Began spray painting small parts for the motorcar trailer yesterday and got them almost all done today. They had already been primed so I just had to spray them bright orange, to match the original color of the trailer. I then took four aluminum cross members from the original trailer and began wire-wheeling them to prepare them for priming. Shortly after starting, I realized the paint would be pre-mid-1970's and therefore probably contains lead. So I stopped wire-wheeling and used steel wool instead to just rough up the surface and get rid of the dirt. And I vacuumed thoroughly while wearing a dust mask. The rest of the job went quickly. I then moved over to the trailer itself and wire-wheeled the axles (since it was out in the open and a good breeze was blowing). I then primed the axles in preparation for spray painting them orange as well. I have a total of eight cross members ready to be primed and painted tomorrow. I will also take the longitudinal frame members off and get ready to prime and paint them as well.
Various parts I ordered or won on Ebay are arriving. I now have:
--NOS Wisconsin LP65FS1 fuel pump
--starter/generator (spare)
--S-12D points box (spare)
--starter sheave (to replace a broken one on the S-12D engine)
--cotter pins for mower drive shaft
-- a special part to help suspend the mower deck from the tractor
I ordered a PTO control rod, throttle cable and fuel sediment bowl assembly from Sam's Bolens about two weeks ago but it hasn't shown up yet, so am waiting on that.
I also just ordered 12 new bearings (the ones previously purchased just don't fit the spindles) and four engine mount isolators. Plus, I have ordered three bearing housings, and an additional two spindles with bearing housings. So we should have some spares by the time the two mower decks are rebuilt.
That motorcar trailer is going to look mighty bright in orange. The color is brighter than the current faded color (visible on the axles and under frame members) but will fade itself over time to about the same shade.
That's it for now.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Procuring Parts for the Rail-Mower
Have been buying parts off e-bay for the past week and a half to get the rail-mower's tractor engine and mower deck back to good shape. Picked up an NOS Wisconsin LP62FS1 fuel pump, miscellaneous mower deck parts, a breather tube, a starter sheave (the one on it has a piece missing off one rim), an extra starter/generator in case something goes wrong with one or the other the ones on the Bolens 1250 and 1455 engines, and a points box with the points and condenser. On the mower deck parts, got some spindles, bearing housings, and lift arms. On the down side, found out from my local engine guy today that the bearings I bought for the decks for both tractors were too small to "press in" so am going to have to buy more after measuring them. He said the ones that don't fit on the Bolens tractors might fit on my Craftsman mower deck. Am about to buy some isolators for the engine since the old ones are kaput.
I hauled out a bunch of parts I've been waiting to spray paint and sprayed one side of them late in the afternoon. Red for the 1455 mower deck, orange for the motorcar trailer, and primer rust red for the 1250 engine parts. Will probably paint the 1250 engine parts a subdued metallic color rather than red or orange. At least things are moving forward.
I hauled out a bunch of parts I've been waiting to spray paint and sprayed one side of them late in the afternoon. Red for the 1455 mower deck, orange for the motorcar trailer, and primer rust red for the 1250 engine parts. Will probably paint the 1250 engine parts a subdued metallic color rather than red or orange. At least things are moving forward.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Engine Running after a Day of Work
Frank Glatzl brought over the aluminum cross members and carburetor today and we began to try to get the engine to work. We had to bypass the fuel pump since it didn't seem to be working (found out later some parts inside it were frozen and had to be freed--it also needs a new diaphragm, probably will have to get a rebuild kit). Frank also had to bypass the solenoid since it didn't seem to be working (that turned out to be a rusty grounding surface, but we picked up a new solenoid and installed it so I now have a spare). But he did find we had spark and the engine ran briefly when he primed it with gas. We loaded up a fuel hose with gas and held it up to provide a constant supply while starting the engine.
That very brief run resulted in a lot of dirt being thrown out from underneath the flywheel air shrouding, which meant we needed to take the shrouding off and clean things out. We could tell from moving the starter/generator that mud daubers had been at work underneath it, and it turned out they had nested between the engine and the shrouding as well.
