Commando 800 Refresh

[Racinbob 13,071]

I'm sure you all remember () when I restored this 72 Commando 800 for my grandson. I purchased the tractor back in the early 80's because it fit my pipsqueak Mom just right. She used it many years until she physically couldn't anymore. I hauled it to Florida and went to work on it. According to the picture dates it was in 2014 but I thought it was earlier than that. Here's a few pics before I brought it back to Indiana. 

 

 

I know our daughter and grandkids well and somehow the desire to take care of things skipped a generation. I knew what was in store for the little Commando and they didn't let me down. 

 

Our granddaughter drove it around in their yard a bit before I loaded it up to bring to my place. As she turned I noticed the front tires were hitting the mower deck. Guess what caused that. 

 

 

That's at least 3 or 4 times I found the deck on wrong. Each time I explained how to do it. The last time I told then just don't touch the deck. Call me. Apparently they all have hearing issues. 

 

Getting it to my garage I opened the hood.

 

 

Pressured washed it a couple times.

 

Then I removed the deck. This is after I had already hit it with the pressure a bit before I remembered to take a pic. 

 

 

I had a new boot for it. This is why I never use the long dog points that Wheel Horse used to sell.

 

 

That boot could have still been serviceable if it had the 3/4" dog point I now use. I think the long one is the #1 cause of destroyed boots. I suppose you don't have to pull the boot over the screw but I like to.

 

Drained the transmission, flushed and refilled. No issues but the right axle seal was leaking bad. Left wasn't leaking and the hub fought me. I had damaged the drive bolt on a previous tranny and I finished it off on this one. Got a new bolt and with some Cre Oil soaking I got it off. Transmission done.

 

 

This is 100% unacceptable. The engine oil didn't even touch the dip stick. This is what I drained out next to a the amount that it's supposed to have. That's just colored water in the reference jar. 

 

 

My wife always tells me to not say anything about it to the kids. They WILL hear about this. 

 

Cleaned the deck, sharpened the blades and the spindle belt was shot. 

 

 

Replaced the points, condenser, plug, fuel line and filter, greased, serviced the controls (choke wasn't working) and whatever else I could think of.

 

 

Just need to get things wrapped up now and get it back to them for mowing duties.

 

 

I'll bring the deck back once mowing season is over. It's going to need new bearings. I noticed that I can find the 103119 bearings much cheaper buying them separately rather than a lot of 3.

 

I was impressed how well this thing cleaned up and how well the paint is hanging in there. This tractor had been stored in a half falling down barn and battered but it still looks good. Rusty rattle can is pretty decent stuff. 

 

[ri702bill 12,659]

I bought its "sister", another Commando 800, with a plow, 50 lb weight, and trailer cart, for $75 back in 2015. Sold both implements, broke even - free tractor!

It was a dedicated plow tractor all its life. Engine ran great, the 3 speed Unidrive only had 1st & reverse - just enough for plowing. No PTO or lever.

Worth waht I paid for it. The bones are destined to become "Yard Art". And that Hammerhead Swisher muffler was a bonus - sounded great, but was severely rusted.....

 

Edited 4 hours ago by ri702bill

[sqrlgtr 3,562]

12 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

"Yard Art"

@ri702bill Them bones deserve another chance, way too good to be "yard art". Ive started with way worse. 

[953 nut 67,987]

47 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

My wife always tells me to not say anything about it to the kids.

SWMBO speaks with great wisdom.        Chewing out your young ones (no matter how old they are) will only drive a wedge between you and them. If they don't think the way you do doesn't make either of you wrong, just different. We share your pain, dealing with many of the younger generation can be frustrating. 

[sqrlgtr 3,562]

Wasn't any of my family but that's how the 48" deck was on the Last 520H "that mows so great " I brought home was. I have found if someone is not that interested in sumin they just don't pay attention to the wisdom offered on said subject, but when they are it's like a sponge. In all fairness I guess I'm the same way; I can listen to someone talk WH's all day but could care less about the Royal family in Britain .

[squonk 47,611]

52 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

I bought its "sister", another Commando 800, with a plow, 50 lb weight, and trailer cart, for $75 back in 2015. Sold both implements, broke even - free tractor!

It was a dedicated plow tractor all its life. Engine ran great, the 3 speed Unidrive only had 1st & reverse - just enough for plowing. No PTO or lever.

Worth waht I paid for it. The bones are destined to become "Yard Art". And that Hammerhead Swisher muffler was a bonus - sounded great, but was severely rusted.....

