What have you done to your Wheel Horse today?

[pfrederi 20,625]

One set up is for floating the other allow down pressure

 

 

[DLF 60]

17 hours ago, MainelyWheelhorse said:

 

I also gave the muffler on the C-141 a touch up as the high heat paint was coming off where the exhaust turned and went up the pipe. It’s been a productive day.

That muffler may melt your Wheel Horse decal. 

[MainelyWheelhorse 2,642]

@DLF It seems to be fine so far. The muffler is about 2 1/2 inches away from it. There has been no discoloration or visible heat damage after the decal has been on there since the end of October. I’ll keep an eye on it though. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[kpinnc 18,322]

4 hours ago, MainelyWheelhorse said:

about 2 1/2 inches away from it

 

Plenty far enough away. 

 

A couple of mine are closer than that and they don't damage the decals. 

 

 

[MainelyWheelhorse 2,642]

 

15 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

Plenty far enough away. 

 

A couple of mine are closer than that and they don't damage the decals. 

 

 

That’s what I thought when I was figuring out how far out to cut the exhaust extension. Enough to not be a damage magnet but close enough to not damage the decals/paint. The 312 and 308’s exhaust are closer like yours. No issues there either. So far so good.

Edited 12 hours ago by MainelyWheelhorse

[kpinnc 18,322]

Added some creature comfort to where most of them sleep...

 

 

[ebinmaine 79,053]

21 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

Added some creature comfort to where most of them sleep...

 

Nice of you to keep the Horses happier.  

[C100guy94 96]

17 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

Plenty far enough away. 

 

A couple of mine are closer than that and they don't damage the decals. 

 

 

I like em. Want em all. Haha

[Sparky-(Admin) 25,447]

  Just mowing with the 414…nothing special to see here. Then getting it in the shed up the steeper ramp it lost traction, rolled and the idiot driving it slipped the clutch pedal to much and she did a small wheelie. Well the right spindle drops out of the axle and when it comes down it snaps the ball outa the socket on the tie rod. 
  All fixed now. The E clip on top of the spindle is nowhere to be found. But the groove for it is full of crud making me think it’s been gone awhile and the accidental wheelie has brought it to my attention. 
  My new HF floor jack came in useful today 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 79,053]

48 minutes ago, Sparky said:

new HF floor jack

 

Good timing on that purchase! 

[squonk 46,729]

Darn Hot Rod Kids! 

[Blaine 12]

I’ve been tinkering with my 702 over this past week, going over it, putting together a mental list of what it needs with hopes to find at the big show, but the list keeps growing.
 

 I’ve kept the 702 stored indoors for over a decade now after the steering sector snapped. I have my trusty 401 that has been keeping my yard mowed for almost 30 years, so the 702 project has been at the bottom of lifes list of projects. 
 

 But now the deck on the 401 is sounding louder than ever. Bearings are worn, shafts are worn, keyways are rough, but the deck is still solid. More oil is on the wheels than is inside the trans. Hubs are loose on the axles.  I lost a wheel a couple weeks ago. Hub set screw threads are gone, so there’s a blob of weld holding the wheel on the axle. It’s in serious need of some TLC. It did get a fresh predator motor this spring. The last one was on there maybe 12 years. Still ran but was getting low on power and temperamental starting. 
 

 

 Thought i’d get 702 going because I know the deck is good, or so i thought. It’s weird how time makes you forget stuff. Luckily it was just a woodruff key for the left side had sheared. So that’s all good now.
 

 Since someone had got all happy with nickel rod and welded just about everything together on the rest of the tractor, i just mig welded what was left of the sector to the shaft, mainly to make it easier to move around until i find replacements at the big show. 
 

i bought the 702 15-20 years ago as a “ran when parked”. Well sure enough, after a battery and carb n tank clean, it was running, but it seemed tired. At the time i had planned on occasionally plowing snow with it so no big deal. Shortly after replacing all of the tires, the sector broke. So once again, it was a “ran when parked”.
 

Since then we had moved. The new tires got swapped on to the 401 because the original tires were coming apart and the front wheels were rusted through. The new place has a fairly steep bank sloping to the rear of the property. After fixing the deck on the 702, welding the sector, and charging up the 12 year old battery it fired up. I took it for a lap around the yard.
 

 At first i thought the deck belt was slipping, but no. That’s how quiet it’s supposed to sound. Lol. Poor little 401. But boy was that 7 horse struggling. So LOUD. I made the mistake of going down back. Had to disengage the deck and pulled the throttle out all the way, i barely made it back up the hill. 
 

 So last night i was thinking about how loud it seemed and just so little power. So this morning i went out and sprayed soapy water around the head and cranked the starter. Sure enough, bubbles coming out near the exhaust side of the head. AH HA. 

 

 So i pulled the head, gasket wasn’t complete toast, maybe the bolts were loose, but i zipped them off with an impact gun, so no idea. Soaped the valves and aired the exhaust and carb. Had some light bubbling, so i pulled the carb and breather and checked the valves. .006” intake .023” exhaust. Good enough for me. 
 

 I got on the phone and located a new gasket locally but I figured i couldn’t make a 25 minute drive in 9 minutes before they closed today, so i cleaned everything up and put it back together.
 

 Finished mowing the level area of the yard with it. Struggled getting it out of all 4 gears every time i had to back up. It started to get a little better, but i’m hoping a new shifter pin will fix it because the shifter has a lot of rotational slop. A new pin fixed the 401 when i had the same problem. I did drain the trans and filled it with ATF to flush it out. Hoping it comes around. 
 

 I checked the bore, 4 times. I kept getting the same thing. 2.882”. I don’t know what that is in dog years, but that’s what it is. I could push the piston around, as there is a serious gap to the cylinder wall and the piston is stamped STD. Obviously no visible crosshatch, but no scoring either. I couldn’t pick up on any rod noise, but it’s hard to hear anything over the steering shaft buzzing in the aluminum tank. 
 

 After mowing with the 401 for over a quarter of a century, the 702 just felt odd. Maybe it’s just the whole low power, but it definitely seemed geared lower too. I like a 32” cut as i have obstacles and tight areas. I can wheel the 401 around quick and easy. I just don’t see that happening on the 701.
 

 Always loved the easy steering on the 401. All 4 tires are foam filled, and i have a pair of Taurus rotors that i filled the vents with lead, 25# each, so the 401 sticks to the ground. I’ll probably be looking for a complete correct deck for the 401 and another motor for the 702, some front wheels (the 702 is currently rolling on my old 867 tires and wheels that i foolishly parted out back in the 90’s) 

 

So yeah, that was my day. The 702 cut beautifully, but it’s had a rough life long before i got it. It might be best as yard art.