What have you done to your Wheel Horse today?

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

I changed out an RJ transmission I had on a tractor I redid.  I did not rebuild the transmission and it was very tight for some unknown reason.  I had this in Florida and did several things to west in the tight transmission.  I have a feeling the brass bushings in the axle tubes and differential were not honed properly to allow the axles to turn freely. 
 

 

So I bit the bullet and decided to use my good  spare RJ transmission as a replacement.   I use my steel milk crates to raise tractor under frame and both remove and install the transmissions.  The milk crates are close to the right height to work on these. I have used them for years.

 

You have to remove tires, belt and belt guard, clutch spring, clutch rod, brake band and brake rod.  I also used same drive pulley so removed from the old transmission.  The truck to reinstalling the six transmission bolts in the frame is to line up correctly on sides, place a thin board under the transmission and a large Phillips screwdriver or smaller bolts in two of the three holes on one side of transmission thru the frame.  You do this while pushing down on a board placed under the transmission and lining up the transmission and frame holes.   Yes one person can do all of this and install the transmission.  Lock washers and lock nuts on the underside of the frame and tighten it all up. 
 

Tomorrow I will reinstall the seat and seat spring and take the RJ for a ride. 

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

On 2/28/2023 at 3:45 AM, Kevin Bowley said:

 WD is nearly useless as a penetrating oil my good sir. Here is a true, unbiased test of penetrants by "Project Farms" Penetrating oils tested in the real world.   If I recall correctly, Liquid wrench outperformed all save a mix of 50/50 ATF/Acetone. Kroil also did very well but is VERY expensive with no real-world advantage.

 Which shroud are you referring to?  The discharge chute keepers? 

 Your user name caught my attention as I am a 2 million mile over the road owner operator. My first machine was an "82 Kenworth W900 with a 400 Cummins (Hard riding piece of crap) and in 1986 I bought a new FLC120 260" wheelbase glider with Neeway big bag air ride and a V-8 souped up cat (courtesy of Salt Lake City Cat who dyno tuned it) and an Great Dane Air ride 48' reefer with all aluminums and stainless front and rear I traded it in 1992 for the new Intigral air ride cab FLD120 and a spanking new fancy dancy Great Dane with a Carrier Ice Cream unit that would hold -20 in 110 degree Arizona heat. I got rid of the 4 MPG V-8 and got the last of the mechanical pump four ina quarter Cats. After two west coast trips I brought it into Salt Lake City Cat to make that baby talk to me...I was never out-pulled, not once, it was stronger than the V-8 was. She had a 15 over with 3.70's and would hold 100mph fully grossed out...that was one sweet machine. Decked out to the max with every option possible, dual 6" Straight pipes, all aluminums, air cab, air ride front end, Bose stereo, fridge, rear climate control, Queen bed, generator for fuel saving when sitting/waiting for a load. I hauled mostly fresh, straight Maine lobster meat out west (stuff was 30.00 per LB wholesale and I had to be insured and bonded for 1 million to haul it. A full load was about 30,000 Lbs.) to L.A., Florida, Vegas, Houston, Seattle etc. and haul produce back to the Boston market, Shaw's or Hannaford's.  I had my own authority and used good honest brokers such as Allen Lund. Then I sold that as a complete unit in '97 (Got ROYALLY screwed on capital gains tax as I wrote the entire unit off in depreciation over 5 years) and went to school and got my Microsoft MSCE and Cisco CNE and Unity call system as well as Unix/Linux certs. Got a job as a Systems administrator for a large 12 location company with 300 end users and was promoted to CIO with a very hefty salary.  I retired in 2008 at 45 years old and a year later I opened my Small Engine repair shop to the public and I'm still flourishing.  I got so busy that I took my sign down but they just kept coming! Crazy, turned into much more then I wanted. I built an add-on 30x60 building in 2014 and should have doubled it.

  Sorry about the bio )

 

Kevin,

Kevins Small Engine service,

South Berwick ME. 03908

 

nice i like the old boxy hood trucks quite a bit but the COE's are my fav and yeah me and my dad watch project farm and buy the things he recomends and the shroud is from a briggs and stratton 5hp motor and its recoil shroud where it has the recoil cover thing built into the shroud if you look on mystery rj you will see the briggs im talking about .

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

On 2/28/2023 at 5:05 AM, 953 nut said:

Looks like you are about to learn a new skill.  You will need to carefully centerpunch the ends of each of the broken bolts and drill progressively larger holes in the bolts. Start with a 1/8" or smaller drill bit being sure the hole is centered and going as straight as possible down the bolt. Apply some oil as you drill and the heat of the drill will help the oil work is way down the threads. Drill about a 1/2" deep. Repeat the process using a 3/16" bit and check to make sure the drill isn't getting into the taped threads in the engine bearing plate or cylinder head too badly. They are both aluminum and easily damaged. At this point you will probably have drilled through  the edge of the bolt someplace. Use a small punch to gently fold back the edge of the bolt where the drill has broken through. The bolt should come right out now.

