These blades are pretty thin, I have had to straighten them a few times for him. I guess he got his moneys worth out of them though. The tractors about 10 years old and I think these were still the originals.
What are you currently working on??
- Thread starter backwoods
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What is that a Predator engine? Speaking of blue belts, I got some good and bad news. The good news is that today I got the old belt off my hydrostatic Craftsman which was a bit harder than I thought to put on the blue 73” one I got from Tractor Supply, and the bad news is I go to put on the blue belt and it’s too long. So now I gotta go back to Tractor Supply again for the 4th time now and get a smaller one. I’m thinking the real size is the size I’m pretty sure I had before which the 71”.
I've had my Executive more than 30 years and 3 engines. Never have replaced the belts yet! Probably jinxed myself---LOL!
DAC
Wow nobody working on anything lately huh?
Been a while since anyone has posted here.
I admit, I myself have worked on leas stuff this year that I have in years. Not that I don't have anything that needs work done to/haha haha
Between aches and pains I never used to have,
(I wake up with something different that hurts that didn't the day before every day/ mostly shoulders and elbows),
parts quality being crappier than ever yet more expensive than ever, a local small engine place parts counter help, that is dumber than a box of rocks, and is of no "help" despite being the only such place in the county, shipping headaches no matter what shipper I try and choose,
having to run my wife around for 3 months to therapy and such after she broke 3 bones in her hand/wrist and being medically prohibited from driving herself, (she's been back to work 2 weeks now)
it's just been a frustrating year.
We just got settled in at the campground for covered bridge fest a little bit ago and are now in town getting something to eat and our groceries for the camp site these next few days, scary part being that my wife hurt herself in July during another campout and here we are again camping.
Been a while since anyone has posted here.
I admit, I myself have worked on leas stuff this year that I have in years. Not that I don't have anything that needs work done to/haha haha
Between aches and pains I never used to have,
(I wake up with something different that hurts that didn't the day before every day/ mostly shoulders and elbows),
parts quality being crappier than ever yet more expensive than ever, a local small engine place parts counter help, that is dumber than a box of rocks, and is of no "help" despite being the only such place in the county, shipping headaches no matter what shipper I try and choose,
having to run my wife around for 3 months to therapy and such after she broke 3 bones in her hand/wrist and being medically prohibited from driving herself, (she's been back to work 2 weeks now)
it's just been a frustrating year.
We just got settled in at the campground for covered bridge fest a little bit ago and are now in town getting something to eat and our groceries for the camp site these next few days, scary part being that my wife hurt herself in July during another campout and here we are again camping.
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Hey "Lily's Dad" you coming down this year? Don't know if Mansfield will have your kiddie ride set up this year, haven't gotten over there yet. They didn't have it last year.
This weekend was fireplace repair days. The damper hole in the one side of the flue wore elongated making it hard to get the damper open and adjusted much less closed. Had to take the whole front top part of the fireplace off to get to it to see just what my options were. 8" flue inside a 11" outside pipe insulated at the bottom to block cold air form entering from the top. Hole was wallowed out worse than I expected. First thought was to cut a patch to put over the damper rod and attach it with a plumber adjustable SS clamp, similar to a standard hose clamp. Found out I could not get to that inside 8" flue pie to put the clamp around let alone put the patch in place. Ended up making a 2 x 3" patch 2" wide. Drilled a 5/16" hole centered, the cut a slot to the edge so I could slide it up over the damper rod on the inside of the flue. 90° bend on the other end about an inch long, the kept trimming the slotted end to get it up as far as possible to a ridge inside the flue the damper fit against when closed. Finally got the patch to fit and the damper to open and close. Had a hole drilled in the angle part, marked the top of the firebox, drilled a pilot hole, then used a self-tapping screw to hold the repaid plate in place. Worked out well the first try. I had bought some fireproof insulation so cut some small pieces of that and split it to pack in around the damper rod to keep the cold air from backing down from the outside. All of this work was overhead laying on my back with my head on the inside edge of the fireplace and reaching up as far as possible. That was enough for Saturday till dinner time and then watched the Xfinity race. Sunday morning was putting everything back together on the front of the fireplace again. Tried it out Sunday just enough to keep the house warm while sitting around watching the cup race without the furnace running. Worked great and felt even better. I think I am going to have to think real hard about replacing a 41 yo fireplace for next year. Looking more at putting in a cast iron stove rather than a fireplace. Much easier to install, get more heat out of it and easier to maintain.
