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Ok guys I finally got my first rj! I almost walked away from it based on how rough it looked but for $125 I think he made me buy it. It's missing so much like the belt shield, original seat, gas tank and push rod on the lift lever. Also the hood has been very hacked up. Question is to you experts is this, is it worth restoring? I'm leaning more toward restoring it because I've always wanted an RJ. Any advice or parts leads would be greatly appreciated. I'll try to get some better pics over the weekend. Sorry about the sideways photos. I have no idea why my phone does that.

Just put this engine stand together. Had my son draw it up on sketch-up and we welded it up. The bench top motor stand works great when your rebuilding a kohler engine. You can turn it in any position that you need to make the rebuilding easier. Every shop should have one. I may make several of these and list them in the classified adds.

Were you wearing a mask when you stole that little guy?

I AM PLANNING TO GET TO THE BIG SHOW THIS YEAR ALSO. I HAVE NOT MISSED THE LAST 11 YEARS. RUSS

Thanks Richard...that made my day. and back at you Mate. I'm sitting here watching golf. The warm up starts tomorrow, and maybe I can get out in the garage and do something. I just feel like I am wasting the day. Suppose to get a rain/snow mix tonight.

A great project. The old ones are getting pretty rare in some parts. Much better to restore it than go to the dump, that's for sure. At least the old stuff is restoreable. I can't imagine somebody trying to restore a new car in another 50 years.

Coming from from me,,,this may sound kinna funny.........I think i would get it running...make sure the rear axle fluid is clean again..and i would ride her... and be very proud,,,,,this looks like mine when i found it...clean alll the sheet metal...Wow....if you change your mind...I will give you your investment back...and a real cool crisp $5 ta boot !!!! =).... You done good..

I cut the shafts about mid way where there is room to cut with 1/32" thick cut off wheel. Then with both pieces off the tractor I use a 7/4"ID X1"OD sleeve to connect the two halves. The sleeve and shaft halves are drilled and pinned with a roll pin. The roll pins easily take the torque from the steering wheel as the one in the wheel does. I also tap the sleeve for set screws to help to hold the assembly in place while drilling and to lock the three parts together during final assembly in the tractor. The sleeve can be made as long as necessary if you want to extend the shaft to raise the wheel. There is no risk of damage to the wheel.

around my area its very hard to sell a tractor for anykind of money without a deck,as most people want to mow their grass with the tractor,as this is the most common task for a garden tractor,many people don't do anything other than mow and pull a cart

Thanks! I can't figure out why my phone posts pics upside down! Lol Thanks for all the encouragement guys! This the first RJ I know of in my area. The only other one I ever saw that was close to this was a 401 and I bought that one too! Definitely going to put this in line for a restoration. Let the parts hunting begin!!

New Old Stock Lawn Ranger and Spindles (never on a tractor) Sold and sent to Pete ! I asked him to post pictures on Red Square when he gets them on his redo Lawn Ranger project!

I would say that's a pretty much original RJ . Great find , it looks almost identical to mine . Here's a blurry pic from the add I bought it from . That hood can be saved . Had an old timer bodyman work on my hood . In fifteen minutes he had the front smoothed out . I asked him how much I owed him , he said nothing , it was a pleasure to work with real metal . Still have some patching and welding to do but it's one more saved .

Nice horse and you have the sticker on it. I managed to turn your pictures for you.

Lol! He asked me if $125 was too much and I didn't even argue I just gave him money!

In 73, I bought a 'Display' model 1972 Bronco 14 with 48" deck and dozer blade. That is too long ago to remember what I paid for it but $1500 comes to mind. I use it regularly for mowing 2 acres and for years used it for snow plowing. Several years ago I grabbed a C-160 auto and now use it for snow removal. Anyway....$450 sounds like a good price, but it is your money...not mine. You'll really like the hydro lift and the auto trans. CAUTION: .. take EXTREMELY CARE to keep ANY DIRT or other DEBRIS out of the hydro trans. Wipe off the dipstick and filler spout when checking fluid level and DO NOT overfill it.

Now, I want to see this movie . . . . someone will find it, there are those that have a photo memory for these things. Not me, this is what I have, it's the C-Nile Virus:

Is very cool... you should.

your retired that's what you are supposed to do, you have 7 days of free time.

it still amazes me how many parts are available for the tractors,i wonder if other brands are so good that way

Sensible people up your way.

