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Mudrig150

My new 1969 John deere 140 H1

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Mudrig150

So I've been searching for 4 whole years for a 140, and after getting the offer to pick this one up, I just HAD to jump on it. We got it on Friday, just before another buyer came on Sunday to pick it up. We ended up bringing it home, along with a set of 212 side panels and a 300 carcass. We of course forgot our straps and had only one to strap down: The 140s hood, 212 side panels, 300 fenders, 140 fuel tank, 140, and the 300. We managed to get home safely and nothing was lost.

The 140 needs a new back tire, a motor, a new steering column, battery tray, and all the electrical. The hood is just sitting on the frame for now, but planning to have it mounted in the future. Luckily for me it sat in the original owner's sunroom after the motor went out but after 15 or so years of sitting in there he had to sell it, after which it sat outside under a tree, exposed to the sun. Luckily we got it only shortly after. The 140 is pretty much mint, having only faded paint, and a little bit of rust. All the dash components are either in bad shape or missing so everything's getting replaced. The paint IS original, just faded from sitting under a glass roof, and the rust is just from the battery and the little bit of sitting outside it did. The hood only has one crack on the front and a tiny chunk missing, and headlight panel has been impaled, but the rubber ring and wiring is still there. Other than that, this thing is completely unmolested.


The 300 is donating its H1.5 (there's 2 handles but only one set of front lines; there was a diverter valve), its steering, some of its hydro linkage parts, and the hydraulic caps. There isn't much other than that, but I am selling the mint dash on it.

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Mudrig150

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Mudrig150

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T-Mo

This should be an interesting project.  Are you going to put in a K-341 back in it, or repower it with a Briggs, Honda, or another engine?

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Mudrig150

I dunno, it just won't be a V-twin. I'm thinking magnum 12 single cylinder.

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oliver2-44

Nice project! Lots of good help here even if it is green, keep us posted on your progress and any help needed. 

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Mudrig150

So I took the steering column out of the 140 by just unbolting it then disassembling it from the bottom, then knocking the shaft out from the top. I tried putting the 300 column in but apparently the pittman arm nut is larger and it won't fit through the small hole in the column. I'm just saying screw and I'm just going to put a bearing and spacer in to replace the inside bolt and put the column in.
Because I can't currently fix the steering, I tried to take the H1 out to put the H2 in but that was a no go, the lines are all stuck together and I couldn't unscrew the bolts because the lines just wanted to twist with the bolts. The one line I found is nice and bent up from the PO trying to literally steal everything, wiring, hydraulics, engine, etc.
I then decided that, since i can't do anything i wanted to, I was just going to clean the tractor off. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the paint isn't faded, it's just got this white film of what I assume to be tree sap on it. This thing cleaned up nice, save for the hood, which has been repainted because all the paint's missing off the front.

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Mudrig150

Got some work in on the 140... Or not. Still need to find a motor and do some other work. I still haven't looked into those axle seal leaks...

 

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Mudrig150

Motor is out of the 210 and into the 140. Just have to take the flywheel screen and PTO off, then take my other steering column and combine it with the column from the 210. Larry's getting new life after 22 years of being a parts tractor!

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Mudrig150

Here's a more detailed explanation:

After I got home from school, I "persuaded" my brother to order my remote oil filter, then I went straight up our farm. I got started unhooking the wiring, and found that my no-spark issue is definitely in the coil-key switch connector. I popped the two halves apart and it was like a blizzard of corrosion. I'm just going to swap the coil from my K321 because I don't even know if this one works.
My brother came up and worked on something for a bit, I got the motor mount unbolted and the manual PTO linkage unhooked, ready to take the engine out, but I changed my mind when I saw that the motor mount was wedged in there good. I decided to just unbolt the whole engine from the mount and lift it out separately. Also, the one motor mount both broke off the frame and the ears broke off the mount itself.
I got everything on the engine itself unbolted, got the manual PTO engagement arm and mule drive off, cables disconnected, and the wiring apart. We had a fun time getting the front right bolt out, especially with a linkage in the way. It took 5 hours to get everything ready to come out.
Me and my brother were pretty annoyed at that point, and we harnessed that energy to muscle the engine out of the tractor and into the 140 frame.
 