Take your time doing this, accuracy is the key to success, not speed.

will i need to use a tap and die set? or just be super carful with the drill bits

[Handy Don 12,216]

Using some good input from forum folk, I made up a riser and support for my 854 square pan seat. Used ¾” square tubing and ¼” plate.

It can be installed in two positions: either with the seat at its normal spot centered over the forward hole in the spring or flipped so that the seat is centered over the rearward hole in the spring (2” of extra leg room!). either way, the seat pan is fully supported and locked from twisting.

Time to clean it up and paint it.

[Handy Don 12,216]

3 hours ago, The Freightliner Guy said:

will i need to use a tap and die set? or just be super carful with the drill bits

Just the drill bits. Make sure you have sharp bits and maybe get a second pair of eyes to help you line up the drill so you get right down the middle of the stuck bolts.

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

2 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Just the drill bits. Make sure you have sharp bits and maybe get a second pair of eyes to help you line up the drill so you get right down the middle of the stuck bolts.

Ok thanks but how will I know when to stop drilling  and won’t the threads get ruined from the drill?

[Handy Don 12,216]

Excellent questions!

If you compare the bolts that came out normally with the broken one, you’ll get a good idea of how much of the broken one is stuck in the hole. You should go very slightly deeper to go out the end of the bolt. I measure that distance up the drill bit and then wrap a piece of masking tape around it as a depth guide.

 

Using bits smaller than the bolt keeps you from mangling the threads -- and that’s why is it SO important to go SLOW and STRAIGHT! Take you time.

I usually start with a 3/32” bit and size up 1/32 at a time. It is a tedious process!

 

After the first hole, I put penetrant in through the bolt so it can start working on the other end of the stuck bolt!

 

Once I have a hole that’s most of width of the bolt (or if I think I've gone off center and may be hitting the threads), I insert a tool called an EZ-out. These are kinda like a drill bit but they have a left-hand thread and they are tapered. As you screw it into the hole in the bolt, it gets wedged in. As you “tighten” in (lefty) it puts “loosening” turning force on the stuck bolt which usually breaks loose and comes out!

 

If you don’t have the ez-out, you can often use a small chisel to catch the end of the stuck bolt and tap it counter clockwise to get it to come out.

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

1 minute ago, Handy Don said:

Excellent questions!

If you compare the bolts that came out normally with the broken one, you’ll get a good idea of how much of the broken one is stuck in the hole. You should go very slightly deeper to go out the end of the bolt. I measure that distance up the drill bit and then wrap a piece of masking tape around it as a depth guide.

 

Using bits smaller than the bolt keeps you from mangling the threads -- and that’s why is it SO important to go SLOW and STRAIGHT! Take you time.

I usually start with a 3/32” bit and size up 1/32 at a time. It is a tedious process!

 

After the first hole, I put penetrant in through the bolt so it can start working on the other end of the stuck bolt!

 

Once I have a hole that’s most of width of the bolt (or if I think I've gone off center and may be hitting the threads), I insert a tool called an EZ-out. These are kinda like a drill bit but they have a left-hand thread and they are tapered. As you screw it into the hole in the bolt, it gets wedged in. As you “tighten” in (lefty) it puts “loosening” turning force on the stuck bolt which usually breaks loose and comes out!

 

If you don’t have the ez-out, you can often use a small chisel to catch the end of the stuck bolt and tap it counter clockwise to get it to come out.

ok so that means this last bolt has to make it out perfect cuz two are snapped 

[Handy Don 12,216]

1 minute ago, The Freightliner Guy said:

ok so that means this last bolt has to make it out perfect cuz two are snapped 

Oh my, you are not having good luck at all. Hoping that last one is ready to be kind.

If you point out in a picture which bolts you are working on, someone who knows RJs will be able to tell you how long they are.

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

1 minute ago, Handy Don said:

Oh my, you are not having good luck at all. Hoping that last one is ready to be kind.

If you point out in a picture which bolts you are working on, someone who knows RJs will be able to tell you how long they are.

the engine isn’t original it’s a replacement Briggs and Stratton 5hp that was put in some time in 1998-2003 maybe but I’ve been spraying it a lot 

[ebinmaine 67,460]

11 minutes ago, The Freightliner Guy said:

the engine isn’t original it’s a replacement Briggs and Stratton 5hp that was put in some time in 1998-2003 maybe but I’ve been spraying it a lot 

Kollin remember to TIGHTEN the bolts before attempting to loosen them. 

 

Heat if possible.  

 

 

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Kollin remember to TIGHTEN the bolts before attempting to loosen them. 

