What have you done to your Wheel Horse today?

[ineedanother 1,369]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Pic or video? 

 

 that might help (ctrlV) 

 

[Heatingman 971]

Had a minor setback removing the rear hubs on the B80.

 

Lesson learned - go for the torch straight away.

 

First hub I snapped a section of the hub between the lug screws. Probably would have been functionally fine, I was not too pleased about it and I still needed to remove it.

 

So I got the torch out, heated the hub, reset the puller, and now it came off. The other came off smooth - went straight to the torch right away on that one. 
 

After a cursing session, and a quick looksie on the web for a replacement hub, I realized Id better just fix it.

 

So, I grabbed some 7018, cleaned pieces, and welded the parts back together.

 

Definitely not a perfect weld job, but its serviceable. Cast iron is just a dirty metal filled with imperfections, so porosity is par for the course. And plently strong for the application. In all reality the hub probably would have worked fine even without re-attaching the missing section.

So long story short, just grab the torch first thing.  

 

 

 

[WHGuy413 2,695]

So if I walked by one of my Wheel Horses today does that count as anything? No time to do anything with them today between work, interviewing a possible new firefighter and a diner meeting for the fire department. Wish I had time. Starting to get jealous of all of you working on your stuff.

[Heatingman 971]

4 minutes ago, WHGuy413 said:

So if I walked by one of my Wheel Horses today does that count as anything? No time to do anything with them today between work, interviewing a possible new firefighter and a diner meeting for the fire department. Wish I had time. Starting to get jealous of all of you working on your stuff.

Im more jealous of the guys enjoying the work already done.

 

My project started as more of necessity. Then like all my projects I go all in. So what was supposed to be a quick paint refresh and mower blade sharpening, has become essentially a full blown restoration of the tractor and the attachments.

[ebinmaine 67,570]

6 hours ago, Heatingman said:

hub I snapped

 

It's a common theme that these hubs a real bugger to remove.  

 

It's VERY important to use a different style puller next time you're "graced" with a removal.  

 

Set up a puller that puts the pressure preferably at the back of the hub... Or at minimum, through the 5 stud holes. There are threads showing how. 

@953 nut has a good pic somewhere.  

 

Excellent job welding that by the way!

 

6 hours ago, Heatingman said:

Then like all my projects I go all in. So what was supposed to be a quick paint refresh and mower blade sharpening, has become essentially a full blown restoration of the tractor

This is a syndrome I understand all too well. 

I'll just fix this. 

It's attached to that. 

I'll just fix that. 

It's attached to those. 

I'll just fix those. 

It's attached to them. 

I'll just fix them. 

 

 

Ehhhhhh. Nope. 

 

But seriously. It's all good.  

 

I've learned over the years that nothing takes the "few minutes" it should and that's genuinely  OK.  

 

You're FAR better off to do it right. Once. 

 

[953 nut 55,290]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Set up a puller that puts the pressure preferably at the back of the hub... Or at minimum, through the 5 stud holes. There are threads showing how. 

@953 nut has a good pic somewhere. 

If you apply maximum pressure first and then use a needle gun   to vibrate the hub under pressure and then add pressure again and repeat the process it seems to work very well.

[Handy Don 12,233]

11 hours ago, ineedanother said:

This is how I do it but some folks try other methods to avoid the shavings but I don't really get that. It's torn down and being cleaned anyway right 

 

Replacements (other than bags of 100) can sometimes be challenging but maybe you have a good source. 

@ebinmaine

The fellow in the video drills in the center of the welch plug. I drill a bit off-center but not too close to the side to avoid hitting a centered part behind the plug!

I also use a very sharp drill bit and drill horizontally so I can press lightly and not overshoot if I can help it plus the shavings fall away from the drill site.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Handy Don

[WHX?? 48,828]

12 hours ago, D_Mac said:

Missing in the pic is the cooler of cold ones.

Dog is guarding them 

 

12 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Sure. 

 

Not Your Father's brand. 

 

 

12 hours ago, D_Mac said:

Think he uses the Channellocks to turn the sausage??

 its for lowering the grill!

 

12 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Any advice on how to easily remove the Welch plug on the side

Just aluminum right ? Should be able to pick it out? But yeah have a replacement on hand. 

[ineedanother 1,369]

52 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

@ebinmaine

The fellow in the video drills in the center of the welch plug. I drill a bit off-center but not too close to the side to avoid hitting a centered part behind the plug!

I also use a very sharp drill bit and drill horizontally so I can press lightly and not overshoot if I can help it plus the shavings fall away from the drill site.

I actually prefer to clamp them on the drill press so it's a lot less likely to punch through like what happens with a hand drill. The important thing is, and I'm glad @ebinmaine raised the question, is that a lot of folks will "rebuild" a carb without replacing the welch plugs and that just isn't a complete job. There's just no way to ensure that the drillings are clear and clean if you don't.

[ebinmaine 67,570]

3 minutes ago, ineedanother said:

lot of folks will "rebuild" a carb without replacing the welch plugs and that just isn't a complete job. There's just no way to ensure that the drillings are clear and clean if you don't.

Absolutely true.

In the last few years I've gone through maybe 12 or 15 Kohler carburetors. Never removed a Welch plug. Also never had a problem. Did that at the advice of my favorite local small engine shop.

 

B & S updraft and Tecumseh  carbs on the other hand I've been advised to always remove the plugs.

 

The logic behind that, from what I understand, is that when you spray liquid cleaner or compressed air through a Kohler carb the location and angles of the wee little passageways allow them to flow fine without removing the Welch plugs.

 

Judging by my own experiences I agree with them. 

 

[Handy Don 12,233]

35 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

B & S updraft and Tecumseh  carbs on the other hand I've been advised to always remove the plugs.

