catman81056 3 #1 Posted March 31, 2008 Stopped by the junk yard today after work just to look around. Alot of spring cleaning going on so "bargins"(as in cheap tractors!!!) can be had. I found a Cub Cadet 129. Don't really have an interest in the tractor but the 12hp Kohler on it caught my eye. Turned it over by hand and it had compression, so for $10.00 I'll take a chance. Bringing the whole tractor home and taking the motor and electrical stuff off, then back to the yard. This is a good time of year to find "bargins", just got to keep checking the junk yards. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,406 #2 Posted March 31, 2008 You know Tim, I thought that very same idea yesterday. I ran some cardboard out to our local recycling center / dump, and took a peek over the fence toward the area where the steel and lawnmowers usually sit just to see what was there. (had to peek over the fence because it's closed on Sunday) I didn't see anything, but sounds like you got a good deal. I think it's funny that you had to pay for it though. My place let's you take stuff for nothing. Somebody paid to get rid of it... no reason you should have to pay for it again.?! Last fall I got a REALLY nice Eclipse Advance (old wood handled no motor reel mower) Still had the printing on the handle... amazing what some folks will toss out! I'll post a picture later. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
glenn27 64 #3 Posted March 31, 2008 In this area--all the area "transfer stations" are county owned (you can't come on private landfills) --and the County employees have customers/friends that slip them 'folding stuff" to weed out the good stuff--so the public never see's it!!!Just how it is--they have to supplement their low paychecks--and there is Fred Snford!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buzz 502 #4 Posted March 31, 2008 I think by junkyard Catman meant the places where you sell your iron, aluminum and copper by the pound, not local recycling centers. Of course the junkyards like to be called recycling centers too nowadays. My daughter works at one of the largest in the area so I thought I'd be able to find something good. Wrong. One of the foreman out in the yard grabs any old tractor that is worth anything. He fixes them up and sells them so I don't have a chance. I tried to talk to him in the office a couple of times but he's a big arrogant ass so I figured it wasn't worth the aggrevation :thumbs: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
perry 82 #5 Posted April 1, 2008 atleast they are saving them. i found 2 wheel horse's outside of the scrap pile while i was unloading my truck at our local metal recyclers. they would'nt let me take a damn thing. frontend loader came right behind me and smashed them into the pile. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,406 #6 Posted April 1, 2008 they would'nt let me take a damn thing. frontend loader came right behind me and smashed them into the pile. Well, that's just foolish. I could see if you're at a scrapyard having to pay scrap price to get it back out... I mean they paid for it, but just smashing it when there's someone willing to take it? Just foolish... and mean. I think by junkyard Catman meant the places where you sell your iron, aluminum and copper by the pound, not local recycling centers. And Buzz.... I see your difference!... Yeah, I go to a county transfer station (recycling center) where you can take stuff out for free, but you pay to dispose of things. It's only a mile outside of town. Junk/Scrap yards you generally get paid for your junk/scrap, so it's reasonable to expect to pay at least scrap price if not a few buck more to take it back away from them. I've never checked with the scrap yard, it's twenty miles away and the only time I go there is when I have a few bags full of crushed cans from the garage! hrmmmm...... Maybe I'll have to look around next time!..... :thumbs: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rollerman 290 #7 Posted April 1, 2008 Sadly my local metal recyling place "Omni Source" will not let you take or buy. Not sure what the reasons are...probably insurance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kelly 1,028 #8 Posted April 1, 2008 I guess I better chime in on this one it's right up my alley, I live in the country between two small towns and both have small junk yards that buy your scrap metal, from cans to large farm eqiupment and everything in between, both sort the diff metals to separate piles cast, sheetmetal, alum. ect... and lawnmowers have cast iron or cast alum. engines so they get set off and the motors cut out I know the guys at both places and they save WH stuff for me and I've even been told by other people trying to buy WH stuff from them that it's not for sale they have someone that buys all of it. (Me) I've got 5 tractors 1 running, decks, transmissions, 2 WH tillers, 3 snowblowers, snow blades and many off brand stuff running, and wheel weights and lots of goodys, just have to be nice and check often. and yes this time of year is when they come in, people cleaning up getting rid of stuff, It won't start junk it I can buy a shiny new one at Home depo, I just replied to a want ad on craigs list this week wanted lawn tractor can need minor work I told him I have a C-101 running with a 36" deck for $400 hop on and go he replied no thanks for $850 he can get a new one not a old wore out old tractor. That's up to him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catman81056 3 #9 Posted April 1, 2008 Well I picked up the 129. I wanted to try to start the engine while it was still on the tractor. Checked for spark, cleaned the plug, nice blue spark. Put chainsaw gas in the tank (thats all I had!!) and took the bowl off to loosen up the needle valve. Got the gas to flow. Put alittle gas in the plug hole and turned it over. Started right up!! Alittle smoke at first then tapered off to faint smoke. No knocks. Tryed the hydro and it didn't move either way. It took me awhile to figure out how you lock the hydro out so you can push it. That little lever didn't have anything attached to it but I could see where something had broke off. Then I noticed the two valves that had these small rounds in the middle. It finally dawned on me that the lever had a flat piece of metal that pushed the rounds down when you threw it. Well I took each valve out and worked the rounds back and forth till they moved under their own spring pressure. Then I started the tractor up and drove it around the yard, works and drives fine. The deck is shot, so I might just try to adapt the snowblower I have to it. All in all I'm really pleased for $40.00. Just gonna have to paint it red, don't want anyone to get the wrong idea :thumbs: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,406 #10 Posted April 2, 2008 Sounds like a good deal there Tim! Keep your eyes open for the matching snowblower.... someone threw out the tractor... eventually they'll find the snowblower they don't need! :thumbs: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
