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Well after the engine swap to my spare and removing a lot of grass under the tower along the frame, tightening loose bolts, adjusting and tightening the transmission linkage, fixing corroded connections and ones that looked bad, I finally ran the tractor with the spare Onan. Runs real well so far. Just a little puff of smoke on start up and nothing after that. Smooth idle and great power especially compared to the original engine with the failing rear cylinder. I mentioned in my earlier post about throwing some Carlisle 26 x 12 x 12 rear meats on the tractor and eliminating the duel wheels I had on it. (You can snap axles with duel wheels and especially on a tractor your working). I appreciate other members warning me about duel wheels and axle issues! The 26 x 12 x 12's would give me enough of the stability I was looking for with the duels without the added stress on the axles. (Plus at 26" high, they are really cool but I'm 57 years old so that doesn't count). Problem is anything that high is not going to fit under a horse's fenders plus the side rails. I was asked to post what I did "if" I got them on the tractor so here are some pics...... Used a plasma cutter and trimmed the lip off both "upper" side rails then "rough cut" an area around the gas cap on the fender tub so I could reach in and remove the gas cap since it would be "under" the tub surface. (First 2 pics) Next measured a needed 2.25 inches of height on the fender tub to clear the tires on the top. Next I bent the upper foot-rails inward with the missing lip so it would move past both the side pieces on the flywheel side and the belt guard on the PTO side so the tire would clear......barely!!!!!! (The Next 2 Pics) Next.......I used half channel slotted strut, (inch and 5/8th's) which happened to be leftovers used by electricians at my place of employment and I cut pieces of heavy-duty polyethylene, (HDPE), I bought online to make my 2 and a quarter inch risers for under the fender tub. The HDPE is hard but bites on the metal and eliminates vibration. Kind of a cross between a gasket and a flange. Pics of the strut and the HDPE plus the much longer bolts I needed are shown beside the stock bolts used under the seat and a picture with them bolted together under the fender. (Next two pics). The gas cap is very easy to get to and take off and on and so is the tranny dipstick and the adjustment area for the transmission's linkage. Pros............These tires with their width will give me the stability using the loader I needed verses the stock lug tires. I had to eliminate using the duels which were pretty cumbersome in tight places. These new tires also barely stick out beyond the bucket which eliminated compressed snow with the dual tires on each side. This was a big PIA when clearing snow off a driveway and especially along the edges. Being a tad higher gives a feeling of being on a bigger tractor and I still have plenty of room between the steering wheel and my legs. I actually have more lower leg room now! I have a little better ground clearance in the rear though the front remains the same so it's not much of a Pro. The ride feels better. Can't explain that one but it feels that way. Easy modification! Not much to it! Cons...........You don't want to get your hands/fingers between the tires and the metal on top and on the side-rails. It will tear them up and quickly! With that upper lip gone on the side panels of the foot-rails, the tires will throw mud/water through the slight opening onto the foot-rails and possibly on the back of your boots or paint legs. The tires took more room on the sides which makes getting on and off the tractor with the loader a little hairy! With my size 12 boots, you don't have much room getting on and off it! You can really notice the cut-out I made for the gas cap. I plan to make a little plate with some magnetic adhesive/vinyl on the back painted red to cover this though. Pretty sure I can come up with something to stop the water or mud from splashing through the foot-rail too. It's hard to really see the size of these tires on a garden tractor unless your right there. PS....the tires were bought used and on some pretty interesting rims that a person welded together. Thanks to Redsquare member and neighbor David, (chev0545), for letting me wheel & deal on them for use on this little project!
