Sovereign 18 Hydro

[jimmystractor 171]

Well, after a 6 hour round trip run to Iowa...I brought back this old girl with a nice 42" snow thrower as well.

So far, I've buffed the hood and changed out the gas, oil and oil filter. I put in an inline, fuel shut off as well. It sat for two years and was woman owned. Looks clean and in good shape.

Edited January 17, 2017 by jimmystractor

[a_sannine 854]

Oh wow this is a heck of a sexy tractor , hopefully u got a good deal on it , beauty , can't stop looking .

[jimmystractor 171]

Paid $850 for the tractor with deck and 42" snow thrower in good shape too. Also came with chains for the back tires.  I couldn't pass on it. I found it on Craig's and it had only been on there for 4 hours...

Edited January 16, 2017 by jimmystractor

[tadams 988]

Yes, Looks like new. Seat looks great

[a_sannine 854]

2 hours ago, jimmystractor said:

Paid $850 for the tractor with deck and 42" snow thrower in good shape too.  I couldn't pass on it. I found it on Craig's and it had only been on there for 4 hours...

You got it for a good deal , my last sovereign I bought ,it was for $1500 but like new honestly saying , went there made him an offer for $1300 , he accepted . just tractor and deck .

enjoy it such a beauty .

 

[720nut 4,225]

I agree with all above what a beauty

What are you guys using to buff these tractor out with?

Edited January 16, 2017 by 720nut

[Mike_H 92]

 

Ha ha...You can use a variety of products Lloyd.  I use some stuff that I bought to buff and polish my fiberglass boat. Its called boat candy.... EXPENSIVE, but it works amazing with a high speed buffer.  On a garden tractor you do a lot more hand work.   Any type of cleaner/wax will be a good start, though Meguires and Mother's probably make the "Best" commonly available compounds.  I used some Meguires cleaner/wax on the black chassis and dash tower on my sovereign.  Took a bit of elbow grease, but it worked pretty well.  It all depends how faded the paint is.   

Edited January 16, 2017 by Mike_H

[dince 276]

24 minutes ago, Mike_H said:

 

Ha ha...You can use a variety of products Lloyd.  I use some stuff that I bought to buff and polish my fiberglass boat. Its called boat candy.... EXPENSIVE, but it works amazing with a high speed buffer.  On a garden tractor you do a lot more hand work.   Any type of cleaner/wax will be a good start, though Meguires and Mother's probably make the "Best" commonly available compounds.  I used some Meguires cleaner/wax on the black chassis and dash tower on my sovereign.  Took a bit of elbow grease, but it worked pretty well.  It all depends how faded the paint is.   

Lloyd, if you get on to some of this, could you get me tin, please?  It's like ice and snow, there doesn't seem to be any in my part of the world.  Speaking of ice, my doctor told me, the other day, that I could drink any amount of scotch and ice - the amount of kilojoules my body would burn up melting the ice and bringing it to body temperature was more than the kilojoules in the scotch.  I am certainly not changing my doctor!

[jimmystractor 171]

2 hours ago, 720nut said:

I agree with all above what a beauty

What are you guys using to buff these tractor out with?

Lloyd, hopefully Josh will chime in on this too, as I have seen some of his pics on here too.  I use polishing compound from either 3M or Meguiars. I have a Milwaukee polisher and use foam pads and wool pads. The wool pads cut better. You would be amazed at what you can do with foam pads and 3M Finesse-it. 

[Kent 435]

1 hour ago, Mike_H said:

 

Ha ha...You can use a variety of products Lloyd.  I use some stuff that I bought to buff and polish my fiberglass boat. Its called boat candy.... EXPENSIVE, but it works amazing with a high speed buffer.  On a garden tractor you do a lot more hand work.   Any type of cleaner/wax will be a good start, though Meguires and Mother's probably make the "Best" commonly available compounds.  I used some Meguires cleaner/wax on the black chassis and dash tower on my sovereign.  Took a bit of elbow grease, but it worked pretty well.  It all depends how faded the paint is.   

Meguir's Ultimate Polishing Compound is the best, widely available "auto parts store" cleaner for old faded paint that I've found.  It is NON-abrasive, but as a liquid it is NOT cheap to use,  But expect to do lots of hand work, if you don't have a small buffer.  Then, plan on waxing it ASAP, since it will quickly begin to fade and oxidize again.  

[yukon 331]

that is one clean tractor

[720nut 4,225]

Sorry Jimmy didn't mean to steal your thread.

Thanks guys, I just see from time to time that ya'll buff these out and been wanting to try it on my 720 and Soveriegn

[Talntedmrgreen 1,978]

Shes a beauty!  Best of the best right there.

[Mike_H 92]

Hmm...Maybe a tutorial on paint clean up is in order.  Now...to find a tractor that needs polishing...

[Gary 101]

Awesome tractor!  Should be seeing you picture at the local Post Office, any day now.  LOL

[Chris727 2,015]

If your working with a powdercoat finish traditional waxes and polishes will not work. Some people have had to wet sand through the faded color and then follow up with a buffer and polish. It depends on the severity of fading. My landlord DLX will require sanding.

Edited January 17, 2017 by Chris727

[Mike_H 92]

I've had to wet sand and buff a few areas on mine too.  Others cleaned up nicely with just the cleaner wax.  

[PhanDad 3,616]

That's a really clean tractor.  You got a great deal.

Only thing I'd add is this to the deck:

It strengthens the deck and avoids pushing the standard stoneguard into the blade if the deck contacts something.  On the used tractors I've picked up, I usually have to bend the front of the deck forward for them to bolt up.  It looks like your deck is almost "factory straight". 

 

[B-16_IC 1,029]

PhanDad is that a factory item?

That is one pretty tractor! You did very well buying that one. 

[PhanDad 3,616]

1 hour ago, B-16_IC said:

PhanDad is that a factory item?

Yes it is.  It's part number 1677261.

it was used on early 7100 series 48" decks as part of the turbo blower setup.  It was standard on late model MFG # 1693418 & 1693419 48" decks

 

[720nut 4,225]

Jim just wandering if Sovereign 18 I have could look that good ?

[jimmystractor 171]

On 1/16/2017 at 2:41 PM, 720nut said:

7 hours ago, 720nut said:

Jim just wandering if Sovereign 18 I have could look that good ?

I think with a little bit of time buffing, yours would clean up really nice Lloyd!

Edited January 18, 2017 by jimmystractor

[Brettw 1,130]

That was worth every penny of 850 and in reality, twice that.  Nice, nice tractor.