Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[GrizG]

I've taken out quite a few 5" white pines with my tractor/rotary cutter, and hundreds of smaller ones,

IF the customer wants them out, I take them out,

It's amazing what a bigger piece of equipment will do.

SR

That's in a different league from the Gravely!

Ours looks similar to this one but has a 16.5 HP Onan twin cylinder engine. That engine was used on a lot of refrigerated van trailers back in the day. Most of the Gravely tractors I've seen had a single cylinder engine.



The mower deck we have is like this one.



We've got a Quik Way loader for it too. That was primarily used for snow removal from the "box canyon" driveway... the same driveway that led me to buy the Ariens Platinum SHO snow blower last fall. The loader put a lot of stress on the steering components so they are a bit loose...

 

[GrizG]

Briggs also came out with the brush mower engine that never needed its oil changed lol. But in all seriousness, lots of engines never get all the oil out from dropping the pan drain, neither could you get all the oil out without some major engine disassembly.

Must be an mtd cub cadet. Still rocking the original spindles in my 1450, but they have defiantly seen better days. I can get a new set with replaceable tapered bearings, but the tractor isn't worth the $900.00 price tag. One of the reasons I've been looking at newer mowers. Just cringe how cheaply they are made. I'd mow with the kubota, but that 60" deck gets hung up on everything. 46" is about the max I can go, and 44" would be preferable. Wife has so much stuff scattered throughout the yard..

Yeah... I know about the oil thing... I find it amusing how involved and expensive the Bugatti oil change is. Maybe doing it more often and draining the tank is really enough!
The Cub Cadet is an MTD machine... no need to say more about that!
RE mowers. I looked at about everything made (homeowner and commercial) before settling on the Ferris for MY NEEDS. It clearly wouldn't satisfy everyone's needs. The terrain and targets (landscaping, trees, decks, patios, fences) combined with hills and wet areas led me to it. Once I realized it became the one to which I compared all the others the decision was made.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

That's in a different league from the Gravely!

Ours looks similar to this one but has a 16.5 HP Onan twin cylinder engine. That engine was used on a lot of refrigerated van trailers back in the day.

Back in the day, Onan's were cast iron and mostly ran at 1,800 RPM's, they made their rep on durability, and deserved it.

THEN, Onan changed to aluminum blocks and sped them up to 3,600 RPM's, and that really took a toll on durability! I no longer would choose an Onan for anything I own, single or twin!

And yes, I still have both types of Onan's here.

SR

 

[EchovsStihl63]

Which v8? 351/400m the 360fe and 460 got a bigger radiator i think the 460 had an additional core row. My 79 (cab) came off a f150 chassis with a 300-6 in it and we used the radiator in my cousins 74 w/302. It was identical to the one we took out of his truck. I don't know if it was original or not, but thats largely been my experience with them.

I have a radiator from a 302 truck, which is the same basic size as the one that came out of my FE powered truck, which is the same size as the one that is in my dads 351m/400 truck. I had the one for my '66 which is an FE recored with a 3row core. The one in my 300 6 truck is the same height as all of the others, it just is not as wide and has a factory adapter that fills the gap in the rad support that the radiator bolts to.

 

[GrizG]

Back in the day, Onan's were cast iron and mostly ran at 1,800 RPM's, they made their rep on durability, and deserved it.

THEN, Onan changed to aluminum blocks and sped them up to 3,600 RPM's, and that really took a toll on durability! I no longer would choose an Onan for anything I own, single or twin!

And yes, I still have both types of Onan's here.

SR

The "beast" engines when I was a kid were the Wisconsin. Lots' of cast iron. We had a couple of them. One on a two wheeled tractor and the other on a generator. I know the generator is still in the shed... the tractor is gone but the engine was salvaged so it might be around there someplace too. Parts became an issue when the Wisconsin dealer/shop located at the defunct foundry closed. There is a microbrewery in that building now... it's on the dive end of the spectrum. We had a birthday party for the congressman there and I've had beers with the mayor, consultants and others there. I like one of their offerings but liked the foundry and Wisconsin engines better.

