What have you done to your tractor today?

I figured since probably a lot of us if not all of us either break or modify something on our tractors every day or so id make a thread on it.

Today I put all new bolts in both sides of the steering assembly on my pre-mtd bolens when i noticed i broke two of them out on the trail. Basicly my steering was not secured on one side haha.

Mines still sitting at the back of my garage half done. Had piles of wheels infront of it, motobike and loads of other crap. Managed to sell the alloys and moved the steelies out the way yesterday, so now I can actually get to it again.

Hmm, been a good couple months since i tinkered - actually only time i went in there was to get my weedwacker - things are still sitting where i left em- for some odd reason i cant find all my fans i had out there....

Been too hot and too rainy, and been getting more hours at work- might be able to get out there monday or something.

Mine is still in the build stage and hope to have it running by winter, haha. I worked on it about an hour this evening though. Mostly just bolting stuff on, checking, then unbolting. Cut a hole in the body so I could adjust one of my idler pulleys without pulling the body off. I also figured out my plan for fitting the sheetmetal over the opposed twin. I mocked it up 3" higher and it really doesn't look bad at all. So that's the plan I'm going ahead with, adding 3" of sheetmetal to the dash and moving the hood brackets up(or making new ones probably).

I did a bunch of mockup on my monster hot rod mower today.
I made an update in the project thread on it.

I spent the last 3 days skid-plating up the underneath of my Rally, and building a massive front bumper/ram. Tested it out severely, took out some trees and bottomed out on rocks, skid plates protect like armor. Added a good 25-35 lbs. of steel, extra weight keeps it from wanting to wheelie, and helps plow down obstacles. Only downside is going thru rougher stuff destroyed my front axle beyond repair in only a few hours of driving. Time for a custom tubular or solid set up.

Fixed my hood mounts after smacking it into too many trees and other tractors on the trail on friday. My hood was held on by one bolt by the end of the day.

Managed to get some shed time in ironically last couple days- cooled off a bit:

- Cleaning up the shed a lil bit to get my LT11 at least on 4 wheels

- Took my GT6000 chassis, 94 black murray chassis and 88 kleen kut chassis ( chassis means no engine- they still have wheels/mostly complete) out behind the shed , theyre just sitting anyway.

- Filled up my gas cans ( pretty good MPG for my tractors- was over a year ago i filled em before)

- Today decided to take the 94 murray apart, for easier storage

- yesterday i got the linear actuator and belt tension spring off the GT6000 before parking it- now im thinking of building my own sleeve hitch for the 86 GTII and i need the spring for the 86's deck.

- Took the 14.5HP motor off the agway for now, since it too is sitting- i put the 18.5twin back in the corner behind my 82 dynamark - have to dig that out as well soon.

- Maybe once the LT11 is back on its wheels, ill start taking the wizard apart for its mods.... busy busy busy....

Took a few hours today and built and installed and tested a new front axle in the Rally. Used 1/4"x1 1/2" angle iron, welded 2 into a rectangle, with 1/4" thick 3/4" i.d. pipe from old engine pulleys for spindle sleeves, with grease fittings and original nylon bushings in. Weighs about 3 times as much as original axle, should be tough as hell. Solid, tight and no more sketchiness. Should never bend or break again. Would have pics but my camera is fried once I get a new camera I'll take pics of it on the mower, too bad I couldn't take any fab pics. Oh well, I have a feeling I'll be building another one soon anyway.

Well since that new beefy front end works so well and lifted the front a bit, I decided to slap some big ATV tires on the rear.... Had some kicking around, had the choice between 22x11" or 25x13"...... The 25's seemed too huge but one of the 22's wouldn't hold air so I slapped the 25's on. Looks ridiculous and goes thru more crap than ever before. Once I can get a camera and pics I will post a huge update in my project thread.

Ford Boi wrote:

Well since that new beefy front end works so well and lifted the front a bit, I decided to slap some big ATV tires on the rear.... Had some kicking around, had the choice between 22x11" or 25x13"...... The 25's seemed too huge but one of the 22's wouldn't hold air so I slapped the 25's on. Looks ridiculous and goes thru more crap than ever before. Once I can get a camera and pics I will post a huge update in my project thread.

Sweet, can't wait to see them.

