What Model Do I Have?

[spedini 2]

Please excuse my ignorance,

but what model do I have?

 

Yes, I know the engine is incorrect,

the previous owner put that 5hp Briggs in there.

 

Thank you,

Arnie

[Achto 29,405]

2 hours ago, spedini said:

but what model do I have?

 

You appear to have an RJ. If it has a 3 speed transmission then it is either a 1958 or 1959 RJ58. If it has a vari-drive, then it is an earlier model.  

[kpinnc 14,651]

RJ-58/59. 

 

Can be tricky to define which, but likely one or the other. 

 

Nice save! 

[spedini 2]

3 speeds forward 

and it has reverse.

H pattern 

 

Thank you.

Edited July 20 by spedini

[wallfish 18,136]

RJ-58

[spedini 2]

Thank you.

[oliver2-44 10,734]

[wallfish 18,136]

A very nice find!

Just FYI

Missing the belt guard and exhaust heat shield.

Rear fenders were an customer option on those tractors so either way it is correct.

That pedal on the right is for a dozer blade, it's used to release the indexing pin on the blade. Ask the seller if they still have the blade.

Looks as though a choke knob was added under the steering wheel where the kill switch was once located.

That solid seat pan was used on later RJ-58s sold in 1959 and on early 1960 tractors. All of those tractors were badged as RJ-58 even though they may have been made and or sold in 1959. 

But you can check the casting code date on the trans.

 

Edited July 20 by wallfish

[wallfish 18,136]

Without the belt guard the belt may not slip on the engine pulley which is the clutching. If the belt doesn't stop spinning it will grind gears when shifting it. This can be solved without a belt guard until you find one  or just use it. Is it grinding gears when shifting now?

[kpinnc 14,651]

3 hours ago, wallfish said:

All of those tractors were badged as RJ-58 even though they may have been made and or sold in 1959. 

 

Literally more than ten times the number of RJs were built in 59 than in 58. Statistically, it's likely a 59. 

 

Seems like the only way to determine which one is would be to break down the date stamp on the transmission, and I don't remember what the cutoff is nor can I remember how to decipher Julian dates. 

 

Maybe one of the RJ gurus can chime in and help. 

 

 

[oliver2-44 10,734]

The casting dated If I remember correctly the 1st Character is a letter. A= January, etc (skip I ). The next neuter is months and the lady 2 are year.  

[wallfish 18,136]

8 hours ago, kpinnc said:

Maybe one of the RJ gurus can chime in and help. 

There is not a single tractor that was ever badged as a RJ-59 from the factory. They were ALL badged RJ-58 even if they were built and or sold in 1959 as stated. Even the trans date codes that have 59 on them still have a factory tag of RJ-58.

 

Letter - equals month except for the letter I was not used.( Probably because it could be confused with the number 1 )

the second number - equals the day of that month and there will not be a number in the middle that os over 31

the last number - equals the last two digits of the year

Edited July 21 by wallfish

[kpinnc 14,651]

3 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Literally there is not a single tractor that was ever badged as a RJ-59 from the factory. They were ALL badged RJ-58 even if they were built and or sold in 1959 as stated. No one has ever been able to produce a factory label that had RJ-59 on it.

 

I hope my post didn't mislead. You are correct. None were called RJ-59. 

 

The only RJ I ever owned was a 1959 model. At least that was the consensus back then. I got into the wrong habit of referring to mine as a RJ-58/59. I guess it's stuck. 

Edited July 21 by kpinnc

[wallfish 18,136]

People do call them RJ-59s but if the factory label reads RJ-58, then it IS a RJ-58, even though it could have been built or sold in 59.

I'll stick with my initial call, it's a RJ-58 no matter what the trans code reads.

 

[wallfish 18,136]

On 7/20/2025 at 10:33 PM, kpinnc said:

None were called RJ-59. 

I was wrong! This is the first document I have ever seen in which WH actually refers to a RJ-59. 

Admittedly I have not read a ton of WH documents and this was a service bulletin from 1964

 

 

[malcolmfox2@gmail.com 0]

What year and model is this?

[malcolmfox2@gmail.com 0]

Please help

[Pullstart 66,834]

8 hours ago, malcolmfox2@gmail.com said:

Please help

L-157(I believe) otherwise known as a Lawn Ranger.  

[rjg854 12,212]

9 hours ago, malcolmfox2@gmail.com said:

What year and model is this?

  yeap Lawn Ranger

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,234]

It appears to have the indent where the decal is on the belt guard…which indicates a 65 or 66 lawn ranger..  other than that theres no real difference from the 65-67 lawn rangers…

[953 nut 60,080]

1 hour ago, Pullstart said:

L-157(I believe) otherwise known as a Lawn Ranger.  

Kevin nailed it.                    The seat is from 1965 to 1967 but that steering wheel was a 1967 only style.

Here is a copy of the owner's manual.

 

[spedini 2]

On 7/20/2025 at 4:45 PM, wallfish said:

Without the belt guard the belt may not slip on the engine pulley which is the clutching. If the belt doesn't stop spinning it will grind gears when shifting it. This can be solved without a belt guard until you find one  or just use it. Is it grinding gears when shifting now?

 

It does not grind gears,

It never has.

Shifts quietly and smoothly.