[SRB]

So I have been trying to get this thread started for a long time. I even started it once and had a bunch typed up and left the window open and came back to it a couple days later and typed some more just to lose everything when the page refreshed! isgus: My bad! Being a computer geek I knew better!

So anyway, I am a long way into this restoration so I am going to do my best to get everyone up to speed. I have a TON of pictures and a lot to talk about. I know how everyone loooooves pictures.

First off though I want to take a moment to say that forum is GREAT! I have read over and over on here other people saying that but I have to say it too. All of you are great, very kind, very helpful, and very passionate about your equipment. Thank you! And yes, my wife doesn't understand either. :sidelaugh

So let me start off with a little bit about myself. I am 37 years old, married with two kids. My daughter is 15 and my son is 11. I am self employed and am a jack of all trades and a master of most of them. I don’t mean to sound self righteous, what I mean buy that is that the good Lord has blessed me with many gifts and talents. I am OCD and am a perfectionist, so throughout my life when I have tried something new I have to do it the best I possibly can. So I will seek out professionals in that particular area and pick their brain on how to do it right and research until I can do it and do it right. So when I started my business I decided to offer to people anything and everything I can do and have even done many many new things because of my preparation. I offer carpentry, lawn care, gardening and landscaping, and computer repair and build.

Also when I buy something I try to buy things that will last. I want it to last a life time if possible. I am a maintenance freak and take care of my things so they will last me a life time (back to the OCD I mentioned above).

Okay, on to the tractor. So up until the past couple of years I really didn't know much about tractors or have very much experience with them. But over the past couple of years I have had the pleasure of having a John Deere 2320 with a CX200 FEL at my disposal. It belongs to a friend of mine who has acreage and she lets me borrow it basically when every I want. So I have learned about the great quality of JD and how handy a tractor is.

So on to the goods. A friend of mine asked if he could use my Ferris IS1500z zero turn on his property to see if he likes it because he was tired of putting money into his old John Deere lawn mower. I had never seen it before and knew nothing about it. But this is what I found when I go there.

Okay, I got the tread started! That's one mountain climbed. But I am having trouble figuring out how to post pictures in order as I type. Could someone please help me with this and I will get more pics posted and get everyone caught up on the restoration? Thank you Also where is spell check?

 

[PA318Guy]

First of all, congrats on getting the thread started and you've taken on a really potent GT for your restoration project! To add pictures there are a couple of methods:

1. When you are ready to post pictures select the "Go Advanced" button on the reply screen instead of "Post Quick Reply". Once in the next screen click go to the second box called "Additional Options" and click on "Manage Attachments" this will take you to a screen where you can select from images on your computer by hitting the browse button or below that you can choose an image that is already available on the web by putting the URL in the box. There are size limits on the attachment types and those are spelled out in the box below. Once you have uploaded all the images close that box and then submit your thread.

2. If your images are already on the Internet in a photo sharing site you can also use the picture icon in the quick reply area to insert it. That will pull up a window for you to enter the URL.

Those are about the quickest ways to add pictures.

 

[JohnnyReb]

Welcome :Welcome1:

I got a good laugh out of the OCD comments. My Dad is the same way. A jack of all trades and a Master at all. Unfortunately I wasn't blessed with with that but I manage to make due.

Well if your going to restore a 400 you didn't start off in to bad of shape it doesn't appear. Tractor looks real good minus the side panels missing. As far as looks I think the 400 is the meanest looking GT John Deere made. Just something about those huge 26 inch tires sticking way out past the fenders that looks mean :thThumbsU. My only issue with owning one is finding attachments for it. The 400 won't take interchangeable attachments like the 300s and later 400 series. So finding a attachment must be specifically for the 400.

 

[KATT]

:MTF_wel:
Like MONK said on OCD............ "It's a blessing and a curse" :sidelaugh
Spell check is automatic on MAC's
I will be following your progress, post them as you got um !! :howdy:

 

[SRB]

Okay, I have to get moving for the day before it gets to hot!

I will get more pics posted later. Suspense!

Thanks guys!

 

[SRB]

I always have pics on my phone so I thought I would post a couple of where I am right now. I will fill in the gaps and details later.

Boy, now that I have stated posting this is getting addictive!

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[SRB]

Or not. Can't seem to get them to upload

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[k91]

Welcome to MTF, look forward to your progress pics :fing32:

 

[SRB]

Taking a little break from the heat and thought I would try it again.

So this pic is were the frame is at now.

These are the front rims with new yellow. Aren't they so pretty?

This is what the looked like before.

Here are couple during power washing and after I got it all cleaned up.

Alright, back to work. More later. I will give some more details about it later as well.
Enjoy.

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[SRB]

Oops. Okay so if you haven't figured it out yet I am new to this whole forum posting thing. I have always just been a reader up until now. I can build and fix any computer but not to big on the whole social media thing. LOL

Didn't mean to double up on the pics.

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[MichaelTJD60]

:MTF_wel: There are a lot of knowledgeable guys on MTF who will be glad to help you out. 400's are nice big machines, I'm glad to see that you're putting so much time and effort into restoring it! She looks great. These tractors are built to last and as long as you maintain 'em, they will run forever. Definitely much stronger and better-built than the newer ones. The K532 Kohler and Sundstrand transmission are a great combo. Once you post a little more on MTF, you will get the hang of it. I have a 210 from 1983 that I am restoring now. I am 15 years old and bought it last summer. I also have had a cheaper, newer LA150 that I bought from Lowes a few years ago and it is strictly a lawn mower and not a heavy duty garden tractor. I wanted a garden tractor, one that would be heavier duty and not give me so many problems like the LA150, one that I could keep for a long time. So after a few months of searching, I bought and picked up my 210 in used, running, working shape, on eBay for $300. Spent the previous summer tearing it apart, the fall season for sandblasting and priming, and once it got a little warm and I obtained the right equipment I started painting it. I just got her running again last week after sitting for over a year. I plan to NEVER sell this tractor as it is my first restore project and once you've spent enough time and money on it, it becomes of sentimental value. I love mine and I know you will love your 400. Once again, :MTF_wel:

 

[jar19800]

:MTF_wel:

nice job on the rims:thThumbsU

did you blast then spray or did you use rattle cans?

