1981 Wheel Horse C85

[ebinmaine 63,137]

Great looking work as usual Cat.

 

Make sure you check the bolts that hold the attach a matic on the front. I found out today that if you actually expect a bolt to work properly you have to tighten it up. 

[classiccat 548]

Yesterday we had a black hood... and today we have a black hood tractor

 

Only minor cosmetic repairs needed to the steering wheel...then scuffed upto 600g:

 

a few coats of VHT vinyl dye & the mail lady dropped off a package from @GlenPettitright when I was driving the roll-pin home.  Blown away by the quality of the steering wheel cap & keychain Glen!

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by classiccat

[classiccat 548]

7 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Great looking work as usual Cat.

 

Make sure you check the bolts that hold the attach a matic on the front. I found out today that if you actually expect a bolt to work properly you have to tighten it up. 

Thank you Eric!

 

Ooooohhhh man...Hope Trina didn't see that!!!!!  You'll never live that one down bud!  

[ebinmaine 63,137]

9 hours ago, classiccat said:

Thank you Eric!

 

Ooooohhhh man...Hope Trina didn't see that!!!!!  You'll never live that one down bud!  

Hahahahahaha

 

Yeah I told her....

It's actually possible it was either one of us that skipped that step.

We both did a lot of assembly... 

[SylvanLakeWH 24,130]

Wow!

 

looking good!

 

makes her bigger cousin (my c-105) look a bit shabby in her older clothes...but, then again...she’s a worker...

 

Love the Blackhoods!!!

 

[classiccat 548]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Hahahahahaha

 

Yeah I told her....

It's actually possible it was either one of us that skipped that step.

We both did a lot of assembly... 

 

Trina hasn't learned the Jedi wife mind trick...yet!    

 

47 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Wow!

 

looking good!

 

makes her bigger cousin (my c-105) look a bit shabby in her older clothes...but, then again...she’s a worker...

 

Love the Blackhoods!!!

 

Thanks SylvanLakeWH!  i'd take original over a repaint anyday!

 

It has been nice to strip it down completely, go over every square inch and restore all of its original functionality.

 

 

[peter lena 8,067]

on the PTO detail picture, i put the engine pto mount upper triangle ,UNDER  the top bracket. what that does is let the lever arm work in a more horizontal range, making it work much easier. i also switched the original trunion  fitting to a HEIM JOINT, eliminating the poor angular fit. having detailed any lever on the horse , basically taking out all the play in it , makes them much smoother and easier to use. understand , this has nothing to do with the terrific work and detailing that you have done, but just a change i made to my herd , thank you for the pictorial ride along , pete 

[classiccat 548]

4 minutes ago, peter lena said:

on the PTO detail picture, i put the engine pto mount upper triangle ,UNDER  the top bracket. what that does is let the lever arm work in a more horizontal range, making it work much easier. i also switched the original trunion  fitting to a HEIM JOINT, eliminating the poor angular fit. having detailed any lever on the horse , basically taking out all the play in it , makes them much smoother and easier to use. understand , this has nothing to do with the terrific work and detailing that you have done, but just a change i made to my herd , thank you for the pictorial ride along , pete 

Man... you read my mind.  I was looking closer at the pictures  (specifically at the ill-fitting trunion). 

 

When you flipped the triangle, I assume you also flipped the shouldered bushing (inserted from the top)?

 

I won't need the PTO this season (the mower deck is still in pieces and needs some large rust holes repaired)...the PTO brake fitment is probably the most critical at the moment  

[peter lena 8,067]

on the PTO detail picture, i put the engine pto mount upper triangle ,UNDER  the top bracket. what that does is let the lever arm work in a more horizontal range, making it work much easier. i also switched the original trunion  fitting to a HEIM JOINT, eliminating the poor angular fit. having detailed any lever on the horse , basically taking out all the play in it , makes them much smoother and easier to use. understand , this has nothing to do with the terrific work and detailing that you have done, but just a change i made to my herd , thank you for the pictorial ride along , pete 

