I think you should paint it now. I mean, it's a really cool tractor - something to be proud of. My vote would be for the Wheel Horse red. It doesn't have to be a showroom finish or anything, but it would be nice if it all matched. It would protect those brackets and all that you made from rusting too.
But then I'd need a place to keep it under cover! It would be nice to dress up with some paint and even a bit of sheet metal. The Gravely guys would have a fit! But I'm partial to WheelHorse so red gets my vote haha.
Hello 5TG, What a fun machine to dive. Very cool. Back in high school, I had a part time job working at a lawn and garden place fixing tractors. I love your videos. Please keep posting. There are guys like me who absolutely love what you are doing. Thanks again. --Doozer
Thanks Doozer! I'll do my best to keep the videos going as time allows. Depending how long ago that was, I think that would have been pretty fun. Always wondered what it would've been like working in a shop in the 50's, 60's, 70's when all this stuff was brand new.
@@5Tractorguy Well I am 44 years old, so HS for me graduated in '93. So I worked at Saville's Farms in Buffalo NY around that time. We sold new Cub Cadet, Toro, Wheel Horse, Homelite, Yazoo, Lawn Boy, Merry Tiller, Agir-Fab, Echo, Husky, and other I am forgetting. In the winter, I would steam clean and pull maintenance on their IHC field tractors, many from the 1950s on up. It was a glorious place to work for a teenage kid. I was proud to have a job like that in HS, when my peers were working fast food and at the mall. Today I am a mechanical engineer, but I still love tractors, mini-bikes, and go karts. I hold on to the belief that Tecumseh engines are number 1 for their straight forward design. Briggs are just OK, with too many weird carburetor designs. My dad still has his 1968 Jacobson Super Chief with a K321 and a Sunstrand Hydro trans. With tire chains, that tractor will pull a loaded trailer up a tree. Maybe I will do a video of my co-kart some day, with the 600 Peerless transaxle and 11hp Briggs engine with the Mikuni carb.
Nice to see you get this tractor going. Can you make the differentials limited-slip ??? Love to see this tractor go and do its thing. Still pondering buying one from you. Hopefully will see you next year PA plow days., at least we will try. Like the music too.
Sorry for the delay, been busy here! If the differential was re-engineered it could be done, but because the 2 speeds in the axle are actually 2 sets of differential spider gears inside the worm ring gear, would be tough. Hoping to be back there next year! Nope, this was the only one.
Here's a thought after binge watching the entire 4WD Gravely tractor build again out of boredom, what is the possibility of using a second swift-a-matic axle housing and linkage to rig up a locking diff in a 400 series Gravely trans ? Never had any swift-a-matic parts in my hand (only just got a pair of model LI machines a month and a half ago) so not sure if that would cause a conflict in the two speed diff but seeing that thing spin out up in the woods kinda made me think about that idea again.
I'm glad you mentioned the timing Mark's in case I ever have to take 1 of mine apart. I guess the Mark's are there for a reason. Thanks for a great video once again!!!
Great video like usual, enjoy them greatly, nice to see you support a local business of ours, I seen the surplus center decal on turning hydraulic cylinder. I am a frequent customer of theirs also, great people to work with.
Way 2 go, Jake! I got 2 to make 1 out of years ago and just when I was getting ready to start one I saw the main case had froze and busted. So I got to swap all the guts from one to the other and had NEVER turned a tap on any of them. It ran but it was sure interesting. One of the 7/16 bolts came out of the front pto shaft support and locked it down. ALL spline sets were twisted on the main shaft but never broke. Wished I'd save it but nope. And the boom hoist works the same as those planetaries but I forgot all of it over the years. But the MAIN thing is HOPE THE PICKING IS GOOD! I'm even putting a new saddle on the Dobro, much less strings. Whodathunkit!
