Lawn/ Garden tractors/ Riding Mowers, Cool Mods and tinkering

[squaredeal91]

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Here's mine. After building gokarts and such it takes every bit of my discipline to not modify this thing for the fun of it. I've done good so far just keeping it an appliance.

It does look prestine!

 

[Jawzjeep]

It does look prestine!

Bought it from an old man. The guy barely used it and then got so up there in age that he had to hire somebody to come do his lawn and they used all their own equipment.

His ad was for $500 bucks and when I went to go get it he canceled at the last minute because something was wrong with it. He called me the next day and said that it needed a new battery so he got one. When I came to pick it up I asked him $500 right? He agreed and I handed him $600. Looking at it confused I told him I know those batteries aren't free. I could tell the guy hadn't seen fair treatment in a long time because he couldn't believe people still acted that way. That's really a bummer.

 

[SirRobyn0]

And my project. I was given this tractor. It was in a shed at a rental property. IDK much about it. It's obviously low hours, but it's sat for a long time. I've gotten it to crank over. I've rebuilt the carburetor and it'll run on starting fluid. I cannot get the pulse fuel pump to work. So I bought a 1-3psi electric pump. As I type this it is installed and plumbed, but I still need to wire it up. Maybe this afternoon. But it would be nice to use the old tractor exclusively for blading and the new to me tractor for all other use. Plus that would give me a back up. If the deck is good then it would get to mow as well.

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Even if it turns out that this engine is junk, if the transmission is good I'd look for used engine. And if it turns out both a bad then I've still got a great parts tractor. At this point I'm into it, a new battery, spark plug, fuel filter and fuel pump less than $100. So we'll see it's just been slow for lack of free time.

Wired up the fuel pump and with a little huff of starting fluid she fired up! Took a load of wood to the house with it even. Sure has a lot more power than the 12 horse on the other tractor! Need to get all the engine covers and such back on and she'll be in service!

 

[squaredeal91]

And my project. I was given this tractor. It was in a shed at a rental property. IDK much about it. It's obviously low hours, but it's sat for a long time. I've gotten it to crank over. I've rebuilt the carburetor and it'll run on starting fluid. I cannot get the pulse fuel pump to work. So I bought a 1-3psi electric pump. As I type this it is installed and plumbed, but I still need to wire it up. Maybe this afternoon. But it would be nice to use the old tractor exclusively for blading and the new to me tractor for all other use. Plus that would give me a back up. If the deck is good then it would get to mow as well.

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Even if it turns out that this engine is junk, if the transmission is good I'd look for used engine. And if it turns out both a bad then I've still got a great parts tractor. At this point I'm into it, a new battery, spark plug, fuel filter and fuel pump less than $100. So we'll see it's just been slow for lack of free time.

I'm sure you'll get that Kohler hummin soon. I think it was a good investment.
I rebuilt a Kohler twin ohv once and the cam lifters looked identical to a chevy v8 lifter. I wished at the time I had one to compare it too. I bet Kohler used a chevy lifter lol

 

[SirRobyn0]

I'm sure you'll get that Kohler hummin soon. I think it was a good investment.
I rebuilt a Kohler twin ohv once and the cam lifters looked identical to a chevy v8 lifter. I wished at the time I had one to compare it too. I bet Kohler used a chevy lifter lol

Ya, It's going to take some running I'm sure. What I haven't mentioned is that when I first got it, it was stuck. I didn't try putting massive bar on it, but just a standard length ratchet with the spark plug removed I couldn't get it to turn over. I soaked the inside of the cylinder with penetrating oil overnight and the next day it would turn.

When I started it today, I cranked it a little. Nothing. Gave it a little huff of ether and it fired and ran.... ROUGH. I just let it run at the lowest RPM that it would keep going at and over the course of a few minutes the lifters quieted down and started to smooth out. I set the carb oh about a 1/4 turn richer than I normally would considering over the next few runs it's going to be kicking rust out and kind of re-breaking in so to speak.

Then I ran it around for few minutes, engaged the desk briefly and it does work. Before I mow with it, I'll pull the deck off and fully service it. I've had those hubs wear out and right now I bet there is zero lubrication. I don't think that there are zerk fittings on them but I will install them, or at least pull the shafts out and lube them. So after that little run I hooked the trailer up and went to the wood pile. I let it idle while I loaded the trailer, then pulled the trailer to the far end of the property, not because I needed to but just to work the tractor. The hydrostatic transmission is quiet, and it pulls the hills so nicely with the 20 horse vs the 12 horse in the other tractor. Pulled it up to the house and shut it off. Unloaded it, fired it up and parked it in front of the barn.

It ran great under load and with throttle. It idled badly at first, with some light popping but by the time I shut it off it was one step down from perfect. I'd image the exhaust valve was open when it was sitting and probably built up a little rust or corrosion on the seat which cleaned up during running.

