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Got to start them young dealing with the favorite material here. IMG_5265.MOV

All my snow horses are Charger/Electros. A few years ago I converted one to a K341 for snow blower duty. I picked the one that had the most tired K301. It has worked out really well but only used a couple times up to this year. This year she is getting regular use. What I didn't notice back then was that WH changed the design on later units giving them a different hoodstand that will hold a much bigger gas tank. The K341 sucks some fuel when she is working the blower. The 12hp plow tractors seem to use almost nothing by comparison and they have the bigger tanks. If I was really motivated i might swap hood stands...not that motivated besides refueling pit stops are a good excuse to stop for a hot toddy.

So a couple of days ago while plowing with my Electro on the street I broke the spindle in my front wheel. Now I am stuck with no steering and the ability to drive tractor to shop. After a couple of minutes pondering what to do I realize that I have a black hood under a tarp that I haven’t used for years. So after a bit of shoveling I was able to clear front wheel and remove all assembly with wheel. Then it was a simply transfer of the whole thing in one piece to the electro. I guess that the old black hood just became the resident donor tractor. I am glad now I never got rid of it.

This is from last fall. This hike is actually one of the main reasons I wanted to get a video editing app. Enjoy!!

The official Squonk Jammys.

I share the way you feel. The heart of my shop is the bench .It is where I spend most of my life. It is where I find peace and calm in times of stress. Where I find inspiration for all that I do, and where I always remember the ones who made it possible for me to have this life. It is essentially the definition of who I am. And yes there are a few secrets in it .Pleasant surprises for those who will inhere it.

I used to work on a lot of Chrysler products in the 90's in my shop. My bench is metal. Still got some stress ghosts in it. When I find one I whack it with a hammer!

Ok, so I should obviously have said IMO. Sorry. I regularly have 600+ lbs hanging on mine, + a heavier engine and front weights to hold it down. Also have somewhere about 1000lbs in the wheels. When it is heaviest, it weighs in at 1.25 ton. I would estimate 1.1 ton on the rear axle + driver. That all needs to bump around, and be stopped and started + the added traction of all that weight. + the added stress from running wildly oversized wheels. All good so far. If the trannies were prone to cracking, I would think we would have heard a lot more cases of it, especially if you take into consideration what they are put thru all the time. Roughly same setup on heavier D series, tractors with backhoes and FEL. Puller tractors. heavy things dangling in 3 pt. hitches. Blades and graders, mounted directly to the tranny arms, and slammed into something. And a whole host of other ways to beat the crap out of these little machines. So no, I'm sorry, but I do not buy it. 300lbs extra load, if mounted right, will in all likelihood be of no concern. IMO that is, so take it with a grain of salt. But, of cause it matters how you attach the weight to your machine. Also one could imagine that a tranny could have a one in a million week spot from the forging process, making it crack. So the best option when ever you can, is of cause to let the frame work take the load...............

Don't know what this weights, but I couldn't pick it up with the loader before it was installed. But I could pick up my 2 stage blower and carry it. I think the blower is about 380lbs...

I’ve been busy lately with work and saws. Anyway the cold is really starting to slow things down. I decided to do the front end on my 416-8 loader tractor. Some eBay parts and wallah a swept axle and the rest of a 520 front. No I didn’t get the reduction steering but the conventional pre reduction version. Couldn’t see spending that much coin considering it worked ok before and if I have to I’ll put the loader on the 520.

First off I know I have mentioned before I grew up "Amish" style all horse drawn equipment slowly changed over to Allis Chalmers drawn for gardening/farming/haymaking ect, my great/grandparents were "subsistence" farmers homesteaders, not so much for profit but did sell any thing overproduced to pay the bills, Okay now the drive... First one the right (now) grey vinyl sided house is my (now deceased) grandparents' house built around 1950/60, the garage to the left, red 2 story to the right was a (layer) chicken house (half of it was torn down, the next 2 story is/was the "smoke house" for pork/beef with a cistern house in front, next up on the left is a "spring" house no pump , but piped to the cistern the next on the left is newer but was a "machine" shed but fell apart before being rebuilt to what you seen and then only 30 or so feet above it is the foundation of the old "brooder" chicken house, then the house next up on the left is/was my great grandparents' home built around 1920, next on the right "corn crib" with additions and then the barn built around 1950 to the mobile home I grew up in from 1973, my dad was/is very "frugal" to say the least, I can't say the same, I figure I can't take it with me, but I am still very humble by my upbringing. Hope this helps.