[peter lena 8,067]

classiccat, yes i did flip the bushing on the swap, i typically look at an engagement point , wanting to make it smoother and easier, that being said , if you look at the PTO lever rod starting point, under dash , lower dash cover removed, looking forward toward pto . the lever fit is sloppy , one of my first upgrades on any tractor is washer fill the gaps at any swing point, silicone grease lube, like magic , that sloppy fit and angular push is gone. while i am there i usually install a 3/4" flange bearing on the steering shaft too. i will look for my heim upgrade pictures, pete 

[peter lena 8,067]

http://www.wheelhorse.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7483,  pto and other additions , heim joint  modification , did this on mine, pete

[classiccat 548]

I rigged the ill-fitting Toro seat back-up until the WH seat arrives from Derek.  It requires about ¾” of shims to clear the hinge assembly and it sits so far back (to clear the shifter) that I have to use my toes to work the pedals.

 

With that, I can at least test and then get a load of wood & organic fertilizer out of my truck (Seat time!).

 

Well, it fired up but ran like crap.  After swapping out the original fuel pump (had an OEM plastic one), filter and points, I started resetting the static timing when I realized my boneheaded mistake at the coil. 

 

I had a ‘dash’ wire marker when I made my wire harness…thinking that it meant “I” for ignition rather than “-“ for negative terminal!  Now it jumps to life with a bump of the start switch and purrs.

 

 

I can’t believe it even ran and that I didn’t fry anything (although the points looked a little worse for wear before swapping them!)

 

I get a little lean pop every once and awhile which goes away when I reach back & give the marine primer bulb a squeeze.

 

I’m thinking of moving the primer bulb (and check valve) to the engine and putting the filter back at the tank.

Anyways…enough yapping and here are some pics from this afternoon (between the rain showers.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We just need to throw on the side hood decals, "new" saddle when it arrives and make a tweak to the fuel system.

 

Thanks for stoppin' by!

 

[ebinmaine 63,137]

Absolutely AWESOME.

Beautiful work.

 

[classiccat 548]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Absolutely AWESOME.

Beautiful work.

 

 

Thank you Eric!  

 

I swapped the primer and filter and played...er I mean worked... cleaning out the planting beds this evening.  

 

Worked like a charm; the machine performed flawlessly hauling somewhere between 4 and 40 loads back to the woods. 

 

Honkin' filter between @Vinylguy's decal and @wheelhorseman's hitch receiver.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[classiccat 548]

The biggest fear for me in this project (bigger than splitting the tranny!) was screwing up Terry’s big hood decals.

 

I dove in with both feet this morning for a dry install.

 

setting the distance with a market pass 1/2” from the bottom hood edge.

 

Butting the guide tape up to the marker tape

 

Removed the marker tape then wiped down with IPA and blow dry.

 

Wearing nitrile gloves, peel and stick.  No bubbles or fuss.

 

 

Shift plate and seat are all that’s left before putting this project in the books. 

 

Happy Easter!

[Pullstart 59,722]

Looks so good!

[Tuneup 1,416]

Wonderful and great to see so much detail on another black hood. I had to sweat those decals as well. Didn't know they could be put on there wet!

[classiccat 548]

1 hour ago, Tuneup said:

Wonderful and great to see so much detail on another black hood. I had to sweat those decals as well. Didn't know they could be put on there wet!

 

Thanks @Tuneup!  I swung by your C125 build...top-shelf work!  It must have been very fulfilling bringing it by for Homer to appreciate!

 

Yeah it seems many on here install wet using things like soapy H2O or windex.  I believe it was on an RV forum (vinyl wraps) of all places when researching vinyl decal installs.  One guy claiming to be from 3M said that Windex voids their warranty however recommended Rapid-Tac if you're going to do a wet install.    @Vinylguy recently indicated that he installs dry...that's all I needed to hear!

[classiccat 548]

More seat time today...and my back is VERY happy!

