Help identifying this Gravely model
I need help to identify my Gravely mower. I believe is an L model, but almost all identifying tags are missing. I can locate 2 tags that clearly say Gravely and a #. I need to rebuild the drive clutch as it seems to be slipping too much. I got this mower from an Uncle. I believe it is an early 70s model. It has a Kohler 8 hp engine
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Welcome!
What you have there is a Gravely 5260. The 5000 series is one of the successors of the L models.
I'm not as up on the 5000s as the older machines, I think that's a K181 8hp engine. But it's newer than 70's, I'd say mid 80's. 8 speed. Steering brakes. Looks in decent shape for its age. And you got a nice looking sulkie with it too.
You can find out more about it at the Gravely manual site, GravelyManuals.com - OldGravelys.Info: Gravely Manuals & Parts Lists: Walk-Behind Tractors
What you have there is a Gravely 5260. The 5000 series is one of the successors of the L models.
I'm not as up on the 5000s as the older machines, I think that's a K181 8hp engine. But it's newer than 70's, I'd say mid 80's. 8 speed. Steering brakes. Looks in decent shape for its age. And you got a nice looking sulkie with it too.
You can find out more about it at the Gravely manual site, GravelyManuals.com - OldGravelys.Info: Gravely Manuals & Parts Lists: Walk-Behind Tractors
Nice machine. It is a mid-80's 5260 with the K181 8 hp engine as jrd said. The hole in the hood says mid 80's as subsequent 5000 models eliminated the hole.
I have the same model but no steering brakes. Mine is from 1985 with the 40" kidney mower. I eliminated the flat muffler in favour of the pepper pot one.
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I have the same model but no steering brakes. Mine is from 1985 with the 40" kidney mower. I eliminated the flat muffler in favour of the pepper pot one.
If it has the 2 speed differential, it would be a 4 speed. You have the high and low, then if it has first and second gear in the differential it would be a 4 speed, otherwise it is a 2 speed.
If you add forward and reverse speeds together it would be 4 or 8 speeds, but they don't do that for counting the speed/gear numbers.
If it had the extra shift lever down towards the right side axle, then it would be a 4 speed.
It is a 5000 series tractor.
The 8000 and 'G' series 4 wheel tractors had the 8 speed transmission with 4 speeds plus high and low range in forward, but only 4 speeds in reverse. Reverse was only 1 range plus 4 gears, not high and low. Forward used both high and low range plus the 4 gears, to give them a total of 8 speeds.
The 'L' model, 5000 series 2 wheel tractors and the early 400 series 4 wheel tractors used the 'Worm Gear' drive transmission, basically the same transmissions that were 4 speed. Some of the 2 wheel tractors are only 2 speeds, just high and low range without the 2 speed differential.
If you add forward and reverse speeds together it would be 4 or 8 speeds, but they don't do that for counting the speed/gear numbers.
If it had the extra shift lever down towards the right side axle, then it would be a 4 speed.
It is a 5000 series tractor.
The 8000 and 'G' series 4 wheel tractors had the 8 speed transmission with 4 speeds plus high and low range in forward, but only 4 speeds in reverse. Reverse was only 1 range plus 4 gears, not high and low. Forward used both high and low range plus the 4 gears, to give them a total of 8 speeds.
The 'L' model, 5000 series 2 wheel tractors and the early 400 series 4 wheel tractors used the 'Worm Gear' drive transmission, basically the same transmissions that were 4 speed. Some of the 2 wheel tractors are only 2 speeds, just high and low range without the 2 speed differential.
By the time they got to the 5000 series, did not all the walkers have the 2 speed diff?
Why then did they call the old L's with the 2 speed diff's "L8's" and "C8's"? I agree with your logic, but apparently Gravely did count the reverse speeds also on the old L's? More sales hype?
jrd said: By the time they got to the 5000 series, did not all the walkers have the 2 speed diff?
I believe the 5200 was a 4 speed (2 forward, 2 reverse) like the old L's. It was a bare bones model the 8 hp Kohler with recoil start. There may have been others but i can't think of them now.
I believe the 5200 was a 4 speed (2 forward, 2 reverse) like the old L's. It was a bare bones model the 8 hp Kohler with recoil start. There may have been others but i can't think of them now.
The 8 speed was a sales pitch, they added forward and reverse speeds together. The 5200's were 2 speed, or 4 speed with both forward and reverse.
