Charger 12

[Phyberoptic 22]

Picked up a Charger 12 today with cutting deck, snow plow, and what looks like a simplicity dump trailer.  Got it home and then running as the tractor must have last been run dry of fuel so there was no bad gas or gunk to deal with.  Hydro works well, but I could not get the deck heigh lever to move.  Is there a trick to engaging the lever?

 

Looks to be a 1969 model if the serial number on the deck is the same as the tractor?

 

 

 

[Vinylguy 4,666]

Decals on the tractor are from 70 to 72. Many tractors were equipped with decks left from a previous year. I am guessing  1970 on the charger.

[Phyberoptic 22]

5 minutes ago, Vinylguy said:

Decals on the tractor are from 70 to 72. Many tractors were equipped with decks left from a previous year. I am guessing  1970 on the charger.

Awesome, thanks for the info.  What about the deck lever?

 

-=Phyber

[JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,487]

Nice ride, another jersey guy. I got a friend in Smithberg and for many years when riding my Harley always used to stop at the Clarksburg inn. Wow, small world. Best of luck. To bad that fire happend. 

 

Glenn

 

 

[RedHorse54 578]

I think it's a 1970-1971. Yours has the metal dash plate. After 1971 I believe the dashes started having a plastic cover. Nice tractor

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,569]

Here is the manual for the mower deck

 

If you get down and look up under the dash housing you may find the tractor ID plate on the flat panel.

 

Garry

[JimD 3,345]

You have to push the rod down with your thumb in the center of the lift hand to raise and lower the deck. It looks like part of your handle grip is missing at the top so it may have gotten water and rust down inside it. Shoot some Blaster or other good penetrating fluid down in to see if you can free it up if it's stuck.

Edited March 21, 2016 by JimD

[Tankman 3,515]

Very nice Horse! Be sure to update this post with your spring progress.

 

Looks excellent! 

 

If you picked the Horse up in PA, I'll pick it up and return the Stallion to Pennsylvania. That'll save you from going to jail. 

Edited March 21, 2016 by Tankman

[Ed Kennell 36,145]

Nice... looks like it has good straight tin.   Did you get the seat back.  They can be welded back on and made to look like  new.

Like Jim said above, you need to get the lift lever release rod loosened up.  the sliding block at the bottom that  engages a lug in a notch is probably rusted fast.  Work PB blaster in at the top where Jim said and at the bottom of the lift lever behind and inside of the square section .  Then after several days of soaking, gently tap on the push rod at the top.

 

Good luck, and

[daveoman1966 3,637]

Just a word of CAUTION on the Hydro engagement lever (park brake lever)....  Do NOT EVER pull the lever UP while the tractor is in motion.  For the same reason you wouldn't throw your car/truck into PARK while moving, DON'T do it with this tractor either.  There is a parking PAWL that engages whel the lever is UP, which holds the tractor in PARK to keep it from rolling away on you.  It is NOT a PANIC STOP lever....  

[slammer302 2,154]

You might make sure the deck is hooked to the lift rod. It looks to be sitting alittle far back

[Phyberoptic 22]

6 hours ago, ekennell said:

Nice... looks like it has good straight tin.   Did you get the seat back.  They can be welded back on and made to look like  new.

Like Jim said above, you need to get the lift lever release rod loosened up.  the sliding block at the bottom that  engages a lug in a notch is probably rusted fast.  Work PB blaster in at the top where Jim said and at the bottom of the lift lever behind and inside of the square section .  Then after several days of soaking, gently tap on the push rod at the top.

 

Good luck, and

Thanks, yes the only dent is on one of the grill bars and can be fixed up with a body hammer over the anvil.  The lense is cracked and has a piece missing and the PO fished the wiring for a plow light through the hole, but the wiriing looks unmolested for the most part.  I'll have to change out the positive battery cable as the end is almost completly rotted off.  And the seat back was not available as was not the back door to the dump wagon. ;-(

 

I can push down the button on the lift lever and I see the engagement block move freely but the lever itself won't budge when I try and pull it back.  But I'll give PB a shot.