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Mudrig150

Pulled Larry and the 317 out. Got the drain petcock off and bolted the motor in. Removed all the excess AQS shrouding and put the hood back on. He's really starting to shape up!

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Mudrig150

After struggling for a while I managed to get the H1 valve out. Luckily I've learned that if the line is turning with the nut it's usually stuck to the valve fitting, not the nut.
I need to partially disassemble the H2 valve to get the 90 degree fitting in, so I can put it in with only slight extra bending on the stock lines needed. The hole I need to drill should be easy, I just need to find a drill bit to fit and drill everything out.

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Mudrig150

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Mudrig150

Almost done getting the H2 in larry. I got the front lines in, just have to hook them up.

We went and picked up some parts, mainly fenders, a frame, and a 43 blade.

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Mudrig150

Almost ready to run. Got oil and hydro fluid in the tractor, I got the hydraulic lines all tightened up and a temporary steering box in. Just need to find my solenoid and get the fuel tank in.

I do still need a real -30000 steering box.

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Mudrig150

Had to pull steering box again because I forgot the top bearing. Also gave me the opportunity to screw the drag link the whole way in, which allowed me to get my H2 handles in. Just have the issue of the rockshaft/angle lever being crooked.

 

Tried starting it, but no dice. I'm only getting a small bit of fuel into the cylinder. I did clean my points and swapped the coils, fixed the no spark issue. I have a massive leak from the axle seal, it lost almost 3.5 quarts of ATF in only 3 days. Guess I'll have to replace the seal.

 

Fenders off, old seat swapped, adjustable seat parts lubed. I was tired of the old seat swallowing bolts and tools into the upholstery.

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PeacemakerJack

Never been much of a Green and yellow guy myself...however as I began to study the history of GT’s I have found various models of other brands that interest me. The JD 140 is one of those tractors.  After seeing this machine...

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I thought (I could see myself owning one of those someday if I found the right deal!). They were the tractor that actually made JD a serious player in the GT race!  

@Mudrig150 keep up the good work and hopefully you’ll get it running and driving soon!

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Mudrig150

I'm clos

1 minute ago, PeacemakerJack said:

Never been much of a Green and yellow guy myself...however as I began to study the history of GT’s I have found various models of other brands that interest me. The JD 140 is one of those tractors.  After seeing this machine...

1F47A26E-C823-4299-86BB-8B27DE8B29E2.jpeg.f886fc5b2323d6afed5bbae50fe06f7c.jpeg

I thought (I could see myself owning one of those someday if I found the right deal!). They were the tractor that actually made JD a serious player in the GT race!  

@Mudrig150 keep up the good work and hopefully you’ll get it running and driving soon!

Everyone says deeres are expensive but I'm broke and still getting it done. The main problem is when they try to find the NOS parts. 90% of the parts are easy to either fabricate, obtain from parts tractors, or just bought used. That's how it is with Larry. Motor, hydraulic lines, steering column, the seat, heck, even the tires are all off parts tractors. 

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ebinmaine

Nice job finding the great deals on stuff to get that thing up and running.

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Mudrig150
41 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Nice job finding the great deals on stuff to get that thing up and running.

It's not easy, but when you're only income is tractors, you find the deals.

Still can't believe I ended up with a nice 317 with a magnum 18, a free 140 with a 300 parts tractor, a free burns, and the 210 with the good motor and transmission.

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Mudrig150

Should I pull the trigger on this?

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ebinmaine
3 hours ago, Mudrig150 said:

Should I pull the trigger on this?

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How do you mean mud rig?

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Mudrig150

 

46 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

How do you mean mud rig?

Buy it. Pull the trigger and buy it. 29$, I don't know if I'll have enough money for the ATF to refill the transmission. But it fits the tractor so well...

Edited by Mudrig150

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ebinmaine
1 minute ago, Mudrig150 said:

 

Buy it. Pull the trigger and buy it. 29$, I don't know if I'll have enough money for the ATF to refill the transmission. But it fits the tractor so well...

I'd be more likely to get it up and running and driving first and then make it pretty and complete later

 

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Mudrig150
2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I'd be more likely to get it up and running and driving first and then make it pretty and complete later

 

I wouldn't consider that pretty... It's the only 140 grille I've found that fits the tractor and isn't 60$. 29$ for the grille, I have 60$.

Edited by Mudrig150
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