148 HE conversion

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Scott C.
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Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 8:11 pm
First and Last Name: Scott Cross
Location: Greensburg, PA

148 HE conversion

Post by Scott C. »

Hey all!
First post in a while. I've been so busy cubbin has taken a back seat lately.
I have been wanting to convert the old 148 Hi Crop Extended to a hydro for some time now and figured if I commit to it when it's my only mowing machine, it might get done.
I'been looking at the frame standing up in my shop for a couple years now, time to get to it.
I cut an old subframe pulley bracket to fit under the frame at the right spot.
This included having to flip the front axle to gain a little offset for the steering to clear.
The front axle is a wide frame with narrow frame spindles to give it lift.
Which required having to cut and offset the spindle steering rod to clear the pulley tension lock (which had to be flipped) and tension adjustment.
I changed the angle and position of the steering box extension I made when it was a tri-cycle front.
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Tore the 149 down and started to process..
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The first "oh crap" moment was I had put the PTO lever in the frame early on not thinking about it's location relevant to the PTO.
As you can see, it's a little off.
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Put the 26x12x12's on along with the rear lift.
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I moved the PTO lever by cutting the shaft to fit inside the frame and then cutting the side bushing for the frame in half and used it on both sides as a pivot point tacked to the frame.
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We don't stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing.

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Scott C.
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First and Last Name: Scott Cross
Location: Greensburg, PA

Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by Scott C. »

Tacked 1/2" nuts to the frame to raise the fenders enough to clear the tires.
I also did the same to the foot rests.
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After getting the hood and fenders on it looks pretty good.
I am eventually going to loose the stack and use the extra space under the hood to fit a small automotive muffler for a nice quiet ride.
I also have a brake PTO to install and better steering control.
A lot of this stuff is kinda mock up to see if it's going to hold up, then I can build some of the parts better (OK, and prettier).
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The subframe is a combination of old and new to fit the 50" deck.
It need a little hanger tweak but I cut grass last night and nothing bound or broke!
Also, you can slide the deck under the tractor without any interference.
It has to come back out later today and get cleaned up, sharpened and leveled.
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We don't stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing.

LFR
Posts: 351
Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2014 4:28 pm
First and Last Name: Lorin Burch
Location: Boyne City, MI

Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by LFR »

Really cool Scott! Thanks for such and incredible forum. Looks like a street rods cub now :beer:
67 Case 155, 66 Colt 2310, 68 John Deere 110w/ haban sickle bar mower, 59 simplicity 700 wonderboy, 62 allis Chalmers b1, Fairbanksmorse 3 wheel, 1944 McCormick peering O4, H, 1948 Farmall Cub, C.

stevet
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 5:45 pm
First and Last Name: Steve Townsend
Location: White Hall, MD

Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by stevet »

Good to see you're still cubbin' scott! nice project...but since when does pretty matter???? lol

wdeturck

Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by wdeturck »

Hi Scott, I thought you got sucked up by one of your compressors and was sent down a pipe line to Texas :banghead:

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Scott C.
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Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by Scott C. »

Geezer, might as well have been.

Pretty comes into play if some of the parts are already there :mrgreen:
We don't stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing.

TWheaton
Posts: 117
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 6:31 pm
First and Last Name: Tim Wheaton
Location: Sebring, FL

Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by TWheaton »

"The first "oh crap" moment was I had put the PTO lever in the frame early on not thinking about it's location relevant to the PTO.
As you can see, it's a little off." hahah, yeah that's a stretch.
Glad to see you're still kickin.When are you comin down ?

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dag1450
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Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:16 pm
First and Last Name: Dave Gibson
Location: Chalfont, Pa

Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by dag1450 »

Nice project. That long hood looks sweet ! Did u use a donor hood or have metal made ? Great job. Dave
127, 1650, 1572, 1872, 2072 . A mower, blower and blade for each.

snoel
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Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 7:08 am
First and Last Name: Stephen Noel
Location: Campbellsville, KY

Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by snoel »

Hey, for us new comers, where can we find pictures of the 148 Hi Crop Extended, ....did you say tricycle?

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Scott C.
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Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by Scott C. »

Tim,
Yep, still kickin'. We have plans to come down your way sometime in the near future. When's the shows I can plan around?

When I lived in WV I had a tin shop fab up the hood extension for me.
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I took it to Red Power in 07 but don't have any finished pictures for some reason.
I built the front axle out of two wide frame spindles some rod and thrust bearings.
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It was pretty cool, I had to get some big tires from Mr. Weaver and fill them to keep it stable. But it wasn't very practical for cultivating.
It eventually got turned into a high crop.
We don't stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing.

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Scott C.
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Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by Scott C. »

I got the deck leveled and running great!
I ordered a replacement spindle I need on the outside from Mr. Patton. When it gets here I'll pull the deck, clean it up, sharpen and paint.
Gotta talk ma into buying me a new seat. Make sure nuthin breaks, dress a few more things up and paint some more.
This is by far the best tractor I've ever put together. I cut grass yesterday evening and it was smooth.
Get the new muffler on and it'll be quiet too!

Deck hanger gave me a little trouble due to the width difference.
Solved that with a section of chain instead of a solid hanger.
The adjustable has one thread showing so it's pretty much maxed out but the deck sits all the way down if I want.
I thought I was going to have to lengthen the hanger due to the height of the tractor.
Gotta remember to put the nut back on the steering wheel too :mrgreen:
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We don't stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing.

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Scott C.
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Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by Scott C. »

Hi-Crop
I welded another axle carrier under it, lost the tri-cycle parts.
Used a wide frame axle with narrow frame spindles to raise the front.
I also have a grader blade I built for it, it'll work on the hydro version too.
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We don't stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing.

snoel
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Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 7:08 am
First and Last Name: Stephen Noel
Location: Campbellsville, KY

Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by snoel »

Thanks for the extra pics. I like the stretch version, a lot.

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Scott C.
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Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by Scott C. »

Apparently it's a good thing to make sure you've tightened all your tie rod ends :?
We don't stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing.

wdeturck

Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by wdeturck »

What did you Hit :o

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Scott C.
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Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by Scott C. »

Didn't hit nuthin' Geezer, looked funny trying to get it back to the house though :mrgreen:

Update

I got tired of fixing stacks since I always make them from an old muffler.
And, the height of the tractor made the stack too high for a couple limbs I have.

I bought a Walker muffler from Summit.
1 1/2" inlet and outlet, round, 16" long.
Some 1" black pipe fittings from Lowes and a 1 1/2" muffler clamp.
Total cost less than $55 bucks.
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The 1" pipe OD was too small so I used a piece of the muffler inlet I cut off, cut a section out and fit it to the pipe as a spacer.
Welded up the seam and it fit nice in the muffler inlet.
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Hammered out a gas tank strap and bolted it to one of the front grill casting bolts.
Welded a tab on the frame and pulled it tight with a 1/4" bolt and locknut.
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Cut the outlet and shaped it with a body hammer and dolly to look a little more finished.
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All in all, not bad. A little quieter too!
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We don't stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing.

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Scott C.
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Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 8:11 pm
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Re: 148 HE conversion

Post by Scott C. »

This is why you run things for a while before final paint....
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We don't stop playing because we grow old....
We grow old because we stop playing.

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