 

The carbs on the Onan 16, 18, and 20 also have a plug that's worth cleaning behind. Several passages intersect back there!

[cleat 6,037]

I found out the hard way that if you blow the carb out with compressed air you might accidentally blow the welch plug out.

 

I did not know I had blown it out and proceeded to reassemble everything then start the engine.

 

Wow, if you think a dirty carb makes these onans surge you should try running one with the welch plug out.

 

Replaced the plug and all was well again.

[Handy Don 12,233]

15 minutes ago, cleat said:

I found out the hard way that if you blow the carb out with compressed air you might accidentally blow the welch plug out.

 

I did not know I had blown it out and proceeded to reassemble everything then start the engine.

 

Wow, if you think a dirty carb makes these onans surge you should try running one with the welch plug out.

 

Replaced the plug and all was well again.

Amazing, right?

On my new-to-me Onan 18 a couple years ago, the carb was glistening clean (PO had ultrasound cleaned it) but plug was not there and I was too inexperienced to know it was missing. Oh the surges! But that one tiny ⅜" round piece of aluminum properly placed and it purrs as smooth as silk!

 

BTW, if compressed air popped it, it wasn't properly seated in the first place, IMHO.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Handy Don

[squonk 41,145]

2 hours ago, WHX?? said:

 

 

 

 

 its for lowering the grill!

 

 

And for opening those "North of the Border Cold Ones"  without twist tops! 

[TonyToro 1,050]

17 hours ago, Lane Ranger said:

At this years Big Wheel Horse Show in Pennsylvania I had two tractors my B-80 and my 854.  The 854 had not been used for three months and when I went to start no juice from battery.   It would not turn over but I had lights.  So I asked my friend Jerry Karp if he had a jump box .  He said yes I could borrow his. 
 

Interestingly. Jerry had a lithium ion  battery device I had not seen before.  A GB-70 2000 amp battery charger/jump starter.  So I hooked it up and boom right away the 854 started.  I liked that it was compact about a third the size or less of most jump boxes I had in the past.  I still have one from Harbor Freight but did not that to Gettysburg this year. 
 

So I checked it out and liked it. It has a light. , ports for other devices like IPad, laptop or I phone.  Made in Malaysia and comes with four or five electric plug connectors as it is sold world wide.  
 

It costs between $175 and $225 depending on seller but it fits easily under a seat.  

A perfect thing to take to tractor shows. 

 

 

 

My son watches Taryl fixes all and that’s what he recommends, so my son got me one! I agree … super tool to have on hand!

[cleat 6,037]

3 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Amazing, right?

On my new-to-me Onan 18 a couple years ago, the carb was glistening clean (PO had ultrasound cleaned it) but plug was not there and I was too inexperienced to know it was missing. Oh the surges! But that one tiny ⅜" round piece of aluminum properly placed and it purrs as smooth as silk!

 

BTW, if compressed air popped it, it wasn't properly seated in the first place, IMHO.

That could well be.

If all the Onans I have worked on this is the only one that popped out.

 

[19richie66 17,508]

34 minutes ago, TonyToro said:

My son watches Taryl fixes all and that’s what he recommends, so my son got me one! I agree … super tool to have on hand!

I bought the charger/trickle charger and have been very happy with it. I got the Genius 10amp charger. Works great.

[cafoose 3,355]

19 hours ago, Lane Ranger said:

GB-70 2000 amp battery charger/jump starter.

I got one from Tractor Supply. I keep it in my truck all the time. Came in handy numerous times

[ineedanother 1,369]

8 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Absolutely true.

In the last few years I've gone through maybe 12 or 15 Kohler carburetors. Never removed a Welch plug. Also never had a problem. Did that at the advice of my favorite local small engine shop.

 

B & S updraft and Tecumseh  carbs on the other hand I've been advised to always remove the plugs.

 

The logic behind that, from what I understand, is that when you spray liquid cleaner or compressed air through a Kohler carb the location and angles of the wee little passageways allow them to flow fine without removing the Welch plugs.

 

Judging by my own experiences I agree with them. 

 

Interesting. I'll admit I've gotten away without replacing them but that's generally when I don't have the right one on hand and just do the best I can with cleaner and compressed air. They're so cheap and easy to replace that I just prefer to do it while I'm already investing that much time. I also used to do quite a few small 2 stroke chainsaws and such that annoy the heck out of me if they don't idle or rev to my liking, often due to dirty drillings.

[ebinmaine 67,570]

2 minutes ago, ineedanother said:

small 2 stroke chainsaws

Ahh the 2 strokes.... A science by itself that I've yet to learn.   

[ineedanother 1,369]

17 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Ahh the 2 strokes.... A science by itself that I've yet to learn.   

I like them but their days are numbered. Between noise ordinances and battery power there's not much future other than commercial logging for them from what I can see. 

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

On 9/1/2022 at 1:46 PM, TonyToro said:

My son watches Taryl fixes all and that’s what he recommends, so my son got me one! I agree … super tool to have on hand!

That Tayrl is a Hoosier too in DeMotte, Indiana!

Edited September 3, 2022 by Lane Ranger

[Snoopy11 5,714]

I attached a lawn sweeper...

 

 

Don

[ebinmaine 67,570]

54 minutes ago, ineedanother said:

commercial logging

Likely not much time there either.  

Heavy Duty logging such as here in Maine is all done by VERY large machines. 

 

The battery powered chainsaw Trina bought herself this past year will stay charged about the same time as my two smaller gas powered saw's tanks of gas. 

 

A bit more advancing in battery technology and the larger commercial saws will have a viable power source there as well.  

[Heatingman 971]

1 hour ago, Snoopy11 said:

I attached a lawn sweeper...

 

 

Don

 I want one myself.