My Black Hood is saddened by this turn of affairs for its distant cousin but would expect nothing less from the breed... He offers a toast to the gallantry and chivalry of the noble beast... Love the Black Hoods!

Another little project on the paint dryer. Yep, a front weight bracket attached to my plow frame stabilizer.

I got the transmission to frame covered too. I ground the edges of the 1/4" x 1 1/2" flats so they would fit back between the ridges on the transmission plate'

So maybe it will be a freshing up than restoration . As you can see I've got some work to do.This will be a long slow build but I thought I'd share it. If you see me doing stupid stuff please tell me to pull my head out. Lol This will be my first refresh of many let the fun begin.

Sitting here in this place i hang out! looking at my two cabinets which is the heart of the shop. And yes it is Valentine's Day so I've already taken care of that and I'm back to my hang out. Does anyone else have a heart of their shop? The place were important things or put? No secrets !! happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

I was just wondering how much these rear ends can handle . I have heard more is better but I don't want to crack the cast rear end with to much. I have 300 lbs stacked on the back and I think the wheel weights are 25 ea. I use the tractor primarily for snow blowing. Am I overkill with the weight. Thanks I advance

This is the 4 tenths of a mile driveway going in my parents' place from off the old county road, I just wanted to illustrate how much snow blowing/plowing and maintenance the old Cub Cadets and my 520H has done throughout the years now mainly its the Kioti, bit of a long video, (I had my boy run the camera while I drove). 20210214_120511.mp4

me to.......toad her to grab herself a kitkat out of the fridge!

We found MASSIVE amounts of deer tracks. Far more then usual. Lands surrounding ours have been busier than in the past so we think the deer have been staying here because it's quiet. LOTS of mouse and squirrel as well. Possibly a bunny track too. Any woods folk identify this? Appears to be wing prints. The foot prints go for 50 or 60 feet and stop. Perhaps a ruffed grouse landed and took off?? Here's the rest.

Yes nORM you NEED a hair cut! Looks like you got more s..t in that shop than

Last spring I was about to roll my GT-1848 out for the first run of the year, gave the front wheel a little kick to see how the pressure was .. and the spindle broke right then and there .. in the corner of the shed. Robbed a 1968 Charger spindle funny enough, fit perfectly.

I don't think he's accident prone, he's just young. Most of us can still remember that....

Moe, My concern is the amount of weight on the factory drawbar. The other end of that bar is a small area that could punch a hole up thru the bottom of the case. I also use the drawbar to support my weight bracket, but I insert a plate between the case and the drawbar to spread out the load.

It takes just a Wheelhorse ride thru the forrest ( about 1/2h) to the next Valley cool Way if you allowed to use 😎 there is a fine Brewery ( Ayinger) they had a delicious. Celebrator - a Man‘s beer. 😇

Just Put my blade on and the chains as well. We are predicted 4 to 5 inches of snow. Might not seem a lot but it is here lately within the past five years! weeeeeeeeeee!!!

That modification is definitely worth doing for loader duty.. This is my 312a that is destined for loader service In addition I beefed up the pivot pin support area.

Put my new hood on the 656. I gave it a quick spray of primer red to sort of match the rest of the tractor. I am getting use to this color. Might just keep it that way. So with the new hood, the snow plow lifting mechanism had to be re-located and re-vamped. I thought under the seat was a good spot. It's out of the weather, but I'm gonna have to find a new place for my beer. To be honest, at -22 wind chill, I'm not really drinking a lot of beer out there.

