Little help guys....What are they and how much?

[Ken B 3,164]

Score! Now that is an instant round hood collection. One word of caution. If you have never ridden an RJ or Suburban be very careful if the front tires aren't loaded on it. One little miscue if you are starting out on an incline and you'll be on yer back with a tractor on top of you. Nice job Jeff.

[dennist 139]

Nice Haul, Glad you got them.

[JamesBe1 82]

Way cool Jeff! Lucky find.

[Kelly 1,029]

Very nice score now we need a pic of one of them next to your D for the biggest to the smallest WH

[Hodge71 664]

I gave up on the Techy...I really dont like to engines in any way shape or form. After dinner My lil guy and I started from scratch with the 400 Suburban, We drained the tank ran new fuel lines, cleaned the glass bowl pulled the shutoff and cleaned it and reassembled the unit and reinstalled it on the tank. I got some major issues with the pull starter but I was able to get it started by fiddling with it numerous times until it finally started. Heres a link to a video I shot after I got her running again...

Any idea on how to figure out the year on these things? I'd really like to know the years of my new herd members....

[Hydro 131]

Nice haul Jeff. You got lots to keep you busy now!

[Ken B 3,164]

That is awesome. I would take the belt guard off of the other Suburban if it has one so the little guy don't get his hand in there.. Don't give up on the Tecky just yet, putz around with it at your leisure and read up on them. They can be a real pain sometimes. Make sure you have fluid in the rear diff. I have come across many an RJ and Suburban that has nothing in it at all.

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,332]

Jeff, the one you are on in the video is a 1960 sububan 400. You can tell by the choke and throttle plate. The other one you have is a 551 suburban which is a 1961 with the 5.5 lauson electric start. They also have a different round punch out in the dash with the push pull throttle and choke. If it has a key in the dash that makes it a 551 as sometimes they are missing the original motor and key switch. If they have no key switch it is a 401 which is a 1961 4hp. Hope that helps...

[Rooster 191]

Easiest way to identify a 551, it was the only Roaster with a Battery

The RJ's would be either 1958 or 1959 right?

Great Haul By the way! You will not be disappointed!

[AMC RULES 37,132]

Congrats, glad you got 'em Jeff...really nice haul.

[Hodge71 664]

Its a 551, It has the key in the dash and is a Techy H55. The problem is theres no wiring on the dash key switch. I wish I could figure out why theres no spark on her.... I wonder if no wires going to the switch might be the issue? I wouldnt mind hearing her run tomorrow. I know theres fluid in 1 of the Rjs...the problem is its mixed with water. I saw a rainbow on some drips that it lost during the travel home on the trailer. The one I drove tonight has a nasty grind when puttin it in gear. Is there an adjustment on something so that I can make that grind go away? Tomorrow I will change the oil in the Kohler 4HP Suburban and drain the rear and fill it with new gear lube. What viscosity gear lube should I use, 80W90? I also have to take a gander at the pull starter. The C clip keeps popping off and then the ears dont engage the engine. I have to pull it off, put it back together and then I can get between 4 and 10 pulls before it pops off again The other 2 Kohlers have major issues with the pull starters. One has wire instead of rope and wont engage the engine when pulled and the the other has a pull start but no rope or pull handle so I guess it'll have to come off too. I'm actually pretty surprised the BFG Silvertowns are mint on these things. I have 1 ag set on an RJ, 1 "turf" set called BFG Silvertown Tractor ND on the 400 I drove tonight with the yellow wheels, a set of snow type tread called General Garden Tractor SS on the other RJ and the 551 have BFG Silvertown All Purpose on her. Once I get these other Kohlers running I'll feel abit better. I do know I need new shifetr boots on all of them. 1 RJ is missing it entirely

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,332]

i have the wiring harness diagram for the 551. pm me your email and i will send it to you

[Cody 276]

Well im glad someone from here got them, i tried sense the day they were posted to buy them but all i got was a price threw email and an excuse everytime i asked to talk over the phone. They look great and im glad your getting them up and running Their a great addition to the collection.

[wallfish 17,023]

The grinding = The belt is still turning after you push the clutch/brake pedal. It needs the belt guard installed. I suggest fixing it before you continue to use it.

The recoil with the wire = A somewhat rare Shnacke starter. They are missing all the time because they were not very dependable

use the "search" for info on both of them

H55 may need the points cleaned if there's no spark. It's under the flywheel.

That didn't take long to update your signature, you must be stoked to have them!

[wallfish 17,023]

Sweet 400, thanks for posting the video

That's the Fairbanks Morse recoil starter on the 400. Those are nice recoils.

