago, cleat said:

drill the sleeve at the set screws so they protrude directly to the shaft instead of pushing on the sleeve.

Given the parts you have I'd think that's the best option. 

 

What's the chances of finding a correct sized pulley?

Maybe off a Briggs 18/hydro or is there another engine with a small crank used with a hydro?

 

 

[cleat 5,777]

If I could find a pulley from a Briggs from a GT1800 that would be great I think.

So far I have not found one.

No big rush so I will keep my eyes open.

 

I am still accumulating parts for this project.

I still need an upper steering shaft, plastic tube for the same shaft, and a set of 8" front wheels.

The hood on mine is sketchy as well.

Ideally I would come across a basket case tractor to harvest parts from.

 

[ebinmaine 67,203]

2 minutes ago, cleat said:

If I could find a pulley from a Briggs from a GT1800 that would be great I think.

So far I have not found one.

No big rush so I will keep my eyes open.

 

I am still accumulating parts for this project.

I still need an upper steering shaft, plastic tube for the same shaft, and a set of 8" front wheels.

The hood on mine is sketchy as well.

Ideally I would come across a basket case tractor to harvest parts from.

 

 

 

@Maz91 has a GT1600(?) roller parts tractor. I'm picking it up in a few weeks. 

If there's anything there you can use I'd be happy to ship it. 

 

 

[kpinnc 11,869]

11 hours ago, cleat said:

Has anyone successfully used a sleeve adaptor to make this work.

 

Yes. I've used them on more than one machine without issues. The manual PTO bearing sleeve works well with them. You just cut the key to the length needed for only the pulley but use the entire length of adapter. 

 

The 5.25 hydro pulley with 1.0 bore is one of the most difficult parts to source. 

[cleat 5,777]

12 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

@Maz91 has a GT1600(?) roller parts tractor. I'm picking it up in a few weeks. 

If there's anything there you can use I'd be happy to ship it. 

 

 

When you get it please let me know and we can have a discussion.

Thanks

[cleat 5,777]

Had a few minutes after trimming and mowing grass today to play with the GT1600

Thought I would drill the console to install a front lower steering shaft flanged bearing instead of the loose bushing.

Here are the parts laid out that I used to properly center the new bearing.

 

Original bushing was installed then the new flanged bearing laid on top.

I then slid a short piece of 3/4" rod through both and clamped it into place using vice grips centering both ways as good as I could.

 

I then used a transfer punch to mark centerline of hole to be drilled.

 

3/8" hole drilled.

 

Bearing was then bolted into place and second hole marked.

 

Holes both drilled.

 

Bearing bolted into place to verify correct fit.

 

Small job but I hope it will help with steering play down the road.

 

 

[Bill D 1,901]

20 hours ago, cleat said:

Had a few minutes after trimming and mowing grass today to play with the GT1600

Thought I would drill the console to install a front lower steering shaft flanged bearing instead of the loose bushing.

Here are the parts laid out that I used to properly center the new bearing.

 

Original bushing was installed then the new flanged bearing laid on top.

I then slid a short piece of 3/4" rod through both and clamped it into place using vice grips centering both ways as good as I could.

 

I then used a transfer punch to mark centerline of hole to be drilled.

 

3/8" hole drilled.

 

Bearing was then bolted into place and second hole marked.

 

Holes both drilled.

 

Bearing bolted into place to verify correct fit.

 

Small job but I hope it will help with steering play down the road.

 

 

I did that on a tractor.  I left the bushing in place and spaced the flange bearing up using some washers.  Worked well.