Leaderboard

Thanks to our snow-less December and January here in CT, I was able to get 95% of my new shed completed. Well, it's not entirely fair to say "I" in any of the heavy lifting. I didn't do much of anything other than watch. I used a contractor that I’ve known for years that built my garage and house addition back in 2007. Initially this started out as a quest to replace the older 10'x12' with something a bit larger - and maybe with an overhead loft area. Then the idea of an overhead garage door came into the mix - giving me an ability to raise the loft floor higher so I can park my enclosed trailer in there for the winter...etc...etc. You know how these things go. Needless to say, the "shed" concept turned into a 14'x24' footprint with a full second floor and 6'6" ceiling height upstairs. Way more than the original scope of this project. Fortunately, the wife rolled with it as it unraveled. The town inspector on the other hand....ha..... He said this was the biggest, most over-built "shed" he's ever inspected. Thankfully for tax purposes it's permitted on the books as a "shed or accessory outbuilding". Due to the temperature, I have to wait until spring to paint the front doors and the shutters and gutters are due to be installed sometime next week.

I'm starting to think I have an obsession with seeing blacktop... with more measurable snow predicted this Thursday... how else can you explain this kooky behavior?

If it keeps coming down like it has this past month, there might be plenty for you to do in July Russ! Old Man Winter is keeping an eye on the situation. Put this chainsaw carving up on my shed in the fall but would like to do a better mount for it later in the year.

While I am in the posting mood. I picked up a C-160 this week. Was told there was nothing wrong with it before I made the trip. Naturally I am skeptical but for the price I could not complain. First it had to be dug out of the over hang behind the house and I was told they could not get it started. I brought my jumper pack with me and got it going to verify the motor. Ran a little cold blooded but a few turns of the low and high needles and it was purring. No knocks! The good list - Its a wheel horse and a C-160 at that - Runs good. NO smoke even at start up - Like new ag tires on the rear - has been repainted but does not look to terrible - head light lence is in decent shape - transmission seems to work ok The bad but not to bad list lol - one hub is loose and sliding around. Cant beleive she said she drove this all summer. Cant wait to see what that looks like. - missing the hood ornament - dent in the top of the hood. - wiring is a mess. Coil is wired to a toggle switch. Who knows if it charges - Muffler is shot - seat is shot - few oil leaks - flat front tire All in all, its seems pretty untouched. I got to it just in time because it was going to be turned into a pulling tractor. Cant wait to fix it up and use it for some mowing this summer. Biggest issues are the muffler and the hub. Hoping someone here has a nelson muffler in usable shape. Someone has had there hands in the trans at some time because of the excess rtv oozing out of the joint. Hope its ok. Slowly adding to the collection. Happy to have one of these. Been hunting for awhile and I did not want the shaker plate C-161. I prefer the solid mount. Will post up some pics soon!

One daughter's front yard in Medford, Mass. on Sunday ! Other daughters trip to beach with granddaughter in Corpus Christi, Texas last week - 78 degrees!

That's in great shape. I vote patina!

Keep that up and you be flipping the wear edge! I want to see the pile and when's the loader coming out?

These guys received the call to arms today.

We got about 16" from Marcus. I only was "Allowed" an hour" After work last night to plow so out came the 160 and blower for a quick blitz job so we could get in and out. Scraped today and pushed as far as I could. Not much area to put snow with a blower either near the garage, so out came Elvis again and I ended up moving the piles I made Sat. and then some!

Finished the light looms, here's the sidelights at dusk And the spots

I bought a d-160 a month or two ago with a bad Onan, came with a 50" good deck, a 50"/51" (how ever you measure it) very nice tiller, rear 3-point, had a good Onan sitting on the floor, gave $250 for it...couldn't be happer..

HANG IN THERE JOHN. I WILL CLEAN ALL THE SNOW FOR YOU, BUT I CAN NOT GET TO IT UNTIL JULY.

Wheel Horse Senior & Lever Steer registry update !! So far we have 26 Seniors and 14 Lever Steers on the list, The State with the most Seniors goes to Ohio with Indiana 1 behind. The battle for the most Lever Steers is a tie with Ohio and Michigan. Please help add to the list, if you have a Senior or Lever Steer or know someone that does send me a message and I will add it, Just need basic info Name, State, Year if known, Hooded or not for the Senior. Thanks to everyone for all your Help !! Ron Greco rsgreco@embarqmail.com