 

[SRB]

Yes I did blast them. I bought a little 32oz Harbor Freight blaster for $20 and it works great. I have been doing a combination of blasting were needed, using my air grinder with 3 inch discs and wire wheeling. I am using John Deere paint and primer. On the more important pieces, like the side panels, building up the primer then wet sanding the imperfections down has been working great. I love that primer, it fills all the small paint chips that I didn't get sanded completely out before I primered. I have only been stripping parts down to complete metal when need, like the rims.

I am really having trouble uploading photos from my computer and figuring out. The reply posting page. I don't have any pics of my blasting set up or the rims after blasting on my phone. I will get some posted once I figure out the reply process.

This is from last night. I wheeled

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[SRB]

This is from last night. I wheeled the frame out and power washed it off. Not a whole of rust on it at all. Over all the whole tractor has been in great shape for being 37 years old.



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[SRB]

Alright, So I thought I would fill in some of the history details of my 400. Like I said, I got it from of friend of mine. He purchased a new Ferris zero turn because he was tired of putting money into the JD. I had looking for something that was capable of running attachments and a front end loader like my friends JD 2320. So when I saw this 400 I knew it had the potential I wanted. My buddies plan was to fix a few things on it and then list it on eBay and CL. The reason he called me that day about using my Ferris was because the engine back fired and blew the end off the muffler. Unfortunately by the time he got it back up to the garage the heat coming out the end of the muffler started to melt the corner of the hood.

YES! I figured out how to post the pics in the post where I want them! :congrats: Sorry, small victory!

The tractor also needed the engine tuned up to correct the back firing issue. It was missing all of the linkage for the right brake. He was just planning on fixing the muffler and tune up the engine then list it for $3500. I asked him what he would sell it to me for as it sat that day and he sold it to me for $1500. As good of shape as it is in over all I was very happy with that price.

Some history on the machine that he filled me in on. He was the second owner and bought it locally from the original owner 14 years ago and all he ever used it for was mowing his acreage. He also believed that was about all the previous owner used if for also. The front hydro ports do not look like they have ever had the caps off! It did have the 3-point rock shaft and center link mount installed on it but was missing the center link and the lower draft arms. So the previous owner may have used the 3-point for something. I found a company here in IA that makes 3-points as I was able to order the draft arms, center link and everything else need for about $170.

The one really great thing about this tractor is the engine. So my buddy sold it to me thinking it was a 1982 model year because it had a service manual that was a 1982 print. When I got it home I figured out how the run the serial # and found out it was a 1976, which for me was very cool because I was born in 1976. Also he told me he bought a new k532 short block about 4 years ago and rebuilt the engine using the remaining parts off the old one. at that time he put a new starter on it, coil, and fuel pump. So when I got it home I contacted a gentleman here in town and asked him if he could tune up the engine for me as he is a collector of vintage GTs and Maytag engines and is very good with small engines. He had it running perfect in no time! Because I want to know as much as I possible can about the unit I contacted Kohler about the new engine because I was not able to run the new serial tag from the new short block and get any info back. So when I called them I gave them the spec number and the Kohler rep told me that was a K582 short block! He said Kohler stopped producing the k532 blocks years ago. So now I have a beautiful 1976 John Deere 400 garden tractor with a new 23hp engine!!!:thanku::bananapow:050::dancingpa:bannana: Man this just keeps getting better and better! Thank you Lord!

So I started with fixing the muffler and brakes. I found a nice good used muffler and a set of complete brake sets with linkage, brake pads, backing plates, and all the springs and hardware on eBay for $40 a piece, about $100 total with shipping. Put it back together and sharpened the blades and mowed my yard with it and WOW, it did a great job! I could not believe how good it groom my yard. Yes, I groom my yard, I do not mow it! :fing32: So then I took it out to my friends house that has the JD 2320 and spend about 5 hours in the seat mowing part of her yard. You could not have slapped the smile off my face that day! These are pics from that day.[/ATTACH]

After that is when I pulled it in the garage and started tearing it down to restore it. Sorry everybody but I am out of time for now. I will get some more on here later.

Thanks again to everyone.

 

[jar19800]

sounds like you done did good there:thThumbsU

glad you are enjoying your machine

 

[SRB]

Trying to get the hood decals off. Does anyone have any ideas on how to remove 37 year old factory decals? I have been trying a spray can decal remover by Rustoleum but I doesn't seem to be doing anything at all. Any products that you have known proven results with?

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[biker3777]

Heat gun and razor blade,I have heard that easy off oven cleaner will work,might try a small spot first.

 

[Robert Webb]

I would not suggest putting oven cleaner on fiberglass..............just asking for problems later. If the oven cleaner soaks in the fiberglass you will probably be looking for a new hood because it is VERY CAUSTIC.

 

[SRB]

I am always looking for a reason to buy a tool so I was leaning towards the heat gun. I did think about the oven cleaner for a minute but then thought it's probably not a good idea.

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