Rollerman 290 #1 Posted January 2, 2008 Anybody here familiar with the older Sears "Custom" garden tractors? I have a friend with one & it has an unusual FEL on it. It doesn't look like any KW, Johnson or other FEL I have seen for garden tractors? Did Sears produce there own at one time? Anyways I'm considering buying the tractor for the FEL. I've added a pic of one like it....this is not my friends but off the net with no further info. The links on the FEL I beleive self level the bucket. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim_M 178 #2 Posted January 2, 2008 Stephen, I'm not real familiar with Sears tractors or loaders, but I know they never built any equipment of their own, everything was built on contract by someone else. Jim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337 #3 Posted January 2, 2008 Didn't Roper make the older Sears garden tractors? If so, maybe they made the FEL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
combatmp29r 27 #4 Posted January 2, 2008 Stephen, I emailed a copy of the pic to a buddy of mine. He has what you could call a tractor junk yard about 45 minutes from me. He has a bunch of horses, but is a Sears collector mainly. If anyone would no Greg would. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim_M 178 #5 Posted January 2, 2008 Terry, That sounds right to me. I was pretty sure Roper made them for at least 20 years. AYP makes them now and they're about 1/8 the tractor that they used to be. Jim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
combatmp29r 27 #6 Posted January 2, 2008 Stephen, Greg just emailed me back that it is a Kwickway. Not like the ones made for wheel horse, but that is who manufactured those loaders for sears. He also just joined the group here, so hopefuly we will be getting some posts from him soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337 #7 Posted January 2, 2008 Terry, That sounds right to me. I was pretty sure Roper made them for at least 20 years. AYP makes them now and they're about 1/8 the tractor that they used to be. Jim Jim, Agreed on that last comment. I had an AYP product a few years back - it had cheap written all over it. Now, the Craftsman might be a little better than that little Central Park I had, but not by much. The Roper made ones were pretty stout machines in contrast. My brother had one, with a 16 hp engine on it that probably was made in the mid-70's. Good strong machine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
combatmp29r 27 #8 Posted January 2, 2008 I agree with both of you about they AYP built mowers. I will give them credit only as far as being organ donors Thats where the 18 hp twin for the V18 came from. Other than that though they are a weekly made pile of junk. My brother-in-law has 2 of the old Sears suburbans. They are a very stout tractor. He even took the loader off an old International skid loader he blew up and made it fit the 16 horse he has. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 10,662 #9 Posted January 2, 2008 Anybody here familiar with the older Sears "Custom" garden tractors? Stephen, Pop has one identical to the one in your pic, minus the FEL unfortunately. He just added hydraulic lift to it. My old boss has seven of them, all different years. They are some very stout machines, and alot of folks swear by them. The transmission in those things are, dare I say it, stronger than a Wheel Horse by most of the owner's opinions. They have 3 forward speed trannies with high/low, much like WH, but the setup on them is kinda wierd. They also came in about 10 different color combinations from year to year. Red/white, orange/white, blue/white, caterpillar yellow/white, and the list goes on. The engine choices were similar to what Wheel Horse had, but some had big Onans on them. Nearly all of them came with a 3 point hitch with manual lift. I've never seen one with a FEL. That's pretty interesting. Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337 #10 Posted January 2, 2008 Kevin, I think my brother's Sears had an Onan on it, a 16 hp twin, I believe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 10,662 #11 Posted January 2, 2008 Pop's has a 12hp Tecumseh on it. I'm not a big fan of Tecumsehs, but his does fairly well. No complaints in the power department. That tractor is very strong, so I can't imagine what a Onan powered one would be like. I was gonna get some pics of his to show off in here anyway, and now I just have to do it. He used a setup similar to a HY-2 pump to add hydraulics on his. He mounted the pump in front of the engine, mounted a double pulley on the engine flywheel, and ran one belt to the pump, and the other to the starter/generator. he also made a new hood, and added about six inches to the frame. The hydraulics are operated by a long rod and linkage he made up that runs from the dash all the way to the pump. Sounds strange, but it's a really neat job he's done with it. He's gonna re-paint the whole tractor in the spring. It's pretty neat looking, if you like that style tractor. I'll get some pics up soon. Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rollerman 290 #12 Posted January 2, 2008 Wow...where do I start...thanks for all the input guys! MO Terry...I have seen the Sears Roper tractors & thought they came along at a later date...did not know they had there hands in them going back that early Joel thanks for the "ID"....does look a bit differant from the KW FEL's I have seen? By the way...do you mean Greg the guy who drives the short school bus to the swap meets....met him at Wapakoneta. Kevin would like to see your dads trator...still looking for my HY-3 manual & will scan & send it to you. I do know the pulley on the pump is 2 maybe 3 times bigger than the driven pulley on the engine. "Thats a reply to a previous email guys" The tractor to me would be junk...it has a 12 or 14 HP Tecumseh in it thats not running "ignition module" & it does have the 3 point on back ...but converted to hyd setup with the loader pump. I'e know about it for some time...but with the welder I'm getting ideas about putting it on my C160. Thanks again for all the info :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
