Mayrath Tractor, 1990 Sept/Oct issue of Antique Power magazine.

[oliver2-44 10,354]

I acquired a 1949/50 Mayrath garden tractor last October. After a little maintenance it runs and drives. I'm currently keeping it as original as I can. I did have to rebuild the steering column and had a new decal made based on the remains of an old one.

I am gradually acquiring info about it. On the Facebook Mayrath site there is a very poor, mostly unreadable copy of an article about these tractors from the 1990 Sept/Oct issue of Antique Power magazine. The publisher has no copies of this magazine and surprisingly does not or cannot send/sell me a digital copy. I've searched eBay and a few magazine collector sites. if anyone has a stack of old Antique Power magazines, I would appreciate a scanned copy of the article, or will gladly buy the magazine. Any other printed information about the Mayrath tractors is also appreciated.  Thanks for any assistance.

Here's the story I read bits and pieces of so far:

Martin Mayrath invented and patented the grain auger in the early 1940's. He built some machines like this to tow the augers around his factory in Dodge City, Kansas. In 1949-1952 he sold them with a complete line of attachments. One reference says they built them in the slack winter time of the factory. Mine is a "basic Model", and the Deluxe had sheet metal that slightly resembles a jeep.

The tractor's spoked wheels are the same as used on the Mayrath grain augers.

The front wheel bearings and transmission outlet shaft bearing are FARNIA airframe bearings possible WWII surplus.

The Steering wheel was made by Sheller and the steering box was used in the Jeep MB and Crosley cars of that era.

The rear end is a Dana 11 also the same as used in Crosley cars.

The transmission is a Borg Warner T92 and was used in WWII equipment and many other 1950-60 garden tractors such as the Economy Power King products.  Olympic still makes a modern version of the T92 today..

The Basic models engine is a Briggs 5hp Model 14. A Briggs Model 23, 8hp was available on the Deluxe.

The Basic model is advertised to do 20 mph and the Deluxe 30 mph. I've had mine to 18 mph and had throttle left, but I was hanging on the steering wheel and that's all I had. 

Many things are of simple design on it. The clutch action to slack the belt is done by the clutch pedal tilting the complete engine, later versions had an idler pulley and some make have even had an automotive style clutch.

The front tie rods are a threaded bolt turning in a threaded nut.

Pivot points like the clutch and brake pedal are nuts that have been drilled out and welded to the frame.

The red tube running the length of the right side of the tractor is the remains of a PTO for a Sickle bar Mower. Boy I'd love to have the rest of the sickle.

 

[953 nut 57,854]

13 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

if anyone has a stack of old Antique Power magazines, I would appreciate a scanned copy of the article, or will gladly buy the magazine. Any other printed information about the Mayrath tractors is also appreciated.

Have you checked with @tractorchick? 

[Ed Kennell 40,457]

1 hour ago, oliver2-44 said:

I've had mine to 18 mph and had throttle left,

[WHX?? 50,698]

The guy I sold my senior to is a Mayrath fan and has a couple. I don't think he is a member here but goes by Jack Bishop on FB. He's from MN and a drinkin buddy of Lowell's. 

Maybe get in touch with him he might know a thing or two. 

[Racinbob 11,720]

Do a search on Ebay for the magazine. I found one in a group of 9 listed and there may be others. 

[oliver2-44 10,354]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

Exactly

[CRF857 138]

 

First saw one at the I&I Historic Farm Days in Penfield, IL. have always wanted one.

Have about 40 pictures downloaded from internet.

Thought about replicating one using Harley rims/tires.

 

Edited Friday at 06:42 PM by CRF857

[Streetrodchev 861]