c-series don 8,650 #26 Posted January 11, 2013 I purchased a gt-1800 brand new in 1984 used it to mow commercially for 9 years, rototilled many gardens,plowed many driveways. Now I have a 50" grader blade on it to grade my dirt road. When I got it the dealer ( Rolle Bros. L.I.,N.Y. ) told me that if taken care of properly my kids would be using it and damned if they were not right! They may not be red but they are Wheel Horse through and through! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #27 Posted January 11, 2013 I've always liked the Work Horse tractors with big horse power under the hood. I can't wait to see what you do with this one Martin. It is going to look sweet I'm sure! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 650 #28 Posted January 11, 2013 I look forward to seeing a build thread on this one in the future! Matt :flags-texas: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ol550 830 #29 Posted January 11, 2013 Good find there Martin, was that 15 min in my direction or away? Been looking for a Work Horse twin for quite a while. Passed on a couple of singles last year, but I've got too many to settle for one of them. I'm sure you will have it in fresh pewter powder in a short while unless Kent gets the urge. Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #30 Posted January 12, 2013 i spent some time today pulling the shrouds and cleaning all the crap out of the engine to make sure its getting plenty of airflow. also loosened off the muffler to see if there was anything loose in there. like was mentioned in a previous post it was loose and making noise similar to what i heard with the engine running.... also got it running much better, adjusted the high and low on the carb, (was running too lean-which would explain the choke needing to be out). heres some pics... front cylinder shrouding removed, lots of crap in here.... flywheel shrouding removed, the inside of the shroud had a bunch of grass and dirt/oil etc caked around it... back cylinder shroud was hard to remove so i cleaned it in place just moving it around to make sure i got everything out of the fins and shroud.... removed screws holding the back of the muffler to check for a loose baffle, one thread nut stripped inside the muffler so i couldn't get it off completely, still it was loose enough to confirm there was a loose baffle inside. the second pic is a video of me shaking it..... also while i was looking around the engine i noticed the drive pulley was rubbing against the side of the engine, the set screws had allowed it to move, so i loosened them off a little and moved the pulley out some. this gap here was non existent. engine all back together looking a little cleaner....... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #31 Posted January 12, 2013 im happy with how it runs now, rode it around for 30 min or so to see what the hydro was like, seems real strong. another video.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sorekiwi 761 #32 Posted January 12, 2013 Somehow I managed to miss this thread till now. Welcome to the 80's Martin, hows it feel to have a "late model" tractor thats only 29 years old! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,026 #33 Posted January 12, 2013 You may need to add a spacer behind the drive pulley because the set screws can't take the pressure when the pto clutch is applied so the pulley moves in. Garry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,683 #34 Posted January 12, 2013 Nice find Martin...I can see Kent running about 15 gallons of gas through it at Charlotte. :) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
varosd 1,185 #35 Posted January 12, 2013 I think you are doing a bang up job, Martin, bringing that Workhorse back to life. for all the hard work you are doing (a labor of love, really), you will have a true "diamond in the rough" that has been polished up! heck, even the lights work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 650 #36 Posted January 13, 2013 Wow, some of the fins were plugged solid with crud! Its amazing it hadn't seriously overheated and died! Nice work Matin. I bet its about 20lbs lighter, and 20 degrees cooler now! Matt :flags-texas: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #37 Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) did some more on the gt today, got it cleaned up more. did a couple runs with degreaser and wash down, got it much cleaner. pulled the seat pan and cleaned up underneath around the hydro and blew air into every area i could find to remove grass and other crap. the more i clean the more i find....... straightened up the seat pan, cleaned up the paint and got it looking better, still needs some more work but its better. also pulled the rear weights to clean up the wheels.... interesting looking concrete weights..... heres some pics. just realized i uploaded a bunch of pics there, no complaining about too many pics!! gonna need a seat soon too....... Edited January 20, 2013 by Martin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wheel-N-It 2,968 #38 Posted January 20, 2013 It looks like a different tractor now Martin! Runs much better now too. Good work I can see now I'm gonna have to try and find one too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #39 Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) thanks van, when i look back at how it was.... also, the more i drive it and fine tune it the better it runs, the hydro linkage is probably going to be my next area to fix, very sticky and jerks when moving from f to r and back. liking this one more and more. cant wait for some more seat time!!! Edited January 20, 2013 by Martin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wheel-N-It 2,968 #40 Posted January 20, 2013 I had sorta passed on one like yours right about the time you got this one. It was not too far away, and looked decent but I sorta overspent at Christmas LOL and need a little recovery time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheReDStAnG 4 #41 Posted January 20, 2013 You will be very happy with this model. I turned mine into a dedicated plow tractor, and I love it. It's faster than all 3 of my 520h's, due to the larger gear on the hydro pump. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 650 #42 Posted January 20, 2013 Looking good Martin, and you'll never hear me complain about to many pics! Matt :flags-texas: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anglo Traction 761 #43 Posted January 20, 2013 Just found/read your thread Martin. Nice Find!. Look's like you've caught it just in time. Looking foward to see you work your magic on it. Looking way better already. Regards Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fabricator2009 48 #44 Posted January 20, 2013 Nice tractor Martin. I have a 1642 8speed with a tiller attached. Does a fantastic job.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
krazy_horse 59 #45 Posted January 20, 2013 Martin, Every picture your tractor is looking better and better, I like the sound of those twins. Good luck with it. krazy_horse Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #46 Posted February 2, 2013 (edited) just got in from plowing the small amount of snow we got last night. it was about an inch but because of drifting, i had some more in other areas to play in...... plowed all our driveways and did the sidewalks in our street. was out there for about 2 hours and had it running the whole time. got the engine and hydro nice and hot, drives great, everything works as it should, smooth!!!! have an oil leak from the pto side of the engine, not excessive, no change in oil level, but after 2 hours of running theres a mess all over that side of the tractor. will have to take a look at that soon..... this thing is great for snow duty, forward and reverse are fast, hyd lift works great, took me a little while to get used to driving and operating the plow at the same time, but the hyd lift is so much easier than the manual that i used in the past, and im not worn out afterwards, or have put my shoulder out. wasnt much depth in the snow, but no ice out and never lost traction. i have some chains that came with my c160 but i think they are for 23 x 8.50 and not sure if they will work on the 10.50s, id rather not use chains anyway..... reinstalled the concrete weights and it was good like that on the turfs. those weights are considerably heavier than the iron weights i have, so i figured just use them as they came with it. heres a pic after the fun...... and heres the side of the engine, damp from the leak, not excessive, but i need to take a look at it some time...... Edited February 2, 2013 by Martin 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wishin4a416 2,191 #47 Posted February 2, 2013 Looks good Martin. I know where a gray one is but he wont part with it and it just sits out in a scrap pile. Hes very tough. Good luck with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve k 82 #48 Posted February 2, 2013 (edited) Thats a lot of tractor! Nice! I put a chain for the plow link instead of the steel bar, It allows the blade to "float" out in the grass, but still scrapes clean good.......my .02 Never mind.....it looks like thats what yours has also.... :hide: Edited February 2, 2013 by steve k Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wheel-N-It 2,968 #49 Posted February 3, 2013 I'm glad to hear you got to play in the Snow with your new horse. If the crank seal is leaking Martin, I think LUCAS makes a product that will recondition engine seals to stop leaks such as yours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tankman 3,518 #50 Posted October 7, 2014 Looks like my pickup couple of weeks ago. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
