Deere Season Deal

[Al 6]

Hi, I know this is not Deere Country, but I know some of us also have a Deere lurking behind the barn. We are about to put our Deere kits on the market. We are finishing the 318, 420 and 400 repower kits. We have a new 25hp CH engine spec’d for these kits. I expect to see the sample engine in a couple of weeks. We will then evaluate it, and beat it up, temp test it etc. Then we will have one final chance to change anything on the spec. Then the first production run will be built. We have most of the DFX drawings done for the CNC parts to be made and burned out. We have samples made and are making the final changes. Now my problem. I have had about 10 engines in my 400 and several in my 318. We have repowered probably 15, 400s and probably about the same number of 316 Onans and 318s and a few 420s. These tractors have been done using hand made sheet metal ductwork etc and various spec engines that we have made changes to. We finally decided what we wanted in an engine hence the new spec. We have decided not to do any more 20 hp 318s and will use the new 25 hp engine in all three tractors. We have had a problem with mufflers, but now have a source and the samples are being emissions tested. My tractors will not be a pristine start. We just finished an Owatonna 320 skid loader yesterday, replacing the Onan with a 27hp Kohler. Now I have to get back on the Deeres that have been abandoned for 2 years while we got our house rebuilt from the flood and some medical issues. I need 6 Deeres to repower. I need an early and late series 318, and early and late series 420 and early and late 400. I will want tractors with good trim and sheet metal etc. The paint can be faded as we are willing to paint the whole tractor as we want them to be photogenic. I will want them to be together, as we want to verify our procedures, so we want to start from scratch. Any of you that have installed our kits know how detailed and accurate we strive to make them. We will start on them as soon as they are available to us. I do not expect the engine run to be done until after the first of the year. By then we should have them ready to go together. I will guarantee that they will be done by spring mowing season. This would give us a little time to make any revisions we might want to make and get the drawings changed. We are willing to repower these units for the price of the kit, paint and engine with no labor for installation or painting. If there are any members of the club that have a tractor and might be interested, I would like to make the offer here first. I am in eastern Iowa and location and transportation would be an issue for a lot of people. If any of you are interested or have an acquaintance that would be interested, contact me at the shop 1-800-462-2218 from a land line, or 319-462-2214 from a cell or e-mail me at aleden@edensltd.com and put John Deere Repower or something descriptive in the subject line. ( I get so many e-mails with a subject of ‘repower”) These are about repowering things that aren’t in our area of expertise and we don’t buy Viagra, so an e-mail with that subject line is just deleted without opening. I hope this is nor out of place in this forum or this site. Thanks, Al Eden

[xenon172 0]

In my opinion there is no substitute for the onan in the 318 or the kohler 532 in the 400. Better to offer a rebuild

[andrewk 0]

As parts become limited and more expensive, Al's kit offers a great alternative for someone that wants to retain their beloved tractor (and attachments!) yet still enjoy the benefits of a modern engine. I agree that a good running old Onan is tough to beat. But I've yet to see an old Onan that can do as much as a CH25. It's good to see the Deere kits finally coming together. Way to go! Andy