 

[sean donato]

I have a radiator from a 302 truck, which is the same basic size as the one that came out of my FE powered truck, which is the same size as the one that is in my dads 351m/400 truck. I had the one for my '66 which is an FE recored with a 3row core. The one in my 300 6 truck is the same height as all of the others, it just is not as wide and has a factory adapter that fills the gap in the rad support that the radiator bolts to.

Interesting, never seen one with a gap filler in it.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

Yeah... we didn't know either. We used that tractor for cutting down saplings up to an inch, inch and a half, while clearing part of the property. It did complain by making lots of noise but it didn't stop.

I bought a used walk-behind DR Field and Brush mower last year with a 16.5hp engine and it mulch anything it can push over. The problem is you are standing behind the thing and holding on when it makes all of those noises and blows chunks and chips everywhere. Impressive little machine with a ton of power.

 

[rarefish383]

Any mower you buy should have a belt drive somewhere twixt engine and blade.

Not "any", but most, many do. My JD X738 all wheel drive has a shaft driven deck. It has two drive shafts, one shorter one going from the PTO shaft on the rear axle to the mower deck, and one longer one going from the PTO shaft to the snow blower. Many of the bigger JD's are shaft drive to the accessories.

Maybe I should mention the PTO shaft on the rear points forward for the deck, broom, and snow blower. My friend bought the mower new and didn't think he needed the rear PTO so he didn't get it.

Edit #2, you are right, the drive shaft spins the gear box on top of the deck, that gear box spins the blades via deck belt.

 

[rarefish383]

That's in a different league from the Gravely!

Ours looks similar to this one but has a 16.5 HP Onan twin cylinder engine. That engine was used on a lot of refrigerated van trailers back in the day. Most of the Gravely tractors I've seen had a single cylinder engine.

View attachment 1166799

The mower deck we have is like this one.

View attachment 1166798

We've got a Quik Way loader for it too. That was primarily used for snow removal from the "box canyon" driveway... the same driveway that led me to buy the Ariens Platinum SHO snow blower last fall. The loader put a lot of stress on the steering components so they are a bit loose...
View attachment 1166800

I had a gravely with an Onan. I thought it was an 18 HP, but it might have been a 16.5. I gave it to a friend when I got a JD 318 with 3 point hitch. It would pull the 4' bush hog that came with my 20 HP diesel 4X4 loader. My loader will pull my 6' Woods rotary, but I have to keep it in low range.

 

[bob kern]

That's in a different league from the Gravely!

Ours looks similar to this one but has a 16.5 HP Onan twin cylinder engine. That engine was used on a lot of refrigerated van trailers back in the day. Most of the Gravely tractors I've seen had a single cylinder engine.

View attachment 1166799

The mower deck we have is like this one.

View attachment 1166798

We've got a Quik Way loader for it too. That was primarily used for snow removal from the "box canyon" driveway... the same driveway that led me to buy the Ariens Platinum SHO snow blower last fall. The loader put a lot of stress on the steering components so they are a bit loose...
View attachment 1166800

Mine is a walk behind tractor

 

[bob kern]

The "beast" engines when I was a kid were the Wisconsin. Lots' of cast iron. We had a couple of them. One on a two wheeled tractor and the other on a generator. I know the generator is still in the shed... the tractor is gone but the engine was salvaged so it might be around there someplace too. Parts became an issue when the Wisconsin dealer/shop located at the defunct foundry closed. There is a microbrewery in that building now... it's on the dive end of the spectrum. We had a birthday party for the congressman there and I've had beers with the mayor, consultants and others there. I like one of their offerings but liked the foundry and Wisconsin engines better.

The complicating factor with this engine was it had a step down output shaft so not just any eight horse Kohler will work.