As many of you know, I did a back-flip with the Commando 8 while loading it on the trailer to go to the big show. It was a very scary feeling sitting in the drivers seat, seeing the front end of the tractor coming up and over me. I remember saying to myself "this is not going to end well". I think I also said "oh poop" or something similar. Anyway, the Commando ended up on it's right side with my right leg pinned under the hood, just in front of the muffler. There were lots of dents, scrapes, and damage to the Commando, but nothing that can't be fixed before the next big show. As far as me, I suffered a 1 inch laceration just above the ankle, and various scrapes to my leg. Nothing broken, just badly bruised. Somehow, I managed to avoid hitting my head. One week later, I am on the mend nicely, and the tractor runs fine. So, the reason for this post is warn others of the dangers lurking while going up or down a ramp of any height. At the show, many asked me how I managed to flip the tractor on such a low ramp. Well here is how it happened. I was climbing the ramp in a forward direction in 1st gear. When the right rear tire hit the hinge, it began to spin. So I let the tractor drift back slightly, and tried again. Still spun. So, with the tractor in gear, I increased the throttle, depressed the clutch, let it drift to the bottom of the ramp, and when the rear tires hit pavement, my foot slipped off the clutch causing the front end, which was already at an incline, to raise up (wheelie) and flip over me. The moral to this story is DON'T drift backwards down a ramp with the transmission in a forward gear. From now on, I either back the tractor up the ramp or walk beside it.

NOTE: The wiring diagrams in both the manual and in the electrical demystification guide are INCORRECT. All diagrams shown here have been corrected to the best of my knowledge. According to the owner’s manual, the 1996 416-H is supposed to have the following Safety Interlock System. It is designed to prevent the engine from starting unless: You are sitting in the seat The brake pedal is depressed The PTO is OFF The speed control lever is in neutral However, that scenario is not possible as the 416-H is wired. You DO NOT have to be in the seat Depressing the brake pedal is NOT necessary The PTO does have to be off The speed control lever is in neutral Two out of four is not a good safety record, and the two that are correct are in the START circuit, not the SPARK circuit. Here is why the Safety Interlock System is faulty. Seated on the tractor, the key is turned to the RUN position, and the seat switch being closed by the operator’s weight, activate the SEAT RELAY, closing the normally open contacts within that relay. This completes a path for 12 volts to flow from the RUN position on the ignition switch to the (+) side of the coil. So now we have SPARK. However, if you lift up off the seat switch, which should prevent SPARK and therefore not allow the engine to start, the path of the 12 volts changes as the seat relay de-energizes and the contact returns to the normally closed side, creating a path as shown in the next picture. So this is the first problem. This allows the operator to start the tractor while not in the seat, and worst yet, will cause the tractor to keep running if the operator should fall from the seat while moving, hense the term "deadman switch". However, another wrinkle is that if the PTO is engaged, as in mowing, the seat switch functions properly and will kill the engine if the operator lifts off the seat. THE CAUSE: There are two PTO switches. The first one (shown in the diagram above) is supposed to function to create a "kill" scenario when it is engaged, which it does, but it also creates an incorrect path when not engaged. The second PTO switch prevents the START circuit, keeping the starter from turning if engaged. That one works correctly. MY DILEMA:: I want the best of both worlds. I want the seat switch to function properly so that if someone is operating the tractor and falls from the seat, it will stop. Also, I want to be able to start the tractor, get off the seat and let it run (great for those cold times when the hydro needs to warm up). I also want a way to start the tractor while not in the seat, for service, etc. MY SOLUTION: Here is how I modified my 416-H to correct all the above. I added a second PARKING BRAKE SWITCH. Look at the diagram below. When the parking brake is set, the second switch is closed completing a circuit through the PTO switch allowing me to start the tractor while not in the seat. In this condition, the brake is locked, and the motion control is in neutral. When the parking brake is released, the switch opens. This open the circuit that was running through the PTO switch, and now causes the engine to stop if I lift off the seat. NOTE: The owners manual says that with the parking brake set, the engine should not crank. However, setting the parking brake has nothing to do with preventing the engine from cranking. The parking brake switch's only function is to turn the light on or off on the dash. Okay, did I over-think this, or is it a viable fix?

As some may know when I joined this forum I was the new owner of my first round hood, I'm the 2nd owner of this untouched original 653 that has sat for 20 years in a barn after its owner passed and the kids decided to sell to me. I was raised with a father that brings old tractors back to life by repainting and making them look better then factory show room! All this talk lately about patina oil finishing(what I always called rat rod finish) is starting to peak my interest. Today I wheeled her in the heated garage and steel wooled just the hood and am on the fence, don't know if she's in need of what my original plans of frame off resto or if she is a great candidate for this patina show finish? The only thing that makes me second guess is when I pull the original seat pan cover back and see that beautiful original finish underneath.... Wandering what you all would do and why? And would you replace the original decals when keeping the patina look or let the worn down ones on her?