 

I store my boat in a Shelter Logic portable garage in the winters and have been disassembling it come spring until I setup something more permanent (without violating my deed restrictions...too much )

 

Hauling the garage bits back to a loft in my garage:

 

Then eventually pulling the boat!  (The sides were sanded upto 800g then polished with Zephyr  wheels/clays last summer.  The top-most faux lap-strake will be tip-n-rolled white once I'm finished with the interior.)

 

If you like watching paint dry, you'll like this video I shot this afternoon pulling the boat in Low-1 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by classiccat

[Mikerodrig27 3]

Wow, that is a great little tractor! Good job on the restoration. How do you think the polish will hold up on the boat when you start getting it out on the water?

[classiccat 548]

7 hours ago, Mikerodrig27 said:

Wow, that is a great little tractor! Good job on the restoration. How do you think the polish will hold up on the boat when you start getting it out on the water?

Thanks Mike!  The tractor definitely earned it's keep!  I'd be one sore puppy today if I pulled the boat across the soft yard by hand. 

 

I used a Zephyr polish/sealer on the hull but I may clean it off & go over it with Sharkhyde (which I used on the bottom). 

 

As long as you clean/reapply the products periodically (every season if used heavy, alternating seasons for light use), the shine should hold-up. And when it does lose some of it's luster, it won't be too difficult to bring back.

[Tuneup 1,416]

Admiring the boat! Down here, it's competition for who can have the fastest bass boat so plenty of those in the market but they ain't cheap! As they say, it's the one thing you always want but then it's the one thing you always want to get rid of...labor of love, clearly.

 

My WH gives a bit of a rattle, too, when the clutch is out and not in gear. It's likely the only pulley I haven't replaced and some attention to the bushings. I'll have to get to that. The C-120 comes next. Homer won't let go of his Commander 7.

 

Nice to see you enjoying it!

[classiccat 548]

34 minutes ago, Tuneup said:

Admiring the boat! Down here, it's competition for who can have the fastest bass boat so plenty of those in the market but they ain't cheap! As they say, it's the one thing you always want but then it's the one thing you always want to get rid of...labor of love, clearly.

 

My WH gives a bit of a rattle, too, when the clutch is out and not in gear. It's likely the only pulley I haven't replaced and some attention to the bushings. I'll have to get to that. The C-120 comes next. Homer won't let go of his Commander 7.

 

Nice to see you enjoying it!

Thanks Tuneup!

 

maybe when Homer sees that you’ve run out of tractors, he will cave

 

This boat won’t be breaking an speed records (low to mid-30s expected) since it will be powered with the original  3cyl Looper.  So I’ll be keeping weight to a minimum.

 

heres the engine that I’ve partially restored (exhaust manifold was roached, seized t-stat, leaky lower unit seals).  

 

^^^ The WH has a new designated parking spot in the garage.

[classiccat 548]

On 4/28/2019 at 8:07 AM, Tuneup said:

My WH gives a bit of a rattle, too, when the clutch is out and not in gear. It's likely the only pulley I haven't replaced and some attention to the bushings. I'll have to get to that.

 

@Tuneup... spot-on with the clutch pulley.  I didn’t even notice the slop when I had it apart...and I had made peace with the rattle!

 

theres a bearing-equipped Stens assembly (280-362) that runs about $12 shipped...tightened things up really well.

 

^^ Since this picture was taken, I had to add a washer to the shaft bolt since the excess thread was rubbing on the brake linkage pivot axle.

 

I had to also address a leaky (damaged) brake shaft seal (replaced the SKF with a toro/wheelhorse nos seal).  Must have lost a chunk when reassembling the trans halves.

Edited May 1, 2019 by classiccat

[ebinmaine 63,137]

1 hour ago, classiccat said:

Must have lost a chunk when reassembling the trans halves

not sure when is the next time you intend to tackle something like that but you can avoid that (disastrously disgusting life-changing?)  situation by installing all of the exterior seals, last.