 

[rarefish383]

I came in with a saw issue and got into the tractor stuff.
I haven't used my Stihl 660 for over a year. Last time I used it I was milling some Oak logs for my neighbor. I left the mill on it thinking I had a couple more logs. Luckily I ran it dry milling. Put fresh gas in it and it started right up. Good thing. Bad thing. Either the chain brake is froze or the clutch bell is. The chain brake is making a nice solid clunk going on and off, but the clutch bell wont release and spin. The crank spins inside the bell, like the brake is still on? I'm going to pop the cir-clip off and pull the clutch next. It's a pain because I'm in the process of moving all of my tool boxes from my house garage out to my work shop.
Any idea why the brake wont release?

 

[Lee192233]

I came in with a saw issue and got into the tractor stuff.
I haven't used my Stihl 660 for over a year. Last time I used it I was milling some Oak logs for my neighbor. I left the mill on it thinking I had a couple more logs. Luckily I ran it dry milling. Put fresh gas in it and it started right up. Good thing. Bad thing. Either the chain brake is froze or the clutch bell is. The chain brake is making a nice solid clunk going on and off, but the clutch bell wont release and spin. The crank spins inside the bell, like the brake is still on? I'm going to pop the cir-clip off and pull the clutch next. It's a pain because I'm in the process of moving all of my tool boxes from my house garage out to my work shop.
Any idea why the brake wont release?

Were you using vegetable oil for the chain? I've heard it turns to a plastic consistency if it's not cleaned off after use.

 

[sean donato]

Oh, I forgot. $98.00 worth of screws. Had to order structural screws for the rafters of the lean to. 50 screws @ $42 and some change. I'm trying real hard to keep track of what I'm spending. I'll have to run the tally this weekend after I get the chimney roof kit. (Going with Selkirk vs dura vent this time.) And the lumber. I may be taking the wood shed down sooner then I think, I have to measure the rafter in it, but I think I won't have to buy new boards for rafters. Which would cut my limber bill down quite a lot.

 

[GrizG]

I bought a used walk-behind DR Field and Brush mower last year with a 16.5hp engine and it mulch anything it can push over. The problem is you are standing behind the thing and holding on when it makes all of those noises and blows chunks and chips everywhere. Impressive little machine with a ton of power.

Yeah... I get the noise thing! I ran a Billy Goat brush mower one time... I made two passes out and back on about 1.7 miles of trail plus mowed down wider areas to deal with thorn canes and saplings intruding on the trail. A big event was scheduled and the organizers never bothered to look at the condition of the trail! About three days before the event I asked them if they were going to mow it and the response was like seeing deer in the headlights! Two days before 100s of people were going to use that trail I did the work myself as no one else was available. I wasn't even part of the event but the leader served on a committee with me.

The Billy Goat was a well built and heavy machine. It had two hydrostatic pumps, like a zero turn. As I recall it had a 10 or 12 HP engine and a 26" cut. It worked well... However, with all that, after about 7 miles in one day I was wiped out! I don't know the exact model number but I see they run $5K +/- a few hundred.

 

[GrizG]

I had a gravely with an Onan. I thought it was an 18 HP, but it might have been a 16.5. I gave it to a friend when I got a JD 318 with 3 point hitch. It would pull the 4' bush hog that came with my 20 HP diesel 4X4 loader. My loader will pull my 6' Woods rotary, but I have to keep it in low range.

As I recall they came out with the 18 a year or two after we got the 16.5... Never fails.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Man, all this talk of garden tractors

I’ll have to take some pictures of the piles at my pals Farm

We all have some sort of addiction right??

His is Garden tractors, has to have 100 easily

The good ones are stored inside, probably 30

Then there is “the junkyard”

Hey uncle @MustangMike how many tractors are at Joes farm??

 

[GeneralKayoss]

6-12" of snow tonight to Wednesday.

Lucky you. We get rain all day tomorrow!

 

[GeneralKayoss]

I'm familiar with dry sump systems... I'm assuming that the Vanguard oil change costs less than a Bugatti's oil change which reportedly ranges from $20,000 to $25,000.

25k? Watch me Bugatti! WATCH ME!

 

[MechanicMatt]

Well, my brother in-laws birthday is this month

He has wanted an 1100 for a few years now

I just happened to stumble upon one, hope he likes it