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So Mrs. M took a picture of me walking the halls. Sorry guys, I promised no pics, but I couldn't resist.

I'm still here. Everything is fine though. I'm walking good and pain is manageable. Taking 5mg Percocet every 12 hours. The reason they haven't let me go is because the surgical drain is still draining more than is allowable under the doctors protocol. Probably tomorrow morning.

I knew is was going to take a little effort to replace the manifold on my D180, but I had no idea! Holy smokes! I should have just planned on restoring the thing while I was at it! The good news, though, is that I found that the "T" bracket that supports the steering column was totally cracked in two near the weld. No wonder my steering was sloppy. Got it re-welded and the new manifold installed. Working on putting everything back together. I wish I wasn't so anal about making sure every bold makes it back into it's original spot! Just hoping this resolves my front manifold leak. After two attempts at putting new seals (and failing), I came to the conclusion that there must be a hairline crack where the tubes insert into the mounting plate. I'll find out soon enough.

It has been a long journey, but my wheel horse is finally back to work. I would like to thank every one here for your help along the way. From identifying it when i first got it to what color to do the wheels(to be put on in spring). Today I rewired it, got the charging system all wired up, and she got a new exhaust. Once that was all complete it was right to work!! f

Hope mine never leaks. I'll use the bucket method, but a bucket under it and pore it fluid back in the tractor

OK, I added the belt guard. Ready for the OSHA inspection and the patent application.

I made that picture my desk top wall paper. It will remind me to be safe. Good to see you up and walking Bob.

The plastic quick clamp shown in the photo actually took the worst of it! Couple of spatter turds landed on it and it was smoking some. Who'da thought a plastic clamp and 3,000 degree melted steel couldn't get along. One thing I know for sure now with this project, having nearly all the necessary parts cut, for me, was critical. There's no way on earth I could have gotten this far without them. The thought of having to cut all those pieces myself... yeeesh. Game over. The other thing, having generous folks here at Red Square to share part dimensions, manuals etc, is invaluable. Thanks!!!

Did they restore those tractors

We're all glad you didn't have a wardrobe malfunction when that picture was taken Bob............ You're no Janet Jackson.........

Especially for you, Craig!

Hey all few months back i picked up a FEL for my 76' D-250. I believe it was off a older bowlens tractor. Im running the loader off the pto with a northern tool 4-8 gpm pump, 5 gallon hydro tank, 3/8" hydraulic lines, 20gpm filter off return side of tank. I got it working, it lifts weight. But my issue with it, is that it lifts very slowly. When the pto is on and pumps running, the gauge on the inlet side of the valve body doesn't read anything until the pistons max out, then i belive it reads 2000psi. Friend of mine suggested upping the pump supply line from 3/8" to 3/4"?? My other concerns now are: does the pto spin fast enough to run the pump correctly? And is my 20gpm filter on the return slowing anything down?? If theres any advice yall could share with me to help improve my situation, ill really appreciate it. Thanks Tomorrow ill take a video of the loader running so you can gauge the speed

OK Dennis, here is the @buckrancher award.

Hi guys, thanks for the welcome, much appreciated. I currently own a b111 it's complete and running with good tinwork but I want to give it new paint. I recently acquired a 1991 312-8 complete with WH trailer, WH tiller, and mower deck all good condition. The 312 has just been stripped down for sandblasting and repainting and engine getting rings and gaskets as required. I will get some pics posted soon. My own background is steeped in agriculture working as a tractor driver when I was young then moving into agricultural engineering for the last 30 years . got a small collection of tractors and garden tractors and as I am semi retired I will not be idle. Jim.

You know, that could come in handy this winter to break up the frozen slush that always accumulates at the end of the driveway.

DougC, exactly! And in the process, you find out the door jamb wasn't attached to the studs! I'm gonna look at it as a blessing in disguise, but my fear right now is that I'll get it back together and the doorknob is defective! Really hoping I've got the leak fixed in the process. If not, you might see the beer cans!