combatmp29r 27 #13 Posted January 2, 2008 Yep short bus Greg it is. Hes about 35-40 minutes from me. He joined here today today under pond195520032003. Have to check those middle 4 and edit this post. I hate sometimers. There we go Joel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nick 13 #14 Posted January 3, 2008 I think that is an older style Kwik Way loader to. The older models had the self level bucket deal. Dont remember if Ive ever seen one on a Wheel Horse but my guess is they could have built mounts to do it. Also not sure what year Wheel Horse went from Ark loaders to KW. Tried to find a picture of one on a Wheel Horse but couldnt find any. Did see this pic of a gravley with one plus a home built rear box blade. ebay link The older sears tractors were nice, dont know about a stronger transmission. :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rollerman 290 #15 Posted January 3, 2008 Wow Nick that Gravely looks stout! Seems like thats a lot of box blade to drag for that size of tractor though <_< That is the same style of loader too, now the question is... What is an older KW FEL worth on a Sears Custom?...the owner apparently thinks it's worth a lot :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WheelHorse_of_course 99 #16 Posted January 3, 2008 I seem to recall in many generic parts catalogs parts for "Sear/Simplicity". So, from that I infer that for some period Simplicity made tractors for Sears? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TT-(Moderator) 1,127 #17 Posted January 3, 2008 David Bradley tractors were sold through Sears as "their brand" starting about 1959. (the first year for the 4 wheel tractor) http://www.davidbradley.net/Suburban_Tractors.htm I can't believe there wasn't a fight over the "Suburban" name! I give all the praise in the world to the Sears tractors...... without the one I hacked up for the snowblade and other steel pieces, I wouldn't have my grader blade. :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
combatmp29r 27 #18 Posted January 3, 2008 Yep Terry good donors they are. One for the V18 , one for your grader blade, and sounds like there may be one for stephens C series in the near future :P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337 #19 Posted January 3, 2008 I seem to recall in many generic parts catalogs parts for "Sear/Simplicity". So, from that I infer that for some period Simplicity made tractors for Sears? Simplicity might have as they made tractors for a lot of companies back then and now (Massey Ferguson). I just hadn't heard they made them for Sears. :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,406 #20 Posted January 3, 2008 Terry, David Bradley was sold at Sears long before 1959. The two wheeled garden tractors and horse drawn DB equipment was available through Sears mail order for a long time before the four wheel garden tractor was ever invented. Even after then, they were still David Bradley. I've wanted one of those early Suburban riders for a while, I think they're pretty close to the ugliest little tractors I've ever seen! Edit: Here's a picture from the 1960 Brochure Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TT-(Moderator) 1,127 #21 Posted January 4, 2008 I know they had DB stuff for a long time, but I was only referring to the 4 wheel ride-on tractors. They kinda remind me of a 1959 Edsel! :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rollerman 290 #22 Posted January 4, 2008 Jay...just looking at that brochure pic....I beleive they must have had a Wheel Horse just out of the picture to get those admireing stares? Maybe an RJ 58? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
combatmp29r 27 #23 Posted January 4, 2008 Had to be something like that. I know the add says your neighbors will watch this beauty work, but what work will it do. I sure don't see anything attached must have been using the stealth mower prototype :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,406 #24 Posted January 4, 2008 I will say contrary to the tractor picture, that machine will do a good amount of work. Just like most of the garden tractors of its day, it had a large catalog of attachments for various "suburban yard chores" If you'd like to see more on them, there is a DB yahoo group, and there's alot of info on this page. Mark's Sears Tractor Page Mark (the page owner) is a pretty nice guy, and will trade for manuals he doesn't have. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,406 #25 Posted January 4, 2008 The more I look at that thing, the more I think it looks like a Cylon! Or it could be a cyclops Michael Myers? Regardless... still one of the ugliest tractors I've ever seen.... I will have one someday! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
