What did YOU do to your tractor today?

[gemutlich]

I'm totally stealin' this idea from another forum, but whatever! I, and I'm sure other TBN users, wanna know what YOU did to your Vintage Ford Tractor today.

Work it? Work on it? Soup it up? Give us the low down.

:wrench: :hammer: :bandaid: :thumbsup:

 

[gemutlich]

Though not technically the tractor, removed the rear shield from the 90I/901 brush hog which was dented up pretty bad apparently from having been backed into stuff over its' life. Beat up bad enough so the thing would barely raise or lower.

Hammered it flat and squared the corners back up.

New hardware, greased up the ears, bolted it back together and VIOLA! Functioning rear shield that lifts easily and drops back down under its' own weight.

Before:



After:





While I was at it, right side skid shoe was wasted so I removed it along with the left side skid shoe:



Those may have been original, "narrow" shoes.

Poking around, found OEM replacements from Messicks who had the narrow shoes as well as wide shoes with curved sides so as not to carve up a more finished lawn if the mower is riding the shoes while making a turn.

Ordered a pair of the wide shoes.

New Holland (91-SERIES) - FORD 6" ROTARY CUTTERS (1/62-12/79) Parts Diagrams

While I was lighting my money on fire, the front shields on the mower were gone, probably hung on a nail some years ago and forgotten. Had thought about cutting up an old flat belt to secure along the front but...

Ordered up the chain style shield kit for the front instead:

New Holland (91-SERIES) - FORD 6" ROTARY CUTTERS (1/62-12/79) Parts Diagrams

Stuff should be in later this coming week.

With 20 bucks left in my pocket, jumped on ebay and found an original manual for the mower. That'll be here next week too.

As far as the tractor itself goes, I just a couple days ago replaced the long ago broken proofmeter cable, as well as the plug wires, distributer cap, and rotor.

Dang I'm having a heckuva time locating the original 3 horizontal bar front bumper correct for the 641. If anyone has a line on one - either new or used, please let me know.



I understand that's the one we should have.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I walked around mine today, thats as good as it got.

 

[gemutlich]

I walked around mine today, thats as good as it got.

Hey now that's how it starts don't it?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I want to restore my dads 8n some day. Its in awful shape, most would say dont bother.

 

[gemutlich]

Wellsir, I can almost hear my Dads voice saying the same thing a number of years back - fortunately he was alive to see whatever it was at the time brought back to life. Now so many years later, just the thought of his smile would be enough for me to stubbornly move ahead with what he'd surely say "don't bother" with.

Each day we put off moving toward that end, is a day we're depriving ourselves of our own smiles.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Wellsir, I can almost hear my Dads voice saying the same thing a number of years back - fortunately he was alive to see whatever it was at the time brought back to life. Now so many years later, just the thought of his smile would be enough for me to stubbornly move ahead with what he'd surely say "don't bother" with.

Each day we put off moving toward that end, is a day we're depriving ourselves of our own smiles.

He also has my grandfathers 9n (his dads), which is in a little better shape. But not currently running.

Glad yours got to see it running, what a smile that must have been.

 

[Kirk-NJ]

Mowed my few acre lawn with the '41 9n Yesterday, stated to pull smooth axles off a '40 to use my '39 when I got a call for a buddy who was doing something stupid and wrapped his 601 around a tree screwed up the radiator and axle carrier, didn't get hurt but needed a tow back to his garage. Good thing I've got the parts he need to get him back going. All this and my wife said how come you didn't get the new porch lights up. Maybe today, but really would rather work on old iron anyway.

 

[Kirk-NJ]

"Dang I'm having a heckuva time locating the original 3 horizontal bar front bumper correct for the 641. If anyone has a line on one - either new or used, please let me know"

The correct bumpers for your tractor are getting harder to find and when you do find them they are usually bent up. Something to keep in mind when looking for this bumper is that they also made the same style bumper for the later square nose model. It is wider than the earlier model to accommodate the wider square nose tin and the bar spacing between the top and middle bar was wider. The reason for the wide space between the bars was so you couldn't mount the pillow weights on the top. Even though the bumper is wider you can still mount it on you 601, as seen mounted on my 4000, but it's not the right one for the tractor.

Kirk

 

[gemutlich]

...Glad yours got to see it running, what a smile that must have been.

That 1940 JD B in my avatar was the first brand-new tractor my Grandfather bought, and set my Dad upon when he was only 5. Dad couldn't reach the pedals, of course, but Grandpa put him up on there just to drive the thing down the row in low 1st at barely an idle while Grandpa picked.

