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Tinkering On Tractors...

A blog by Mike_H in General

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About this blog

Little blog I put together to document my projects on my workshop, my garden tractors, and eventually some woodworking projects (once my shop is fully complete)

Entries in this blog

Grader Blade

I've been wanting a way to move dirt with my tractors since I got them.  Building a loader isn't in the cards...yet.  Simplicity however made a grader blade for their tractors that by all accounts works pretty well.  I've been meaning to build something for a while anyway and since grader blades are pretty spendy for what they are (300 bucks or so), I decided to build my own! I had an old plow blade laying around the garage that I decided to cut in half for the grader blade. I also wanted to a
Mike_H

Mike_H

7

Broadmoor - More Progress

I think I have all the modifications complete to get my new motor in.  After moving the engine around a bit to make the gas tank fit, I realized that the hood was contacting the front shroud of the engine (evidenced by scratches in the paint 😡) Anyway, After looking at the hood a bit, I realized that the front piece (that has the logo) can move a bit forward, and still look "correct."  So, off come the spot welds. Next, I lined the hood back up on the tractor and clamped it in a posit
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

SnowCab Update

After a couple of storms now, all I can say is the cab is Awesome!  I love being able to be moving snow and pointing the chute any way I need to.  I used to only be able to move the snow in certain directions aligning with the prevailing wind that day.  To do otherwise meant a face full of cold, wet snow.  Think back to your days growing up and getting a whitewash from the neighborhood bully.  Yeah, it was that bad. Anyway, its all installed and working well.  Also, a neat little video of the
Mike_H

Mike_H

1

More "Stuff"

Or Junk, as my wife likes to call it.  I've been looking, off and on, for a snow cab for my Sovereign.  My driveway isn't that long, but it faces East/West.  When the wind is blowing, its nearly impossible to keep the snow out of my face.  Its annoying and I'm getting to the point in life where I don't like being cold...In fact I HATE being cold.   Couple of days ago, my Craigslist alert went off, and Viola!  There was a snow cab about an hour away from me.  It looked pretty clean, and the pr
Mike_H

Mike_H

4

Broadmoor Update...

IT FITS!!! I haven't had much time to work on my Broadmoor project of late.  I kicked finishing the barn into High Gear, so Insulation, walls, and storage have taken priority. Thanksgiving Day, I had a few extra minutes, so I thought I'd try to get the gas tank and engine to fit in the Broadmoor.  When I mocked it up, I didn't have the engine shrouds on.  After the shrouds were installed on the engine, there was 4 inches of space behind the engine (where the gas tank goes) and a gas tank tha
Mike_H

Mike_H

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Test...

This is a test post.  I'm a member over at SimpleTractors.com, which is a website/forum dedicated to Simplicity and Allis-Chalmers Garden Tractors.  The governing body has recently updated the forum software to Invision Power Systems, and that platform supports blogging.  Since I already have one (a blog), I wanted to figure out how to update one location, and have a "feed" set-up so my content will spread!  The new forum supports RSS/Atom, so once I figured out how to get the actual Feed URL of
Mike_H

Mike_H

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Bringing an old tractor back to New, Part Two

Most of the paint is shiny now, and I've been using her mostly to mow.  The way the weather has been, that's twice a week right now!  Anyway, one night after work, I thought I should mow the grass.  Rain was coming that weekend, and I didn't want to get stuck doing it wet. Went to the barn, hopped on the tractor, and gave it the key a turn.  The engine gave half a revolution, and then nothing.  Any other key manipulations just gave me a click.  That's when I noticed smoke coming from under the
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

Bringing an old tractor back up to new

I recently purchased a new tractor.  Its a "late model" Simplicity Sovereign 18.  Late model is in quotes, because the darn thing is still 20 years old!  Anyway, its pretty much the ultimate Sovereign Simplicity made...Best engine, most features, etc.  Best thing is that its the power steering model, which is what elevates it to "ultimate" status. Garden tractors changed a bit around the time this machine was produced...They became glorified lawn mowers.  No-one gardens anymore, and for those
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

The Problem with old Tractors...

Last week Friday was a day I questioned my old iron addiction.  Especially, since I had just bought a "newer" machine to help in that respect.  So here's what happened... I got a powerwasher from a neighbor.  Couldn't beat the price, 60 bucks, so I had to have it.  They are handy to have...its not heavy duty, but for cleaning gutters and washing my equipment, it'll work fine.  6 horse, 2500 psi or something.  Fired it up to powerwash one of my mowing decks...hasn't run in a while, and it was dr
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

quick broadmoor update...

