A "167"???--Caleb's Grizzly--in search of a perfect plow tractor!

[jstertz]

It's time to start a thread for my son Caleb's latest toy! It was originally a 1970 CC 107. I would guess about 10-15 years ago, someone went to great pains to create a really cool "restified" tractor. However, I'm getting ahead of myself...

For anyone who has met me in person or has seen it in my posts, I have four preteen kids. Each one of them has a vintage GT of their own. All are operational tractors but all will receive a full restoration when that child is 14 years old. They will help me restore their tractor and in the process, hopefully they will learn some basics of mechanical things and also create some cool memories. When they leave home to settle into their own place, they can take their tractor with them. Since Caleb is my oldest, he had the first tractor. It is a 1968 125 that is nearly completely original. Being 12 years old and really getting into the plow days with dad, he wanted to get his 125 ready for plowing. It is all set up for plowing including the rear lift. However, he was talking like he wanted to modify it when we restored it and most of all he wanted twin vertical muffler stacks. I was having trouble explaining to him the importance of keeping that tractor original. Then one day I saw an ad for a really cool looking 1x7 restored some years ago and it was repowered with a 16hp Vanguard twin. He modified a handful of items to make it more durable, practical, and a really good fit for Caleb. He was super excited about the dual pipes. At idle it sounds a lot like a Harley, at lugging speed I only have one word for you--ear
Plugs! Over the next several years, we want to develop it into a formidable plow tractor. In my next post, I'll let you know more of the plan and developments...

Here is caleb and the previous owner of the tractor, Brandon.

 

[hydroharry]

Josh - a twin stacker huh. And even sounds like a Harley. Dang, that bug has sure bite hard.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Josh, nice!

 

[eford]

I agree, he'll have a blast with that hot rod!!

 

[mhomrighausen]

Josh S. <u>SWEET!!!</u>

 

[digger]

Josh S.
So how many of the 4 have Cubs?

 

[jstertz]

Thanks for the Kind words guys. Caleb was really enjoying what you wrote after I picked him up at soccer practice tonight. He really likes this tractor and is so excited to have his own plow tractor that he can customize to his liking. However, right now he pretty much likes it as is. We are going to paint the floor boards, add a bunch of chrome fasteners, and two "Grizzly" decals. What's the deal with the name "Grizzly"? I bought this tractor for him right before I took my family on our summer family vacation to the Black Hills. We took the kids to Bear Country. Caleb's two favorite exhibits were watching the black bear cubs playing and checking out the massive Grizzly Bear roaming around his enclosure. Since we know that his tractor is a cub, he said he wanted it to be the toughest of the bears, the most ornery (no not you Charlie!) Caleb said, "I want it to be a Grizzly! Plus it sounds like it is roaring at mid to full throttle!"

Plan of attack: With Bluniers looming large on the horizon these are some of the things that we need to accomplish before then...

--Install a ported hydro with tightened up springs and spring openings
--Install a flow control valve and pipe from the hydro to it
--Build a custom rear hitch with attached ram to lift it and pipe to it
--Paint up wheel weights
--build front bracket for suitcase weights and paint suitcase weights
--Install steering knob
--Install rear LED tail lights
--Install LED rear plow light
--Paint exhaust stacks
--New hytran and filter

And the list goes on. However, these are the key things that I need to do before the big day. So, tonight I ordered some stuff from CC specialties (gaskets, etc) and painted the wheel weights. I also discussed some flow control valve locations with my Uncle Rog--the fabricator!

Next up, prep my ported hydro for install and Caleb will paint his foot rests. We are going to use truck bed liner for the durability, stickiness, and toughness.

 

[jstertz]

Caleb and Judge have now three between them. Caleb has the Grizzly (167), and Cub-Z (125 in my profile pic) and Judge has the Mule (100). Claudia has a family heirloom Case 224 that has been in my family (a dyed in the wool Case family going back to about 1920) for about 30 years she has named "Casey". And my littlest, Zach, has a 1970 Wheel Horse GT14 that he decided to call "BlackBeard" since he got into pirates this spring. Momma cuts with a beastly 523Dxi Wheel Horse she named RED and you all know about my CubKub Smoker (1772).

Most of the other tractors around here are on their way in or out! The buying and selling funds this hobby for me and keeps the wife satisfied that I can still tinker with the ones that we are keeping!

I did acquire a 1250 QL that was sold new from Chief Equipment when my dad worked there in 1977 to a family friend who sold it 25 years later to another family friend for whom I built a house in 2002 and he gave it to me last fall. It has had some heavy use but always taken care of and stored inside. We haven't named it yet but I'm open to ideas...

 

[kmcconaughey]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

What's the deal with the name "Grizzly"?<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

 

[eford]

For what Caleb's grizzly will be used for I think the dedicated rear lift is fantastic! Not sure if it will be used with other attacents, but leaves it open.
Oh yeah, chrome stacks!

 

[jstertz]

Kraig--I had no clue that Cub vehicle even existed! Just when we thought it was an "original" name

Earl--it is definitely a dedicated plow tractor but he could also use any of my rear attach Brinly ground engaging implements. I thought about removing the arm strong lift while I have the tractor apart but Caleb wants it left on so he can plow snow with it in the winter...Chrome stacks---how bad would the lowers "blue" under the engine heat? I'm thinking vented Chrome shields but I won't rule out the stacks. I've seen the chrome ones and they look cool but those have all been on show machines. This one will be a worker for sure!