Still working on the truck / car trailer.. Finally got the truck going after chasing a broken ground wire and having weird issues.. (parking lights stayed on even with the key out?!?!?) Got a new $300 gel battery as the one in it was weak and now I'm ready for plow season! The car trailer was another challenge! I replaced the 7 prong plug and wha-laa! No lights!! 
Replaced all of the wiring and found a blown parking light fuse for the trailer.. Finally found the short in the wiring as I rewired things.. The rear light (LED) fixtures were both blown! (so much for the 50,000 hour life claims on that crap!). So I installed new rear lights as well.. Once that was all done everything works as it should.. Now I can get it inspected as it is past due.. (I envy Maine folks as they don't get them inspected but once in a lifetime!)
I now have a load of scrap to pick up this week before our trip to Tenn. to see our grandson play football Saturday. Meanwhile the 425 sits in the shop waiting for a deck cleanup and blade service prior to storage. I also have to repair my mom's 725's deck as it has a rusted hole that needs a plate welded in just like mine was about 8 years ago.
Oh- I get the truck all fixed and back together and see oil spots in the driveway.. Looking around I see the tranny dipstick is all rusty.. It would have been as easy as pie to replace when my heads were off but it waited until it inflict the maximum difficulty to replace! Getting the old one out was a PITA and when I got it in the right spot it came right out! Installing the new one was nothing of the sort! I fought and fought with it and finally got the new one in.. I just look at the price of replacing the truck and somehow it all seems worthwhile! I'm also repairing as self propelled push mower to sell to some lucky soul newt year.
That's enough fun for now!
Replaced all of the wiring and found a blown parking light fuse for the trailer.. Finally found the short in the wiring as I rewired things.. The rear light (LED) fixtures were both blown! (so much for the 50,000 hour life claims on that crap!). So I installed new rear lights as well.. Once that was all done everything works as it should.. Now I can get it inspected as it is past due.. (I envy Maine folks as they don't get them inspected but once in a lifetime!)
I now have a load of scrap to pick up this week before our trip to Tenn. to see our grandson play football Saturday. Meanwhile the 425 sits in the shop waiting for a deck cleanup and blade service prior to storage. I also have to repair my mom's 725's deck as it has a rusted hole that needs a plate welded in just like mine was about 8 years ago.
Oh- I get the truck all fixed and back together and see oil spots in the driveway.. Looking around I see the tranny dipstick is all rusty.. It would have been as easy as pie to replace when my heads were off but it waited until it inflict the maximum difficulty to replace! Getting the old one out was a PITA and when I got it in the right spot it came right out! Installing the new one was nothing of the sort! I fought and fought with it and finally got the new one in.. I just look at the price of replacing the truck and somehow it all seems worthwhile! I'm also repairing as self propelled push mower to sell to some lucky soul newt year.
That's enough fun for now!
My BIL has 2 pellet stoves. They work fantastic!
I only had to have my trailer inspected because I titled it as a "home made" and at that he only cared that all the lights worked.its a single axle, on which that axle is rated for 3500 lb.
You're SUPPOSED to have any trailer with a GVW of 5001+ lb "DOT" inspected every 6 months. But that's not the same thing as a "state inspection".
That's coming from a certified DOT inspector (me) . I have to do all the DOT inspections that come thru the shop at my job.
You're SUPPOSED to have any trailer with a GVW of 5001+ lb "DOT" inspected every 6 months. But that's not the same thing as a "state inspection".
That's coming from a certified DOT inspector (me) . I have to do all the DOT inspections that come thru the shop at my job.
Did some maintenance on my 1440 over the weekend. The bearings were going bad on one of the deck pulleys, I changed them. The last few times I used it I noticed a vibration that seemed to be coming from the driveshaft. I took it apart, cleaned the old grease out of the CV joints, and put It back together with fresh grease. That seems to have fixed it, but I didn’t run it very long yet. Now if we ever get a weekend that it doesn’t rain, I need to get my bagger on it and get the leaves cleaned up. 
On the way out to my sons house on Wednesday my brake pedal started feeling spongy. Once we got there the reservoir was almost down to the line fittings. I got a bottle of brake fluid down the road at a grocery store and filled it back up before our way home. Yesterday morning I seen brake fluid all over the inside of the left rear wheel. I pulled the wheel off and the wheel cylinder was leaking bad. Out here especially for an older vehicle it’s the evening or the next day getting anything. I ordered one at Napa and picked it up this morning. My brake line fitting was a little stubborn but after heating it a little it came out like it should. The last time I had to replace one of these I rebuilt it. It’s not worth it anymore the cylinder was only $15.
I forget what kind of truck you have, Jim. I too used to rebuild the wheel cylinders but the effort isn't worth the money savings.
DAC