By
mhlmeader
Hi folks, long story, but here goes. My dad got this or at least part of this tractor about 30 years ago, I vaguely remember going with him and helping heft it into the back of a pickup truck. He ended up blending two tractors together for some reason, I dont know why. He's used it in his small garden, pulling trailers and such.
Fast forward, he's 72 now, I'm turning 48 soon. So, anywho, he tells me his tractor is locked up, wont shift!!! Rutt row!!! But it is at least in neutral. I didn't have alot of time to mess with it, not that I wouldnt have, so he finds a place in south bend( an old wheelhorse dealership) that will work on it. We load it up, get there, guys come out to look at it, and guy ask if that's a hydrostatic drive!!, oh no, I knew we were in the wrong place, turns out they wont mess with it, too old! So before it escalates, I tell my dad, I'll take care of it, I knows some people, dig it!!
So, on the way home, I says, you have left that tractor outside alot haven't you? Oh no, son, always inside, I didn't believe him.
So I do some googling, and reading through the forum 9n what to do first, or to try. First, I drained the oil, but there wasn't any, so I shook the tractor and drained the quart of water outta the tranny. Then I filled it up with gear oil, started the tractor, let it idle abit, slowly but shirly I could shift through all the gears!!!! Yippy!!!!
Then I noticed the head gasket appeared to be blown, was blowing out the side. Got a new head gasket, old one wasn't actually blown, but I installed new one anyway, still blowing by. More googling led me back here to learn to sand the head as best I could, and then more, pluse some spray on copper permatex. Sealed the gasket!!!! WOO HOO!!
So next is attaching a fabricated belt restrain on the bottom of the belt guard, I learned I needed that from looking through the forum too, she grinds a little bit when trying to shift. And I also ordered a new break band today from one of the forum members.
I actually power washed it today, its seen better days, but starting to look better. I'm gonna change the tranny fluid again, change the engine oil, and then I'm gonna call it good for now.
Anyway, just wanted to share about my dad's old horse, and how I been spending my time lately. Learned alot too!!!