No, Not the same. I remeber they were posted on here before Found it

Check the specs against the K241.....

i've seen kohlers dump raw fuel out of the carb and all i did was pull the bowl and clean it. it seams that the lovely ethanol fuel that they are selling condensates water raising the float level causing the flooding. so clean the bowl and see what happen then eric j

Very Nice!

I'm sure some tractor stuff (ssshhhhhhh) , pool stuff (i.e. inflatables, chemicals etc.), all the usual shed garbage (sweeper, dethatcher, mowers) but moreso winter storage for all the patio furniture, lounges, pool filter/pump, grill.... You name it. Oh and lets not forget the kids bikes and those damn Power Wheels monstrocities I told my wife its a shed - Single High Efficiency Dwelling. Lol

I love the shot with the licence plate showing, GRRR

Wow, what a nicely built shed. You could live in that thing!

Holy smokes Matt... go big or go home, huh?

Why not put a little black top down in front of your garage Mike? Makes a nasty job, a little bit nicer.

WOW !

Good solid looking tractor. Great find. Congrats.

Great lookin tractor Craig. You make it look easy. I can tell you've pushed your share of snow. Thanks for sharing the video.

I'd also replace the keyway. There cheap Ace or most hardware stores should have them. I've had 5 hubs repaired over the yrs. A lot cheaper than replacing. I have them broach the keyway and I drill and tap the hole to keep costs down. Lot of hubs get thrown out for a 5 - 10 dollar fix.

I contacted my buddy with the machine shop he doesn't see a problem with making another key way or correcting mine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

PM Sent.

Hydro lift is nice if your lucky enough for paved area's but if it's gravel and your trying to keep the stones in the driveway, manual lift and dial a height works better. I have had my plow on my 160 Auto for years and loved the ease of plowing but not the raking of stones. Switched to a 12 8 spd with the Armstrong System and the drive isn't taking quite the beating. Of course having the ground frozen as opposed to normally soft has helped too.

I really like that tractor, Craig. I gotta keep my eye out for a tractor with a hydro lift, because pretty soon, my left arm is gonna be a lot bigger than my right. Oh, and I have a pair of those all trails on my 310-8. They are 23x8-12. They are a decent tire, most definitely more traction than the turf savers. I've been running them this season without chains or weights, and been using it in about 2-6" of snow. They aren't perfect, but they do pretty well. I had chains and weights with these tires last year and the tractor was pretty unstoppable. I'm about to retire her for the season though. I'm having issues with the transmission, again, so I may wait until everywhere thaws out to work on it. But, I may throw the plow and tires on my blackhood and finish the season that way.

10-1/2" overall length sounds right for pins 9-3/4" center to center. The bend would be 6" from one end and 4-3/4" from the other end. Garry

I have a pair of these going on something soon. Got to get some rims first. Very meaty. Maxxis Ceros radials. Not sure how they would be in snow

there is several threads on here about rebuild of blowers good luck eric j

Craig, it would be a little easier if you didn't have the great wall of china there! and the last picture is calender worthy!

Depends on condition. If you are willing to strap it to a pallet and take it to a Fastenal store, a buyer should be able to get that shipped for (usually much) less than $200. I would say you will get at LEAST $200 out of it depending on condition and that's a lot more than scrap. If it really gets down to it just sell it for whatever to someone who will save it from the scrap yard and use it for many years to come

I would DEFINITELY get the hub repaired (new keyway made) with your buddy at the machine shop or buy a new one. Do NOT drill through that axle unless you want to have a whole ton of heartache down the line when you break the axle or various other major problems. Your axle looks like its in good shape other than the bad seal. Do yourself a favor and order a new set of seals while you are waiting for your new hub or your hub to get fixed and replace it while you are there. There is lots of good information here on replacing the seals.

I had a guy drive to NJ from Pittsburgh for one. If you're willing to ship $400 shouldn't be hard to come by.

Snow sux period...

I'm ready to cry uncle with this white crap.Snowed here all day and hasn't stopped yet.My back yard was closing in with 5 foot high piles.I just moved everything 20 feet back with my Ford 1710 with 5 foot blower on the 3 point hitch.All my machines are getting way too much of a work-out this year.6 months from now we'll be bitchin' that it's too hot.Never happy........

310-8 get er done

Best C-Series ever made! Nice find!

Looks good!

Here's a short video of my old 416-8 (now Boovuc's tractor) powering my thrower. The rearward "tail" of snow is easily seen. I set my thrower edge about 1/2" to 5/8" off the ground.

Clean the carbon out, adjust the valves, use OEM parts to put back together and run with it. Champion RS17YX plugs are the latest recommendation. Use GOOD fuel, I use 89 octane Shell and 3 ounces of Shaeffer Neutra to 5 gallons gas. Top tier fuel goes a long way to reducing deposits in the engine.

You can't save 'em all.