I'll have to talk to those people at History.com, they didn't have that listed.

there could be but it would need all models and all their parts,im not computer savy to know how this would work,i just look at both models and go from there,if I need a spindle from a c120 to see if it will fit a 312 I look at parts tree or toro,but some part numbers change but the part still works,and the other way around

ive had to use my dremel and cut the old key,carefully to not touch the axle at all,sacrifice the 2.00 dollar key to save everything else

The attachments for the 5xi series are specific to this model. The 5xi is a longer, larger tractor with: a front-mount PTO as opposed to the Classic Wheel Horse side-mount; wider frame so the Attach-A-Matics' mounting points are further apart; a different hanger arrangement for the mower decks; and a longer wheelbase with a swept forward axle for sectoring a blade . Because of this they usually command a higher price. The 5xi attachments only show up once in a while compared to Wheel Horse attachments like you found, but not to say that they are not out there and it may take some time to find them. The good thing is that it appears that the majority of these tractors were sold east of the Mississippi. A dozer/snow blade could be reworked from another model but some fabricating would be needed. A better choice to start with would be a 48" blade intended for a late 520-H.

Aldon's method is what you need to follow. Just smack it hard; it will let go. Wear eye protection "just in case".

I know you have likely done this but with mine, it took a pretty harsh rap with a punch at a fairly sharp angle to break mine free. As you look at the hand drawn pic, the angle I had success at was at the arrow point. When it broke free it shot out and ricochet off tranny and I had to hunt around for it:-)

You should be able to the big thing is that you will need the correct rockshaft piece for the rear seat pan on the C-120. My 1979 C-121 has a rockshaft that is just like my 1993 314 on it. The pre-1978 tractors have to have a different part (rear rockshaft). I believe there is a Service Bulletin on thsi matter . I will se if I can find it and send to you!

Hey guys, I picking up the all totally original lawn ranger for $300. Is that a good buy?

Whx6 the tool I couldn't live without would have to be my 1/4 drive impact. It is amazing how fast you can tear down or repair a tractor with one of these.

sure its worth it,paitience to find the parts and lots of elbow grease she could be a nice lookin tractor again

Now that`s funny right there, I don`t care who you are that`s funny....

Everybody likes the round hoods, but if your going to work it I`d go with the 14...my

Lookin good! I bet the seat is gonna be real nice.

So it has been a while since I did an update on this one. After the big show last year Brennan wanted his tractor to be "shinny" so ... 10 mins after we unloaded the trailer he began to clean it up and then take it apart. Shortly after that he started to paint the frame and other parts. I started to do the body work to the sheet metal but then it got pushed to the side. Finally got back at it the last few weeks. Got the motor all cleaned up and painted. See pics.

Hey thanks! I'm the founder of HomemadeTools.net. We give away our "50 Must Read Homemade Tools" ebook for free to people who say nice things about us in forums. Here it is, you don't need to give an email address or anything like that, it's just free. Enjoy! http://download.homemadetools.net/50MustReadTools.pdf

I keep my deck on.

Get a rope! He stole that Horse. Very nice!

Russ, I wish there was a way for you to come to the big show this year. There are a lot of us who are new to the titanium club, and we all have stories and x-rays to share. Glad you are out of that brace and driving again. That was a milestone for me, and I'm sure it gave you a ray of hope as well.

Yea man who doesn't love an RJ

I'm working in the office today and I won't be home for a couple more hours. I can measure when I get home, though your supplier will likely be closed by then. I'm nearly 100% sure that the cross-section of the uprights is 3" x 5" with 1/8" wall ***I know for a fact that the 3" dimension is accurate. I had that in my 129mb file directory for all things related to my loader project.

What's the sense in getting older if you can't buy yourself a few memories? Happy Birthday!

Pics please ....saved some on the LR so go make a offer on the Bronco!!

Haha no, I'm going to truck home the Lawn Ranger, since it's a one owner machine. Thanks for the info and pictures everyone!

Yeah the engine install went good. I want to thank the guys who posted the pictures of their Predator engines they helped a lot. I had to get shorter belts, Floyd's Outdoor Power in Coopersville, MI was a great help, letting me take a bunch of used belts to get the right length. I removed the on-off switch that came with it, then rewired it to a toggle switch on the dash. Kinda hard to see behind the gear shift. As far as my uncluttered garage, I have to share it with my wife's car, so I keep all the clutter in my head Better pictures of the ignition switch.

The deck may be one of your most valuable pieces in the collection as fewer and fewer of them are around, This was my point in the post

Both!

Come-on Gary....aren't you retired? You should be at all the shows now!! Mike..........