After lunch, we went over to Tractor Supply and got the solenoid, a new starting belt, and a gear puller as well as more gas. To take off the shrouding, we used the gear puller to pull the drive sheave off the main shaft. First we used a 5/32 hex key mounted on a 3/8" drive to remove the two setscrews. Then we heated the sheave up with a small torch, mounted the gear puller and began rotating it with a breaker bar. There was a sudden "pop" and off it came.
We loosened up the dirt with a screwdriver and brought an air compressor hose over and blew it out. Plus we cleaned the shield with degreaser. We installed the new starter/generator belt (after I took the first one back to TSC and got a shorter one) and tightened it using the adjustment screw. The belt that came off was too short to use the screw and a wooden wedge had held the starter in place.
After putting everything back, we gave the engine another try and it start and ran well at that point. Carb needs some adjustment but that should be doable. No smoking or coughing, so that's a good sign the engine's OK.
Now that we know the engine will work, I can invest in buying the remaining parts to get the tractor in good operating condition. Will need the following:
1) a PTO control rod to replace a makeshift one I fabricated for temporary use;
2) two choke cables to adapt as a throttle cable and choke cable;
3) a fuel pump rebuild kit or fuel pump;
4) three new PTO belts;
5) a special cotter pin for connecting the PTO takeoff shaft to the mower shaft;
6) a new sediment bowl underneath the fuel tank;
7) four engine mounts; and
8) a strap to hold the tractor battery down.
I already have an NOS air cleaner assembly with breather tube, so that will go on to protect the carb.
Once I have the parts ready, will check back with Frank to schedule another session (this one lasted seven hours).
I am also in the process of rebuilding the mower deck for my Bolens 1455 garden tractor. The 1455 has a front end loader and ten-ply tires. I plan to use it this year to mow the Llano wye. Its mower deck is identical to the deck for this Bolens 1250 tractor, so we can learn what to do with it from the 1455 deck rebuild. I have taken all the parts off the 1455's deck, cleaned them up, primed them and painted them. Am just waiting for my local guy to finish boring out the spindle housing bolts. Will be ordering bearings for both decks now (12 in total). And I will eventually have to work with either the local guy or Frank to take the 1250 deck apart, sandblast it, clean all the parts and get new ones as needed and put it back together. We are still a long way from finishing the rail-mower but at least now we know the engine runs and that is a huge step forward.
That very brief run resulted in a lot of dirt being thrown out from underneath the flywheel air shrouding, which meant we needed to take the shrouding off and clean things out. We could tell from moving the starter/generator that mud daubers had been at work underneath it, and it turned out they had nested between the engine and the shrouding as well.
After lunch, we went over to Tractor Supply and got the solenoid, a new starting belt, and a gear puller as well as more gas. To take off the shrouding, we used the gear puller to pull the drive sheave off the main shaft. First we used a 5/32 hex key mounted on a 3/8" drive to remove the two setscrews. Then we heated the sheave up with a small torch, mounted the gear puller and began rotating it with a breaker bar. There was a sudden "pop" and off it came.
We loosened up the dirt with a screwdriver and brought an air compressor hose over and blew it out. Plus we cleaned the shield with degreaser. We installed the new starter/generator belt (after I took the first one back to TSC and got a shorter one) and tightened it using the adjustment screw. The belt that came off was too short to use the screw and a wooden wedge had held the starter in place.
After putting everything back, we gave the engine another try and it start and ran well at that point. Carb needs some adjustment but that should be doable. No smoking or coughing, so that's a good sign the engine's OK.
Now that we know the engine will work, I can invest in buying the remaining parts to get the tractor in good operating condition. Will need the following:
1) a PTO control rod to replace a makeshift one I fabricated for temporary use;
2) two choke cables to adapt as a throttle cable and choke cable;
3) a fuel pump rebuild kit or fuel pump;
4) three new PTO belts;
5) a special cotter pin for connecting the PTO takeoff shaft to the mower shaft;
6) a new sediment bowl underneath the fuel tank;
7) four engine mounts; and
8) a strap to hold the tractor battery down.
I already have an NOS air cleaner assembly with breather tube, so that will go on to protect the carb.
