Well, been a few months so looking back I figure it's time for an update huh?
Tractor is Home, tried plowing with it this past Winter but man even with loaded tires and chains on, downhill blacktop driveway just wasn't giving up the gription (yup, I said gription, lol) to have any fun pushing snow around. Spent too much time shoveling snow to get the tractor un-stuck. Plow is now for sale, hoping to never have a need for it again!
Finally got the itch to try out the Sherman O/U unit, but dang if I could get it to move into any position other than the one it was in (as it turns out, normal - out and back) and neutral. I could get the lever to move in and out, but not into the underdrive position or the overdrive position.
Stumped, I tapped Kirk on the shoulder and man did he come through with some good advice. Pulled the lever off, sprayed some Kroil in alongside the shaft, reinstalled the lever and worked it back and forth and all of a sudden it dropped forward into underdrive.
Not a big deal for y'all I'm sure, but man I was pretty psyched! Couldn't get it to pull back into overdrive though, that is until I tried pulling it back while the engine was idling slow then through a little grind it popped right in.
So now after puttering around a little in those ranges it drops right into all three. Guess it was just left in that normal range for so many years with the O/U not being used, that things just kinda got stuck.
"Use it or lose it", Grandma used to say... Lol
Thanks again, Kirk.
Replaced cap rotor and wires last week, kept the old Motorcraft-branded stuff set aside though, as it looked almost as good as what I replaced it all with new. Still have to get those blue streak points and condensor, SouNdguy, but now I'm kinda on the fence about that Pertronix unit. What's y'alls take on that thing?
Rear tires are loaded and the somewhat dry-rotted sidewalls don't seem to like the weight of the bush hog hanging back there when up in the air. Just doesn't look like there's enough pressure in 'em. Wanting to swap out those 4.00-19's up front for 6.00-16's, and the 12.4-28's for 13.6's or 14.9's so maybe it's time to bite the bullet and just get a complete set of new wheels/rims and hoops all around.
Won't go calcium in the rear with the new, just don't like the rot after awhile as aggressive as that stuff is.
Engine has a pretty loud tap tap tap at low rpm's, like the sound a stuck or flat hyd. lifter makes in a car engine. Sound goes away immediately after increasing the rpms a little. Otherwise, runs real good.
Bush hog has a rip where it looks like the blades must've sliced up through for some reason, attached a pic to show what I'm talking about.
Will head into town next sunny day next week to have the local weld shop stitch it up and weld a plate over top. Any common reason for that damage to happen?
Want to change the bush hog gearbox oil too while I'm looking at maintenance, what should I use? It's a 90-I mower.
I guess I'll lean on Miller Tire for new rubber, and I know they sell wheels/rims too but is there a source for better quality ones I should look to?
All in all I've enjoyed just picking at this old girl when I can. Now that the plow is off the front, I'd like to find an OEM bumper to put up there. Aside from that, going through the wiring and getting the lights to work will probably be the next thing while figuring out who to turn to for front wheels and rear rims.
Click on pics to expand. Enjoy!