Ford Boi: If those plastic bushings dont last- try this trick:

Find some black pipe shorty nipples the size of your spindles- cut em in half, then weld it to the axle ( or can run a whole piece thru the axle- with some trimming- then can add a grease zerk) - i did that with my mild mod MTD- axle was so worn out, i bot this box of tools and stuff at a garage sale and it had these steel nipples in it - i tried em out and its super tight and precise steering now.

Just make sure they extend out the same amount as the originals from the axle tho.

I got mine stuck in a swamp in NY. lol

Broc wrote:

I got mine stuck in a swamp in NY. lol

Haha sweet, got any pics?

I got mine stuck in a mud hole next to a swamp in NS lol. What a freakin mess, giving rain tonight so she's stayin outside for a wash.

Made a toolkit / emergency parts kit (E-clips, axle keys, cotter pins etc.) for my Rally made a little mount under the hood. And I painted the ugly black plastic front end on my Craftsman, doesn't match right but meh....

Ford Boi wrote:

Made a toolkit / emergency parts kit (E-clips, axle keys, cotter pins etc.) for my Rally made a little mount under the hood. And I painted the ugly black plastic front end on my Craftsman, doesn't match right but meh....

I used to have a tool kit on my old craftsman too, i always needed a new belt.
I should have brought one with me like u did!

dangeroustoys56 wrote:

Ford Boi: If those plastic bushings dont last- try this trick:

Find some black pipe shorty nipples the size of your spindles- cut em in half, then weld it to the axle ( or can run a whole piece thru the axle- with some trimming- then can add a grease zerk) - i did that with my mild mod MTD- axle was so worn out, i bot this box of tools and stuff at a garage sale and it had these steel nipples in it - i tried em out and its super tight and precise steering now.

Just make sure they extend out the same amount as the originals from the axle tho.

My Rally has 3/4" spindles with just the plastic sleeve-type bushings, paper thin, they last quite good. With my custom front axle there should be no more trouble! Now for my Yard-Man on the other hand, the plastic hex-shaped bushings either war of break apart quickly, and my spindles bend. So I am going to convert it to 3/4 " spindles over winter before next race season, along with heavy pipe like the Rally.

Trcustoms wrote:

Ford Boi wrote:

Made a toolkit / emergency parts kit (E-clips, axle keys, cotter pins etc.) for my Rally made a little mount under the hood. And I painted the ugly black plastic front end on my Craftsman, doesn't match right but meh....

I used to have a tool kit on my old craftsman too, i always needed a new belt.
I should have brought one with me like u did!

I've been SUPER lucky with belts on this machine, only slipped of a couple times due to sticks and trees getting in there, it is barely chewed up and since I put those skid plates on I've never had the problem since! But I figured better safe than sorry so I slapped a spare in there just in case!!!

Best mod Ive seen!
Really like that! Dont know if there's room under my hood though

here are 2 videos. Bad quality.. sorry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6vaDYNGqMQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSvHGQWyNmw

Well it didnt happen today but my trusty Bolens has been stuck in a muddy creek since friday and it rained every day since. Im gonna try and tug is out tommorow.

Ford Boi: Yep thats the same front as on my 99 weedeater as on your mower - i broke a tab off my headlight lens ( its not on there) - someday ill figure out how to keep it on there. I like the tool kit idea - easier then hauling a small trailer back in the woods - ive also seen some ATV racks on the back over the fenders, for like spare gas cans, coolers n stuff.

Growl60: Hope the water isnt deep enough to flood the motor...


I had about 2 hours of shed time- i finished stripping the 94 murray , it came apart pretty easy - i should actually be able to mount the trans setup onto another tractor fairly easy ( with the shift on the fly) - i found out its just a standard teccy 6 speed manual trans, BUT the lever has a short link that connects with the clutch pulley- so it does activate the clutch slightly when you shift. Good for speed applications

I couldn't stand to see my buddy's old 1980~ish MTD LawnFlite sitting any longer... It sat outside in the rain for 2-3 yrs, fuel system was only water... cleaned it out and put some fresh gas and tweaked the carb and got it running!!! ripped around for half a hour probly, god I miss those old 3 spd. man. tranny's , been years since I drove one of them, so smooth. Has been modded, posi and pulleys changed, goes about 40 kmh.

Thats cool- my 90 task force has the same hood as your buddy's tractor - altho the rear fenders look like my 85 mastercuts....

I stopped by auto zone today and bot a roll of 'chrome' foil - now can put some shine on some pieces in my modifed tractors - im still looking at red LED's....