You can buy repro, little plastic knobs for your control levers from Glen, in the vendor section.

[Trouty56 567]

Cool Jeff......so are you keeping them all???

[Martin 2,132]

nice score......

i love that feeling when just getting a 'new' one. only you have it right now x4........

like wallfish mentioned, you must be real happy right now, just couldnt wait any longer to update that sig!

good feeling, huh?

[SNYFIX 13]

Thats not a rectifyer. Just a plate to hold the diodes and fuze. (Diodes prevent the juice from flowing back to the charging coils and burning them out). They were deleted by Techumseh a long time time ago. They were easy/fun to test with a batt charger/test light. Good if they let the juice flow in one direction only, bad if it was both ways or not at all.

[Hodge71 664]

I will try to answer everyone in order here...lol...

First off Cody...I can believe you tried. From the amount of PMs I got on here LOTS tried...lol..To be honest I kinda pushed him into the sale. I really think he didnt want to get rid of them, but his wife was the driving force behind it. I think thats why he kinda blew everyone off that contacted him. From what he told me he gave every excuse in the book to hold people off from coming to look at them. He told me I was the first to actually see them. I got there and spent about 30 minutes looking them over and chatting with him. His wife came out once to say something inconsequential about 2 more at the cabin and 2 more Sears Suburbans up there too. From what he told me, he got 1 RJ from his Dad, the rest have come over the last 4 to 6 years. All ran when he got them but as they stopped running he didnt know what to do to fix them. He wasnt exactly mechanically inclined I guess. His plan was to find out how to fix them and then restore them when he retired but I guess after 3 years of retirement, the wife was getting irritated at them sitting. He really didnt want to sell them and only relented after I showed him $100 bills when his wife was present. I offered $650 because both RJs have frozen steering, but that offer didn't get me too far. I ended up getting them for $750 which was $50 less than he wanted, but I feel ok for not paying the full $800, even though they were worth the $800 and then some.

Wallfish,

Thanks for the info.. It definitely doesnt have a belt guard and now will not be ysed until I find 1. Incedentally 1 RJ doesnt have a belt guard either so I guess I better get cracking on finding them. Regarding the Schnake, I have no idea what I'll do with it. It doesnt have the original handle. Its got some kind of homemade jobber that sandwiched the wire between 2 pieces of wood and then screwed it together. I did find a handle and wire assembly on Ebay and pulled th trigger on it for $20 or so. The Techy will have to wait for me to tear the flywheel cover off to find the point. Stevebo emailed me wiring diagrams and such for it so I have reference to look at. The Fairbanks-Morse is actually back together and holding together rather well. I squeezed the C-clip together with pliers and so far it stayed on. Regarding my feelings toward the tractors and my signature change...I'm not saying I'm hooked but lets just say the first thing I did as soon as I got home today was to start the 400 and take it for a spin...figure it out..lol. The plastic knobs I need for the choke and throttle...I just happen to have a pair. I ordered a whole crapload of stuff from Glen for my 18 auto and he mistakenly sent me the throttle and choke knobs by accident.... or was it fate...lol

Trouty,

Bob, My inital plan was to buy them, change all fluids and fix them so that they ran and drove and then sell them for what they are actually worth...something went awry with that plabn around 7:15 on Thursday night when the 400 fired up and ran, and then I drove it aorund the house for about 20 minutes...I gotta say...I'M IN LOVE!!..lol... SO the plan is gone and for the near future.... theyre mine...alll mine...(laughing maniacly)...

More updates to follow this weekend I hope..weather permitting

[Trouty56 567]

Haha...exactly why can't have one or i would have a few myself....i for enough problems with what i have now....lol

Excuse spelling errors...using "dumbphone"

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

Nice buy. I'd keep them all too.

His wife made him sell? I'm glad mine is supportive. If I was told to sell mine I'd probably buy more and put one in every room.

[wallfish 17,023]

Thats not a rectifyer. Just a plate to hold the diodes and fuze. (Diodes prevent the juice from flowing back to the charging coils and burning them out). They were deleted by Techumseh a long time time ago. They were easy/fun to test with a batt charger/test light. Good if they let the juice flow in one direction only, bad if it was both ways or not at all.

It's not a regulator but here's a definition of a rectifier and why I referred to that device as one. It definitely converts the AC from the coils to DC current for charging the battery. Maybe I'm wrong?????

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectifier

A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC), which periodically reverses direction, to direct current (DC), which flows in only one direction.

[can whlvr 993]

wow i think thats a good price,at least aruond here it is,my wife wants me to thin the herd,i tell her to mind her own buisness or ill make her sell her shoes