how are your improvements working out?

[peter lena 8,625]

just asking , most of my replies involve something that I  changed or was testing a previous problem area . like to do that , turn something from a  regular problem to a reliable area . could be wiring or mechanical function . like to make anything work easier , often just detailing function , shows you the way . like plow quadrant steering function , improving grounding .repetitive  failure is your greatest opportunity , to  correct its fault , pete

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

I haven't worked on my Wheel Horse yet so I can't say for that project. However with my Murray to IH 1568 I apply the concept of 'think about it, try and try again' regurarly..

To be honest it isn't always fun to learn through faillure but that's kinda how life works.

 

Mark

[ri702bill 8,319]

Green grease! Green grease! Stop that noise & make it cease!!

I have switched from the once a week applied Lucas Red & Tacky to Pete's favorite, the Green Grease on the Milling machine spur gears of the Power Table Feed. No more grease slung off onto the guard - regrease it once a month now - no more gear whine.

 

Heim joints on the 48" plow angling rod ends worked fine this winter - no issues or signs of wear...

Bill

[ebinmaine 67,485]

Back in the '80s in high school I took several years of electricity class. That's where I began to understand that DC systems NEED proper ground and great connections or there is no system.

 

I've built modified or repaired at least a half a dozen tractor wiring setups so far and I like to add extra grounds wherever it's practical, and then some.

 

Add an extra washer here and there.

Using the heim joints on the steering for quite a while now and I'll be doing that next winter on my plow controls as well.

 

 

[balconio 606]

1) i wish i would have taken pictures, but on both my 312-8's the frame rail ends where the seat and rear fender tins bolt on were broken or cracked. i fixed this by cutting them short and welding on bed frame iron which i know isn't the best but it's more than adequate for this and way thicker than what was there. i can only imagine it happened because i'm 250lbs and also i get on and off the tractor from the right side 90% of the time and put a lot more stress on that side.

 

2) i boxed in the steering shaft bushing with some steel bar because it was sloppy AF and i couldn't for the life of me get the roll pin out of the steering wheel to do it right and replace the bushings. i still have 2 NIB bronze steering bushings, but the steering is staying tight.

 

3) i got rid of the sloppy bar and bushing setup for the hood and just used some bolts and nylock nuts to hold it down. hood is SUPER steady now and it used to rock around visibly as I mowed.

 

4) not really an improvement but more of a preference: i don't use any cotter pins anymore... i use different size "R" clips for all my retention points so it truly is a tool free process to change decks/blower/remove belt from PTO etc.

 

[ebinmaine 67,485]

13 minutes ago, balconio said:

got rid of the sloppy bar and bushing setup for the hood and just used some bolts and nylock nuts to hold it down

Gonna have to try to remember that one

[Handy Don 12,217]

43 minutes ago, balconio said:

got rid of the sloppy bar and bushing setup for the hood and just used some bolts and nylock nuts to hold it down

I like it. Even better if you can use partially threaded bolts to keep the smooth part at the pivot point.

[ebinmaine 67,485]

2 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

I like it. Even better if you can use partially threaded bolts to keep the smooth part at the pivot point.

Wicked good idea mistah. 

[peter lena 8,625]

@ri702bill  bill as you have found out , that green grease , just flat out works , my experience is the  same , use it in the tough noisy spots . smooth / easy and quiet . love it on the mower and pto bearings , silence , those heim joints  are the deal , use it on your pto needle bearing too , that spins up easier , go green  , pete 

[8ntruck 7,002]

18 hours ago, Handy Don said:

I like it. Even better if you can use partially threaded bolts to keep the smooth part at the pivot point.

Throw a Belleview washer under the nylock.  That would keep some tension in the joint and kill rattles.

Edited May 11, 2022 by 8ntruck

[balconio 606]

1 hour ago, peter lena said:

@ri702bill  bill as you have found out , that green grease , just flat out works , my experience is the  same , use it in the tough noisy spots . smooth / easy and quiet . love it on the mower and pto bearings , silence , those heim joints  are the deal , use it on your pto needle bearing too , that spins up easier , go green  , pete 

i used to be able to get the lucas green grease one tube at a time from amazon for real cheap. like $4 a tube, but not anymore. i have a hard time finding it locally and papa bezos only sells cases of 10 or more. i just can't justify stocking that much of the stuff so i'm back to cheap garbage valvoline crimson.

[ebinmaine 67,485]

1 hour ago, 8ntruck said:

Throw a Belleview washer under the nylock.  That would keep some tension I'm the joint and kill rattles.

Again. Despite my best efforts... I've learned something. 

