Found some horses in the barn

[Circus Man 0]

I found 2 in a barn,one is a RJ58 ser.no.12__1 cannot read the rest,the tag is dammaged.#2 looks like the one in picture gallery posted by TREED Marvs RJ35 but this ones rusty and has no motor.couldnt find a tag on it how do i find the year 4 sure?

[traktorkidd7/30/93 1]

:banghead:

And GREAT find..... :horseplay:

[perry 82]

serial #'s dont mean diddly...... :banghead:

[BPjunk 184]

On a early RJ-35/25 post a good discription of the frame, hood, lift , gas tank support and what ever else you can see.

Wild Bill in Richmond, Va.

[sorekiwi 761]

I think I got this from one of the Yahoo groups some years ago.

Hope this helps

[Kelly 1,033]

I got this off the yahoo group not to long ago, if correct, some good info.

Now for the differences between the years. The RJ-25/35s were only

built in 1955,56 and 57. They will have "Pond" cast in the gear case.

I also beleive the RJ-25 was only available in 1955 & 56 because I

don't think the Briggs Model 8 was available in 1957. It's pretty

easy to identify the RJ-25 because it has the Brigss engine with the

gas tank on the engine, not under the hood. There will not be a hole

in the hood for the gas cap on an RJ-25 unless someone moved the

tank and cut one.

The pivot stops for the front axle is one piece the full width of

the frame on the earliest built ones. Either late 55 or early 56

they went to two small square blocks.

The lift lever is solid 3/4" round stock on the early ones and went

to the push button release type later in 55.

The early 55s and maybe into 56 did not have the small piece of

angle iron for a stop on the motion lever.

The Clinton and Kohler engines used on the RJ-35s and even the RJ-

59/59s used a recoil built by Schnacke. It used a cable instead of a

rope.

The early 55s had a stand made from flatstock for the gas tank to

sit on. The latter ones had the tank attached to the hood with

straps like the RJ-58/59 amd even the 1960/61 Suburbans.

The 1955 tractors had a structural steel channel frame and either

late 55 or early 56 they went to a channel formed from sheetmetal.

This frame must not have work out because the 57s went back to the

structural steel channel.

The kill switch on the early 55s was a big round brass push button,

and later went to a toggle switch.

The steering wheel started out as a small cast one. It's thought

that the first 100 or so tractors had cast aluminum steering wheels

then they went to cast iron. My Rj-25 has a cast iron one and my RJ-

35 has a cast aluminum one. The cast steering wheels were used in

1956 but I don't think all 56's had them.

The exhaust wasn't piped all the way up front in 55 and I think most

of 56. There was just the small stock muffler right on the engine. I

think all 57s should be piped to the front.

The hood with Wheel Horse stamped in came out sometime in 1956 amd

continued through 1959.

The enclosed belt guard was only on the 1957.

The 1957 used a different pawl spring in the rear hubs. You can

positively identify a 1957 by looking at the backing plate behind

the left rear wheel hub. The little bumps that are stamped in it

will be on the side away from the hub instead of inside the hub. I

don't that all 57s are that way but they were only put on that way

starting sometime in 1957. In other words if you see bumps instead

of indentations without removing the hubs you deffinitely have a

1957.

Wheel colors were black on rear and silver on front in 55, black

both front and rear in 56 and almond or off-white in 1957.

The engine color was red on the Clinton and Kohler and black on the

Briggs.

The slot hitch was madeout heavier steel in 55 and 56 then it was in

57. The 1957 hitch was formed from sheetmetal.

This is how I decide what year I think an RJ is. Like I said, I

can't say for positive that it's 100% accurate but I do think it's

pretty close. I'd be interested in hearing others opinions.

[Buzz 502]

That is from Tim LaPree, a very knowledgeable man on the early 'Horses. I saved it and post it now and then when this topic comes up. A lot of the older members remember tim. His wife Terese whipped ol Bill in a slow tractor race at one of the shows and I think Nick has a picture of him bowing at her feet. :banghead:

[Circus Man 0]

thanks for the info guys!

The steering wheel is cast iron and small,the motor is missing,and the pulley setup on the rearend is not the sameas the 58.The frame looks like one solid piece.

When i go back over there ill take the camera.

And again thanks for the help! :USA: