(2001) Murray Widebody LT - Bowser

Rustbucket Garage wrote:

I like it.

IIRC, bowser has orange hair.

Ooooo.... Very good point!  I'll see about getting the front rims painted soon.

Yep, painting the fronts seems to be a good call.  I'm really digging the orange wheels.  Rear tires say they will be here Wednesday.

Ugh... just noticed the tires are coming FedEx. Delivery updated for Thursday. Hope they come by that time. They are not the most reliable in timeliness around here. Sad thing, they are only 3 hours away and could potentially be delivered tomorrow instead.

As I mentioned above...

I had the nice surprise message saying they were out for delivery! Hopefully in time to put them on today and get a good picture.

YES!

They delivered the tires today!







One more step to complete!  Like Red, it needs a skid plate for the trans.

Looks great! Those orange wheels really pop.

So since I decided to put the oppy in my grass cutter, I took the old engine's carb and put on Bowser. Guess what? The surging is gone and purrs all nice and good now!

MightyRaze wrote:

Ugh... just noticed the tires are coming FedEx.  Delivery updated for Thursday.  Hope they come by that time.  They are not the most reliable in timeliness around here.  Sad thing, they are only 3 hours away and could potentially be delivered tomorrow instead.

Lol, around here it's anything but Canada post, always slow, always expensive, always a pain in the rear

Prepping Bowser for our ride in less than 2 weeks.  It's fighting me...

First off, clutching.  Why is it so grabby on the clutch.  Plus, hard to shift.
-Resolved.  Needed a belt guide and the guides on the transaxle moved.  The belt was allowed to bend and stay "engaged" not allowing the belt to stop.  While the belt is still a little grabby, not nearly as much as it was and shifting is much easier now the belt stops after a few seconds.

Brakes did not work anymore.
-Partially resolved, will need future extended attention.  Aparently the seal blew out around the brake shaft, and it has been "bouncing around" long enought that I may have to move to the MST-205 back up trans.  This current MST-206 has been so reliable till now.  It was the first locked trans I did with the DOC Locker back in 2016. for Li'l Red.  7 years later and finally getting worn out?  I would say that has been a successful trans.  I can probably fix it too; I think it just needs a seal.  After this ride, I'll take it out and see what is needed for repairs. I threw in a silicone coated O-ring for now. Brake is working better than before, I had to make a new brake puck for the lever side.

All the sudden lights quit working and the horn is horrible.
-Fixed lights, not sure what the deal-e-o was but I did find that the key switch was about the fall out, so it could have been related to that.  Tightened the switch back up and all wiring looked good.
-Horn, I have not fixed yet.  It sounds horrible if it even really sounds off.  Relay going out?  I don't think so.  Considering installing my spare ooga horn later today.

There is my update!  Also, I may consider slowing down Bowser with a smaller engine pulley.  Currently a 6 inch, thinking going to a 5.  I know, barely a change, but I think it would make it a tickle more reliable.

Minor update, the ooga horn was installed and works great. Not the relay or switch as I figured.

Just some standard pre-ride checking next week and good to go.

If the old horn has a screw with a jamb nut on the back, that's the adjustment to dial it back in. I've had to readjust several brand new ones by backing the screw off until you only hear a click then slowly turning it in until you get proper tone.

Brianator wrote:

If the old horn has a screw with a jamb nut on the back, that's the adjustment to dial it back in. I've had to readjust several brand new ones by backing the screw off until you only hear a click then slowly turning it in until you get proper tone.

It was a less than $10 horn set from Harbor Freight.

Post ride checkup!

3.2 hours of riding.

All is good with Bowser.

• Oil Good.
  
• Tires good
  
• Engine running good.
  
• Transaxle good.
  
• Only a bent seat from a accident loading the tractor. (Bent back out easily)
  

Video to be released later today in the Dirt Rat topic.

Everything worked great on Bowser even after it sat wheels in the air for a couple mintutes dripping oil out the carb.  Still fired right back up.  Fogged for a bit as expected but cleared up.

Only thing for improvement is the brake.

Got Bowser out today and the belt is a bit grabby again. Just no "easing out" of the clutch. I can't help think the belt issue being resolved would help the brakes. Although I do realize the MST206 has small brake pucks.

I'm thinking the belt sudden grab could be belt sag? I toyed around with idea after idea and decided to just run a welding rod through the frame and bend the end to make it stay. I'll see how that works tomorrow.

No joy, still a bit grabby. Also, I finally need to figure out the brakes. I think it may be time to look into the backup MST for Bowser. Just too much oil leaking out the brake shaft and it appears to be a bit egged out.

If the right tractor with the right price shows up, I may have a new build in the future.  Sears Suburban/Custom
Then retired off some murrays.

205 is cleaned and ready for the doc-locked axle.

Guess I should save the gears from the 206 when I tear it open.  Maybe the top half too?  I dunno.

205 ready.

Top half is cleaned up and added the input grease zerk mod.




Now I just need to drop the other transaxle. Swap over the axle, vent port fitting and pulley.

I didn't realize it on the 206, not removed yet, but this one has orings on the input and shifter should the trans be inverted it would probably not leak.

I thought all MSTs were sealed units because they use oil instead of grease?!

Brianator wrote:

I thought all MSTs were sealed units because they use oil instead of grease?!

I'll find out soon, but I think my 206 didn't have them.  I could be wrong. I did find on teardown, my 206 is missing a spring.

MightyRaze wrote:

Brianator wrote:

I thought all MSTs were sealed units because they use oil instead of grease?!

I'll find out soon, but I think my 206 didn't have them.  I could be wrong. I did find on teardown, my 206 is missing a spring.

SOoooo........





Yeah the 206 had an O-ring on the shifter shaft like the 205, but it did not have an O-ring on the input shaft.  The needle bearing was flush to the bottom inside of the case.  It had a double thin washer there inside instead of a washer and O-ring.  I never took that section apart before in the past 7 years.  I checked out the parts diagram and it just shows a rubber washer (5/8 oil seal) no O-ring. So.. someone screwed up at the factory or a previous owner had been inside. Like @Brianator said should be oil sealed.

Now for what I found.  The 206 had started getting harder to shift as well (another reason I was ready to swap).  What I found, was a busted bushing on the shaft with the gear selector and brake.  So that circuit was hozed in this transaxle.  Ovaled brake-side output which was probably due to the busted bushing on the opposite side.  I am going to save all the internals, but I think I will let the case retire.



Weldless Doc Locker has been moved to the 205.



Just need to get some new RTV and some oil to reassemble and reinstall.

All done at lunch today.  Ready to ride again.  Shifting is like pudding and brakes out of the gate are lock them up good.

I'd really like to put a front bumper on this tractor, but right now it would have to be easily removable until I can afford a larger trailer to haul 2 mowers.  Considering TDR is about 6'8" in length, I'd need something in the 12'-16' range.  Trailer prices down here are crazy.