Still have that tractor, both Grandpa (who died this past Christmas at 101years old) and Dad got to see me and my now 28 year old Son putt around on it back when he was 5.

That was a good 4 generations moment for sure.

Kirk, way to go on the mow and coming to your buds' aid. Hurts to imagine what he was doing to wrap a tractor around a tree, unless it just got away from him and rolled.

Laughing about the front porch lights, we haven't had even a fixture out there for 15 years or more... Wife has given up on that one, lol

Exhaust pipes are due to arrive today, hoping to get those on and get some pics up.

 

[Geosankie]

Added an LED light bar to my YT-235 to supplement the worthless headlights. Plugs into the cigar lighter socket with a switchable plug. Magnetic mounts on the light bar holds it onto the ROPS.

 

[kuschneider]

Yesterday I sprayed roundup on a soon-to-be food plot. Mowed along my gravel road. Maintained some trails around my property. No cool photos.

 

[gemutlich]

Manual arrived today, still waiting on those pipes.

 

[gemutlich]

Kirk, forgot to say thanks for the intel on the differences between those two very similar bumpers. I'll keep my eyes peeled, hopefully something comes up soon.

Waiting for those pipes to get here, had to do something so broke out the pressure washer, a pot of warm soapy water, and Wifes scratchless scrubby kitchen sponge (don't tell her, lol) and gave the old girl a bit of a shower.



Ordered a 6" x 18" x 3/8" thick patch panel yesterday from McMaster-Carr to give to the weld shop to cover that rip this week after they stitch it together.





Little bit at a time...

So, what'd y'all do with or to your tractors today?

 

[lennyzx11]

Removed the hydraulic pump that I had rebuilt that was leaking under pressure after I reassembled it. Found the problem and now for the clean up and reassembly.

 

[Kirk-NJ]

Not what I did with but more of what I did to my ford tractor. Split the '40 yesterday. Friend came over so we hunted up an axle carrier in my "boneyard" for his 601. While he was here we pulled the hydraulic piston and the cylinder had a nice score in it, which is why when the tractor was running the implement would hold up but if you shut it off the implement would hit the ground in under four minutes. Upgraded to an 8n cylinder and an NAA piston. Because he was here and had the extra hands we were able to do it without pulling the top cover.

 

[gemutlich]

Geosankie, that light bar sounds like a heckuva improvement!

Kushneider what a peaceful way to spend a day - spraying, side-bar mowing and maintaining trails. Can almost put myself there doing the same thing.

LennyZ here's a link to your thread so guys can read up on what ya did with that hyd unit:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...-hydraulics-rebuild-progress.html#post4832530

Kirk I can't even imagine what kinda treasures lurk in your boneyard! Good to have an extra set of hands there yesterday huh? Heck, sometimes it good to have them even when we don't need 'em.

Nice use of that trailer jack to support the rear half, got any close-ups or a thread on how you constructed/adapted that? Pretty cool.

I queued up another order from Messicks to call in this morning, flexible frame for the top attaching point on that 90I/901 mower, and a shield to replace the one missing from around the slip clutch and u-joint.

Looking for a used bolt-on PTO cover for the rear of the tractor, something that's already pre-patina'd

Keep 'em coming, guys. I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets some sorely needed "tractor time" vicariously through what y'all post up here!



*EDIT* Scratch that. Messicks tells me I'm outa luck on that flex frame and also the shield for the mower. Hrmph...

 

[gemutlich]

Found this on craigslist this morning - a bumper to use until the right one comes along. Hit up Fastenal for some hardware and we're in business. Heck, I may have a couple uprights welded into the corners to stretch some expanded metal between to further protect the grill and radiator, I don't know.







Had just about given up on YT coming through with those exhaust pipes we've been waiting on when just as we were sitting down to Supper the big brown truck rumbled up.

Can't comment on fit, but the wall thickness is a heckuva lot meatier than the old more-than-likely original pipes that are on her now (which are burned through in a couple spots).



Now to get some new clamps, find a shady spot and see if I can sweet talk the old stuff off without too much trouble. Supposed to rain heavy here the next couple days so we'll see how far I get.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

this one is in pretty bad shape.

 

[gemutlich]

Bah, that'll buff right out.

I can see how you'd feel like that old girl's too far gone though at least she's been kinda sheltered inside, and I'll bet it'll make for a good "chip away at it" project one day.

My old Case VAC is only barely in better shape than that one, still on the fence about what to do with it - been parked under a friends' barn for close to 20 years...