89 ford lt12 project build

hey im new the forum but have been screwing with lawn tractors for a few years now, i just picked up a 89 ford lt12 not to long ago and im making it into a mudding mower, this thing is heavy duty, i mean im 170lbs and i can stand on the dash...anyways, what do you guys think i should do to it, im thinking 1/2 restore 1/2 mod it up?

will put pics up tomorow when i get some!

Awesome, i just joined myself. Forget the restore go full blow mod.

I hate to see the old steel hacked up, but the market is real soft right now. No point is dumping $500 in a tractor that is only worth $250 to restore it.
They are easy to mod but have several weak points. Cheap (meaning under built... not cheap to repair ) steering, 3/4" axles(that will snap easy) hard to shift tx, stamped engine jack shaft pulley will split when used hard, front axle bushings wear out quick (but not more than the murray/ mtd stuff)

That is very weird, you live so close to me, you are the same age as me, you share the same birthday as me. How many tractors do you have? That Ford would be a beast for a mudder but the way I think of how rat88 says it, it just reminds me of the MTD/murray stuff around 1990's, really from late 1980s on stuff has been built cheap, cars, lawntractors, tools, almost everything.

The lt/yt ford stuff was built by gilson, the same guys that made the low end montgomery ward stuff from that era. Ford built a name with the jacobsen built stuff back then, but its like the john deere stuff now. the sabres and the stxs are crap, but they are the low end machines. If you want quality you gotta spend the money. Cub cadets were the shit 30 years ago, the new ones are made by MTD now and are total crap. They are walmart mowers at double the price.

rat88 wrote:

The lt/yt ford stuff was built by gilson, the same guys that made the low end montgomery ward stuff from that era. Ford built a name with the jacobsen built stuff back then, but its like the john deere stuff now. the sabres and the stxs are crap, but they are the low end machines. If you want quality you gotta spend the money. Cub cadets were the shit 30 years ago, the new ones are made by MTD now and are total crap. They are walmart mowers at double the price.

Yeah, Im just wondering what would you think about a Honda Lawntractor, All ive been told is that its a 13-15hp Honda EFI engine it was made between the late 1980s and 2000, are they like the gilson, MTD, Murray, etc? Or are they just like the high end John Deeres?

Honda typically sells quality stuff. I have not really seen too many in the shop, read that how you want (dont break down or just not too many out there).

rat88 wrote:

Honda typically sells quality stuff. I have not really seen too many in the shop, read that how you want (dont break down or just not too many out there).

I have never seen a Honda being sold brand new in a store either and never seen a Electronic Fuel injected Lawntractor before. The guy who is selling it said there is a linkage that isnt working with the deck or maybe something to hold the deck up and he is willing to trade it for a John Deere STX30(My friends). He said he saw an ad online for one similar to his in working condition ready to cut lawns for $1300.

im just gunna slap a coat of paint on her and then start modding. yea thats weird but cool, i used to have 4, the ford, mtd, yardman, and a poulan and 3 engines blew and one tranny so i just got the ford now. im thinking about putting snowblower tires on the front, what do you think?

about the honda, deffinatly not worth 1300 being that old in running condition, arent they hydrostatic?

ontariomudder wrote:

im just gunna slap a coat of paint on her and then start modding. yea thats weird but cool, i used to have 4, the ford, mtd, yardman, and a poulan and 3 engines blew and one tranny so i just got the ford now. im thinking about putting snowblower tires on the front, what do you think?

about the honda, deffinatly not worth 1300 being that old in running condition, arent they hydrostatic?

I really dont know much about it, I know the Honda isnt worth $1300 the guy whos trying to sell it wont by any cub cadet for anything over $300 and i know he wont buy a Honda for anything close to $300. How did you blow up the 3 motors? mudding, racing or normal lawn cutting? I thought of putting snowblower tires on my tractor but I like the big tires more:P I was looking in my barn and saw a pair but they are really small and would make the tractor look funny since the back tires and rims are alot bigger then most tractors now-a-days.

i blew them mudding and i seen some snowblower wheels with 8" rims for like 25 on kijiji, how did you do your front tires? grinders are 20$ at cad tire this week, i was gunna pick one up and just grind it down but i read some stuff about braking blades so im to scared now, im thinkin about asking a friend to weld some bolts on in welding at school like fearlessfront did his

ontariomudder wrote:

i blew them mudding and i seen some snowblower wheels with 8" rims for like 25 on kijiji, how did you do your front tires? grinders are 20$ at cad tire this week, i was gunna pick one up and just grind it down but i read some stuff about braking blades so im to scared now, im thinkin about asking a friend to weld some bolts on in welding at school like fearlessfront did his

Heres a link to the Project build(I still cant get the axle and want to weld pulley asap). The Spindles on my tractor were extremely long so I actually needed spacers(they were used to hold grease in the tire on the old tires but i took them to a pedestal grinder and cut two notches out) to be able to fit the rear tires from an old noma lawn tractor. Welding wont be hard but it would be better to use a good welder(most likely what the schools have, I know my school has 4 Nice Miller Welders and a Nice Lincoln) then those cheap princess auto welders. It might look half decent with the Snowblower tires, If you still have the other mowers take a rear wheel off and see if it would fit on your Ford because it might have the same length spindle as mine and you wouldn't need to do any welding.

i have bad news! i just found out that there putting solar farms all through my romping land!!! i dont know what to do! its not worth to proceed with my build anymore

w1ldyovvnz wrote:

rat88 wrote:

The lt/yt ford stuff was built by gilson, the same guys that made the low end montgomery ward stuff from that era. Ford built a name with the jacobsen built stuff back then, but its like the john deere stuff now. the sabres and the stxs are crap, but they are the low end machines. If you want quality you gotta spend the money. Cub cadets were the shit 30 years ago, the new ones are made by MTD now and are total crap. They are walmart mowers at double the price.

Yeah, Im just wondering what would you think about a Honda Lawntractor, All ive been told is that its a 13-15hp Honda EFI engine it was made between the late 1980s and 2000, are they like the gilson, MTD, Murray, etc? Or are they just like the high end John Deeres?

Exactly. I just invested 300 in to my offroad tractor, another 86 in to tires and perhaps another hundred or so in to a winch and front tires!!

w1ldyovvnz wrote:

ontariomudder wrote:

i blew them mudding and i seen some snowblower wheels with 8" rims for like 25 on kijiji, how did you do your front tires? grinders are 20$ at cad tire this week, i was gunna pick one up and just grind it down but i read some stuff about braking blades so im to scared now, im thinkin about asking a friend to weld some bolts on in welding at school like fearlessfront did his

Heres a link to the Project build(I still cant get the axle and want to weld pulley asap). The Spindles on my tractor were extremely long so I actually needed spacers(they were used to hold grease in the tire on the old tires but i took them to a pedestal grinder and cut two notches out) to be able to fit the rear tires from an old noma lawn tractor. Welding wont be hard but it would be better to use a good welder(most likely what the schools have, I know my school has 4 Nice Miller Welders and a Nice Lincoln) then those cheap princess auto welders. It might look half decent with the Snowblower tires, If you still have the other mowers take a rear wheel off and see if it would fit on your Ford because it might have the same length spindle as mine and you wouldn't need to do any welding.

Check out this video if you do not feel like welding..Fearless has got a great set up though... It is all personal preference. I like to leave my pullies stock also..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzDBiFx1rrk