I've decided to go with a stack on this engine...It should be cool.  I've found a couple of sites that sell stacks, and I'm waiting to hear from them about integrated mufflers.  Otherwise, a company called Patriot Exhaust makes a slip-on style exhaust tip that will work as a "stack" for a garden tractor, and they also make a muffler that will slide in to help with noise mitigation. I really want this one to work though...Its already got a 1" npt pipe thread on it, I would just need to screw it
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

NEW TRACTOR!

It was an exciting day yesterday in the household.  I brought home a new tractor!  Well, not new, cuz that's just not how I roll, but a new to me, used one.  Its one of the last models of the "old" style Simplicity "RBT's" (running board tractors).  Produced around 1996 or so (kinda hard to pinpoint it exactly) its a twin cylinder, fully power version of my 7016H that I've rebuilt.  When I say full power, I mean it.  Its a hydrostatic transmission, hydraulic implement lift and, drumroll, POWER S
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

New Post?

Wow, its been about a month and a half since I've put an update out!  That's too long to keep any readers...I'll have to do better.  I actually haven't really had any updates until recently though.  My tractor time has been limited, due to a honey doo list that became due.  Missus wanted new carpet...which meant a wider door way, tile bathroom floor, lots of drywall repairs, running new cable lines...and the list goes on.  Not quite sure how new carpet necessitated all that in her mind, but "hap
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

Workbench DONE!

Finished my workbench tonight.  Turned out really nice, and even better, exactly like I expected it too!  I think it MUST weigh 150 pounds.  Here is the thing...my first real woodworking project in my new shop was for my mechanics addiction!  I used woodglue, and these new type of lag screws to hold it together.  They have a flange head, torx drive, and self tapping, anti split head.  Worked really well.  I still pre-drilled, because oak it HARD.  Anyway, here are the pics!   View the ful
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

New Workbench

So, a little bit different from working on my tractors, but this will definitely help in the process.  I built a new shop last winter, so that I had a place to do my projects.  In addition to playing around with Garden Tractors, I like to do some woodworking.  My garage just wasn't big enough, so I built a 30 x 24 shop in my backyard.  Its two story, and I would love for it to be double the size that it is, but my dumb township limits outbuilding size, based on lot size.  So, it is the maximum s
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

More "Depth"

I sometimes wonder about my myself, and whether I have a real problem or not.  I just can't seem to leave we enough alone.  What started as replacing a motor quick (like in a weekend) has grown into stripping the motor down, and painting it... Once I got the covers off, I noticed that the engine had a LOT of Oily buildup on it, and had at LEAST one critter condo under the shroud.  Once I started cleaning the black, nasty mess off, I realized that the clearcoat on the engine was discolored, and
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

Pretty Colors

Today was all about paint.  Not a lot of words, but pretty picture intensive.  I spent A LOT of time cleaning...those engine blocks have many places for gunk to hide.  Its pretty tough to get clean too, as it gets baked on by the heat of the engine while running.  Hot water is your friend at this point.  Lacquer Thinner is also great...plus numerous brushes, rags, and abrasive pads.  Something that REALLY helped was a spray bottle full of hot water.  I was able to blast the dirt out of the deepe
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

Mockups...

Short post to end the day.  Wanted to see how the engine would fit, and if it was even worth the struggle. Its nice when the research you do before starting a project and the reality of that project when you start mesh.  This engine lines up with the mounting holes perfectly!  What I was most worried about was the grill clearance and keeping the hood unmolested.  The barrel top hood, with the deep v front is the thing I love most about this machine.  If this engine wouldn't have fit without mod
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

Out with the Old

At the end of last cutting season, The old girl was really starting to struggle.  It got to where the engine would just stop...so, instead of risking a catastrophic failure, I pushed her to the barn, and used one of my other mowers (I have three total) to finish out the season.  It sat all winter that way. April 01, 2016 I started pulling the hood and grill apart to get the old engine out.  Finished up on the morning of the second. I took some measurements, and its gonna be TIGHT, but
Mike_H

Mike_H

0

Big Engine for a Little Tractor-the beginning.

I have this 1965 Simplicity Broadmoor Rider that I picked up for 200 bucks last year.  Its an AWESOME little tractor, perfect for my little 0.25 acre yard city lot. Its pretty great for a 50 year old machine!  Its been restored once in its life, and is in really good shape.  No rust, very minor dents, and the tires all hold air.  The paint could use some freshening up, but overall, pretty nice. It is almost as maneuverable as a zero turn and lays stripes like you wouldn't believe. The deck i
Mike_H

Mike_H

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