My first hydro. Charger 12 project.

[formariz 11,987]

19 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

One of my breakerless is on loan to a neighbor he only mows with it.  I think I had it set at .006 or a bit more. Runs fine I am not sure that it makes a significant difference.  Manual really doesn't enlighten us as to why closer is better in the cold.

I have experimented with those settings and the only difference I have noticed is that the closer setting starts better in the winter. I believe the cold weather causes shrinkage on the flywheels taking it further away from the trigger. I have measured the .005 setting from the winter in the summer and it went to .003 on hot days. So if you have set pretty far like the .010, in the winter the gap will be too much.

[formariz 11,987]

While you have the tractor apart, pay special attention to the connections at the voltage regulator. It is in a difficult spot to work on, and if those connections come loose and create a short, you will fry the stator on it. That is really hard to find and expensive. I would go as far as placing it in a more accessible location so it could be regularly inspected.

[ebinmaine 67,711]

Started out the day with a MOST amazing meal.

Homemade bread. Our own chicken eggs. Local syrup literally from right up the street. Big fluffy thick French toast.
Best. Breakfast. Ever.

 

 

Then a little more disassembly.

Took off the belt guard.

 

Lubed some hydro linkage.

Found the idler pulley is pretty well rusted solid.

 

Popped the carb off the 1267 engine and cleaned it up a bit.

Removed the dash plate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pullstart 62,923]

Glad to see this one’s making progress faster than Colossus EB!  

 

I of course have many more gear jammers than slush boxes.  But there is something fun about a hydro control stick once in a while!

[ebinmaine 67,711]

10 minutes ago, pullstart said:

Glad to see this one’s making progress faster than Colossus EB

I'm trying to balance time between the two of them.

I really want to drive this one a little and see what it's like.

 

Because I only wanted a hydro to try plowing snow... And because snow season will be done before this project is... I'll be spending more time on Colossus soon.

 

Once that's up and running I'll finish up this Charger.

 

[Cvans 1,009]

26 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Started out the day with a MOST amazing meal.

Homemade bread. Our own chicken eggs. Local syrup literally from right up the street. Big fluffy thick French toast.
Best. Breakfast. Ever.

This is no joke, I could actually smell french toast while looking at your photo. Crazy, scratch and sniff monitor. What will they think of next? 

Visited with a friend who does the maple syrup thing. Told him I have a sugar maple in my front yard and his eyes lit up. Not many of those in Buffalo Flats SD. Told him he could tap it and I would change the buckets for him. Kind of hoping I will get a sample if his maple syrup as I love the stuff. 

[The Tuul Crib 7,337]

Damn that breakfast looks good ! Something about free range chicken eggs 

mmmmm!! But hey about the charger trans today l took out the Excelerator valves and got a surprise on the forward motion valve. Needs to be replaced!

[ebinmaine 67,711]

9 minutes ago, Cvans said:

This is no joke, I could actually smell french toast while looking at your photo. Crazy, scratch and sniff monitor. What will they think of next? 

Visited with a friend who does the maple syrup thing. Told him I have a sugar maple in my front yard and his eyes lit up. Not many of those in Buffalo Flats SD. Told him he could tap it and I would change the buckets for him. Kind of hoping I will get a sample if his maple syrup as I love the stuff. 

You remind me in a couple months.... I'll be happy to send you some.

 

[Cvans 1,009]

15 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

You remind me in a couple months.... I'll be happy to send you some.

 

I'll try. That's a generous offer and I'll make sure to cover the cost. Can't wait. 

[Lee1977 6,673]

On 1/25/2020 at 6:50 PM, ebinmaine said:

I'm trying to balance time between the two of them.

I really want to drive this one a little and see what it's like.

 

Because I only wanted a hydro to try plowing snow... And because snow season will be done before this project is... I'll be spending more time on Colossus soon.

 

Once that's up and running I'll finish up this Charger.

 

We may not live long enough to see the hydro running and pushing snow.  

[ebinmaine 67,711]

Just now, Lee1977 said:

We may not live long enough to see the hydro running and pushing snow.  

I hope you will. All of you. Probably won't push snow until next season.