Hey Lewie! Had that happen on a '50 L I had a long time ago. Got the whole thing ready to fire, tipped it on the nose and saw that big ol' crack in the case. That's pretty impressive twisting the splines like that, these things definitely do have some torque that's for sure. That's the kind of repair I'd save the parts from... Ahh the pickin' is a-fine! Just had a practice last night with the folk group (not really bluegrass like the other group). We're playing the guitar pickers daughters wedding mid Sept. Should be a time-and-a-half!
@@5Tractorguy The 50L was exact as me and I DID save the parts! Wished I'd saved that shaft but dopey me probably chunked it. And sounds like you're going to have to develop a clawhammer lick to go with the folk stuff. I like(d) it all when I can do something. You need to be able to go back and forth anyway. That'll get the eyeballs popping! GOOD DEAL, Jake! Keep on bending them strings and the BEST 2 YA from (me) here in the Blue Ridge!
Finally!!! I was expecting a lot more carnage honestly, But still, very cool to finally see what caused all the problems. Still has the gas cap-clearance stick in hood I see :)
Hi Jake, Great videos! I have been inspired by your build and have sourced a couple of L series that I plan to convert into a 4WD. I'm curious to know what your PTO plates are off or where they can be sourced as I haven't seen these parts before and would rather source than fabricate. Parts are a little scarce here in New Zealand, but old Gravelys do show up from time to time. Any advice before I start would be appreciated. I have a 5240 with a few bush hogs and a rotary plough etc to keep me busy in the mean time with plans to build a tiller, a wood chipper and a dozer blade. Cheers Mat
Hey thanks Mat! Those are the PTO plates from Gravely 400 series riders (424, 430, 432). They have 15 spline stub which seems to be a standard size so it was easy to have a driveshaft made (or source one). Good luck on the build!
The timing Mark's are there to prevent cocking the gears and hulling out the gears during operation. If you have for example a twin or triple counter shaft transmission, they have to be timed correctly or it with seize and damage itself. Just wanted to elaborate on that
Thanks again for a great video. It really is fun for us to watch you apply your skills and talent. I wonder if any Gravely engineers way back when ever thought of or promoted such a concept to management. We know they tried the fiberglass body and OHC mod to the L engine. Was that called a suburban? I can't remember. Anyhow, your repair to your already exceptional machine was right on.
Glad you enjoyed it. Oh, the Westchester! That was one engineering marvel of a tractor, an absolute nightmare of cables and levers under the body. Maybe I'll find one someday.
@@pauljahn1317 That I was! When you commented I think about 2 Fridays before if I'm not mistaking... had a load of Gravely stuff on the '61. Go figure! Met a few other guys from New England here too.
anyone refacing the clutch frictions? I have a few that need it done. Locktight the stud bolts on small gears mine loose thread hole sloppy.Bad design on bolts. Nice job.
Unfortunately, not that I know of. The clutch re-line guy I use for rider PTO's, talked to him about it. Says it's just cheaper to buy a new clutch than have him reline. I have to keep asking around to other clutch companies, got a crate of these out back I hate to scrap if I can have them redone.
Cool video. So what, you took 2 old gravely 2 wheel walk behind tractors and turned them into a sit on articulating tractor? At 20:30 it looks like only the front wheels drive
Thanks Jackson. I took two 400 series Gravely rider transmissions (same body and internals and walk behinds, larger axle housings and axles) and twined them up through the PTO shafts. I have to rig up another shift lever for the rear end. The one on there now doesn't cam over hard enough to engage the clutch tight, so the rear tends to slip a wee bit on hills and pulling stuff in high range.
The one I had on the lift table? Figured that was a cup, I always thought the sun gear was the one the orbital gears (one I replaced) go around? But I could be mistaking...
Wait, I just realized your intro music was probably your band... IS it? if so, super cool dude! We need to have a Get together soon, maybe at my house, Hugh, and Liam and a few other guys!
Nope, wish it was! I gotta get around to taking a video of us pickin' one of these days. A get together would be neat... sometime late September would be good, my schedule should be winding down some by then.
