more from the blind squirrel
You should be able to tell that I gots me some more of that there internets thingie. I was gonna skip it this payday, but I've found that I do quite a bit of living online (banking, e-mail, research, etc...) and I had to pay as I go again this month. I really wasn't going to but I've got some things to take care of and only internet can help me.
When you get done reading this you're gonna know a lot more about garden tractors than you want to, so my advice is to quit reading now. Trust me, you have better things to do.
Several years ago, I picked up a great deal on a garden tractor. My very first one Wendi bought for me and like a dumbass I gave it away when I thought we were gonna lose the house last year. In reality, I didn't have the money to fix what needed fixing. The engine was going to have to be rebuilt sooner than later and I think the belt broke on the mower deck, so I found her a good home. I found some parts that go with the tractor and I need to e-mail the guy I gave it to, to see if he wants them.
Anyway, when I gave away my GT (for great tractor, and it was...bucked me off twice!) 19.9, I had a spare tractor. a GTV 18, which was three years newer. The 19.9 was a 1979; the GTV18 is a 1982. I know from experience (read I thought I knew from experience) that parts are very hard to get and that's being nice, for a tractor this age. Ebay is where I found most of what I needed for the 19.9, so when I wanted some stuff for the GTV 18, that's where I looked.
Why are you still reading this? I know why I'm still writing this. I can't sleep.
I found the GTV 18 on KSL several years ago. I wanted some accessories for the 19.9 and I found this tractor, a tow-behind tiller, a disk, and a moldboard plow for $500. When I bought it, the tractor and tiller didn't run. I fixed them. I even changed the tractor to electronic ignition. The tiller I kept running until something bad happened inside the engine. I was going to throw it away, but I'll get to why I'm not in a minute.
Anyway, I was looking for 19.9 parts on Ebay when I found another GTV18 for sale in Indiana for $75. The motor was blown up but I didn't want it for the motor. I wanted the transmission/gearbox and some of the other parts. It came with a mower deck and I didn't have one of those for the GTV18. I bought it, my father-in-law picked it up, and Wendi and I drove out to meet the fam and pick up the tractor parts. We stripped it down to a carcass and my father-in-law got rid of that for me.
All in all it worked out well, except that the mower deck was seized up.
Or so I thought.
I'd started working on the mower deck but couldn't get some of the bolts off so it became a project to get to. And I got to it. I was gonna scrap it but when I grabbed one of the blades, it moved. Moved moved. All of a sudden, the project became a project. I moved some stuff, flipped it up on a work table and carefully unwound the stuff that was wrapped around the blades. Now they all move. They're greased and it's ready to go, except....
I need a bracket. Somehow, when I disassembled the mower, I threw away or gave away with the GT19.9 a bracket that goes to the mower deck that helps guide the belt. How the belts mount to this thing is pretty creative. The mower belt mounts to the front of the engine, runs through a box, and goes to the mower deck. I need some new carriage bolts too, but they're sold at Lowe's. I need some washers and clevis pins, too, but same thing... they're at Lowe's. I should have plenty after I unmount the dozer blade from the front of the tractor. The mower and dozer blade can't be used at the same time.
Anyway, I told you earlier (you must really like tractors) I thought parts were hard to get for this tractor. Not so much for the mower deck. The hardest part was to try and figure out which mower deck I had. I was able to do some research last week before my internets expired (bet you didn't know they did that, did you?) and came close. I spent $5 for a manual. I bought the wrong one. I finally figured out which mower deck I have, but the manual I have will work to hook up the tractor. There are several models that are close to mine. Sears website has detailed diagrams of the deck in question, too. And parts that I wouldn't have dreamed were still available. My bracket was $2.16. It's gonna cost more to ship it than it will to buy it, by about $5. But when you gotta have it, you gotta have it.
The bracket holds a belt guide. That's all it does and the belt guide may just be one of those nicey things. I have that. I need another bracket. It's only $4. I thought I needed a grass chute but I don't. That model didn't come with one, so she's ready to rock. That bracket just kind of helps you know where the cutting edge is. I can live without that one for a bit. Besides, I think it was broken in an accident the previous owner had. I have to PB Blaster some of the adjusting bolts and if, for whatever reason I need that new hardware, Sears still sells those, too.
I could use the mower deck to tackle certain areas in the back 40. My back yard is flat enough to use a riding mower and it'd take me about ten minutes to mow it, but then I'd have to re-mow it to pick up the clippings. I don't know if it's worth it, but I might try it. I could try to use it to mow under the apple trees but that's kind of a chore even standing up. I may never need it, but I've got it. And as I say...
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then.
