[CptKirk]

Hi all,

My tractor may or may not be sea worthy at the moment. The engine is a little locked up. I lubricated the engine through the spark plug opening and am re-charging the battery. It also needs a new center blade hub. The center blade fell off the last time I operated it.

The issue: I inherited this from my step-father, the mechanic. I am not a mechanic. If the engine will not start, I need to sell it for repair or parts. If it will, then I'm looking for a blade hub. None of the repair shops around here will work on it due to its age and rarity of parts. They are afraid to put time into opening it up only to find a part is unavailable.

If I sell it for parts, what is it worth? It looks wonderful. No rust. Painted well- white and jade mist. Looks like the 1968 Sears ad. It's time for tires. It even has the original hubcaps. Up until a few days ago was humming along.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Kirk

 

[atfigure]

would be a shame to part it out, if it is in great shape :wwp: :wwp:

not sure why a shop would not want to "look it over" they get paid for their time reguardless. you may try a repower with a clone engine, or post in the for sale/wanted section and see if you can score a replacement engine :fing32:

last but not least, get the manuals and rebuild the bugger yourself!!!!

good luck and keep us posted :howdy:

 

[CptKirk]

Thanks for the reply. I'll post photos this evening.

I'd rather not part it out if I can get it running. After my step-father restored it, Mom claimed it as her own and named it "Sweetpea". The local shop asked to "bow out" when I called them. They didn't want to spend time going in only to find out it needs an unavailable part. It may still crank and run just fine. I'm waiting to see if the lube worked after the new spark plug and battery charge is complete. One part that I know I will need is the center blade hub. If I can find it, I may do the repairs and keep running.

Not being mechanically inclined, my fear is that every time something plays out or I hit a rock that there will be a 5 week repair period/parts search/figure out how to load the thing/begging a shop to do repairs. I may be better off selling and purchasing a newer model that can be repaired.

A local gentleman, who restores old tractors, is interested and asked me to come up with a price. Feeling that there must be some "horse trading" involved in tractor sales, I thought I should do some research as to what Sweetpea is worth running or for parts.

Thanks for everyone's time.

Best,
Kirk

 

[Oo-v-oO]

I wish I was closer, I love the Hydro-Tracs.

Let's see what it looks like! :wwp:

As far as help finding parts, you will get plenty of it here if you need it.

 

[Kbeitz]

E-bay has what you need... Many models will fit your machine.
Look for Surburban parts.

Here is the other one.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-Sears-...aultDomain_0&hash=item58a0546f72#ht_294wt_934


This might be the one you need.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEARS-SPIND...ultDomain_0&hash=item20a8bc97ba#ht_1033wt_934

 

[matt167]

Did you run it out of oil? That motor uses a Starter Generator which is enough to turn the motor over with a good battery, but it's not really strong as a starter so a little corrosion on the connections and it won't spin the motor, tho it will spin it to the compression stroke...

Blade hub is an Ebay item, Joesoutdoorpower might have one also, as he has parted several early Suburbans... Sears does still list the outer manderel shafts for a little under $50 each but the center manderal shaft is NLA as the hubs are.. A machinist could turn out a center mandral on a lathe in very little time if you could not find one.

 

[CptKirk]

Hi All,

Thanks for the input. Here is the Hydro Trac. The engine will not turn over even with a strong battery. A mechanic came out and also tried to start it manually. He was unwilling to open it up and the shop in town is unwilling to work on it, citing so much time would be spent getting in only to find it needs an unavailable part. It also needs a center blade hub.

I know that someone mechanically inclined could get it running again. It was fully restored in 1997 and is rust free. My talents do not lie in that area and the demands of my property won't wait for periods of break-down and part search, not to mention the unwillingness of anyone to work on it.

It would help me out tremendously if I had an idea of its value. I would like to raise a little funds to go toward a replacement that can be serviced and worked on.

Many thanks,
Kirk

 

[Rohan]

I am moving to Atlanta next week. I will definitely be interested if you want to part with it. I will be in Decatur sunday. And looking for houses for the next couple of weeks

 

[lobsterbox]

In my neck of the woods that tractor would be worth $300.

 

[CptKirk]

I am moving to Atlanta next week. I will definitely be interested if you want to part with it. I will be in Decatur sunday. And looking for houses for the next couple of weeks

Welcome to the red earth of Tara! Send a PM if you would like. Perhaps we can arrange something.

Best,
Kirk

 

[CptKirk]

In my neck of the woods that tractor would be worth $300.

Thanks, Lobsterbox. That is very helpful.

Best,
Kirk

 

[CptKirk]

I am moving to Atlanta next week. I will definitely be interested if you want to part with it. I will be in Decatur sunday. And looking for houses for the next couple of weeks

I would also be willing to pay you to repair it. Can't find any adventerous mechanics around here!

Kirk

 

[Rohan]

I am giddy to move back to a climate with grass. We moved from Salt Lake to Tucson and what a shock. Nothing grows but cacti. Here is what I have to look at every day. Brown.....

Sent from the MTF Free App

 

[Grand Sierra]

Unfortunately these tractors do don't bring in the big bucks. In my area $300-500 for a runner.

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[SonnyT]

$200 to #300 tops for a non-runner. Being a Hydro helps some.:fing32:

 

[CptKirk]

Thanks, SonnyT and Grand Sierra!

 

[Kbeitz]

Ask around for a gocart race track. There willl be a lot of small engine motor heads there that would be glad to point you in the right direction about getting your tractor fixed. I lived in GA. for 5 years. The gocart people all had tractors...

 

[CptKirk]

Ask around for a gocart race track. There willl be a lot of small engine motor heads there that would be glad to point you in the right direction about getting your tractor fixed. I lived in GA. for 5 years. The gocart people all had tractors...

That is a very good idea. Had not considered that resource.

Many thanks!

 

[Rohan]

Moved to atlanta and had a day off from house hunting. I stopped by and had a look with Kirk. Good news awsome compession and the motor is good, also its a cheap fix. The starter solenoid is no good. I would have spent more time on it but the solenoid is in a very difficult spot to get to. Whats the best way to get to it?

Sent from the MTF Free App

 

[CptKirk]

Thank you so much for coming out to the house and diagnosing the problem. It's good to know that its the starter solenoid rather than the engine. I'll also need to find a center spindle for the mowing deck.

Best,
Kirk