 

Dirt though? This Summer. That would be nice.

 

[ebinmaine 67,711]

On 1/20/2020 at 10:08 AM, formariz said:

While you have the tractor apart, pay special attention to the connections at the voltage regulator. It is in a difficult spot to work on, and if those connections come loose and create a short, you will fry the stator on it. That is really hard to find and expensive. I would go as far as placing it in a more accessible location so it could be regularly inspected.

 

 

 

I did as above today and some other things.

 

The regulator on the tractor was badly corroded so I hucked it in the trash.

I have a regulator from a 77 C-160 on there now and I moved it... To the exact outside of where it was. I added a ground wire for the VR.

 

 

I found that the 2 AC wires were corroded and the insulation was completely off in one spot.

Cut that all apart and rewired them.

The ends of the VR/ignition switch wire were no better so that got the same treatment.

Checked the kill/ground wire. It has a small spot near the ignition switch end that will be heat shrink wrapped.

 

 

 

Trina took the plastic cover off of a C series dash and polished up the bare metal.

 

I installed the key switch and throttle cable. Not happy with the throttle cable so I'll either rebendify it or swap out for a new one.

 

 

 

Next will be to find a spot for the starter solenoid then finish wiring.

 

[formariz 11,987]

Good move right on time. I found that issue the hard way a long time ago.. Good spot for voltage regulator.

[AHS 1,443]

Does that not have a starter solenoid? My 70 Raider 12 didn’t, and I had to make one work! @ebinmaine

[ebinmaine 67,711]

3 hours ago, AHS said:

Does that not have a starter solenoid? My 70 Raider 12 didn’t, and I had to make one work! @ebinmaine

Nope.

Same basic tractor.

 

The original ignition switch was a (70?) Amp rated one that put ALL the battery current through it. 

I'm not a huge fan of that unless it's an S/G tractor because they sound so unique.

 

I've installed a universal 3 terminal solenoid to the side of the engine.

Also changing to the newer style ignition switch.

 

[ebinmaine 67,711]

Popped a couple more wires in place. 

Ran an auxiliary ground wire from solenoid base.

I decided to use the dash plate Trina cleaned up in Colossus so she cleaned up a different one.

 

The "new" one has the proper push/pull cable setup.

 

[ebinmaine 67,711]

Putting this link to a post for future reference.

I'll be getting back to this project by late summer or earlier and it needs this mod:

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,711]

Finished up the wiring harness this morning. Left a blue lead for the lights to be installed later.

 

Dropped the engine oil out while doing the wiring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,350]

Nice clean job with the wiring 

[ebinmaine 67,711]

Made up a battery cable

 

 

 

[Pullstart 62,923]

Lookin’ good EB!

[ebinmaine 67,711]

Made up the other 2 battery cables and put them in.

 

Next will be to get a fuel tank and lines in.

Then drag it out and fire it. We hope.

 

 

[ZXT 2,401]

13 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Made up the other 2 battery cables and put them in.

 

Next will be to get a fuel tank and lines in.

Then drag it out and fire it. We hope.

 

 

I trust that there will be pics of this?

[ebinmaine 67,711]

46 minutes ago, ZXT said:

I trust that there will be pics of this?

I'll make a video when I get it running.

 

[ebinmaine 67,711]

Little bit more done tonight.

 

Having set for so long the throttle linkage was frozen right up tight. Wouldn't move at all.

I removed all of the throttle linkage and wire brushed it. Put it back on. Works like a charm.

 

Note in the picture that the PO used washers and braised them onto the steel linkage to tighten up the slop in the holes.

@JCM .... More plumbing technique?

 

 

 

 

 

Got that all put back on along with the fuel line from pump to carb.

 

Here's a pic of the battery cables I made up.

 

 

 

I have a universal throttle cable that I had ordered for something else and it's way too long. Can anybody give me a rough length?

 

I did find that the muffler is going to have to be relocated just slightly. The old throttle cable was metal. This one has a rubber casing. In its current position the throttle cable contacts the muffler. There is no 45 degree elbow in the exhaust like there should be. Maybe I'll put one in there and flip the muffler up.