 

-=Phyber

4 hours ago, slammer302 said:

You might make sure the deck is hooked to the lift rod. It looks to be sitting alittle far back

Yes, I'm going to get the jack out and lift the front end to see what all is going on down there.  Sure not like pushing over a newer Craftsman to take a look, this guy is heavy.

[Phyberoptic 22]

9 hours ago, gwest_ca said:

Here is the manual for the mower deck

 

If you get down and look up under the dash housing you may find the tractor ID plate on the flat panel.

 

Garry

Thanks, the serial number is 639303, and model is 1-7251 which makes it a 1970 Charger 12 as suggested before.

-=Phyber

[Ed Kennell 36,145]

Well, that is good news that the push rod and the engagement block are free.  When you get the tractor up, you will see the lift rock shaft.   have never seen one frozen fast here, but Squirt PB into the bushing area at each end of the shaft.    Also make sure there is nothing jammed on either of the levers on the rock shaft.

[Phyberoptic 22]

Here is the blade I got with it. ID plate/sticker looks to be a newer format as opposed to the stamped metal plates on the tractor and deck.

[Tankman 3,515]

9 hours ago, JimD said:

You have to push the rod down with your thumb in the center of the lift hand to raise and lower the deck. It looks like part of your handle grip is missing at the top so it may have gotten water and rust down inside it. Shoot some Blaster or other good penetrating fluid down in to see if you can free it up if it's stuck.

Using PB Blaster on this push pin is on our PM (preventative maintenance) to-do list. If we have Blaster in our hand, and time, all the Horses get a shot. A few drops of 3 in 1 oil never hurt either. 

The height adjust knob, same. PB will run down the threads. Remove the steering wheel cap, oil. Replace the wheel cap. All PM!

Edited March 21, 2016 by Tankman

[TDF5G 2,054]

19 hours ago, Phyberoptic said:

I can push down the button on the lift lever and I see the engagement block move freely but the lever itself won't budge when I try and pull it back.  But I'll give PB a shot.

It looks like the height adjustment knob is turned all the way in.  It may be in a bind.  Try loosening it up a bit to put some slack in it and see if that helps raise the lever.  You may have to pull up on the lever a bit to loosen the knob. 

 

She looks like a good tractor!  

Edited March 22, 2016 by TDF5G

[Phyberoptic 22]

On 3/22/2016 at 10:57 AM, TDF5G said:

It looks like the height adjustment knob is turned all the way in.  It may be in a bind.  Try loosening it up a bit to put some slack in it and see if that helps raise the lever.  You may have to pull up on the lever a bit to loosen the knob. 

 

She looks like a good tractor!  

Thanks.... so I  let off on the height adjustment screw knob and the lever was allowed to move further down along with the deck...  but pulling up it stops mid way and won't budge above that. So I'm nowhere near the detant that lock the deck at the top.  I'm assuming something not connected right underneath.  I can lower the deck to cutting height but can't lift it to a position it will stay up.  The clutch works and spins the deck blades so I may try a cut to see how that goes.  So far I've only needed to put a new terminal on the hacked up battery cable but even that was good after cutting 1/2" of cable and redressing.  It needs a new battery and I'll go through the carb later but right now she starts up and idles fine, and the Hydro moves her forward and back.  I don't think the brake works except to pull the hydro lever into neutral... Is that the extent of the brake?  Parking brake works well but I won't be using that to slow  it down. lol

 

-=Phyber

[953 nut 52,315]

     The Hydros don't have brakes other than the dynamic braking of the transmission. As @slammer302 said, it looks like the deck is too far back and may not be inserted properly in the mid mount atach-a-matic. Take a look at figure 5 of the mower manual and be sure the front attachment rod on the mower's support Assembly is fully inserted and locked into the mount, also look at the lift rod is inserted in the rocker shaft and not binding.

Let us know how you come out.

[Ed Kennell 36,145]

Look at the front rod on the deck carriage frame.  There is a notched bar on the right side of the rod.  That notch must be around one of the rods on the attach-a-matic

[953 nut 52,315]

@Ed Kennell, I am presuming the deck is the same vintage as the Charger and has the old style support that simply snaps into the atach-a-matic and doesn't have the notch for self leveling. 

 

Edited March 27, 2016 by 953 nut
double post

[Ed Kennell 36,145]

Thanks Dick..My bad.