Tractors (2 Viewers)

[seapotato]

Haha nice, ya I've been looking at just lawn tractors as well to have something when we move in, it's proving difficult to find the compact tractors here used... And new is quite pricey.

Yeah I looked for years before I found mine.

One of these is the kind of thing I'd be looking at. The hoe is a pricey attachment. Not sure if I'd get one or not.
Been thinking about getting a PTO chipper, because burning is getting to be a pain in the ass, the ban is probably coming down this week.
My PTO is a bit marginal to run one tho. It'd be nice to upgrade, but it ain't cheap.

Kubota BX1880 hobby farm tractor - farm & garden - by dealer

New Kubota BX1880 Kubota 3 cylinder diesel engine Selectable 4WD 6 year power train warranty Hydrostatic(auto) transmission Quick-removal loader 1 piece steel hood (not plastic) Exceptional...

vancouver.craigslist.org

Kubota BX23 Tractor Loader Backhoe - farm & garden - by dealer

Kubota diesel engine Selectable 4WD Hydrostatic Transmission 6 year power train warranty Quick connect loader and backhoe 1 piece steel hood (not plastic) Mid and rear PTOs Exceptional...

vancouver.craigslist.org

 

[bikersmurf]

I’m surprised you still have plugs... and not a 3B powered John Deere.

Jumped mine at the solenoid and had it running... if you count off gas dribbled into the carb. The float is likely stuck... or filter clogged again... but she runs.

edit: I did get her to run by blowing air into the fuel tank... it’ll run for a minute at full throttle, but won’t idle down. The carb needs some TLC, the tank cleaned out, a fresh filter, and fresh gas that’s not 40:1 or whatever happens to be in the gas can.

 

[seapotato]

I’m surprised you still have plugs... and not a 3B powered John Deere.

Jumped mine at the solenoid and had it running... if you count off gas dribbled into the carb. The float is likely stuck... or filter clogged again... but she runs.

Haha, I have definitely thought about a diesel conversion. A little 2 or 3 cylinder Kubota could work.

The Kohler was rebuilt I think, but I swear a V8 would use less gas.

But, I won't complain. It's been an awesome machine.

 

[bikersmurf]

Does this John Deere count?
View attachment 2634998
Whopping 9 hp Kawasaki engine. 7 speed forward, 1 reverse. The PO said it was running & all working last year... though the battery was dead since nothing happened. After dragging it home found 12.6 v at the battery.

Tires are almost new... PO said he recently spent $600 on service work.

Google indicates it’s most likely one of the many safety switches. After checking those, ignition switch, and wiring harness. Nothing looks chewed... but some little critter had started piling up straw under the ‘hood’. I figure about 3 laps around the yard will have it all mowed.

It lives again...

The good:

All forward gears and reverse work... I drove a few laps around the yard.

The blade engages, spins, cuts grass, and disengages.

The brakes and clutch both work.

The deck raises and lowers.


The bad (or not so good):

One of the belt idlers for the blade is frozen and the belt has chewed into the plastic pulley. I’ll have to source a replacement.

The carb will need some TLC as it only wants to run at full throttle most of the time & almost always needs choke to start.

The ignition now clicks the relay but the solenoid needs to be jumped to start.

The belts are older... but work for now. I’m sure it’ll operate smoother after replacement, but I don’t want to spend extra money on such things until it’s working better.

 

[Toshi38]

Go to a tractor store the one i had in Ottawa was fantastic for random parts and stuff that was "correct enough"

 

[bikersmurf]

Go to a tractor store the one i had in Ottawa was fantastic for random parts and stuff that was "correct enough"

So long as it’s roughly an inch thick and 2-3” in diameter it’ll work... given it sorta works even though it’s not spinning, it isn’t picky.

Online they are about $15 + $33 (USD) shipping... I hate to seam cheap, but a $60 part for a $100 mower isn’t my first choice. I might feel differently once it proves itself.

I’ll have to check what is available locally... PA didn’t look promising. I’ll have to check Integrity on Keating Cross Road, they’re usually 1/4 the price of anything near town.

Failing that I have a 4” Delron puck that was an off cut from some sort of project.

 

[bikersmurf]

Since the original was plastic... it got me thinking... I’ve got one of these kicking around.

If they’ll last 20+ years in a dryer, they should last for a while in a mower deck. If the mower works well I’ll spend money on a better one.

It’s got 4 new tires, and supposedly new bearings... I was told a $600 bill not long ago. He said he used his bigger JD for mowing his acre of lawn, and this one to tow the trailer around the yard. Which could explain why the mower deck has issues.

 

[seapotato]

There's a few generic ones in the Amazon.

Amazon.ca : lawn mower idler

www.amazon.ca

I had to replace mine too, the bearing is sandwiched between the two halves of the pulley which are riveted together.

Suppose I could drill them all out to get to the bearing, but with any luck it'll outlast the rest of the mower.

 

[bikersmurf]

There's a few generic ones in the Amazon.

Amazon.ca : lawn mower idler

www.amazon.ca

I had to replace mine too, the bearing is sandwiched between the two halves of the pulley which are riveted together.

Suppose I could drill them all out to get to the bearing, but with any luck it'll outlast the rest of the mower.

The generic look tougher than the original plastic one that was chewed 1/2 way through before I realized there was an issue with it. Even $25 is more than I’d like to spend before it’s running better.

That said, running better isn’t far off... and I don’t want to waste time or money Mickey mousing it.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I had to replace mine too, the bearing is sandwiched between the two halves of the pulley which are riveted together.

Suppose I could drill them all out to get to the bearing, but with any luck it'll outlast the rest of the mower.

