Engine ideas

[gravelymay]

Hi One
I have been thinking .
You just put it together?
So the clutches are going to be dry ?
So try shifting in low a while and High a while back and forth?
As some would say work it.!!!!
Just a through ?
Bruce g

 

[2manyrocks]

Is there no longer a hi/lo range?

Is it just that the higher rpm of the new engine makes it run faster?

 

[gravelymay]

Is there no longer a hi/lo range?

Is it just that the higher rpm of the new engine makes it run faster?

If you move the hi lo lever it don't change speeds?
That is the lever I am talking about.
The hi low pto lever.
Also forward and back lever.
Move them a lot to change to see if it will turn loose?
What Rpm are you running your engine?

 

[oldmech]

Hi! I would try to adjust Hi-Lo bands levers .In tranny you have planetaries and bands clutchs. This ones (bands) stop or free the planetay for reduction speed. I think your HI-Lo planetary turn dont stop for reduction. Because band too loose or input shaft too tight. Good Luck ! Oldmech

 

[Oneaxepony]

Hi! I would try to adjust Hi-Lo bands levers .In tranny you have planetaries and bands clutchs. This ones (bands) stop or free the planetay for reduction speed. I think your HI-Lo planetary turn dont stop for reduction. Because band too loose or input shaft too tight. Good Luck ! Oldmech

Let me address some issues brought up by the past few posters. Moving the hi/lo shift leverl makes no difference on tractor speed. This is even when the engine is idling (i.e very low rpms). I pulled the planetary out to inspect it. The brass (bronze?) bushing into which the 3/4" stub on the input gear fits is scored about a half inch inside. You may remember the 3/4" stub on the gear I used was cut down to accomodate 7/16" internal hex cap screw. So the scoring is probably due to a mis-alignment of some sort. I read some posts on the Yahoo Gravely Club site that indicated worn or scored bushings can cause the planetary to behave badly. With that in mind I re-aligned the drive gear to be sure it is dead in the middle of the tranny case. Upon trying the tractor again it still does the same thing. By the way other than the bushing the planetary looked to be in good condition. The "bands" was not very worn and appeared to work correctly. In one position it stops the internal ring gear and in the other position it stops the orbit carrier.

So here are my thoughts at this point. I'm thinking the short 3/4" drive gear stub could be a problem. That stub acts as an axle for the planetary and Gravely designed it to be a certain length. Maybe cutting it off does not let it work properly. The scored bushing probably needs to be replaced. There is a 2nd bushing in the planetary which I cant see. Maybe I should ship the planetary off to someone like Richard's and have it rebuilt. Finally I wish I could measure the TIR of the 3/4" stub. Maybe my settup of sleeve and bolt is not holding it true on center. If that were the case it could rubin the 3/4" bushing.

What are your thoughts?

 

[gravelymay]

I am working on a C10A that has been apart for 10 years (Basket case).
I have got all the parts and a new 13 Hp Honda manual start.
except the clutch cone.( back ordered from Gravely)
Got most of the stuff painted.
While I have a engine I plan to make the 2 spacers and drill a old Kohler adapter to fit the old L transmission I already have my crank adapter.
So I am kindly slow.
If I get it done I will post Pictures
Thanks Bruce g

Well I finally got the clutch in?? from Gravely
It took 2 months.
So here is a C10A with a Honda.

 

[js5020]

Lookin good there Bruce!

 

[gravelymay]

Thanks
I hope to have it going tomorrow after being torn down for 10 years and laying a guy's shop all that time.
I still have to put oil in the trans and ck every thing out.

 

[gravelymay]

Got her done
started first pull
Ran smooth

thank bruce g

 

[gravelymay]

Well I plan to repower a C10 .
It is like the L except it has a Kohler engine and adapter and the crank has been turned down to fit the small gear.
I'll post pictures as soon as get them

 

[gravelymay]

What did I do?
Run every one off?????

 

[js5020]

What did I do?
Run every one off?????

Not everyone,, Im still here, Keep up the great looking work Bruce! I think this thread and its contributors have/will help many in their quest to keep these machines running for a long time. I read on another site Gravely has stopped offering cylinders for the L models,, the options dwindle as time goes by for these fine machines.

 

[hawkeye08]

Wow, long thread. I am going to be selling most of my Gravely tractors, (3) 2 wheel units and boatload of attachments, (3) 800/8000 series riders and boatload of attachments. I repowered one of the 816s with Onan 18hp several years back and will probably keep that one with the 48" snowblower.

