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This time of year I like to spray my stone walls with Triclopyr to knock down the perennial weeds. I find I prefer to use the lawn tractor for this because it has no problem driving very slowly and it's quite nimble. I have a 16-gallon sprayer from Northern Tool, in past years I've put it in a...

We have a lot of deer on our property, I'll usually see three or four every time I look out the window, I think there are about twenty that live around the house. And if they decide they like something they're murder on it, they'll eat it right down to the ground in no time. At the same time we...

I've been working on an old dairy barn. (See this thread: This Old Barn for details). I came across two pieces of wood that seem to have been made for a purpose but I have no idea what. On one side, each piece has a bunch of diagonal lines, about a quarter inch wide and a quarter inch deep...

We're thinking about putting up the holiday lights soon, and we want to put them on the gable end of the house. Which requires an extension ladder. So I'm thinking what I'd rather do is just go up the ladder once and install hooks on the rake board or drip edge, and then put the lights up and...

I used a new-to-me technique to find a buried water line today and thought I'd share it. In the basement of my house there is a 3/4" black poly water line that exits through the foundation. It's connected to the house water. A previous owner put it in and I don't know where it goes. I've tried...

In this thread: Has anyone had any experience with "swinging lawn mower blades"? I said I was going to order some Meg-Mo swinging blades and report back. I had the chance today to do some mowing with them and here are my day one thoughts.

I have a 2007 Jinma 354 and the left front axle is leaking oil. This seems to be a common problem online with the 200 series Jinma but my tractor looks different and I haven't found anything about it. I've never been afraid just to tear into it, but I like to have the parts on hand or at least...

Recently npalen started a thread (https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/423698-any-electronics-gurus-out-there.html ) on using a laser level to automate a box blade. I talked a bit in that thread about using differential GPS (or DGPS) and I thought it would be worthwhile to do a...

I'm in the market for a new mower so I decided to look on the Husqvarna website to see what they offer. I few clicks and I get to the rider mower page (HUSQVARNA Riding Lawn Mowers, Lawn & Garden Tractors ) It has 31 different models. It starts off logically enough, within the TS line there is...

I have a project to take down a small house. The catch is that it is 42 inches -- yes inches -- from the property line and the other side of the line is national park land. The National Park Service says I can't enter their property for the purpose of doing work, and I can't injure any trees on...

I got out my trusty, 20-year-old White Outdoor lawn tractor today to pull some stuff in a wagon, and while it was idling in the driveway it made a horrible noise, stopped running and started spewing oil and smoke. Upon inspection there was a hole in the side of the cylinder wall that didn't used...

I have exactly one propane appliance, a cooktop, the oven is electric. When I bought the house there were two 100lb tanks out back, which were rented, and I just assumed the rental. The first few years the propane company would come out once a year, top up the tanks and inspect them. Because I...

My place has been a farm since the 1680's, but the oldest buildings are from the mid-19th century. The most prominent building is the barn, which was built as a dairy barn. According to the tax records it was built in 1850. When I bought the property the barn was in pretty bad shape, I was...

I have four gates and three barns that I like to keep locked. I'm thinking of getting a new set of locks and I'm curious what everyone likes. I've had problems with lightly-used locks seizing up with time. I've tried various keyed-alike locks, which are handy, but I can't match the ones I have...

I've been thinking about getting a garden tractor. I have a lawn tractor that I find very handy because it is nimble and I often use it to pull wagons, but I'm asking more of it than it was meant to do and it's starting to show the abuse. I also like that it's easy to drive, I can have kids or...

I got an interesting letter in the mail last week. It was from a company looking to lease land to install solar panels. I think they must have gotten my name from going through the land records. They said they're looking to lease land, looking for a minimum of 12 acres, flat and clear, with...

I'm slowly trying to get my workspace organized. One of the things I'm dealing with is boxes of fasteners and similar hardware. I'll do a project and buy materials for it, and when I'm done I'll be left with part of a box of nails, screws, bolts, rivets, staples or whatever. Now, I always feel...

I'm thinking of replacing my smoke detectors and I'm looking for some first-hand experience and recommendations. I have hard-wired smoke detectors that were installed by the electrician when we had the house remodeled a few years ago. They have 9-volt battery backup. At the time RI had its own...

I have a shallow well that is used for livestock and irrigation. It isn't potable water. The well is along the shore of a pond and what comes out looks and smells like pond water, murky with a swampy smell. The soil around the pond is what the USDA calls "Swansea muck" -- dense black soil that...

Hi -- My house has a foundation of large blocks of cut granite. A few months ago I had the interior sandblasted using a "dustless blasting" process (water mixed with the air). It looks great, they took off 150 years of accumulated grime. However, there is a thin layer of blast media on the...