 

[eford]

They'll at least blue for sure, I did not think about the discoloring. The shields would be a cool touch. I have a set of 5 inch chrome 'flappers', if you only did that I think would be enough.

 

[jstertz]

Earl--that would be sweet-a set of chrome flappers and chrome vented shields-I like it!

So, I removed the ported hydro from my parts tractor and also collected the flow control valve, lift arm, ram, and hoses. Then a large cardboard box from "the North" arrived today! In it was all our current necessary replacement pieces from CC specialties! Thank you for the additional goodies Charlie! Since it was Calebs order I gave him the gifts...

Next up--clean the ported hydro and install. Have Caleb paint the floor boards and wheel weights, and then it is time to fabricate the lift system!

 

[jstertz]

For those of you that are Squeamish about modifications you may want to move to a different thread now!

There is a reason why I chose this tractor for my son to build into a plow tractor. The main reason is because it was already heavily modified but tastefully done. As I stated in the first post, I didn't want to take his stock, nearly completely original 125 and modify it for plowing. I wanted to use something that was already started. IMHO this 167 was the perfect starting place! With that being said and fair warning given...

I removed the rear end from Grizzly and separated the Sundstrand from the rear axle. This one had the typical long "cooling" tube design and the lower bracket to protect said line.

I went to my parts tractor (the one that we robbed from for dads Chief restoration) and removed the tower, the hard lines, hydro, and lift cylinder. Then after my parts arrived from Charlie, I had what I needed to exchange hydros. One interesting thing of note--the previous owner had "tightened" up the driveline slop by adding set screws on the couplers. Has anyone tried that on here before? It seems to work well, I'll keep you posted as we continue to use it though.



The opening for the springs was badly worn on the parts hydro, so we made up a plate and welded it on. Now it was time to put the rear back in place. We got everything in and hooked up, did a test run and it seemed to work great. I have one big problem though--how do I tighten up the resistance on the SR lever? I've never done it on a narrow frame. This one has a TON of slip, the lever moves nearly by itself...

 

[mmasheris]

Get a crows foot wrench or make one then you turn the lever one way put the wrench on and pull the lever to tighten slide the wrench back repeat till tight enough

 

[jstertz]

Thanks Mike and Kraig! That worked very well. I used a crows foot with a torque bar and then turned the handle and snugged it right down. Tonight we primed and painted the flow control valve box. We also mounted the AG's after transferring them from the 7" to the extra 9" rims that I had. Then it was time to put together the floor boards. Because the 1x6/7 series uses the 3/4" rockshaft to support the floor boards, I had to cut my own piece of 3/4" bar stock 22" long and install that in place of the removed rockshaft/lift assembly. Then before turning out the lights, we studied over what we would need for hoses from the pump to the valve. Once this part of the hydraulic system is done, then we need to build the rear lift.

 

[jstertz]

A few pics...

 

[eford]

You know Josh, depending on how you do the rear lift, you COULD attach to the main lift and achieve hydraulic lift for other attachments. Talking on main forum made me just think of that. A thought as you go forward, and Caleb could use a blade and such if desired. But then again he has that 125, so follow the"cub for every attachment" motto!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Here's Josh's photos in higher resolution and proper rotation.

 

[jstertz]

Thanks Earl for the thoughts. At one point in this build, I was planning on retaining the original lift arm/rockshaft set up. However, as we scouted a good location to place the flow control valve, we realized that NF tractors just don't have a lot of extra space. The fact that we were fabricating it ourselves, we could've placed it anywhere that it would fit and function. After much deliberation and contemplation, we decided on the location in the pictures. I have installed "T fittings" into the valve so that I can eventually put a set of front couplings on the tractor like a super. Caleb definitely wants to use it for blade work in the winter. I have an excellent condition original blade that I'll keep for Calebs 125 but I have a tougher blade that will be converted to a hydraulic ram lift in the near future...

Roger built the bracket/cover for the control valve and then the plumbing began. I will be posting some more pics soon. Because of the location that we have chosen, it will allow us to use the now unused bushed holes for the PTO handle which makes it look even more factory.

Caleb painted the floor boards with the bed liner and they turned out great. We painted the bracket and some of the small parts then I purchased some SS fasteners to put it all together.

In the meantime, we also installed new LED tail lights since this tractor came only equipped with reflectors. I could've outsourced original lights but opted for the custom touch on Grizzly. The PO had put a weather proof toggle switch in the dash but I plan on using the original INDEK switch from the parts 149. So that will go in next and the toggle will be used for the rear LED plow light for those "night plow" events!

What would Grizzly be without a Decal proclaiming it? Caleb located a decal on line that he liked and we purchased it and installed it on the fender pan.

It took me a couple of tries to get the tubes/hoses right from the pump to the valve but we now have a winner. I'm really thankful that we have a place here in town that does complete custom hydraulic hose or tube manufacturing on a piece by piece basis!

Next up, rear lift bracket and head light switch...