It appears your suction supply and pressure lines of the pump are too small. The suction supply to the pump should probably be 1" and the pressure supply to the valve 3/4". Having a larger supply hose to the pump will stop it from having to vacuum the oil in from the reservoir. Then a slightly smaller hose but larger than the working hoses is used to supply the valve with enough oil to run multiple cylinders without starving for oil. These larger hoses also allow the system to hold more oil, stop any cavitation in the reservoir and dissipate heat better. A 20GPM filter will have no problem handling 4-8 GPM. Check the speed of the PTO and the pump specs. Both should be around 3600 RPM BTW, NICE tractor!

The first and second previous pictures is of the new one. I will try to get a good close-up shots. On the original, the ends are slightly bent inward. I hand worked the ends with a file and sandpaper til I got it to fit the way I wanted.

I have the ugliest duckling, but it is really a LSE. Looking for a louvered hood, and I am getting a decal set. It is getting a complete overhaul next summer, so hopefully it will be saved from a rusty death. This one is and always be a worker. I was curious if anyone had an indication of how loud their LSE was. I have a 417-8 , and being a similar motor, I thought they would be about he same, but my LSE is VERY loud. Is it possible my muffler is gutted, or were they designed to be a little louder from the factory? Anyway, great pictures! Ill be following along to see all the clean ones, and continue to dream.

Since this has been discussed at length, on various threads, would it be possible to have document that covers battery selection, and maintenance AND pinned to the top of the electrical section? I always learn something from SOI.

Kinda like having to tear apart the entire house to replace the front door knob... I see you picked up all the empty beer cans before you took the picture......

Model 701 tractor was not new - only new to me in about 1974. The dealer at the time was an hour away and could not figure it out. In the end everything was replaced but unfortunately the shift rails were the old style without the flats. The only new part that was not replaced was the donut because the new shifter came with one on it. The last thing I tried was making my own pin which is still in it. I replaced the spring with a bushing to keep the pin centered on the balls and kept shortening the pin until the 2nd rail could be inserted. Then the bushing was replaced by the spring. That was teardown number 6. Number 7 was when I discovered the oil was sealing the rail to bore clearance. I just installed it back in the tractor and have been holding the shift rail in the neutral position until the pressure or vacuum dissipates to test my theory. It works. Wish we had this wonderfull resource back then. Perhaps I would have received rails with flats instead of NOS rails and problem would have been resolved. I know what I'm doing to it the next time it comes out. All the 1964 model transmissions got a new model number in 1965 and suspect that was a result of the new rails with flats being used. The photo of the rails with flats posted above is the first time I have seen them. Garry

Keep walking, the more you walk, the quicker they'll let you go home. The thing with pictures, they can't be unseen.

I think what has happened with your hub is that the keyway in the hub has wallowed out. Now the key will be sitting in that wallowed out piece instead of the groove that goes all the way through the hub. What you have to do is line up whatever is left of the key with the groove in the hub, and then the hub will come off.

I need to do that too, best of my recollection I have a nice work bench and a concrete floor; just haven't seen them lately!

Found this on CL . It's a k91t with 3/4" shaft . The guy had in his basement for 30 years and decided it was time to let it go . He put gas in it and it started on the third pull . Only thing missing is the recoil . Now if I can't fix the one that's on my RJ ,I at least have a kohler to shake it .

I think I was happy when I knew nothing. Now I`m really confused.

British version of "Garfield"! Thanks for the laugh!

Well now! Would you just look at that! I know something of the Shaws, I even know where one is (and my understanding is there's not a lot of them around!) but I know NOTHING of the Mighty Mite! Well, until @buckrancher came along! Gads! Trying to learn all there is to know about Wheel Horses is absurd! Can't even know all the tractor brands! I've been told that are a LOT of brands that most folks have never heard of but now I'm pretty sure I've not only heard of a Mighty Mite tractor but seen pictures of more than one! Some old dry and stale brain cells tell me there was a Mighty Mite track tractor or dozer, though! Thank you buckrancher! I think you have won whatever prize is associated with this contest! Richard? Would you please be sure that he gets it!