I've been thinking about this for a while and the thread on Ebay spurred me to post. I used to use Craigslist a lot, to buy things, sell things, give things away, find tenants, find people to do things for me, whatever. Lately I find that the listings have really slowed down, most of the stuff...

Part of my house is built on the fieldstone foundation of an old barn, circa 1850. It's very solid -- the stones are the size of desks, put there with oxen and manpower. But it lets dampness through and is uninsulated. The outside is buried so it needs to insulated from the inside. From what...

I have an area of about a quarter acre where the soil is heavily compacted. This area used to be good grass pasture, some summers we even mowed it and kept it as lawn. A tenant kept pigs there, and the pigs rooted through the soil and removed every living thing and then packed the soil down with...

In my basement there is a room that originally was a darkroom, it's about 4x6 and has a sink. I've been using it as a place to wash up when I come in from working, everyone is happier if I clean up before going into the finished part of the house. I'm looking for ideas from the brain trust here...

Has anyone bought parts for their tractor from Ali Express? That is, direct from China? I was just looking at it and they seem to have a full selection of parts. Prices are very good, about one third of what they cost from a US-based dealer (which already are cheaper than parts for American...

So I'm getting ready to build some shelters for goats. I need them to be movable, although I tend not to move them very often. I have a few now that were designed to be moved by a tractor and they're a pain to move, so I'm thinking it might be better to have a design that I can take apart to...

I have a shallow well I use for livestock, it's not potable water. It's only about 10 feet deep. A previous owner built a small (about 4'x4'x4') well house over it and it has a shallow well pump with expansion tank and pressure switch in the well house. The well house is not well built and can...

There's a new quiz that purports to measure how connected you are to "average white American and American culture at large." Scores range from from 0 to 100. "The higher your score, the thinner your bubble. The lower, the more insulated you might be from mainstream American culture." Take...

I have a new-to-me Deere 24T that seems to be in decent condition but it is missing the wear pads on the plunger (E15459E) and the retainer bridge. Google tells me it's very common for the single bolt that holds these on to shear off and for it to be lost. They are available from Deere Parts...

I've got three teenagers in the house and the 50 gallon electric water heater isn't keeping up, so I'm thinking about adding another. I have two questions I'm pondering. The first is whether I have to run another circuit, I'd rather not. I have a run of 10-2 right now with a 30A breaker. My...

I've been thinking about building a hoop greenhouse. I've been reading on the web about bending 1-3/8" fence top rail into hoops, there are several places that sell simple bending jigs that are not expensive. For example, here: Greenhouse Hoop Benders The problem with the jigs is that they're...

I have the opportunity to buy a Gehl RB1400 at what seems to be a reasonable price. The seller doesn't know much about it. Before I go and look at it I've been trying to find out basic information about it and I've basically drawn a blank on internet searching. For starters I'd like to know how...

Read it on another forum: http://www.ctoa.net/forum/buying-a-chinese-tractor/new-jinma-254-tier-4-complient/#p10332 The 254's will have Perkins engines and the 354's and 454's will have engines built by Mahindra. Price points: 254 -- $13,500 354 -- $16,900 454 -- $19,900 If that's without...

Well the subject line pretty much says it all. I have a hand-dug, stone-lined well on my property that is probably over 150 years old. It has a hand pump on it, but it's basically ornamental, a nice spot for a drink on a hot summer's day, but we have a drilled well for the house. Today I...

Last summer I had a new guy hay three of my fields. Without going into the reasons, he won't be back this summer. He left about 40 round bales in the field. In January he came and got about five of them (and left big ruts in the process, I wasn't too pleased). The rest are still out there. I...

I have an old dairy barn that is roughly 150 years old. It's three levels, with a cellar and a hay loft. The floor on the main level has become dangerously rotten and I've started tearing it out. I'm trying to decide what to replace it with. I'm going to use it as a workshop, so I want a nice...

I have the opportunity to buy a Deutz Fahr drum mower, a KM22. I'm trying to find out information about it and not coming up with much. It seems like they haven't been sold in the US for a long time. Does anyone have one? Can you get parts? Any thoughts on what to look for when checking it out...

I have a 2007 Jinma 354. The lift box on it looks nothing like the picture in my parts book. What it looks like is the 300HY lift assembly on this page: Lift Assembly-300 HY Does anyone know where I can get a parts book for it, or any kind of documentation? The cylinder needs a rebuild and I...

So I thought I'd throw this out to the assembled wisdom... Yesterday I put the flail mower on and headed out to do some mowing. I lifted the mower up all the way for transport, and as I did I thought, "it usually doesn't go up that high." Then I noticed that the engine RPM had dropped from...

Last summer I did something dumb and messed up my starter. I was using a 12V sprayer and I clipped the positive lead onto the power wire at the starter. The clip fell over and energized the solenoid while the engine was running. It made a racket. Since then I've had two problems with the...

