What I did with my tractor today! (Pic heavy please!)

[Clank]

Yes, spring is just around the corner! (That's what I tell myself as I cry myself to sleep these days lol ).
Glad you liked the photos Tom.
I checked out the thread you suggested, and I thought about making those same changes myself.
I find the scraper works fine as it is for loose material, like the fine gravel in my photos.
For harder, compacted material, those extra teeth would help break it better and allow the blade to lift/curl it up.
Thanks for the suggestion,
Mike

[Cyclops1862]

Well, my beloved cyclops had an ignition module failure. Got the parts ordered, and decided to pull the heads while the m18 was on the bench

[Tom Scott]

It hurts to think of the number of tractors that get scrapped for such a simple part failure. Fortunately yours is owned by someone man enough to make it right! But I'd of definitely pulled the snowblower off first!

[Cyclops1862]

Oh the 450 definitely came off first! It just got dragged back and it's just resting on the frame horns to save floor space.

[Cyclops1862]

Is there anything better than the feeling you get when you're parts arrive!

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[dag1450]

Looks like a good project. I would recommend while you are in that deep check your valve clearance. As they wear they sink into the head and your valve gap gets too tight. I'm not an expert on this but it's not too difficult to adjust.

[dag1450]

Oh...I forgot a picture was needed. Minty fresh 20. Ok maybe not minty. Probably 4 years now

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[Cyclops1862]

Valves are already checked, I had those gaskets on hand, and the starter bendix is cleaned and lubed. The chassis is cleaned, and I had to fabricate 2 new fire wall brackets to replace rusty ones. Tomorrow, the mighty magnum goes back together, and hopefully back in!

[Clank]

Not what I did today, but what the heck, we can do a lot when we put our heads together! Some pics of a gasket and bolt change on the K301

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[Cyclops1862]

Finally got back on the cyclops. Made new brackets for the fire wall, the originals were rotted in half, got that m18 back where she belongs, and got what's left of the plastic front end reinstalled. She is breathing fire once again boys!!

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[Clank]

I like the cab too!

[dag1450]

Good to hear you got it all fixed up! You mentioned you lubed the starter Bendix. Just wondering what you used for that? I did graphite one time and my results were so so. I know I will try to start my rig here soon...and unless the battery is tip top and above 75 degrees the starter acts funny. It does this thing ....Like half throws, half spins, half a start... let's just say I try to do all that with no neighbors watching. Oh..I get some very nice loud squealing too.
Just wondering.

[Cyclops1862]

I use kohler starter drive grease. The cub cadet dealer near me keeps a few tubes for nerds like me. I screen shotted the stuff on Jack's small engines with the part number so you can search it.

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[dag1450]

Ok thanks. If you had to describe this lube, does it smell or feel like any other off the shelf grease? I guess the key to using a grease is keeping dirt out so it doesn't get dry or gummy. Just thinking out loud and using newer heavy equipment technology. I wonder if possible to make a remote zerk or a tube to drop oil on a throw out Bendix. Remember those old bearings with that spring loaded flip cap for the old oil can. They were so cool. Actually I think the 127 may still have them on the starter casting. Just dreaming I guess because it's basically impossible to get to.

[Cyclops1862]

It's definitely not like a standard chassis lube grease. I would say it's closer to dielectric grease than anything. I found it unusual that the service manual from kohler said not to lube the bendix with anything that will attract dirt, and it gave this part number for the "proper" lubricant. So I got it, and was surprised it was a grease, and not a graphite. I would guess that any powersports, or small engine dealer would have it, as arctic cat recommends a very similar product for the same thing. I only put it on when it's easy to do so, like when the engine is out, so lately it's been getting greased a lot! But I agree, a remote zerk would be awesome for this task, maybe mount it in the blower housing, with a plastic line to the bendix nose. But then a guy like me would fill the blower housing with grease!!!

[ReicheP]

Amazon: https://amazon.com/Kohler-Lubricant-Ben ... ref=sr_1_1
.

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[dag1450]

Lol. Yes filling the engine sheet metal could be a problem. I'm just imagining a young person with one of the new battery operated grease guns just standing there unloading a cartridge saying.." I don't see were this goes but it must need more"
Paul yeah you found it alright. There's only one problem....at that price it might make more sense to install a new starter! Holy cow.

[Cyclops1862]

Holy cow is right. Whoever is selling that tube on Amazon is VERY PROUD of it!

[davis2]

This was fun!!!

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I found the wet spot... In the ditch

[Tom Scott]

D2, this needs more of an explanation! I hope you didn't roll it over! Splashed by another vehicle? Help us understand why it now looks like a mud-bog machine!

[dag1450]

yes that's crazy... the hood and tunnel I don't understand. The rest looks perfectly normal in the spring for me....

[Tom Scott]

Ooh... I want to guess. Looking at the direction of the mud trails, I'm thinking that left side was down in the muddy ditch. The only way to keep moving was to let the tires spin. With an open differential that left wheel down in the slippery ditch was throwing mud up forward onto everything. That's my guess!

[dag1450]

Yeah I think your right. We don't even need D2 to reply.... here's the very ditch your talking about Tom. Here's the proof...he posted this a while back. Case solved

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[Tom Scott]

"I don't always mow with snow chains on, but when I do, I throw 5 pounds less mud up on the tractor!"

[Cyclops1862]

Got my little sweetheart out last night. There are very few things in life as enjoyable as a good 1650! She has pulled almost 8 cord of firewood this year in that little cart.

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[davis2]

D2, this needs more of an explanation! I hope you didn't roll it over! Splashed by another vehicle? Help us understand why it now looks like a mud-bog machine!

Sorry I've been gone, had to go to NY for a week. I got stuck in the ditch and kept going back and forth to get out! I spun all that mud onto the tractor and myself! I mowed for a bit after, but it got dark, and my wet butt got cold!

[davis2]

Yeah I think your right. We don't even need D2 to reply.... here's the very ditch your talking about Tom. Here's the proof...he posted this a while back. Case solvedoops.jpg

Nope, wrong ditch! The terrain is flat on the Eastern shore, so the ditches kind of slope here, and just catch the water until it seeps into the ground. I tried to turn around and got into the muddy part. The pic in the snow... No driving out of that 3 foot deep hole!

[davis2]

"I don't always mow with snow chains on, but when I do, I throw 5 pounds less mud up on the tractor!"

The funny part was some A-hole pulled over and watched me rock that tractor for a good 5 minutes! I think the wheel weights were what kept me moving, not to mention the huge weight on the seat!!!

[davis2]

Ooh... I want to guess. Looking at the direction of the mud trails, I'm thinking that left side was down in the muddy ditch. The only way to keep moving was to let the tires spin. With an open differential that left wheel down in the slippery ditch was throwing mud up forward onto everything. That's my guess!

Actually the right wheel was deep in the mud. I tried to keep the spinning to a minimum, but y'all see how that worked out. I'll get a pic of the scene of the carnage when the water recedes. It was fun!

[Cyclops1862]

I was almost done splitting wood, and it started snowing. We wound up with around 4 inches total, so I got to blow all that this evening as well.

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