Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

JSinMO wrote: ↑Sun Dec 01, 2024 3:16 pm @Harry would it be possible to drill the heads of the bolts off? Maybe a pilot hole in the center of the head then a bit the size of the bolt?

Great idea. I’ll try that. Harry

Harry wrote: ↑Sun Dec 01, 2024 3:31 pm

JSinMO wrote: ↑Sun Dec 01, 2024 3:16 pm @Harry would it be possible to drill the heads of the bolts off? Maybe a pilot hole in the center of the head then a bit the size of the bolt?

Great idea. I’ll try that. Harry

On that note , maybe a centre drill or a step drill might be helpful.

David, sounds like a plan. I figure I’ll have to put a wrench on the nut side and drill through the bolt. Hope they aren’t hard. Harry

Another option could be careful use of a 2" roloc style sanding disc in a die grinder or drill and then sand/grind the screwhead until it's either flat, or completely gone - then just push the remaining screw and nut through the hole - and don't forget a damp rag to make sure the fiberglass doesn't get too hot from the grinding. (Don't ask me how I learned about that... )

https://www.amazon.ca/WORKPRO-101-piece ... 570&SPES=1

I tried to remove one of the bolts today. Not much luck hard to drill and fiberglass was getting to hot. I jumped over to work on the mini loader assembled a few things on the GT, then I came to the realization that I don’t need to remove the frame from the fiberglass roof. I can clean up the metal frame and paint it attached to the roof. Onward and upward we go. Harry

I guess we’ll call this the playing in the snow edition. We ended up with around a foot of snow from our recent weather. I know that’s not much for a lot of you guys but down here it was a major storm.

I started cleaning up around the house with my Troy Built walk behind, which is a great machine, but it was slow going and I wasn’t having much fun. So to heck with that let’s jump on the 446! What a difference! Now we’re talking! It took about 10 minutes to clean this off and 5 of that was me playing around!

I decided to bring out the 2N to clear the driveway and in front of the shop. It’s finicky about starting in cold weather. I found if I run some heat on it for awhile before cranking it starts much easier. A couple of halogen lamps and a portable heater did the trick. It was working great until one of the front tires went flat so back to the shop with it.

I put the 446 back to work. And it worked great! I even went ahead and cleared off the around the chicken coop and made a path to get there.
I’d say that’s a job well done! I’ve said it before but what a great machine! The tire chains really worked great too. If your reading this and you have not got a Case GT yet boy your missing out!

With that job done let go look at that tire.
It wouldn’t hold air so I took it off the tractor and broke it down. Gee I can’t imagine why it’s flat!
It’s not original from 1947 but I’d say it’s been on there for decades. I also see the valve stem hole it ragged so it need to be fixed too. The rims in pretty rough shape but I think I can make it work so let the barnyard engineering commence!
I took a wire wheel and cleaned of as much of the rust and scale as possible.

Then I dug out a thick flat washer from my bolt bin and crudely shaped it to the contour of the rim.
I carefully welded it in. A little JB Weld on a couple of pin holes I found and some paint and I’m hoping it will be good to go. Maybe I should have drilled a new hole in a different part of the rim but I figured I’d have to patch this hole anyway and my repair looks like it will work fine. Certainly not the best repair in the world but not bad for a 1 and a half armed redneck!
I’ll let that cure till tomorrow then I’ll see if I can put it all back together. Luckily I have a new tube to go in.

Other than having a tough time breaking the tire down not a bad time playing in the snow. Although I will admit I could do without it and I hope this is our only storm this season!

Repair looks good Jeff, it sure doesn't look like you're using less than two hands. Hope your arm gets better day by day!

@JSinMO I see a tube on the floor . I assume that it is from the tire . Do you have another or can it be repaired ? As for the rim being rust and ruff ,what you did is a good start . What we use up here to protect tubes from rim damage is to line the centre of the rim with an old tube ,or wrapp it with duct tape . Glad you are having fun in the snow and hope your are is getting better .

David I’ll seen that on bicycle rims to protect the tube from the spoke nuts. Terrific idea David. Harry