[Retired Wrencher 5,455]

Pete, I live to work on them. It is a true joy for me. I am in a band that I thought was my passion till I got back into this hobby again for the second time. My true interest is start/gen tractors. Simple but over built. Enjoy the day.

[squonk 41,104]

10 hours ago, balconio said:

i used to be able to get the lucas green grease one tube at a time from amazon for real cheap. like $4 a tube, but not anymore. i have a hard time finding it locally and papa bezos only sells cases of 10 or more. i just can't justify stocking that much of the stuff so i'm back to cheap garbage valvoline crimson.

Wal-Mart

[JoeM 7,874]

11 hours ago, balconio said:

i just can't justify stocking that much of the stuff

It can get pricey.

Another option is the Traveller Brand at Tractor Supply, they have both the Lithium based and Poly stuff.

I have been using the Traveller Premium Heavy Duty Lithium Grease for years and no issues. $3.50 a tube and $2.99 on sale. Has about the same spec of the Lucas R&T and no race car tarfs. 

 

 

[peter lena 8,625]

@RETIRED WRENCHER , seams to be a common thread to repair , for me its just looking at how its saposed to work / function , thats what  usually makes me change out what's  there . go after reliability  first , verify your gain , then improve function . fount that 2 step , makes the best gain for me . my original mower deck engagement , was at best , sloppy , clunky, noisy . for years now , solid , smooth , and very easy to engage , its also very quiet . thats only what I  want , but marvel at how easily it works . glad people are trying  things , pete    

[Retired Wrencher 5,455]

22 hours ago, peter lena said:

@RETIRED WRENCHER , seams to be a common thread to repair , for me its just looking at how its saposed to work / function , thats what  usually makes me change out what's  there . go after reliability  first , verify your gain , then improve function . fount that 2 step , makes the best gain for me . my original mower deck engagement , was at best , sloppy , clunky, noisy . for years now , solid , smooth , and very easy to engage , its also very quiet . thats only what I  want , but marvel at how easily it works . glad people are trying  things , pete    

Nice post Pete. If you have time like I do I like putting detail where I can. I will post when I am done with the 1257.

[peter lena 8,625]

@Retierd Wrencher  thanks , always been a stickler for detail function , so when I encountered  a trouble spot , would just plan a  correction .realize that this breaks with original set up , but it does not have to be radical to make it work reliably . very often my wiring detail improvements are hiding in plane site , big difference is chronic problem is gone , isn't what you want ?  big 3 for me is , wire grounding , routing . mechanical function and ease of use. plow , and mower deck ease of operation . have to be fed up with original detail lacking , setup . went step by step , and corrected and improved as I  went . eliminate rust and sloppy linkage end points , firm up and lubrication , makes things work seamlessly . every time I  engage my mower deck set up , I  marvel at how easily it works , and its very quiet too . this is only me , have my original  c-85 , 40 years , experiment , improve , pete 

[Retired Wrencher 5,455]

Pete I have 4 now but really only one worker. This is a winter tractor. Summer one is hardly used. But I like riding once in awhile. Other two is hobby tractors or show putters.

[Lee1977 6,659]

On 5/10/2022 at 3:57 PM, ebinmaine said:

Gonna have to try to remember that one

You don't need the bolts unless you have the later model tractors 300, 400. 500 and maybe the Black Hoods not sure about them. The C-series needs good rubber stops between the hinge. I used some of the large 5/8" diameter tubeless valve stims cut them off about 1/2" above the sealing groove and pulled the brass stem out. Did that about 25 years back and they are still working. I had some extra 5/8" valve stims that I don't use any more.

[ebinmaine 67,485]

8 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

 

👍 Excellent!

[Lee1977 6,659]

I decided to make a new set of hinges for the 312. Tried putting bushings in the hinges a month or so back didn't help much. They made the original hinges just too thin  I used some 1/4" x 2" x 2" angle and cut some out. Haven't completely finished it but got it together. Need to drill hinges and the front hitch out to 7/16" as the holes in the front hitch are worn. 

 

I got it finished, used the existing rod and made collars out of a couple of nuts shimmed the rod tight and epoxied it. Then dabbed some paint at it. It's my worker was a sad looking horse when I got it.

Now it you shake the hood the hold tractor moves.

Edited May 15, 2022 by Lee1977

[war eagle 80]

My hinges were seriously wallered out causing the hood to rock sideways and rattle so I tack welded 1 inch grade 8 bolts to them and used nylon washers and lock nuts. No slop or rattles now!

[peter lena 8,625]

@war eagle glad you got after that , once you get in the habit of correction , you look at problems differently .  @Lee1977  did a nice strengthening set up on that chronic lower hood area . always adapting for function , make it better . of course if you have to keep it original , thats another issue . pete