From today's NY Times, this quiz asks you 25 questions about how you talk and then pinpoints on a map where in the US you speak most like. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html It's a more general-purpose version of the Southern English quiz. It put...

I have a Koyker 160 loader and one of the dump cylinders is leaking. It hasn't affected the operation yet, I just notice a stain on the floor when it's been parked for a while. I've never replaced the cylinder seals. Is it a big deal, or is there special equipment? I could take it off and take...

Well, it's summer and time to buy a new hat. I'm so pale and hairless that I can't be uncovered in the sun. What's your favorite hat for working outdoors? I'm looking for something that is broad enough to keep the sun off my face and neck, comfortable enough to wear all day, stays on my head...

Right now my lawn just goes up to the edge of the foundation, which is a pain because I have to mow and trim close to the house. I want to put something down that will keep the weeds down and be low maintenance. So far I've thought about: Wood chips -- would require periodic replenishment and...

Interesting article here about a new technology for creating "virtual" fencing for cattle. You draw a line on a screen and a GPS-enabled collar on the cow keeps her inside the line. Invisible Fences: An Interview with Dean Anderson You still need perimeter fencing but it sounds pretty cool.

The recent thread about building traditional haystacks -- and especially the talk about a hay sweep -- has got me thinking. The background: I own an old dairy farm with about ten acres still in hayfields. It's been hayed forever, but lately it's been getting harder and harder to find someone to...

So we got some snow last week, the first measurable accumulation we've had in almost two years. And if you're like me, you've been wondering, "when are we going to get some snow so I can move some really big rocks?" So I spent some time moving five rocks that I've had my eye on because they're...

I thought I'd throw this out for the sake of conversation: I have a 2007 Jinma 354 with with the Y485 engine. A couple of days ago I went to start it, the outside temperature was 36 and it had been in the 30's overnight. It was overcast. So the engine block was at ambient temperature or very...

Has anyone ever used skidding tongs to lift rocks? I move a lot of rocks, mostly using forks, but there are times when I need to lift a rock straight up to get it out of tight spot. I've gotten pretty good at trussing rocks with chain, but that's time consuming and can be difficult if the shape...

Does anyone know a match for the green paint that Jinma uses? I can't find anything at the hardware store.

Hi. My tractor is a Jinma 354. I want to add remotes, but I'm having a devil of a time figuring out how to add a hydraulic return. There is one existing hydraulic return line, from the power steering. It's a hard pipe with a banjo fitting. My initial thought is I could just replace the bolt...

Does anyone know what kind of fitting is on the end of the power steering outlet hose on a Jinma 354? This is the hose I'm talking about: Outlet pipe II One end has a 90-degree male threaded pipe that goes into a banjo fitting on the priority valve. It's the other end I'm interested in. It's a...

The hydraulic return line on my tractor (Jinma 354) has kind of an odd fitting. There is a hard line with a banjo fitting, but instead of a banjo bolt there is a hose with a threaded male fitting screwed into the side of the banjo. Here is a picture of the hose: I'm just wondering what the...

I'm stumped and would appreciate any suggestions anyone has. I recently split my Jinma 354 to replace the oil pump. When I put it back together I replaced both clutch disks and the throw-out bearing. I got it together yesterday, and today I was ready to use it for the first time. However, the...

On Sunday, after a few hours of mowing I pulled into the driveway to put the tractor away and as I shifted gears the oil light came on. I towed and pushed the tractor the rest of the way into the garage. I had to split the tractor to get the sump off (see my other thread) but with that done I...

Folks -- It looks like I need a new oil pump, I have zero pressure and spinning the engine with the filter off produces nothing. It looks like dropping the sump is going to be a bear of a job. Eyeballing the underside, the front transaxle is bolted to the sump pan, and the bell housing is...

I recently took the cylinder head off on my Jinma 354 (Y485 engine) to replace the head gasket. On the number two and four cylinders the part of the head that forms the top of the combustion chamber is severely pitted. I assume this is from coolant leaking in (which is why I'm replacing the...

I made this trailer mover using stuff I had lying around. It's a piece of SuperStrut, two U-bolts, and a trailer ball. To work with the SuperStrut the trailer ball has to have a 5/8" shaft, the one I'm using is from Northern Tool: Buyers Chrome-Plated Ball 1 7/8in. Dia., Model# 1802103 | Hitch...

Hi -- I have a 2007 Jinma 354 with a Y485 engine. I am replacing the head gasket. I've noticed that the head gasket is available as either "style A" or "style B." Here is a link to one: 485-01002 Style B Here's the question: The parts kit that came with my tractor has a Style A. When I opened...