The ones on my Hq rider last a while, but I've had to replace two of them along the way. I never thought of
pulling them apart and just replacing the bearing. My problem is time before each work schedule.

 

[seapotato]

I rebuilt the deck on my big mower a while after I got it, the bearing growl was almost as loud as the engine

Idler wasn't too bad, but the 6 spindle bearings at almost $30 each gave me a bit of a limp on the way back to the truck.

But, since then I've scalped a forest of rosehip and snowberry and random other prickly shrubbery , even found two apple trees, so I shouldn't complain.

If I'd rented a bush hog or flail mower for $200 bucks to clear that much land I'd be happy.

I missed out on a sickle bar a while back...now that is a terrifying implement.


Occurs to me, now that I have a lathe, it could probably take the heads off those rivets a lot quicker than drilling...

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

I'm on the hunt for a new push mower. Seen a couple of these come up lately. Apparently pretty quality units with Kawasaki motors. I mean, how many small mowers do you see with oil filter, aluminum wheels and aluminum deck? Too bad it can't do side throw or mulch or I'd probably check it out. $50 · John Deere lawn mower - https://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/John-Deere-lawn-mower_37327764

 

[seapotato]

I'm on the hunt for a new push mower. Seen a couple of these come up lately. Apparently pretty quality units with Kawasaki motors. I mean, how many small mowers do you see with oil filter, aluminum wheels and aluminum deck? Too bad it can't do side throw or mulch or I'd probably check it out. $50 · John Deere lawn mower - https://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/John-Deere-lawn-mower_37327764

Seems like for mulching you can usually get away with just blocking off the outlet and cutting a little higher.

Both of mine are side outlet, I made this for the big guy last year. Works great now. No more lines of clipping piles.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Seems like for mulching you can usually get away with just blocking off the outlet and cutting a little higher.

Both of mine are side outlet, I made this for the big guy last year. Works great now. No more lines of clipping piles.

View attachment 2643235

Nice work, haha! Yeah, that's a good point. Maybe I'll take a look at that thing. Although another potential disadvantage is the self drive mechanism; my yard has lots of obstacles (fruit trees etc.). Might be a bit of a PITA now that I think about it.

 

[bikersmurf]

I'm on the hunt for a new push mower. Seen a couple of these come up lately. Apparently pretty quality units with Kawasaki motors. I mean, how many small mowers do you see with oil filter, aluminum wheels and aluminum deck? Too bad it can't do side throw or mulch or I'd probably check it out. $50 · John Deere lawn mower - https://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/John-Deere-lawn-mower_37327764

I’d have been all over that one if I’d not just picked up the rider. 3 mowers would be excessive.

 

[bikersmurf]

Nice work, haha! Yeah, that's a good point. Maybe I'll take a look at that thing. Although another potential disadvantage is the self drive mechanism; my yard has lots of obstacles (fruit trees etc.). Might be a bit of a PITA now that I think about it.

I’ve not had any issues with it. Release the lever and it’s a push mower.

 

[bikersmurf]

Modified the dryer wheel to replace the clutch tensioner idle wheel, So far it is working like a charm. I then proceeded to mow both the back and front lawns.
The little JD rider did a beautiful job. It cut the lawn in half the time of the 20”, even length, short, and with no visible lines on the finished lawn. Now all I need to do is fertilizer, lime, rinse, and repeat... I’ll have a putting green in no time.

Now just imagine what it could do if the blade was sharpened... the sky is the limit.

 

[seapotato]

I should really give my blades a sharpen too. Trouble with clearing sections of shrubbery is finding every rock in cedar in the process.

Not feeling super motivated tho, I need to bury my head in the computer to try and get a grasp on duct design so I can redo the half-assed haywire system in the house properly.

Haven't even started yet and I already have a headache.

Duct design seems to be a jealously guarded secret hidden by a pile of math I know that contractors never do....

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

I should really give my blades a sharpen too. Trouble with clearing sections of shrubbery is finding every rock in cedar in the process.

Not feeling super motivated tho, I need to bury my head in the computer to try and get a grasp on duct design so I can redo the half-assed haywire system in the house properly.

Haven't even started yet and I already have a headache.

Duct design seems to be a jealously guarded secret hidden by a pile of math I know that contractors never do....

I'm sorta glad my house came with elec boiler/pipe/radiators. Much easier to understand and work with. Problem is I'd love a heat pump, but air/water heat pumps are damn pricey!

 

[seapotato]

I'm sorta glad my house came with elec boiler/pipe/radiators. Much easier to understand and work with. Problem is I'd love a heat pump, but air/water heat pumps are damn pricey!

Split systems are pretty slick these days, no ducting required and there's diy precharged versions where you can do it all yourself.
Not that it takes a refrigeration guy long to set one up.
My house is an inefficient old farmhouse with an addition in every direction, so it's a bit too chopped up for those unless it had a lot of heads, otherwise I'd be all over that.

We have a heat pump but it's a noisy old clunker thats ducted so poorly it barely works, cools pretty well but we hardly use that, and it doesn't heat worth a s*** below 10c. Basically it's an add on to an oil furnace that the insurance company made us stop using, and oil furnace ducting is waay too small for a heat pump.

The quotes we got to replace were insane. Like 27k insane. Even the smaller quotes, after materials and labour for the ductwork, and price of the heat pump, the numbers didn't ad up to any kind of normal hourly rate.

So, if that's how they want to play, ****em.

Hence the 250 buck pellet stove we've been running the last few winters.

I'm kinda looking forward to gutting the whole mess and starting over tho.