Tractors, Mowers, Chippers, Trailers, Chainsaws, Generators, Driveway Erosion Control, ETC.

I can identify with that too...

As I have way less energy than I used to I'm growing more and more fond of "done is better than perfect" though.

 

its kinda going the other way for me. firm believer of = "DONE OR DEATH whichever comes first" with every project or thing i touch.

Used to be to the level of your "done is better than perfect".. now days with the less physical capability? having to slow down in life has made me able to have a better finished results. LMAO most times.

it sure hasnt fixed my grammar or punctuation on a forum. :-0

 

The problem is everything takes me longer to do so I get less done which equals more to do...

 

So with age and use come corrosion and damage, the sway links have seen better days. OEM replacements are price by piece be over $300 for all pieces…. That ain’t gonna happen.
‘Zon to the rescue
Pair of new chains $70 and beef as frig
and

 

And done

 

Very nice!

 

i love practical application!

 

As far as fixing the original, I’m on the fence. Having good place to weld to maybe a issue without some major fab. I CAN do it, but do I want to ?
The roundish holes I used a chipping hammer to sound the metal, not really even hitting hard, just letting hammer weight fall….

 

Gonna need a good sized skin graft.

 

If you intend to keep using the mower it is better to fix it now.
When decks get weak like that hitting a rock, etc can rip the spindle mount, idler, etc right out of the deck and really make a mess to fix.
It is easier to fix it when it is still in one piece.

 

It’s un usable now, the gear box mount has broken away from the deck, and just flops. Thinking back it happened last fall and I kept using it thinking it was a belt slapping (knowing I had a replacement and didn’t wanna do it til it actually broke)

I’m still pondering fixes, the rear mount finish mower works well, so I’m not in any rush to get the belly mower “done” that was the point, I didn’t want to have to rush and “make it happen” there is a possibility it may not happen and I’ll part it out. Lots of good parts that are expensive to buy new (the drive shaft alone is over $600 new) 25yo mower deck, it’s lived it’s life well.

 

Perfect.
Turned this


Into this

 

Nice, I started the same project, but the hitch was from a 90's Toyota Pickup. Haven't finished it yet, I've been neglecting everything inanimate at home to focus on family life. I've got a hell of a list to run through...

 

^ Wish my soil would grade that easily

Would make mowing a lot easier on the body.

 

Well you got better food there. I grew up in the Hudson Valley

 

Depends where ya go, but yeah we have some decent places to eat. The PNW is beautiful though, we road tripped through in 2018.

 

Did you add those skids in the side of the box blade? I was struggling to get my box blade to work well but it’s new to me in general so part is learning curve I’m guessing

 

well i brought this home yesterday & dug up some stumps that were down in where the pond is gonna go.

then today after checking the machine out all over, started digging. dug for about 6hrs with it & on breaks from digging moved dirt with the tractor.

not gonna show you pictures of the work, cause right now as im learning the machine.... the work is UGLY. big ole mess of gomming around right now. will show ya pix of the machine though.

 

Been looking for used tractor. Not too much out there for a budget. What do you guys think this one would be worth?