Anyhow, yes I think I'll get a lot of use out of it and if this engine ends up blowing up it's very much worth fixing.

 

[squaredeal91]

@SirRobyn0 I've unstuck a few engines and depending on the severity they usually pull out okay with some TLC. Sounds like a win to me!

 

[Snoots]

Post #7. I wish that were mine!
Here's the story on it . . .
Honda's Mean Mower hits 130 mph

July 17, 2013

Sporting a 1000cc engine borrowed from a Honda VTR Firestorm and wearing all-terrain rubbers, the one-off Mean Mower from Honda UK and its British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) partner, Team Dynamics, just turned grass removal into an extreme sport.

Billed as world’s fastest lawn mower, the Mean Mower is a (heavily) modified version of on Honda’s HF260 Lawn Tractor that can make 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.0 seconds – fast enough to put most exotic full-sized autos to shame. This **** take on the riding mower develops 96 Nm (70 lb.ft) of torque, 109 hp (which gives it roughly 100 more ponies than most of its lawn tractor brethren) and has a power-to-weight ratio of 532 bhp/tonne thanks to a weight of only 140 kg (308 lb).

To keep the whole thing legit, grass cutting remains very much a part of the equation. Yes it still cuts grass, but only at speeds up to 15 mph (24 km/h). But once the lawn has been carefully manicured then feel free to take it out on the local autobahn and run it out to an (estimated) 130 mph (209 km/h). Helmet recommended.

Keeping the whole thing from eating itself, Honda worked with Team Dynamics in designing the custom chromoly-tubed chassis. The cutter deck is also custom made with two electric motors driving the 3mm steel cutting cable at 4000rpm, while that shiny pseudo grass-bag out back is actually a clever ploy to conceal the gas tank, oil cooler and secondary radiator.

F1 style paddle shifters control the mower's six speed gearbox driving the rear axle, while a Scorpion exhaust system notifies the neighbors of your presence to the tune of 130db. The steering rack is borrowed from a Morris Minor and a custom suspension unit and ATV wheels make maneuvering about the shrubs and on track chicanes all that much smoother.

For the rest of us its back to push mowers and sub-10 mph riding mowers as this one-off mod is unlikely to ever see production.

Admit it. You’d never pay someone else to mow your lawn for you again…ever.

 

[squaredeal91]

Love that write up!^^^^^ 130mph!! Wow
I'll race your daddy's super car biyatch!!

 

[89Suburban]

@89Suburban join the party. My son's rider. This one is just like the one I built when I was a kid. Mine went 20mph lol

Awesome thread! I have no pics of mine. Funny you created this this weekend, because I just had mine winched up in the air to investigate my loose/worn steering components. Driving mine is like holding a jack hammer instead of a steering wheel. Wish I took some damn pics to post my work on it. I had to order some bushings for it and will document when I go to install and take pics to share. I also did some home brewed modifications/MacGuyvering to tighten some of the slop up. I will show some of that as well.

I also just had to replace the battery 2 weeks ago. The old one had a 2017 sticker on it so I can't complain about that service life. I also just did and oil and filter change and air filter change. Can't wait to update you guys with it.

I did wind up removing the dual exhaust setup and putting the factory muffler back on. The noise was getting to be a bit much. It sounded like an Apache helicopter when mowing.

 

[Frankenchevy]

Awesome thread! I have no pics of mine. Funny you created this this weekend, because I just had mine winched up in the air to investigate my loose/worn steering components. Driving mine is like holding a jack hammer instead of a steering wheel. Wish I took some damn pics to post my work on it. I had to order some bushings for it and will document when I go to install and take pics to share. I also did some home brewed modifications/MacGuyvering to tighten some of the slop up. I will show some of that as well.

I also just had to replace the battery 2 weeks ago. The old one had a 2017 sticker on it so I can't complain about that service life. I also just did and oil and filter change and air filter change. Can't wait to update you guys with it.

I did wind up removing the dual exhaust setup and putting the factory muffler back on. The noise was getting to be a bit much. It sounded like an Apache helicopter when mowing.

My steering is a bit loose too. Not bad enough that I can’t hold a straight line, but I can see the front wheels move back and forth a bit when I’m holding the steering wheel steady. I tracked down which bushing it was, but haven’t got around to ordering it yet.

 

[squaredeal91]

Aww dang @89Suburban. I was gona brag on your dual exhaust setup!

 

[Dooley]

Tractor I bought new in 1981.

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[Craig Nedrow]

1957, my first tractor, pretty much stayed with the JD line.

 

[89Suburban]

Here is a vid from a few years ago of my nephew taking it out in the snow.

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[89Suburban]

Aww dang @89Suburban. I was gona brag on your dual exhaust setup!

I was able to go back and find these pics for your inspiration. And it was compatible with the mowing deck installed.

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