I'm trying to think of the best way to tape to a fieldstone foundation that will stay as long as I want it to, and then come off. Some background: I have a house built circa 1870 with a fieldstone foundation. Since I bought it the basement has had a moisture problem, and periodically (every few...

I have a Jinma 354. Recently I drove over a rock that was just a fraction higher than my ground clearance. The front axle cleared it but it got hung up on the driveshaft for the 4WD and peeled off the rubber sleeve on the driveshaft and the clamps that hold it in place. So I need to replace...

I have a Jinma 354 which I use mostly for mowing. I usually use a 60" rotary rough mower, and I like to set the two-speed PTO at 720 RPM and the engine at 1650 RPM, which gives me 540 RPM at the PTO. (I know you're supposed to run at full RPM's, but this way seems to work fine, and is quieter...

I have a 2007 Jinma 354, and the anti-sway links on the 3-point hitch have a problem. Where the links attach to the tractor does not line up with where the lift arms attach to the tractor. The links attach below and aft of where the lift arms attach. What this means is that when the hitch is...

I bought a new Prince valve recently, which can be configured as open-center, closed-center, or power-beyond. I was surprised to read the following description of power beyond in the instructions: A couple of things about this description don't jibe with what I thought I knew about...

I'm trying to identify the valve on my front-end loader so I can see about getting a sleeve for the power-beyond port. The loader is a Koyker 160. The valve says "Pace Manufacturing 7040" on it. However, when I go to the Pace website, it just says "Detailed product information can be found at...

I'm going to be putting up some livestock fence in the spring, and for the corner posts I can get 6" round or 6x6 square for about the same price. I can think of advantages to each -- round fit better in a round hole, square are easier to fasten braces to, and so on -- but nothing that really...

Hi -- I have a 2007 Jinma 354 that is about ten months old. It has the newer style lift box with only one lever, and the owner's manual I got with it is for the older style two-lever lift box. Right now, the arms don't start to move until the lever is about half way up. Is there an...

I noticed something that has me scratching my head a little and I'm interested in any input. Recently, I ran over some electric fence wire with my rotary cutter and made a mess of it. I eventually was able to get the wire out by hammering the blades of the cutter. What has me puzzled is...

Well, the subject line pretty much tells the story. I was mowing and I found a coil of high-tension electric fence wire that had been left behind. It made an awful mess of the mower and the ground around it. Luckily no one was hurt. I took the mower back to the garage and propped it up and...

I'm looking into adding remote hydraulics to my tractor, a Jinma 354. This will be the first time I've ever done a hydraulic modification, so I'm looking for advice. I've spent a lot of time reading the archives, but I still have some questions. Currently the tractor has a FEL, 3-point hitch...

I didn't put the canopy on my Jinma 354 when I bought it, and now that I've gotten around to doing it I find that it doesn't really fit -- it's about an inch and a half wider than the supports on the side of the ROPS. I can kind of squeeze it to make it fit, but it doesn't look very secure that...

I have a lot of poison ivy on my farm, but I've gotten pretty good at protecting myself and avoiding it so I don't get it so much any more. But recently I had something happen that has me puzzled. My wife and I went out to do some clearing. For work like that, here's how I prepare: First, I...

I was bush-hogging today with my Jinma 354 and I ran over a log and the engine stalled. When I went to restart it it wouldn't start, the starter doesn't even spin it just clunks, although the ammeter is pinned. I did a quick check, oil level is OK, and I made sure the PTO was disengaged but...

I've had my tractor for about 30 hours now, and it is driving me crazy that I can't see the cutting edge of the FEL if I'm sitting in the driver seat. So I'm thinking of putting a mirror somewhere so I can see the ground in front of me. Has anyone done this, or is it a stupid idea? Of course...

I probably could get this from Koyker or my dealer, but I thought it would be quicker and more interesting to ask here... I want to put a toothbar on my loader bucket. I have Jinma 354 with a Koyker 160 loader and a 60" bucket. I'd like to get it soon, so I can do some brush clearing before...

I'm looking for a cordless phone with enough range to use around the house and yard. Nothing fancy, just a consumer-quality phone with a range of perhaps 200 feet so I can talk when I'm out in the shed without having to run wires. I'm sure someone here has something that works. Thanks.

I saw this today while browsing ebay: eBay: JINMA 254LE TRACTOR CAB 4WHEEL DRIVE HEAT NO LOADER (item 290061615366 end time Dec-22-06 08:30:55 PST) Very interesting. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but I don't think the cab is just bolted on to a regular 254, it looks like the interior...

Hi -- Longtime lurker, firstime poster. Soon I'm going to be taking delivery on a Jinma 354. I plan to do the maintenance myself, and I'd like to put together a toolkit because my farm is somewhat remote and it's a pain to run out for things. So far I'm thinking I'll need a set of metric...