Once I have the parts ready, will check back with Frank to schedule another session (this one lasted seven hours).
I am also in the process of rebuilding the mower deck for my Bolens 1455 garden tractor. The 1455 has a front end loader and ten-ply tires. I plan to use it this year to mow the Llano wye. Its mower deck is identical to the deck for this Bolens 1250 tractor, so we can learn what to do with it from the 1455 deck rebuild. I have taken all the parts off the 1455's deck, cleaned them up, primed them and painted them. Am just waiting for my local guy to finish boring out the spindle housing bolts. Will be ordering bearings for both decks now (12 in total). And I will eventually have to work with either the local guy or Frank to take the 1250 deck apart, sandblast it, clean all the parts and get new ones as needed and put it back together. We are still a long way from finishing the rail-mower but at least now we know the engine runs and that is a huge step forward.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Frank to Come Back with Carburetor and Frame Members
Frank Glatzl has the rebuilt Walbro carburetor ready to put back on the Wisconsin S-12D garden tractor engine. He also has bored holes in the aluminum cross frame members, on which the engine will sit. He plans to come over on Saturday, February 26. We'll put the carb on and see if we can get the engine started. I have checked my wiring against a schematic provided by someone on the Wisconsin engine group on the internet. It looks OK but Frank will take another look. I ordered points and a condenser and hope they get here in time. Will have to drain the gas tank and put fresh gas in.
I had a sudden worry the other day and it proved entirely correct. I jacked up the rear of the Bolens 1250 tractor after connecting the mower deck and it appears that the deck wants to continue hugging Mother Earth rather than hang from the attachment points. So that means I will have to find a different way to ensure that the deck hangs above the railhead rather than drag on the railhead (the deck is 59 inches wide). So will discuss that issue with Frank as well.
We will also have to determine whether the 1250's mower deck is usable--it has a lot of rust. If so, then we will have to start taking it apart to renovate it. I am renovating a twin to it for use with my Bolens 1455 garden tractor but don't want to punch holes in it to hang it from the trailer if that is what it takes. So we will see how much work still awaits us this coming Saturday.
I had a sudden worry the other day and it proved entirely correct. I jacked up the rear of the Bolens 1250 tractor after connecting the mower deck and it appears that the deck wants to continue hugging Mother Earth rather than hang from the attachment points. So that means I will have to find a different way to ensure that the deck hangs above the railhead rather than drag on the railhead (the deck is 59 inches wide). So will discuss that issue with Frank as well.
We will also have to determine whether the 1250's mower deck is usable--it has a lot of rust. If so, then we will have to start taking it apart to renovate it. I am renovating a twin to it for use with my Bolens 1455 garden tractor but don't want to punch holes in it to hang it from the trailer if that is what it takes. So we will see how much work still awaits us this coming Saturday.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Frank Brings Aluminum Frame Members; Progress on Tractor Engine
Frank Glatzl came over this morning with the long aluminum frame members for our renovated motocar trailer. He drilled all the holes I asked for in the right spots. We bolted them to the hubs and put two under-cross-members on temporarily to set up the frame. Then we placed the new aluminum cross members that will support the tractor body and mower on the frame to take measurements for where to bore the holes in them to fit onto the long frame members. Here's some photos.
These photos show the frame mockup with the cross members in the positions they will be in once permanently mounted. The second photo has Frank taking a measurement and the third looking at the camera. Frank is taking the cross members back to be drilled to mount to the long frame members (as well as drilled for mounting the tractor engine/mower deck to the trailer).
Turns out Frank is somewhat of a small engine mechanic himself. We hooked up a battery to the tractor engine and he got the starter to turn the engine over, so that shows that the starter at least is working. He removed the carburetor to clean with some chemicals back at his place and I gave him the carburetor rebuild kit I bought for it (it's a Walbro). So Frank will work on restoring the carburetor.
