New to the site

Name is Brad out of Iowa. Cousin on here (not sure of his username) got me wanting to build a mudding lawn tractor. Nothing in the works yet as I just have a Dixon zero turn but soon will have my hands on a John Deere 160. Has the 12.5 horse Kawasaki engine. You can google JD160 to see what it looks like.

Suggestions on what to do to this? See a lot of Craftsmans/Murrays/Etc and not any Deeres that I have seen. Is it just as simply as swapping the pulleys? Is this a tractor worth working on (getting it for free). What will make the exhaust louder (straight pipe or exhaust that widens or etc.), want it to sounds pretty mean! And basically any other ideas that you think will make the tractor look/sound/run pretty bad a**! So far I have researched a little of what others have done with non-JD tractors and have priced out some lug tires for traction. I am hoping to use this tractor as a multi-functioning tractor (winter time - push snow, non winter - mudding) and was curious if someone has come up with a system in which they can easily swap out their pulleys (figured I would swap pulleys back to original for pushing snow or not?) without having to weld and make sure the belts dont slip. Also what size tires are most of you running for mudding and what would you do to lift the body (in back) for clearance of bigger tires?

Sorry for all the questions, hope they make sense to you all.

Thanks!

Brad

Welcome to the forum brad  and yeah i've noticed that to you see more murrays and craftsman then deeres. its probably because murray and craftsman tractors are easier to find as opposed to a deere. and parts are cheaper and easier to come by. and check out wetheralmaplefarm on yt he has a 4x4 deere its pretty cool https://www.youtube.com/user/wetheralmaplefarm

Thanks for the reference Craftsman1998. I actually just got a Craftsman II (12hp 38deck) but not sure on the age. It has taken a beaten and thats explains why it was sitting in a yard and they gave it to me for free... Body in decent shape and the engine runs but it has some issues for sure. Also have my eyes on a 2001 Murray for possibly $100.

Going to be awhile till these get built and when we do, I'll post some pics.

Welcome to ATLTF. That series of Deere is well built, but "generic" enough that you can take advantage of all the common techniques. Vertical shaft engine, belt drive, belt slipping clutch, Peerless 800 (or similar) transaxle. Have at 'er!

Doc,

What would I be able to tear a peerless transaxel out of? I have googled it with little success.

Thanks!

Welcome, You can't go wrong with a Deere

TheBigBradbowski wrote:

Doc,

What would I be able to tear a peerless transaxel out of? I have googled it with little success.

Thanks!

Peerless transaxles of varying models have been available for decades in all kinds of machines. It there something wrong with the transaxle in this Deere?

Not sure what exactly is in the JD to be honest. It runs good so I'm guessing we can do a nice and easy pulley swap find and install some ag tires for traction.

Yesterday my cousin and I just hauled in a (free) Craftsman II (guessing mid-90's) tractor with a 12 horse B&S that is still turning but needs a new battery, battery cable, carb work, steering work (steering doesn't work), and for some reason when we were pushing it, the damn thing kept jumping into a gear (it's not running but we were trying to push while in nuetral but kept slipping into a gear). Haven't taken too much time tickering with it yet so not sure what type of transaxel this has either. But if the transaxel is junk, I would like to switch it out with a peerless transaxel as I'm reading that is the transaxel of choice from the forums here.

Hey welcome to the forum, my dad had a 160 JD and it had a MST-205 so it did well for a lawn mower but be carfull if not paying attention to your fuel, that kawsaki motor series was strong and reliable but used gas like a pig.

Thanks Ariens, and your right. Father in law mentioned she was a gas hog!

hello I am tom. I am new to tractor building but I am going to give it my best shot. this looks like a great bunch of people, so I would like to thank everyone for any help I get. fast tractors rule.