The 875 in Action

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

For those of you that have followed the "Iron Horse" restoration thread, you know about the history of this tractor with our family!  Judge had been asking to drive it and so I gave him the opportunity to do so...

 

 

 

 

 I don't think there is an easier tractor to drive and he had a blast. It is hard to believe that it was 33 years ago that I was driving the same machine at his age!

Here I am driving it in the Fourth of July parade 2017  

[AMC RULES 37,130]

Man, that was a fun ride...

on a such a beautiful  too.

         Thanks for sharing it here.   

 

[ebinmaine 67,456]

5 minutes ago, AMC RULES said:

Thanks for sharing it here. 

[KC9KAS 4,741]

@PeacemakerJack That is a fine looking 875 (and youngster too).

It is great to have a tractor that has so much history & sentimental value!

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

This tractor has worked so hard throughout its 50 plus year existence that we feel it has earned a deserved rest.  But that doesn't mean that it will be tucked away in the stable, never to see the light of day! NO WAY! It will be driven by all of Dad's grandkids and get taken to shows and parades where others can also enjoy it.  It is so fun to share verbally many of the stories that are in written form in the above link.  Thank you to everyone who took the restoration journey with me.  I enjoy this hobby very much and will restore other tractors in the future but none will mean as much to me as that one--not just because of the length of time it has been in the family but mainly because of the memories associated with it and the members of the family.  So, this thread will be a place for those interested in following the future of Dad's "Iron Horse" as new memories are made...

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

I was going through old YouTube videos on my channel—there is A LOT of GT stuff on there but I found this video of dad cleaning out the driveway with it the winter before we started the resto.  It is the last “hard work” that the tractor did and so I’ll preserve that here as well...

I’m sure I had indicated in the resto thread that Dad was given this snowblower in the early 90’s. We aren’t sure what it was from but he made it work on the old 875 and it cleaned the drive for about 15 years...I love the plastic barbell weights on the homemade brackets for ballast—whatever works.

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

JUST IN FROM DAD...

 

 

The Iron Horse is getting a little workout today!  Dad tried pulling this last year with his Scott’s “throw away” tractor—I don’t think so!  It pulled it for about 10 minutes then the trans stopped pulling so it was time to use something up to the task at hand! 

The 875 has earned its relaxation mode after better than 50 years of work. However, it’s cool to see that it can still pull its weight when called upon!

[953 nut 55,203]

11 minutes ago, PeacemakerJack said:

cool to see that it can still pull its weight

              How much weight is on that roller?               

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

I’m not 100% sure but I think it is about 12-1400 pounds.  I know that the raw roller is close to 1000.  It is a home built (I know—a surprise from the Stertz family!) that has all kinds of heavy materials mixed into the concrete of the roller.  I just can’t remember what those steel plates weigh that Uncle Roger added to the top. 1/2” thick 12” wide by about 40” long...

[RandyLittrell 3,877]

23 minutes ago, PeacemakerJack said:

I’m not 100% sure but I think it is about 12-1400 pounds.  I know that the raw roller is close to 1000.  It is a home built (I know—a surprise from the Stertz family!) that has all kinds of heavy materials mixed into the concrete of the roller.  I just can’t remember what those steel plates weigh that Uncle Roger added to the top. 1/2” thick 12” wide by about 40” long...

 

 

That's over 800 pounds just in the plates on top! 

 

I would avoid inclines for sure!! But I bet that baby does its job!

 

 

 

 

Randy

 

 

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Thankfully dad’s yard is as flat as a pancake but apparently I have underestimated the weight! My uncle Rog knows pretty close what it weighs in at...I’ll ask him this weekend!  Thanks for the calcs on the plates! 

[953 nut 55,203]

                 Moles don'd stand a chance in your Dad's yard!

[RandyLittrell 3,877]

1 hour ago, PeacemakerJack said:

JUST IN FROM DAD...

 

 

The Iron Horse is getting a little workout today!  Dad tried pulling this last year with his Scott’s “throw away” tractor—I don’t think so!  It pulled it for about 10 minutes then the trans stopped pulling so it was time to use something up to the task at hand! 

The 875 has earned its relaxation mode after better than 50 years of work. However, it’s cool to see that it can still pull its weight when called upon!

 

 

 

 

I'm digging the old school wooden pillow block bearing with grease zerks!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Classic!  My Uncles have used those on occasion for applications like that and using the right wood and keeping them greased, they work for years...

[953 nut 55,203]

8 minutes ago, PeacemakerJack said:

using the right wood and keeping them greased, they work for years.

        A lot of the conveyors in packing houses when I was a kid used wood bearings, perhaps metal bearings hadn't been invented yet;             I am old!   

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

                 Moles don'd stand a chance in your Dad's yard!

How'd you get a picture of my yard before the last snow? This year I'm renting a "BIG" spiked roller and using the Mahindra to tug it up and down my hilly pasture , going mole hunting...

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Another chapter in the “Iron Horse” story is about to be written!  I’ve received the OK from dad to take it out to the Big Show! It will be so fun to share this piece of the Stertz Family history with all who attend and care to look it over.  Thanks to Jim @WHX19 who is willing to trailer it with his rig.  I’ll be putting pictorial updates  here as the trip unfolds for posterity and to share with those interested! Can’t wait...

[WHX?? 48,815]

Oh Joy... I can hear my self now... are we there yet?!?!/ Don't make me reach back there!!

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Exactly! You have me and @Coulter Caleb to put up with...I can hear it already,

 

”I have to go potty!”

”I’m hungry!”

”Are we there yet?”

”I’m tired of being in this vehicle!”

”Are we ever gonna get there?”

 

And that is just what Dan @Achtowill be saying. 

 

And then we’ll start in with our comments from the “peanut gallery”!

[WHX?? 48,815]

I dunno...you guys might not like the music Dan has picked out!

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Likely.

 

Three words:

”Noise Canceling Headphones”.

[Achto 27,570]

Come on! I was just planning on playing the same Jerry Reed song over & over all the way there.  " Eastbound & down, loaded up and truckin'..."

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

If it’s good once, by my fuzzy sports math, we should be able to listen to it about 180 times more before we get to the Big Show!  

[ebinmaine 67,456]

1 hour ago, Achto said:

Come on! I was just planning on playing the same Jerry Reed song over & over all the way there.  " Eastbound & down, loaded up and truckin'..."

 

 

Best!

 

 

Song!

 

 

Ever!!

 

 

 

Okay well maybe not repeatedly all day everyday for weeks

 

 

 

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Took the 875 to Jim’s house on Sunday so that it could be loaded in the trailer for transport to the east coast!

 

It will be so cool to take this tractor on this adventure.  I’ve been riding on this thing since I was about six months old...

Mom and I (circa 1979)

Here he is all loaded up in the back of Jim’s rig!  Many thanks to Jim and Dan for setting up and securing the load! Tomorrow, after morning work, our adventure officially begins.  I wish our man @Rp.wh Ryan could make it this go around but he will be with us in spirit. @Coulter Caleb is really charged up about the run and I’m excited to do this trip with him...