 

Heat if possible.  

 

 

Tighten why to break the seal and I can’t use heat my dad doesn’t want me using the blowtorch but I will wait for his super vision if I try it and I’m guessing tightening it breaks the rust bond holding it in place?

[ebinmaine 67,460]

4 minutes ago, The Freightliner Guy said:

Tighten why to break the seal and I can’t use heat my dad doesn’t want me using the blowtorch but I will wait for his super vision if I try it and I’m guessing tightening it breaks the rust bond holding it in place?

 

Yessir that's correct. 

 

Tighten just a tiny little bit. 

Loosen the SAME amount.  

Repeat. 

Repeat. 

Repeat. 

 

After a few repetitions begin adding a few degrees of turning to the movement.  

 

Usually. Eventually.  The bolt will move.  

 

 

 

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Yessir that's correct. 

 

Tighten just a tiny little bit. 

Loosen the SAME amount.  

Repeat. 

Repeat. 

Repeat. 

 

After a few repetitions begin adding a few degrees of turning to the movement.  

 

Usually. Eventually.  The bolt will move.  

 

 

 

ok thanks @ebinmaine ill give it a try and thanks @Handy Don for the info on how to remove the snapped ones and thank to everyone else who has given advice it is much appreciated as my dad isnt around much to help me with things so i thank you all .

 

Kollin

[8ntruck 6,999]

Another trick is to use left handed drill bits when drilling a bolt.  

 

A left handed drill bit cuts with counterclockwise rotation - bolt loosening direction.  The heat from the drilling and the reverse rotation will sometimes break the stuck bolt loose.

 

Good luck.

[Blasterdad 2,692]

Rebuilt a K341 carb after work, bagged it & tagged it. 

 

[spitfire 176]

I lost my front wheel turning the little trailer on the street.

There was car waiting for me to get it to the side.

 

what didn't i do to my tractor today was getting new wheel clips, i just put it back together and lost i a second time... to great joy of my kids..

so what will i do to my tractor today, is getting a clips from the other one and forget all about it. LOL

Edited March 9, 2023 by spitfire

[spitfire 176]

hey, can most mowerdecks go in B- lawn tractors?

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

16 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Using some good input from forum folk, I made up a riser and support for my 854 square pan seat. Used ¾” square tubing and ¼” plate.

It can be installed in two positions: either with the seat at its normal spot centered over the forward hole in the spring or flipped so that the seat is centered over the rearward hole in the spring (2” of extra leg room!). either way, the seat pan is fully supported and locked from twisting.

Time to clean it up and paint it.

 

Don. I used a rectangle box and also put in tube spacers ion the box on one.  Probably overkill but held up nicely.  The two one inch square pieces should do the truck.  I see you have a solid plate on lower end.  I will attach a picture of one of mine.  I have not done on all my RJs. I probably should though - I am not getting any skinnier!

Edited March 9, 2023 by Lane Ranger

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

Going to treat the lawn today with Scott’s Weed and Feed before tonight’s rainfall!  Using my 1975 B-80 and my Stryker spreader.

[Handy Don 12,216]

2 hours ago, Lane Ranger said:

Don. I used a rectangle box and also put in tube spacers ion the box on one.  Probably overkill but held up nicely.  The two one inch square pieces should do the truck.  I see you have a solid plate on lower end.  I will attach a picture of one of mine.  I have not done on all my RJs. I probably should though - I am not getting any skinnier!

In retrospect, the heavy lower plate might be overkill. Still, with me being almost EB-size, the lower plate lets me confidently use a second bolt (½-13 x ¾” with a locknut) in the other hole in the spring so the rider weight is not trying to bend the end of the spring around that rearward hole. (I did investigate adding a spring steel reinforcement to the stock spring--$$$.)

The square tubes I had on hand were ¾” and I wasn’t going to spend cash to get something bigger! I may epoxy on a couple of nice maple wood end plates so it looks a bit more posh and  matches my custom maple dashboard!

Once the paint cures fully and it’s mounted, I’ll post another picture.

 

[Wheelhorse#1 1,657]

So I attempted to make a counterfeit WH lens cover.As you can see I boogered up the cut ! 

Ill try again and try to improve it some.

Not having the WH logo makes me a bit sad but I can live without it.

 

[Monstrosity 1,127]

Got new rims for the 953 tires are a bit cracked but they got new tubes in there going to pick up some beat juice and fill em up with a fire extinguisher later on after she's up and running again 

[ebinmaine 67,460]

26 minutes ago, Monstrosity said:

fill em up with a fire extinguisher

Say whuuuut?? 

[Thegearhead0324 1,255]

Feeling sick to my stomach, as I just ordered and dumped a very lot of money on new tires and tubes for the 1257.... ouch.