The Dear John letter tractor

Utility blade, snow caster, mower deck, weights, sleeve hitch, 3pt hitch, front end loader, backhoe, and more. Ready made or homemade.
User avatar
DavidBarkey Canada
Posts: 3108
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:35 am
Location: Waverley On.
Has thanked: 17070 times
Been thanked: 10413 times

The Dear John letter tractor

Post by DavidBarkey »

Had a LX 178 JD given to me . Liquid cooled Kawi 15 hp V twin Vert. shaft , hydro. trans. , 44" centre discharge deck . Went over it , and is still in descent shape . I have a 40" Sears Canada blower (Berco) with no sub-frame but is in great shape . Fortunately the snap on head is there . The father in-law has been looking for another mower that is easy to get on and off , this works . He also wants a tractor with a blower . Been working on the sub frame to mate the Sears blower to the JD . Nice thing about having the hoist and a rolling table is able to mock everything up in the air at eye level sitting on a rolling stool . I will try and up load some picks today . When I get this done , tested and gone I will have the room to bring in the 446 Blower project tractor to finish . :thumbsup:
Dave
Mad Tractor Builder
User avatar
Eugen Canada
Posts: 5141
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:52 pm
Location: Port Mcnicoll, Ontario
Has thanked: 11934 times
Been thanked: 16195 times
Contact:

Re: The Dear John letter tractor

Post by Eugen »

And :wife: happy! :thumbsup:
Case 224, 444, 644, 680E
Kubota B26 :blush:
User avatar
DavidBarkey Canada
Posts: 3108
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:35 am
Location: Waverley On.
Has thanked: 17070 times
Been thanked: 10413 times

Re: The Dear John letter tractor

Post by DavidBarkey »

20221203_130942.jpg
20221203_130956.jpg
20221203_131941.jpg
20221203_132003.jpg
Other than a set of chains and a couple of new front tires yet to be installed . The build so far is all from my collection of stuff .
The double pulley is just a deck spindle with a second pulley put on . The hex hole in the pulley fit perfectly over the 6 point star .
Normally these blowers are lifted up by large lever on the sub frame , but this one I want to use the tractor lift arm but there is not enough leverage to pick that weight . So tomorrow I am going to work on counter balance springs to hopefully solve this issue .
Dave
Mad Tractor Builder
User avatar
DavidBarkey Canada
Posts: 3108
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:35 am
Location: Waverley On.
Has thanked: 17070 times
Been thanked: 10413 times

Re: The Dear John letter tractor

Post by DavidBarkey »

It is finally out of the shop . Engineering by error and do it again until you get it right . :headbash: Hope I finally got it right . Now just waiting on some snow to truly test it out . Want to get on to other things.
Dave
Mad Tractor Builder
User avatar
Timj United States of America
Posts: 1438
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2021 9:57 pm
Location: Central WI
Has thanked: 5169 times
Been thanked: 4985 times

Re: The Dear John letter tractor

Post by Timj »

DavidBarkey wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 4:34 pm It is finally out of the shop . Engineering by error and do it again until you get it right . :headbash: Hope I finally got it right . Now just waiting on some snow to truly test it out . Want to get on to other things.
Careful what you wish for, you'll be up to your waist before you know it. :D
:446cart: let's go, it's finally time to blow. :peace:
User avatar
DavidBarkey Canada
Posts: 3108
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:35 am
Location: Waverley On.
Has thanked: 17070 times
Been thanked: 10413 times

Re: The Dear John letter tractor

Post by DavidBarkey »

Timj wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 7:56 pm
DavidBarkey wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 4:34 pm It is finally out of the shop . Engineering by error and do it again until you get it right . :headbash: Hope I finally got it right . Now just waiting on some snow to truly test it out . Want to get on to other things.
Careful what you wish for, you'll be up to your waist before you know it. :D
Ya I know . I would be ok with no snow , but then we would need allot wet weather to charge the water table .
All the part fro the caster are in the shop to be put back together today . So that a start .
Dave
Mad Tractor Builder
User avatar
DavidBarkey Canada
Posts: 3108
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:35 am
Location: Waverley On.
Has thanked: 17070 times
Been thanked: 10413 times

Re: The Dear John letter tractor

Post by DavidBarkey »

Well that Deere with the blower on it did quite well throwing that wet stuff . Was impressed 20-30 feet. Have to shut off pto to lift blower or belt will rub on the sub-frame . This is the blower I put on . Simple 2 stage , no gear box just 2 belts and 2 chains .
JDLX178Blower.pdf
(1.76 MiB) Downloaded 118 times
Dave
Mad Tractor Builder
User avatar
Eugen Canada
Posts: 5141
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:52 pm
Location: Port Mcnicoll, Ontario
Has thanked: 11934 times
Been thanked: 16195 times
Contact:

Re: The Dear John letter tractor

Post by Eugen »

Oh wow, that is definitely impressive, but no wonder, two stage blowers will throw further no matter what. They do less snow for the same size blower, but will throw further. So are you done with the Deere now? Finally free to tackle the next project? :D
Case 224, 444, 644, 680E
Kubota B26 :blush:
User avatar
DavidBarkey Canada
Posts: 3108
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:35 am
Location: Waverley On.
Has thanked: 17070 times
Been thanked: 10413 times

Re: The Dear John letter tractor

Post by DavidBarkey »

Eugen wrote: Fri Dec 16, 2022 10:41 am Oh wow, that is definitely impressive, but no wonder, two stage blowers will throw further no matter what. They do less snow for the same size blower, but will throw further. So are you done with the Deere now? Finally free to tackle the next project? :D
Just have to fix the head lights . :headbash: They were working but not now .
Still have more out door clean up to do before I can get back to the caster .
Dave
Mad Tractor Builder
User avatar
DavidBarkey Canada
Posts: 3108
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:35 am
Location: Waverley On.
Has thanked: 17070 times
Been thanked: 10413 times

Re: The Dear John letter tractor

Post by DavidBarkey »

Sooo , assumption being the mother of all :cuss: ups . The head lights worked with the 1156 bulbs , but when I tried them after I put in LED replacements they didn't work . I assumed the all was ok with wireing prior to LEDs . Well it turns out 1165 bulbs doesn't care whether the post or the shell is positive or ground as long as the is 1 of each . BUT the LED replacements do care . Well imagine that it was wired WRONG from the factory , but because it was incandescent bulbs in a plastic housing it was never a problem untill I tried to upgrade it to better bulbs . :headbash: Oh well , at least was a easy fix once I realized what was wrong . :violin: :30:
Dave
Mad Tractor Builder
Post Reply