Thanks ranger, once I get some time to work on things once again I'll give it a try. Too many projects sitting on the floor and not enough hours in the day

Diamondred, that is some interesting wear on that spring. You wouldn't have some more pictures of the spring you made, would ya? I would like to see what you did at the opening. Thanks

I think that's an excellent idea, and no I'm not volunteering, but I would certainly appreciate somebody else doing it. It could also be added to the reference section (it's not totally clear to me which topics go there, and which ones get pinned to the top of a "regular" section).

kool

Thanks for the hard work guys, just wanted to say it here. Its appreciated. Glenn

EXACTLY!!! Thanks! I never did pop for that Harbor Freight welding table. I've been using a rummage sale metal cart/rolling table thing that I got a while back. It works good enough. But I did need to use that 3/4" plywood on some sawhorses to get my work hanging right off the edge in order to get it tacked. I was a little worried about it catching fire, but all worked out.

HUMP DAY!

Ron,,,,,,,,that is one very nice looking machine......We have a question.......What can you tell us about hose rear fenders......???? NICE !!!!

Do not pound on the hub or the axle..if you knock off the snap ring inside the differential that holds the axle...You will be splitting the trans to repair them....FYI.

Love that place.....not only do they have over 100 feet of beer coolers, there is a tap room you can go into while the wife shops. Doesn't get much better than that

Well it looks like things went well Bob! Very good News. An early Christmas Present. Now We wish you a speedy recovery.

This is one type of RANGER. 1973 Ranger 800

I have a D180 project tractor that now is a gear drive. Not sure yet what engine it will get. Tom

Just make sure there's no little black pellets in the bottom

Well I have been getting all the parts together to be able to use the wheel horse for snow plowing this winter. Well we got our 1st snow yesterday and over night up here in South Dakota. Think we got close to 10" of heavy wet snow. I was nervous as I have two untested tractors for snow duty and was just crossing my finger they were going to work. That old 1267 is just a monster with that snow blower. I plowed into a windrow as much as I could with the 918 and then hit the windrows with the Horse. snow higher than the front of the blower, just kept on walking. I have about 800 feet or so of drive and only clogged in up twice, and that is because I was trying different high / low and gear selections to see what worked best. For being my 1st Wheel Horse and 1st time doing a real job with her, I have to say I really like it. I just wished it had power lift for that heavy blower. I was so happy to try it, I forgot to take video or pictures. next time.

Don't let him BS you ....he's got one of these on a cheese grater.... If he don't he should

If I can get a good cut I will have one usable set completed.

Here are my 57, 58 and 59 RJ's and my 1996 314 with matching custom pedal tractor.

1962 502 1955 RJ-35

Hi Brian, Looks like you are making great progress on your single stage. I just finished my 2-stage and faced the same questions. I'm sure there are lots of options, but this is what I did. Wire brushed with an angle grinder to remove all the loose rust and paint. Sanded with a random-orbital sander to feather the paint as best I could. I touched up with a ro-loc scrotch-brite pad in an angle die grinder and a small cup brush in a battery powered drill to get into corners. That got everything fairly good, but its lots of work. I then coated everything with phosphoric acid (Etch and Prep or Phos-etch). This converts all the rust in the pits to iron phosphate which will take paint well. It also etches the bare metal to give the paint some tooth. The rinse with water and allow to dry. I primed with Rustoleum rusty metal primer. Top coated with two or three coats of Valspar IH Red mixed with harder and thinned a bit. I used an HF HVLP gun. I love this paint, but its getting harder to get (try Amazon). An added bonus is that this paint sets up quickly. I paint outside, so that minimizes bugs. I'm sure there are other options, but this is what I did. I have done this approach with 2 tractors and single stage. All are holding up well. Kurt