The 800, 8000 and 'G' series 4 wheel tractors were 8 speed. If you counted the reverse speeds, they would be called a 12 speed.
It was a bit confusing how they did it back then.
They also had a 500 series 2 wheel tractor that was made before they became the 5000 series.
The 800, 8000 and 'G' series 4 wheel tractors were 8 speed. If you counted the reverse speeds, they would be called a 12 speed.
It was a bit confusing how they did it back then.
They also had a 500 series 2 wheel tractor that was made before they became the 5000 series.
My former neighbour in NoVA has a mid ‘70’s 526, the precursor to the 5260. Basically the same machine with differences, like tapered axles and hubs- I think.
In the early ‘90’s it was repowered with a new K181 as the original engine was shot- flat worn out.
In the early ‘90’s it was repowered with a new K181 as the original engine was shot- flat worn out.
I have an 87 pro 8 with no 2 speed diff. So they could be had with out. Its also a 6 lead machine
On a lot of those type transmissions the numbers 4, 6 and 8 had to do with the number of teeth on the worm gear that drove the ring gear on the differential. They had high medium and slow speed tractors throughout the years. They were all planetary gear cup clutch type transmissions that were built pretty strong.
They had the high low planetary gear set next to the engine, and the forward reverse set up front behind the forward gear housing before the PTO extension housing. They were very rugged built transmissions.
They had the high low planetary gear set next to the engine, and the forward reverse set up front behind the forward gear housing before the PTO extension housing. They were very rugged built transmissions.
You are making this way more confusing than it has to be. The term "L8" had nothing to do with the lead screw count.
Right. It was purely to designate the "8" speeds.
Gravely made it confusing back then. Most machines and automobiles just count the forward speeds. Gravely counted/added both forward and reverse on some models and only forward speeds on other models.
When they came out with the swiftmatic 2 speed differential, that's when the marketing confusion really started.
Another confusing thing was when they came out with the high, medium and low speed tractors that had both high and low range transmissions on them.
When they finally came out with the 4 speed, or as some call the 8 speed tractor, that gave everybody all the different speeds in 1 machine.
It was very confusing when you went to the dealer to buy the tractor and found out how many different models they had with all the different speeds in them, then tried to figure which one to purchase until they finally came out with the models that had all the different speeds in 1 machine.
The 'Lead Screw' count had to do with the different speed levels between the high medium and low speed tractors.
When they came out with the swiftmatic 2 speed differential, that's when the marketing confusion really started.
Another confusing thing was when they came out with the high, medium and low speed tractors that had both high and low range transmissions on them.
When they finally came out with the 4 speed, or as some call the 8 speed tractor, that gave everybody all the different speeds in 1 machine.
It was very confusing when you went to the dealer to buy the tractor and found out how many different models they had with all the different speeds in them, then tried to figure which one to purchase until they finally came out with the models that had all the different speeds in 1 machine.
The 'Lead Screw' count had to do with the different speed levels between the high medium and low speed tractors.
Yea thats the last kind of Gravely I ran till I bought a cpl old L's from the 60's .
I remember the gas goes in the cap in middle of hood ( think it has a plastic tank in there ) and the thing had what I called a 'dashboard lol" Key went in it there and it had the big black looked like a rubber hammer head on a shaft on there.
Probably 96 or 97 when I ran it, it belonged to my boss Id worked for for 11 yrs. and when I was done working off a small loan from him that evening I put the Gravely away in his biulding and went to work the next morning and everyone was standing outside ( about 6 of us ) and I walked up and said "whats goin on?" and the answer I got was "Phil ( our boss w/the Gravely ) died last night" I was like "I just mowed his yard when we got off yesterday and he waved bye to me from his window"!.... here one day and gone the next man....life is temporary, grab all you can...
I remember the gas goes in the cap in middle of hood ( think it has a plastic tank in there ) and the thing had what I called a 'dashboard lol" Key went in it there and it had the big black looked like a rubber hammer head on a shaft on there.
Probably 96 or 97 when I ran it, it belonged to my boss Id worked for for 11 yrs. and when I was done working off a small loan from him that evening I put the Gravely away in his biulding and went to work the next morning and everyone was standing outside ( about 6 of us ) and I walked up and said "whats goin on?" and the answer I got was "Phil ( our boss w/the Gravely ) died last night" I was like "I just mowed his yard when we got off yesterday and he waved bye to me from his window"!.... here one day and gone the next man....life is temporary, grab all you can...
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