I bought a used Craftsman lawn cart that came with 13" tires and 3/4" bore hubs. The tires were dry rotting, and the plastic hubs were poor quality and difficult to retube. Replacement wheel/tire assemblies with 3/4" bores would have cost more than I spent on the cart. I bought a 5/8" steel rod and a couple of bushings from Tractor Supply, and swapped it onto the cart to replace the 3/4" axle. Now I can use the cheap HF 10" pneumatic wheel/tire combo. The diameter is a bit small for the size of the cart, but it rolls well enough. I've had hundreds of pounds of rock in the cart, and the tires continue to hold air after about 4 months. If I have to replace the HF tires for another $10 in a couple of years, that's fine.
Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck
- Thread starter Travelover
- Start date
I bought a used Craftsman lawn cart that came with 13" tires and 3/4" bore hubs. The tires were dry rotting, and the plastic hubs were poor quality and difficult to retube. Replacement wheel/tire assemblies with 3/4" bores would have cost more than I spent on the cart. I bought a 5/8" steel rod and a couple of bushings from Tractor Supply, and swapped it onto the cart to replace the 3/4" axle. Now I can use the cheap HF 10" pneumatic wheel/tire combo. The diameter is a bit small for the size of the cart, but it rolls well enough. I've had hundreds of pounds of rock in the cart, and the tires continue to hold air after about 4 months. If I have to replace the HF tires for another $10 in a couple of years, that's fine.
lostcreekranch
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- NH TL-100A with Bush Hog 5045 FEL, WR Long 3rd function, LS XR4155HC w/FEL, WR Long 3rd Function.
Need a long tongue on it, like below trailer, so I can tow mixer with Polaris Ranger.
I am checking with HF to see if the trailer tongue us available as a spare part.
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lostcreekranch
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2012
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- 7,716
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- Austin County, Texas
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- NH TL-100A with Bush Hog 5045 FEL, WR Long 3rd function, LS XR4155HC w/FEL, WR Long 3rd Function.
Need a long tongue on it, like below trailer, so I can tow mixer with Polaris Ranger.
View attachment 434132
I am checking with HF to see if the trailer tongue us available as a spare part.
Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet
aczlan
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- Kubota L3830GST, B7500HST, BX2660. Formerly: Case 480F LL, David Brown 880UE
Re: Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck - 60338 900w generator
Couldn't decide if this belonged in "suck" or "don't suck".
Tried to run the little 900w 60338 generator yesterday to power the electric pole saw. This is my second one after first was exchanged. Would only run briefly on manually drizzled fuel. Despite attempting to NEVER use ethanol containing fuel in it, I finally concluded that I must have. So warranty would probably be useless and I decided to just try to clean the carb. Surprisingly easy to remove and very simple design. You can easily see how to remove and disassemble with just a moment of visual inspection. NOTE: to get the throttle linkage loose, you'll need to be able to manipulate the carb around; this requires removing the carb mounting studs from the engine housing. Only parts that should maybe ever need replacement are bowl gasket, inlet needle and plastic float. I was a little surprised that this little 2-cycle engine used a float-type carb and not a diaphragm. Sure enough, had a very small amount of typical ethanol/water/corrosion products in the bowl. The VERY tiny main jet orifice, mounted to the side of the main fuel riser was plugged. It was brass and was easily removed and thoroughly cleaned and rodded out. Found very slight amounts of crud in a few other places, also easily cleaned with a strand of soft copper wire, carb cleaner, and compressed air jet. Inlet needle tip looked fine.
Went back together easily except that the bowl gasket "grew" a bit due to cleaning with carb cleaner and had to be carefully fit back into its groove with some vaseline to retain. Started and runs perfect.
On the plus side - it ran the "Chicago Electric" pole saw nicely, even with a heavy 12g 100ft extension cord.
Other notes:
1) the carb on this has a small drain on the SIDE of the bowl. Is a screw with a spring, so looks like an adjustment. Shutting off the fuel valve and running the generator out of fuel evidently does NOT completely empty the bowl, but this bowl drain does. And had I COMPLETELY drained my bowl, I think I could have avoided my problem. It can be accessed with just a screwdriver from the lower side of the generator; no disassembly required. You may need to slightly loosen the main bowl attachment bolt on yours to turn the bowl a bit and orient this drain screw so you can easily access it.
2) I could find NO way to adjust the fuel mix on this carb anywhere. It had always seemed like it ran a little rich to me. So I slightly (1/16") lowered the float level by slightly bending the float/inlet valve tab. Seems to have worked perfect.
FINAL TAKEAWAY - If you have one these that is infrequently used, make SURE to use ethanol-free fuel and/or TOTALLY drain the carb using the drain provided on the side of the carb bowl.
p.s. Forgot you guys need PIX!
First is of the little drain on the bowl;
Then the tiny jet on the carb (after cleaning);
Couldn't decide if this belonged in "suck" or "don't suck".
