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Simplicity's gone to seed !


Tarheel

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Wednesday morning there was a knock on the door around 10 A.M. Very early for us as my wife moved to night shift. Anyway, I answer the door. "Are you the Simplicity man" the guy asks. LOL You caught me red handed I said. (being there were 7 or 8 Simple tractors in sight) He starts telling me of going somewhere to buy a truck and seeing a Simplicity setting there. He ended up buying the tractor. He got it home and started working on it. Removed the carburetor and found the float bowl full of white powder and the float pin stuck past his ability to remove the pin. So it needed a new carb and he didn't want to spend the money. He said he would rather put his money in his Sears Suburban. He was looking for a plow and rippers for the Sears. THe Simplicity he said was a 3310 Vari drive. I just happened to have a bottom plow for the small 3 point set up on his Sears. I traded it and a couple of 8 inch bar tires for the Simplicity site unseen. I went to help him load it and bring it home. 4 flat tires but plenty of tread left Dry rot in the side walls so tubes likely needed. Once he was gone I went to work. Oil was half a quart low and black as midnight, Carb was apart and in a bag but wonder of wonders, Not a piece was missing. Key switch don't work, Someone had removed the Simplicity fuel tank and replaced it with one from an MTD or some such. The 42 inch mower deck looked twice as good as the tractor and even has the covers in place on it. Got the carb soaked and put together, Fuel in the tank and set a battery in it. Fired right up smooth as silk but something is very tight in the rear axle and it won't roll. (Both of us couldn't push it) The seat deck has surface rust and is a little warped at the rear mount. The seat its self is the worst part on the tractor. Far past hope. Once it was running, I put it in gear and it moved smooth and quiet. No idea yet what caused it to be so hard to push ( brake isn't locked). THe shifter is very tight/sticky and I have a feeling that this tractor has set for many years and the grease etc has just dried up. I hope to get more work done today and update. Maybe even post a pic or two if I can figure out this camera again..LOL I believe this tractor is going to make it. Not bad for something I traded for thinking to get a parts machine.
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Tarheel, thats a great story and a very nice swap. He wasnt driving a cream colored, older model Dodge truck was he?? I just sold a turn plow to a guy for a Suburban and he was looking for some other attachments. He didnt live to far from you. Thought it could just be a small world.
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Update. The BGB was bone dry as was the trans-axle. I have freed up the two outer deck blades but the center is still pretty tight ( not being cheap, I'd rather have the old bearings even if they are a little rough than the new ones sold around here. If anyone knows of a place to get good deck bearings, please let me know) Everything about the PTO was frozen. Soaked it all down with penetrating spray this afternoon. I've hit a wall as far as working on it goes. I have a 4 cylinder engine and 5 speed tranny hanging in the middle of my shop. My Uncle has my engine stand and its supposed to rain. So I'm stuck with it on the hoist for the time being. I'm still looking for steel strong enough to build a jib crane just for situations like this. Anyway, I added a couple of ounces of Sea foam to the old engine oil and it seems to have freed the rings. Smoke has pretty much stopped. I let it run for maybe 10 minutes and it started acting up and stalled. Only started again when I held the plug wire about half an inch from the spark plug. I seem to recall this being caused by a faulty condenser holding or bleeding off to much, but I could be wrong. Anyone had this happen ? What was the cure ? Thanks
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Nice trade! I have had a BGB run dry and the bearings get hot enough to scorch the paint and after refill quieted down and is still running. My T-16H had about a half cup of rusty water in the gearbox when I got it but it seems fine, Found that because when the temp went down it froze, literally. I can't explain how there was no oil at all in it and it still works fine after refilling it with gear oil, but it does. About time to drain it and see what that gear oil looks like. So you never know, The resilience of these old machines really amazes me sometimes.
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By rippers, do you mean cultivators? Ive got a set all torn down and ready for blasting and paint. Just never got around to it. If you see him again, tell him if hes down near the eastern side of Charlotte, to look me up. We can PM each other for more precise directions.
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Yes David, If you have a set of cultivators for that small 3 point give me an idea on the price range and I'll get word to him if you like.
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quote:
Originally posted by Tarheel
Yes David, If you have a set of cultivators for that small 3 point give me an idea on the price range and I'll get word to him if you like.
They are dis-assembled but complete. With that said, As-Is, Ill take $65 for them.
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