I enjoy the Gravelys but don't have the time anymore to really keep them up. I bought the 2 wheelers for the attachments..

Nice work on the conversions!

 

[Oneaxepony]

Hi folks. You may recall earlier this Summer I put a 13 HP clone on my 73 Superconvertible. It worked but the tractor ran too fast. Since then I had Bruce shave 3/32" off the 1" drive gear shaft so it wouldn't stick too far into the tranny. I also soaked the hi/lo planetary in oil for about a month. Finally I adjusted the hi/lo clutch band. Tried the tractor tody and it worked! Guess that makes me an offical member of the repower club! There is a photo below showing the tractor cutting my back yard today. The 30" mower even put some nice stripes on the lawn.

When I started this I wanted to see if I could make an adapter without doing extensive machine work. To do this I used the front half of the Gravely 7.6 engine crankcase and put a home made aluminum plate on the back. I say home made because it is a simple aluminum plate made using a circular saw and drill press. I did need some machine work done on the gear and bolt used to hold it to the crank - which Bruce did exactly the way I asked. I'm tickled this worked and appreciate all the suggestions made on this forum.

 

[gravelymay]

Kudos to the Man for hanging in there long enough to make it work.:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[gravelymay]

Hi guys
Wanted to invite you all:thumbsup:

The HIWASSEE VALLEY ANTIQUE TRACTOR

meet the second week end of Oct .

So this year look like 9 and 10 Oct 2010.

www.hiwasseevallytractorclub.com

14TH ANNUAL HIWASSEE VALLEY ANTIQUE TRACTOR AND ENGINE SHOW |Tractor Show | Iron Memories Antique Tractor Shows, Tractors Rides, Threshing Shows, Old Farm Events

We meet at Charleston TN city Park

Charleston is about 70 Miles south of Knoxville Tenn

Exit 33 on I 75.

From Chattanooga Tn is about 30 miles

There is a trailer park at exit 33

The motels are about 5 to 10 miles at Exit 27 At I 75

Thanks Meet you there
Bruce g

 

[Oneaxepony]

The other day for kicks I typed 'Lifan Engine 13 HP' into Google. It turns out Home Depot .com sells such an engine with recoil start for $259 with free shipping. $60 more adds electric start. That's a pretty good price. The description didn't mention the crank thread. I say this because based on my own experience a 7/16" threaded crank is more difficult to deal with than 3/8". Anyway, thought some might find this interesting.

 

[gravelymay]

btw are you going to Richard's Swap meet 2 Oct ?
I plan on trying to go ?

W.V. State Farm Museum
1458 Fairground Rd.
Point Pleasant W.V.

 

[gravelymay]

The other day for kicks I typed 'Lifan Engine 13 HP' into Google. It turns out Home Depot .com sells such an engine with recoil start for $259 with free shipping. $60 more adds electric start. That's a pretty good price. The description didn't mention the crank thread. I say this because based on my own experience a 7/16" threaded crank is more difficult to deal with than 3/8". Anyway, thought some might find this interesting.

I looked up these and.
They are some of the best clones engines made.
They have been around for about 15 years:thumbsup:

I agree with ONE the 3/8 X 24 Has a smaller head and works a lot easier then the 7/16 X20 is a large bolt head to deal with.

 

[William D Sharp]

Two comment and a question:

First, you guys are awesome. I joined to forum so I could say that. I have at least one L that need re-powering, so I'm following your work closely.

Second, I recently installed at Lifan engine from HD on an old mechanical log splitter and must say that the quality of the engine is superb. I needed an integrated 6-1 gear reducer, which Lifan offers, largely for cement mixers, I presume.

Question: I have no engineering background or aptitude, so I'm asking a village-idiot question. Has anyone considered connecting an third-party engine to a Gravely L using a flexible coupling (like the one they once used on Craftsman table saws in lieu of a pulley-and-belt system or the one that was in the Erector set I had as a kid)? I'm thinking it would be easier to find compatible terminations for either end of the coupling than to do all the precise machine-shop work you guys are doing. Plus, if things aren't quite centered or lined up, properly, maybe a flexible coupling would be forgiving. There may be a thousand reasons why it wouldn't work, but if it will, how do you want me to make out the check?