 

It's too bad Waldo ( elcamino/wheelhorse)is no longer with us. That tractor has a part he was going crazy about that he needed for his 800

[peter lena 9,989]

@Racinbob  very nice looking unit !  with reference to  the underside of the    mower deck , been doing this for many years , also remove rot box baffling  , to ELIMINATE REASON / CAUSE , do a regular 2 stage  , hot oil  bake in , I DO NOT USE ,PENETROL, macks chain and cable lube , for initial  bake in , then followed ,by  heavy  open gear lube , also  hot  baked in sun . the heat  . literally  bonds / bakes lubricant to  finish . 3 decks with this , also  did over  every related , bearing  with clean out  and lucas xrta hd  green chassi grease , 550 deg flash point , polyurea rated , stays with bearing , never  burned out a clutch disc , pto lever hand off  is smooth quiet easy  . pete 

 

[ebinmaine 79,996]

2 hours ago, Racinbob said:

This is 100% unacceptable. The engine oil didn't even touch the dip stick. This is what I drained out next to a the amount that it's supposed to have. That's just colored water in the reference jar. 

 

 

My wife always tells me to not say anything about it to the kids. They WILL hear about this.

 

 

 

With all possible due respect to your wife... IMHO  She's flat wrong there. 

 

Folks who make errors NEED to know what they did. Maybe they learn. Maybe they don't. 

Me personally... I wouldn't give the tractor back. But I'm a little more harsh than some.  

 

You've done a beautiful job with the tractor!

 

 

[ri702bill 12,659]

2 hours ago, sqrlgtr said:

@ri702bill Them bones deserve another chance, way too good to be "yard art". Ive started with way worse. 

I used that K181 on my C81 - Ran great, but the stator was bad. The one on the tired C81 original 8 HP gave up that part - been using it for over 10 years now.

I still do have that Commando, in the "Outdoor Parts Department". Man those funny rear tires on 10" diameter rims are tiny!

[JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,584]

Nice job on it. Looking good. 

[Racinbob 13,071]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

With all possible due respect to your wife... IMHO  She's flat wrong there. 

 

Folks who make errors NEED to know what they did. Maybe they learn. Maybe they don't. 

Me personally... I wouldn't give the tractor back. But I'm a little more harsh than some.  

 

You've done a beautiful job with the tractor!   

 

Thanks Eric.

My usual MO is not to listen to her so they will be hearing about it. 

My daughter is 48 and the two boys are high schoolers and they all have been shown what to do in the past. I cut the boys some slack because their dad is worthless and wouldn't show them anything. He's out of the picture now so........ 

Actually, with the situation changed now I'm thinking another basic training session and maybe it will stick this time.  

 

31 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

I used that K181 on my C81 - Ran great, but the stator was bad. The one on the tired C81 original 8 HP gave up that part - been using it for over 10 years now.

I still do have that Commando, in the "Outdoor Parts Department". Man those funny rear tires on 10" diameter rims are tiny!

 

I feel the K181 is the toughest of the Kohlers. They start with only a bump and purr from idle to full throttle. Even after the abuse this one is no exception. 

This one had the 10" rims but it now has the 22-7.50's that came on the 76 B-80's. I think they balance well with the smaller fronts. A few of the other parts from that tractor are on this one.

Edited 1 hour ago by Racinbob

[ri702bill 12,659]

That looks like only a few ounces shy of a connecting rod failure and that silly "Uncle Bob, the tractor was making a funny noise, but then it stopped" phone call....

Some folks are Mechanically Inclined and appreciate a quality machine and keep it that way, others are "Mechanically Declined" and will run it until it doesn't.

 

My BIL had a nice horizontal 8 HP chipper - shreader with a B&S engine. He also had two sons & a daughter that all burned wood in the winter. He let them borrow it as needed; the ONLY time it got more than topped off with cheap 87 and PM care was when I used it. No one else seemed to know or care to change the oil, fuel filter, air filter, and sharpen the blades... We eventually got our own. I asked my sister after my BIL passed who ended up with it. None of the kids - one ran it low on oil, broke the connecting rod - out to the curb it went. Then they had the nerve to ask if it was going to be replaced!! Glad they aren't my kids....

 

Edited 1 hour ago by ri702bill

[SylvanLakeWH 31,932]

28 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

That looks like only a few ounces shy of a connecting rod failure and that silly "Uncle Bob, the tractor was making a funny noise, but then it stopped" phone call....

My favorite Bible verse - I think I learned it from @Achto...

 

He who is without oil shall throw the first rod.

 

Lubrications 3:16