In my wood working shop the table saw stand with outfeed, router table and storage is the center of activity.

@Ed Kennell, from age 6 to 16 had to walk that driveway (most days unless torrential downpours) to catch the "van" to go another 3 miles just to catch the actual bus to go to school. Kids don't know they have it made now adays.

I do mean mini

Been getting some things done on the engine between snowflake rearrangement sessions. These engines involve more effort than the K/Magnum singles. Got one side of the case cleaned. There are a myriad of little spaces to clean out. Parts washer is in the part of the shop I don't heat very often so the fluid is at 27degrees, used a pint of brake clean after the parts washer and a bunch of Q-tips and brushes. Outside has has a bunch of dirt traps also but I don't care as much about that. Wound up shearing off all 4 of the self tapping screws that hold the stator on. 3 left enough sticking out to try to get it out after the stator was off. Over a couple days applied Kroil, PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, BG In-force and heat. Would not budge broke off flush. Gave me an excuse to get another helicoil set (#10-24) so some small drills, carbide bit on the dremel and the helicoil have two fixed. Now have to pull off all the little black threads around various spots of the case. Kohler used some kind of sealant between the case halves not a gasket. They also caution not to use an scrapers on the mating surfaces. The little threads of sealant that squeezed out on the inside are a stark reminder to NEVER USE RTV in a hydro.

Little bit of wet weather horse wrangling this morning. Had to use the 412A to pull it out of the woods. I believe it’s a 1969 Workhorse 700 Special.

My car broke down and had to be toad

it‘s a hobby right? Hobby means the least possible use with the greatest possible financial outlay 😎

Those trannys are just beast!

It was last week, but I installed new front tires and tubes. When I put air in the old ones, it sounded like a zipper when the side wall ripped. They have been bad for a while. Now I just need to fill them with fluid. The old ones were fluid filled.

I agree ! Lowell will help you anyway he can ! I placed an order with him that did not turn out well for me that was no fault of his... We worked something out that was favorable to me...and as a thank you to him and Joette I placed an order for some Wheel Horse Parts and More apparel.

Yes a new longer pin was made. The machine was set up for loader service only.The tachmatic brackets and central lift mechanisms were eliminated. While the loader is still in the works the tractor still gets used for draw bar service.I really need to get some pictures of it now.

Bet it was uphill both ways Billy! What I did this weekend ..Lake Winnebago...google that and sturgeon. Very traditional here, we cut big holes in the ice and look down them in hopes of seeing a fish. Looking to spear a dinosaurus ( no not you @stevasaurus) came up empty handed but boy did Cindy fish hard and saw a lousy gar and two shad.... -16 when we cut in on friday and -18 when we went out today got up to a high of -1. So warm in the shack tho I took my boots off and napped while she fished! I bought a tag but regulated myself to just a guide.

I have a local guy that I have to go see for a new one. But I will fix this one and see how it ends up. It gets lots of abuise so 3/8 plate and braces will be used.

I used the front axle out of a parts 68 Commando for the worn-out one on the 76 C-160. Just happened to be the same part number. Got to love for the swap ability.

Glad to hear that didn't turn into a multi day highly labor intensive ordeal. Occasions like that are why I keep our own "parts department" here. I try to have all the common stuff on hand. Also handy when we're working on a project and realize we need a whoozitt or thingamajig.... Hey look we have that!

What can I say?

X2 Every time that blade hits a solid object, the frame to tranny connection sees a 500lb impact.

There was a car in the ditch and my Chevy toad them out.

Never a problem with mine.

While I was installing the new belt on the 312H, I noticed a wonky camber on the right front wheel. Pulled it off to find this. Lucky the spindle wasn't damaged. Put on a new wheel and while I had this on for size, I made a set of 2 link front chains.

I also have my receiver hitch braced down to the transmission hitch so the axle housing doesn't support all the weight.

Now that's a cool stack!