Tried to run the little 900w 60338 generator yesterday to power the electric pole saw. This is my second one after first was exchanged. Would only run briefly on manually drizzled fuel. Despite attempting to NEVER use ethanol containing fuel in it, I finally concluded that I must have. So warranty would probably be useless and I decided to just try to clean the carb. Surprisingly easy to remove and very simple design. You can easily see how to remove and disassemble with just a moment of visual inspection. NOTE: to get the throttle linkage loose, you'll need to be able to manipulate the carb around; this requires removing the carb mounting studs from the engine housing. Only parts that should maybe ever need replacement are bowl gasket, inlet needle and plastic float. I was a little surprised that this little 2-cycle engine used a float-type carb and not a diaphragm. Sure enough, had a very small amount of typical ethanol/water/corrosion products in the bowl. The VERY tiny main jet orifice, mounted to the side of the main fuel riser was plugged. It was brass and was easily removed and thoroughly cleaned and rodded out. Found very slight amounts of crud in a few other places, also easily cleaned with a strand of soft copper wire, carb cleaner, and compressed air jet. Inlet needle tip looked fine.
Went back together easily except that the bowl gasket "grew" a bit due to cleaning with carb cleaner and had to be carefully fit back into its groove with some vaseline to retain. Started and runs perfect.
On the plus side - it ran the "Chicago Electric" pole saw nicely, even with a heavy 12g 100ft extension cord.
Other notes:
1) the carb on this has a small drain on the SIDE of the bowl. Is a screw with a spring, so looks like an adjustment. Shutting off the fuel valve and running the generator out of fuel evidently does NOT completely empty the bowl, but this bowl drain does. And had I COMPLETELY drained my bowl, I think I could have avoided my problem. It can be accessed with just a screwdriver from the lower side of the generator; no disassembly required. You may need to slightly loosen the main bowl attachment bolt on yours to turn the bowl a bit and orient this drain screw so you can easily access it.
2) I could find NO way to adjust the fuel mix on this carb anywhere. It had always seemed like it ran a little rich to me. So I slightly (1/16") lowered the float level by slightly bending the float/inlet valve tab. Seems to have worked perfect.
FINAL TAKEAWAY - If you have one these that is infrequently used, make SURE to use ethanol-free fuel and/or TOTALLY drain the carb using the drain provided on the side of the carb bowl.
p.s. Forgot you guys need PIX!
First is of the little drain on the bowl;
Then the tiny jet on the carb (after cleaning);
Last edited:
California
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Similar. I have the 6hp leaves/twigs shredder.
'Some Assembly Required', as they say.
The rubber gasket between the metal float bowl and the carb - same design as that generator - was put in crooked so it dribbled a lot of gasoline. 5 minutes studying the problem and fetching tools from the barn, a moment to install the gasket where it belonged.
Then I learned the hard way that the machine has to be ABSOLUTELY PERFECTLY dead level, or else the low-oil sensor shuts it down. Lots of puzzlement why it wouldn't start in the orchard when it started easily in the barn. Ok......
Then the second year I couldn't get the fuel cap off, had to pry the chrome handgrip off the plastic sealing/threaded lower half of the fuel cap. The tiny ratchet teeth between the two halves had sheared off.
Well aside from these PIA 'features' it works ok.
I see this year there is a different model where you have to take off the motor, or something, if it jams.
'Some Assembly Required', as they say.
The rubber gasket between the metal float bowl and the carb - same design as that generator - was put in crooked so it dribbled a lot of gasoline. 5 minutes studying the problem and fetching tools from the barn, a moment to install the gasket where it belonged.
Then I learned the hard way that the machine has to be ABSOLUTELY PERFECTLY dead level, or else the low-oil sensor shuts it down. Lots of puzzlement why it wouldn't start in the orchard when it started easily in the barn. Ok......
Then the second year I couldn't get the fuel cap off, had to pry the chrome handgrip off the plastic sealing/threaded lower half of the fuel cap. The tiny ratchet teeth between the two halves had sheared off.
Well aside from these PIA 'features' it works ok.
I see this year there is a different model where you have to take off the motor, or something, if it jams.
dragoneggs
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Hey good to see this thread revived after an almost two month hiatus. Reporting back on the cheap 4 1/2in grinders...
I have three now and all are doing fine with grinding or sanding on steel. One thing I did is pull the spindle cover off of each and pack with grease. They still sound a little noisy and chunky but there is very little grease in the compartment to begin with... I don't use them daily so I can't recommend them for professional use but they are cheap and it is so nice to not have to change wheels for different jobs. There are a couple versions but here is one... 4-1/2 in. 4.3 Amp Angle Grinder Sometimes as low as $9.99 with coupon!
I have three now and all are doing fine with grinding or sanding on steel. One thing I did is pull the spindle cover off of each and pack with grease. They still sound a little noisy and chunky but there is very little grease in the compartment to begin with... I don't use them daily so I can't recommend them for professional use but they are cheap and it is so nice to not have to change wheels for different jobs. There are a couple versions but here is one... 4-1/2 in. 4.3 Amp Angle Grinder Sometimes as low as $9.99 with coupon!
IslandTractor
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I think I have five of these now. I cannot resist when they go on sale. None of mine have stopped working though honestly I don't work them hard. I have so many because it is easier than changing out the disk and I like to have grinder, flap disk, cutting disk and a couple of wire brushes all handy.
I do prefer the model that has the paddle switch but all of them work well.