Picked Up a Simplicity 7117

Sawdust

Jim from Kentucky
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I got this from a friend for free. I told him I'll help him build his barn when he's ready. His dad bought it new then it went to him. He's moving buying a zero turn.

It runs great, cuts fantastic, it's been repowered with a 20hp Kohler Command. It came with a 48" deck & a 36" tiller. The deck has a few rust spots but works smooth. The tiller is a beast. I mowed a small section of my yard & very pleased with it. The deck doesn't travel up or down very far. Its cutting pretty low for me. I'll give it a good bath & look around to see what it needs. I don't quit understand the rear lift on these so any thing I need to know full me in.
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Nice score... I dont see many Simplicity around here but Ive had a few Allis Chalmers. have a 718 and 712 here right now. What dont you understand about the rear lift? I have a tiller on the 712 so I might be able to help.
 
I had a chance to get one a couple years ago for what I thought was downright cheap, a couple towns over had their annual town wide garage sale weekend. If the wife weren't standing next to me complaining about how "I have too many tractors" I'd have bought it. Story was these people had recently bought the house and this Simplicity came with it. tractor was clean, sellers said it had been left in the shed out back so it hadn't been stored outside apparently. I did buy some 23/12.5-12 turfs on rims from that sale.
 
Nice score... I dont see many Simplicity around here but Ive had a few Allis Chalmers. have a 718 and 712 here right now. What dont you understand about the rear lift? I have a tiller on the 712 so I might be able to help.
Lance when I pushed the hydro lever the rear lift rod didnt move up or down. I lifted the rear lid & realized it has a cable going to the rear. The rod was in the up position but since it had no weight on it it stayed in that position. Once I put pressure on it it moved up & down. I remember seeing Kenny had a pic of a sleeve hitch awhile back for these I believe. That might be nice to have.
 
Think the AC917 I had was hydro lift but both the 712s and 718 here now are electric, but ya they all have the cable on them and wont drop down unless the upper lift bar is well greased. The cable can sometimes work its way over one of those guides so you have to watch for that, doesnt really affect the lift but it might bend the guide if there is weight on the lift rod.

A sleeve hitch is super simple and easy to fabricate, I was making one for the 917 but then sold the tractor before finishing the hitch..... so I converted into a handgun target Lol
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Think the AC917 I had was hydro lift but both the 712s and 718 here now are electric, but ya they all have the cable on them and wont drop down unless the upper lift bar is well greased. The cable can sometimes work its way over one of those guides so you have to watch for that, doesnt really affect the lift but it might bend the guide if there is weight on the lift rod.

A sleeve hitch is super simple and easy to fabricate, I was making one for the 917 but then sold the tractor before finishing the hitch..... so I converted into a handgun target Lol
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Thanks for the info Lance & the target looks great. Making do with what you have is how I do most of my projects.
 
I have a cable if anyone is needing one! It came off the 716.
 
I cut the yard yesterday. I believe this is one of the best decks I've used, no scalping & not much pile up even though the grass was high. Right now the height is ok but mid summer would be too short. I've been reading where some have put larger rear deck rollers & adjusting the front to maximum height. I'll probably only need to cut a couple more times so this will be another winter to do project. I'll pull the deck, clean, inspect
& do whatever maintenance needed. Right now I'm very pleased with it.
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