Had a great day with the Cubs yesterday. First, I put together most of a 10x17 portable garage from Harbor Freight in the back yard to keep the tractors in. Quite surprised at the quality for $200. More surprised when I got the circular for this weekend's sale, with it on the front page $40 cheaper
Next I went to go pick up some used ags I found on Craigslist for the 106, 23×8.50 12's. Low and behold the seller had a beautiful deck for sale off of the 682 he was restoring. It was a lot nicer than the rusty pin on deck I've got for the 106, and it had the mule drive and belts that went right on the 149, so in the truck it went.
Upon returning home, I immediately mounted the deck to the 149 and cut grass. Something keeps backing the throttle down, governor adjustment maybe? Drives like crap with one 1960's era 4.00-8 and one modern wheelbarrow tire up front, worn out 23x8.50 12 turfs out back that keep going flat, and a couple tie rod ends that aren't nearly as good as the ones on the parts tractor. Despite these minor issues, it mows nicer than any machine I've ever used, and its nothing that can't be handled before it's time to mow again. Parked it in the new tractor shed.
Next in the garage was the 2166. Wiring harness is fried, no deck, hood's all busted, and there's a pipe where the muffler used to be. I replaced the fuel solenoid in the walbro carb with the bowl screw from an old Briggs push mower, put in a battery, broke out the ether and test leads, and brought "the beast," as the kids have called it, back to life. Hooked it to the Agri-Fab tow behind spreader, filled it with chicken poo, did laps till it was gone, parked it in the new tractor shed, along with the spreader. Pretty sure I'm going to enter this machine in the All Terrain Lawn Tractor Forum's annual build off, and do my best to bring a trophy home to the yellow and white team.
"Trusty Rusty" 106 time. I removed the plow in the new tractor shed and tucked it away neatly, then went back up the hill and power washed it. Back in the shop, I took off the 23×10.50 turfs with chains that hold air (bet you can't guess where they're going) and saw that there's no adjustment left in the brakes at all, but lots of pad left. Who needs brakes, anyway? I then removed the home made weight box that's been on there since the PO bought her new in 1970. UPS tracking says rear lifts for both tractors will be here tomorrow, and the Brinly Hardy cultivator is here already, so it had to go. At the end of the night, with absolutely no prep work, I did what many of you may call a sin and broke out a rattle can of Rust Oleum 2X in Marigold. I sprayed it right over surface rust, I got runs all through it, and I don't care. I did wipe the overspray off of the IH decal. "Trusty Rusty" is going to work this summer, and she's dressed appropriately. Drove it to the new tractor shed, paint still wet, and parked it.
Went online and started looking up tri ribs for the 106 and old ATV tires for the 2166. Super excited that rear lifts for BOTH of my IH cubs are coming tomorrow. Finding it difficult to believe that this time last year, I didn't have a single cub.