Checking out a Gravely walk-behind...Advice?

PatasColo · Apr 1, 2011

Hi all,
So I haven't "pulled the trigger" on getting a tractor yet, and spring is coming. Our acre of field grass has started to grow, and I saw a Gravely appear on craigslist. I may go over for a look and check it out.

I'm not a motors/mechanics experienced person, so could you give me a few tips on basic things to look & listen for? Smoke? Sometimes I see the phrase "blow-by" in here, and know it is bad, but don't know exactly what it is or how to check for it. Anyway, just looking for the basics. What would you look for/at?

Here's a link: Gravely 2-wheel tractor w/40 in. mower In case that doesn't work, here's the description:

This is a Gravely Commercial 10A walk-behind tractor with a 40 in. mower deck. It has a 10hp Kohler engine with electric start. Price also includes a tow-behind riding sulky (pictured) and all relevant manuals. This is a heavy duty unit that starts and runs great. However, since it was built in 1967 it is sold 殿s is no warranties expressed or implied.

Price is $495 (cash only).

Any and all comments are welcome, and Thanks in advance!

woodsman2011 · Apr 1, 2011

Hey there PatasColo. That thing looks good enough to me. Blow by is caused by worn rings or cylinder bore or both. Old cars with blow by would soak the air cleaner in oil through the crankcase vent which attached to the air cleaner housing. (help me out here others on here) I think there should be a similar set up on the Kohler. If the air filter element is wet with engine oil, I'd say safe to say the engine has much wear and you'd see somke out of the exhaust as well. The tractor looks good though. I hope yours works out for you as well as what I'm going to look at in the morning. Check it out:
GRAVELY TWO WHEEL TRACTOR

Kinda ironic ain't it. We're looking at basically the same tractor at the same time. Things that make ya go hummmm.

Kelly

Samandothers · Apr 1, 2011

For $500 Sounds good. I have one that has the Gravely engine and it is a work horse. I use a 30'' bush hog on mine like one Woodsman is looking at. I can cut about anything it will push over, slowly but it is a strong tractor.

The mower on the one you are looking at may be a finish mower and not designed for 'bush hogging', however may be perfectly suited for mowing grass on an acre, especially with the sulky to ride on. I would give a 100 for that.

When you go view it mow with it or pretend to mow. See if the speeds are good for you in low and or high. If it appears to run good and looks good I would say it is worth what is being asked IMHO. I'd not wait too long if in good shape and people in CO know what it is it will not last long.

There are some others on here that know Gravely's and may post.

woodsman2011 · Apr 2, 2011

Hey folks. Wonder if PatasColo has looked at his prospect yet. I brought mine home today. See my new post "brought the old girl home today".

Got me some tinkering to do

Kelly

PatasColo · Apr 6, 2011

Hey all, Thanks for the helpful posts and info. And congrats to Woodsman for his purchase (I'll have to go check out his new thread).

The seller didn't call me back for a few days, so things have been delayed. He did give me a number to call though, so I'm hoping to see it in the next day or two. As mentioned above in one of your responses, it is my experience that any good deals get snapped up pretty quick here too, so I best not delay much.

I liked the whole idea about "pretending to mow" :laughing: For some reason, it put makes me laugh, but it's good that you said this, because it would need to REALLY mow when it got to my place, right?!?!

Anyway, I'll keep y'all posted. I'm just wondering how I'd lug the brute home... it's 40 miles from our place.

Our field is tall wild grass, which becomes tall and beautiful and sways like a sea if you let it get too tall. Then, you can't mow it (not with our little mower anyway). It is the same grass as in the hay fields around here. So, we try to keep it short, and this mower (while not a brush hog) looks like it would have the "oomph" to do it.
Thanks again! :thumbsup:

woodsman2011 · Apr 6, 2011

Yep, I'd say the ump is there. Still trying to get mine running but I'm closer than I have been in that. If a mower deck won't cut it, I'd round me up a sickle bar cutter attachment for it. Those things work real good in tall grass. I tell ya though, I can't wait to get this thing going. I'm trying to give a little blow by blow progress report over on my thread.

Kelly

RichardTX · Apr 7, 2011

If I recall correctly, the 40" deck is labeled a "Finishing Mower". I think it would have problems with tall grass.

I would get a 30" mower and take the front guard off if tall grass was encountered..

PatasColo · Apr 11, 2011

Hey all,
Well, I got it! He sold it to me for $425. We had to rent a pickup, and made a little "family outing" of going to pick it up. Came with the riding sulky (old tyme tractor seat), wheel chains, an extra gas tank, original manuals, and a few other misc parts. The one that got me laughing is the sulky cushion which the owner had ordered, but never used... it looks like one of those old navy life jackets from a WWII movie! I doubt it'll ever get used. ("Hey you, Mr. namby-pamby, why ya' got that life preserver under yore rear end for!")

Anyway, it's just a little tricky to start, but that's a matter of learning to finesse the throttle and the choke. Once it warms up, seems to run fine. We took it for a "spin" around the field both with and without the sulky. Had a good time. We had such a dry winter, and dry spring so far too, so the grass is not yet really growing. But we tried it out on his lawn before buying, and it cuts. The blades clearly need sharpening, which I'll do with my dremel tool next weekend.

This is clearly not a toy, and there are areas we can cut riding the sulky, and other areas that will definitely be walk-only. It will put you into a little jog if you put it in the highest of it's 4 speeds. This is going to save us a lot of time over last summer, so that we can get to other chores rather than all the time mowing. I have to say, the 40" deck is thick steel, with very heavy blades, and I have no doubt it will cut some high, thick field grass. I'll be interested to see if it cuts low enough to do the more open parts of the lawn (have not measured the height of the cut... of course, it is somewhat adjustable). We were practicing everything with lowest speed to begin with.

Pictures to follow when we actually use it for mowing, but that may be a few weeks, unless we start to get some moisture here.

woodsman2011 · Apr 11, 2011

Awe, come on man, show us some good pics. (Craigslist pics are never very good) But seriously, glad to hear you finally got it and that it runs good. I'd say I'll have mine running by before the end of the week (God willing). I especially what you to take a pic of the left hand side of the engine (Carb area). I want to see which ignition system your tractor has on it. The C-10a and C-12 shared some components and if yours has the same set up mine has, I'll pass along a word of caution that I got from talking to Rick at gravelyshop.com. In short. If it has points, this doesn't apply. If it has electronic ignition, This is something you'll want to know.

I'm shedding the electronic ign. for good ole point system. Hope to see the kit Weds or Thur.

Happy mowing

Kelly