Gang, there are oh so many stories I wish I could tell, but I can't. I just can't. But I can tell you that God is great! He gave me a mower deck for my mower and that will help me out with my chores. I'm very grateful. And I'm grateful to share with you, with passion, a wonderful little story about a lawn tractor.
When you get done reading this you're gonna know a lot more about garden tractors than you want to, so my advice is to quit reading now. Trust me, you have better things to do.
Several years ago, I picked up a great deal on a garden tractor. My very first one Wendi bought for me and like a dumbass I gave it away when I thought we were gonna lose the house last year. In reality, I didn't have the money to fix what needed fixing. The engine was going to have to be rebuilt sooner than later and I think the belt broke on the mower deck, so I found her a good home. I found some parts that go with the tractor and I need to e-mail the guy I gave it to, to see if he wants them.
Anyway, when I gave away my GT (for great tractor, and it was...bucked me off twice!) 19.9, I had a spare tractor. a GTV 18, which was three years newer. The 19.9 was a 1979; the GTV18 is a 1982. I know from experience (read I thought I knew from experience) that parts are very hard to get and that's being nice, for a tractor this age. Ebay is where I found most of what I needed for the 19.9, so when I wanted some stuff for the GTV 18, that's where I looked.
Why are you still reading this? I know why I'm still writing this. I can't sleep.
I found the GTV 18 on KSL several years ago. I wanted some accessories for the 19.9 and I found this tractor, a tow-behind tiller, a disk, and a moldboard plow for $500. When I bought it, the tractor and tiller didn't run. I fixed them. I even changed the tractor to electronic ignition. The tiller I kept running until something bad happened inside the engine. I was going to throw it away, but I'll get to why I'm not in a minute.
Anyway, I was looking for 19.9 parts on Ebay when I found another GTV18 for sale in Indiana for $75. The motor was blown up but I didn't want it for the motor. I wanted the transmission/gearbox and some of the other parts. It came with a mower deck and I didn't have one of those for the GTV18. I bought it, my father-in-law picked it up, and Wendi and I drove out to meet the fam and pick up the tractor parts. We stripped it down to a carcass and my father-in-law got rid of that for me.
All in all it worked out well, except that the mower deck was seized up.
Or so I thought.
I'd started working on the mower deck but couldn't get some of the bolts off so it became a project to get to. And I got to it. I was gonna scrap it but when I grabbed one of the blades, it moved. Moved moved. All of a sudden, the project became a project. I moved some stuff, flipped it up on a work table and carefully unwound the stuff that was wrapped around the blades. Now they all move. They're greased and it's ready to go, except....
I need a bracket. Somehow, when I disassembled the mower, I threw away or gave away with the GT19.9 a bracket that goes to the mower deck that helps guide the belt. How the belts mount to this thing is pretty creative. The mower belt mounts to the front of the engine, runs through a box, and goes to the mower deck. I need some new carriage bolts too, but they're sold at Lowe's. I need some washers and clevis pins, too, but same thing... they're at Lowe's. I should have plenty after I unmount the dozer blade from the front of the tractor. The mower and dozer blade can't be used at the same time.
Anyway, I told you earlier (you must really like tractors) I thought parts were hard to get for this tractor. Not so much for the mower deck. The hardest part was to try and figure out which mower deck I had. I was able to do some research last week before my internets expired (bet you didn't know they did that, did you?) and came close. I spent $5 for a manual. I bought the wrong one. I finally figured out which mower deck I have, but the manual I have will work to hook up the tractor. There are several models that are close to mine. Sears website has detailed diagrams of the deck in question, too. And parts that I wouldn't have dreamed were still available. My bracket was $2.16. It's gonna cost more to ship it than it will to buy it, by about $5. But when you gotta have it, you gotta have it.
The bracket holds a belt guide. That's all it does and the belt guide may just be one of those nicey things. I have that. I need another bracket. It's only $4. I thought I needed a grass chute but I don't. That model didn't come with one, so she's ready to rock. That bracket just kind of helps you know where the cutting edge is. I can live without that one for a bit. Besides, I think it was broken in an accident the previous owner had. I have to PB Blaster some of the adjusting bolts and if, for whatever reason I need that new hardware, Sears still sells those, too.
I could use the mower deck to tackle certain areas in the back 40. My back yard is flat enough to use a riding mower and it'd take me about ten minutes to mow it, but then I'd have to re-mow it to pick up the clippings. I don't know if it's worth it, but I might try it. I could try to use it to mow under the apple trees but that's kind of a chore even standing up. I may never need it, but I've got it. And as I say...
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then.
Gang, there are oh so many stories I wish I could tell, but I can't. I just can't. But I can tell you that God is great! He gave me a mower deck for my mower and that will help me out with my chores. I'm very grateful. And I'm grateful to share with you, with passion, a wonderful little story about a lawn tractor.
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