My job will be to rewire the engine--I now have a Bolens 1250 wiring diagram that includes the interlock switches, which the previous ones did not, so I think I can get it right. Will pick up the right color wires to match the wiring diagram as well. Also need to make a final decision on the color to spray or paint onto the trailer and mower deck. Am leaning toward red. Plus I will need to bolt the aluminum frame members together in their permanent configuration after painting. There are a number of small parts to order as well now that I am more confident this project is actually going to happen. And I have to install a hoist over the 40-foot rail track so I can suspend the tractor, take off the hydrostatic transaxle, and then lower the remaining tractor body onto the motorcar trailer frame. It's a lot to do, and just as tax season is starting up. Doubt this project will be ready until April or May, but at least we are now starting to move forward. All in all, a great day.
These photos show the frame mockup with the cross members in the positions they will be in once permanently mounted. The second photo has Frank taking a measurement and the third looking at the camera. Frank is taking the cross members back to be drilled to mount to the long frame members (as well as drilled for mounting the tractor engine/mower deck to the trailer).
Turns out Frank is somewhat of a small engine mechanic himself. We hooked up a battery to the tractor engine and he got the starter to turn the engine over, so that shows that the starter at least is working. He removed the carburetor to clean with some chemicals back at his place and I gave him the carburetor rebuild kit I bought for it (it's a Walbro). So Frank will work on restoring the carburetor.
My job will be to rewire the engine--I now have a Bolens 1250 wiring diagram that includes the interlock switches, which the previous ones did not, so I think I can get it right. Will pick up the right color wires to match the wiring diagram as well. Also need to make a final decision on the color to spray or paint onto the trailer and mower deck. Am leaning toward red. Plus I will need to bolt the aluminum frame members together in their permanent configuration after painting. There are a number of small parts to order as well now that I am more confident this project is actually going to happen. And I have to install a hoist over the 40-foot rail track so I can suspend the tractor, take off the hydrostatic transaxle, and then lower the remaining tractor body onto the motorcar trailer frame. It's a lot to do, and just as tax season is starting up. Doubt this project will be ready until April or May, but at least we are now starting to move forward. All in all, a great day.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Frank Glatzl to Come Over with Aluminum Frame Members
Frank Glatzl just called to advise that he should be able to come over Saturday with the two long aluminum frame members he is drilling holes in for me. We will then figure out where to drill the four cross-members and he will take those back with him and do them. Then I will go up to Cedar Park to pick them up. So the job is moving forward.
Wish I could say the same for the tractor rebuild. My small engine guy is not getting back to me so it looks like he won't be working with me on that. Called my brother in Colorado and offered to pay his way out and back if he could help me out but he is dubious ("Can you put your pit bull to sleep first?"). My somewhat feeble riposte was "Actually, he will be sleeping in the guest bedroom with you but you'll be OK if you don't move or make any noises."
So am still looking for a tractor expert to help with the project.
Wish I could say the same for the tractor rebuild. My small engine guy is not getting back to me so it looks like he won't be working with me on that. Called my brother in Colorado and offered to pay his way out and back if he could help me out but he is dubious ("Can you put your pit bull to sleep first?"). My somewhat feeble riposte was "Actually, he will be sleeping in the guest bedroom with you but you'll be OK if you don't move or make any noises."
So am still looking for a tractor expert to help with the project.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Marking Time
Not much left to do while waiting on the aluminum frame members with Frank Glatzl for hole drilling.
Cleaned out the transmission fins on my Bolens 1455 tractor with FEL this afternoon. They were plugged up with mud and debris so that could have caused transmission overheating. Also have to replace an O-ring on the transaxle due to leakage of ATF past it but will do that later.
Got my second gas air blower back with a fuel line installed in it. But the fellow who fixed it up couldn't get it to run because he needs a special tool to adjust the idle. So I went on the internet, found the tool and ordered it. Will see if it is the right tool and then hope the tech can get the blower to work.
Cleaned out the transmission fins on my Bolens 1455 tractor with FEL this afternoon. They were plugged up with mud and debris so that could have caused transmission overheating. Also have to replace an O-ring on the transaxle due to leakage of ATF past it but will do that later.
Got my second gas air blower back with a fuel line installed in it. But the fellow who fixed it up couldn't get it to run because he needs a special tool to adjust the idle. So I went on the internet, found the tool and ordered it. Will see if it is the right tool and then hope the tech can get the blower to work.
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