thedaddycat Posted October 23, 2003 Posted October 23, 2003 I now have a hydro tractor that runs and drives!!!!! I was out fiddling with the first 3415 H and got it to start and run. It wouldn't drive until I remembered the post about the guy who bought one at an auction. It wouldn't drive because it was disengaged, but off the guy goes to give a ration to auctioneer... Meanwhile "Helpful Joe" ambles over to tractor and re-engages hydro. Hothead comes back to "Show you this piece of junk won't work!!!", jumps on, fires her up to the angry notch and slamp lever all the way forward. When it almost launches him off seat he slams it in reverse and nearly lands on hood..... Auctioneer says "Looks like it works to me" and walks off.... So anyow, this story reminded me to engage the tranny and bingo... for about ten feet... Well how far do you expect to get when you need a quart or two to top off the hydro??? After a trip to the store for a jug or two and a top-and-bleed, she moves... Now all I need to do is change one rear tire, put a good battery in her and probably do the carb since it leaks gas after shutdown. I'll drain the hydro and put fresh fluid and a new filter in it, and change the BGB and engine oil and take the grease gun to her. I think I'll pull the OEM muffler off another engine and put it on this one. They seem to be the quietest ones I've seen so far... After the mechanicals are sound, the deck comes off for a going over and I get to play with a cone clutch for the first time. Think this one's big enough to play with the 42" blower?? Can a 3415's blower be made to work off the center PTO like the later(7100) tractors with the right(7100) hitch?
stormy2163 Posted October 23, 2003 Posted October 23, 2003 Way to go Kirk.Just goes to show how much help all the stories in the tractor forum can be.I think that was Sam telling that story if I remember correctly.
Chris727 Posted October 23, 2003 Posted October 23, 2003 Kirk, is this your first hydro? Out of my 15 tractors only one is a hydro. Its an MF12 with an old sunstrand. Got to looking at it an its leaking. Anyway I love how it operates! I'd love to have an old AC hydro like an HB112.
Salthart Posted October 23, 2003 Posted October 23, 2003 What you have there is IMO the finest machine Simplicity ever made. I think you will find there is no worries about having enough power. The balanced engine is a dream and mine will mow burmuda grass at the same speed my new 918 H will. For those who don't know, I can run out of tall fescue into bermuda half the hight and it will cut engine RPMs by near half.. Its tough stuff. Gratz on your buy bud.. I hope you like it anywhere near as well as I do mine...
thedaddycat Posted October 23, 2003 Author Posted October 23, 2003 I have four tractors with the Vickers hydro units now, but this is the first one I have running..... I have the 3310 H that the engine ran but the hydro didn't. I was told "There's a pin or something in the axle that's broke", well sure enough it does not work. I pulled the differential and axle out and checked it, nothing wrong there. It sits waiting attention.... I have these two 3415 H tractors that I just picked up. One is up and running(sort of) and the other I have not touched yet. I was told that both ran this past spring and both hydros were good. The second one is in a lot rougher shape and may be parted out or become a donor tractor. I also have the 3416 that has the blown engine. I have set the engine from the 3310 H in the frame of the 3416, but may put the 15 horse engine from the second 3415 in it instead if it runs fairly well. How does the 325431 Briggs 15 horse compare to either the 14 or 16 horse Briggs engines? After I got it going, I played a little with it in the yard and like the forward-reverse transition a lot already. The top speed seemes a tad slower than the 3310 V, but no shifting....... I'll have to see how well it works mowing........
rokon2813 Posted October 23, 2003 Posted October 23, 2003 Personally I prefer the straight 3 speed but I did used to have a 3410 H with a johnny bucket on it. For that kind of work with a lot of direction change, that hydro is the "cats meow" especially when you have to reverse just long enough to reset that bucket.
fuzy Posted October 23, 2003 Posted October 23, 2003 You will have to run it off the front pto. The pto arm doesn't have the second hole angled towards the center of the tractor to keep the belt tracking properly. That was one of the changes along with a longer frame for the 7100 series tractors.
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