Archive through May 11, 2004

[nfisher]

thanks again for the suggestions,
we jumpered the safety switch for testing but without results.
i didn't have my meter with me but i will try those tests and also try the jumper on the coil. i know the battery is good, he put a new car battery in it last summer and that thing will crank all day if you want it to.

i'm glad it's not a KT Kohler, those coils ARE expensive!

 

[digger]

It was the chees curd aroma that threw me off Art!!!!
Zigged when I shoulda zagged.

 

[dfrisk]

NATE - My 129 did that same thing last summer the first time I mowed with it, NO SPARK. Died after about 10 minutes like I just shut the key off. Near as I could tell it was the points sticking open. I ran a clean dry piece of paper between the contacts and it's run faultlessly ever since. You may have to snap the points open & closed a couple times.

 

[sblunier]

Dave W. / Dave K.

Adding hyd. lift to a 147 is not the same as every other narrow frame. They are not an "easy deal" a will require a little bit of fabrication to get the drive pulley right and the rockshaft lift assembly correct. I have converted them from electric to hyd......but it's not a bolt and go thing.

That said, hyd. lift is 400% better than any electric lift I have ever seen....making it worth the time and $$$$ if you use the tractor a lot.

 

[nfisher]

Denny,
that was my first thought, that the points were not acting right but they seemed to be doing ok. it's due for a complete tune up though.

i need to investigate and see what kind of coil he put on it and why it got replaced.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Earl, here is an exploded view of the 129 lift handle assembly.

 

[tgoodnow]

Fred and Scott

Check your wiring to your coil.

I just had my 169 idle great and couldn't get it to run full throttle half throttle very rough and engine seemed to run Hot.

My wires were backwards on the coil.

Tim

 

[rchristensen]

A suggestion for anybody with a 50 inch mower deck. The best thing you can do is remove the quick release pins and throw them away. The quick release pins work okay on a 44a deck but the 50 inch deck is just too heavy.

I was concerned that the brackets were always getting bent and the deck was unstable so last year I replaced the pins with a 1/2 inch rod with a couple of clips. I did it mainly to help the brackets but was really impressed with how much more stable the whole deck was. No more flopping around and much easier to adjust.

I thought it might be harder to mount without the quick release pins but it turns out to be pretty easy if you grind one end of the rod down to thread it in. Get a 1/2 inch rod of the proper length and while the mower deck is off the tractor run the rod through the brackets and you will find them bent, use a big hammer and straighten them out until the rod slides through all 4 holes with no resistance. Once you get the brackets straightened out they should stay that way as the lift will always be pulling straight up on the brackets not one side like they are with the quick release pins. I have used this method on one 50 inch deck one season and the brackets are still straight.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Richard, great idea! Thanks for sharing it.

 

[digger]

Richard C.
BUT BUT, there's no cardboard with detailed drawings!

 

[jluckey]

Now digger-

You leave Richard alone! I would take his card board over most of the schematics I see any day!

But I will say, I thought that too;o)

Well, I got Ryan's sleeve hitch done before school this morning. Nothing like arc welding at 5:00 a.m. to wake a guy up. Good thing I have an auto darkening helmet.
Here is a pic

 

[bmcmeen]

Richard C. -

Or better yet, remove the pins and put 'em on eBay!!!

A cool idea, I'll be rummaging around my scrap pile for 1/2" rod this week...

 

[klindstedt]

How often does everyone take the deck off of their tractor? Everytime you mow or more like once a season? I grew up watching my dad take the deck off his JD 140 everytime he finished mowing and rinsing the crud off of the bottom. I may be lazy, but that seems like a lot of work to me...

 

[sblunier]

3-4 times a season and/or as needed due to conditions/performance.

 

[kmcconaughey]

What Steve wrote. )

 

[dfrisk]

Steve, Kraig, Kevin - I find if You walk around Your yard before You start mowing if there is NO WATER on Your toes of Your boots before You start mowing the grass doesn't stick near as bad. I always mow in the afternoon or evening. I've also been known to start mowing just before dark. But then I don't have ANY close neighbors. ;-)

 

[kmcconaughey]

Did anyone have more Plow Day V7 or WFM 2004 Spring Break photos they wish to submit for the Photo Collection CD? Remember those that submit photos get a free copy of the CD. )

Charlie, did you ever send your photos?

 

[digger]

An Invasion has happened in Minnesota.
Found this in the very local paper.
Somebody shoulda sent them a pic of a JD though!

Steve B, made the paper though.

Yepper Kraig, sure did. Guess I better do it again though, huh!

 

[sblunier]

Denny,

I WILL NOT mow wet grass, but juicy spring grass can be a PITA and stick no matter what!!!

 

[dfrisk]

Steve - Your right about the spring grass when it grows so fast. But later in the summer and into the fall You can almost get a polish on the underside of a mower deck when You mow it so dry. In the fall with My vac system mowing leaves, etc. the old 38" deck gets a fairly good shine to it. I still remember Wyatt helping Me mow 2-3 yrs ago with His Gator equipped 44" deck on His 169, It was about a week or two before PD #2 I think. Wyatt had FOUR SETS of weights on the 169 and the dust was just flying ALL over as He tore into all the leaves!