Archive through November 27, 2012

[elincoln]

Mark; Rescued the tractor, The hydro linkage behind the steering box may be froze up. It's 2 friction discs on either side of the part thats bolted to the frame. You could check it by removing the rod end at the trans. It was frozen on my 127.

 

[mriney]

Thanks Edward! I appreciate it! I'll do that!

 

[drglinski]

So I'm looking at either the Duralast http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Lawn-and-Garden-12-Volts-340-CCA-425-CA-lawn-mower-battery/_/N-262z?itemIdentifier=21706_0_0_

or the one from TSC

http://www.tractorsupply.com/mower-batteries/briggs-amp-stratton-reg-lawn-amp-garden-tractor-battery-420-cranking-amps-4700042

Anyone recommend one over the other? They look like they are pretty close. Thanks

 

[proessler]

Just some more info FYI about hydro filters with nut on top/bottom...Blue Ribbon Service # GSS 1404 for models 73-147.These manual pages show the hydro filter with nut...2-41,2-44,2-47,2-62 & also the pictorial of the Hydro Transmission scheme.

 

[stanner]

Daniel,
I would recommend neither... get a name brand- Interstate, Exide, and stay away from parts and big box store batteries- everstart, duralast, diehard, Napa (yes, sears & napa has gone in the dumper lately) You'll get what you pay for, a goos battery will be more than $50 bux..

they'll work good for the first year, but will be worthless after that...

I did, however, have good results with a champion battery purchased from BJ's wholesale club 20 years ago..

 

[sblunier]

I've had very good luck with the high CCA Briggs batteries from TSC.

 

[bjames]

Those batteries are all probably made by Johnson Controls which makes batteries for Interstate, Exide, etc.

 

[stanner]

Bill,

I believe you are correct on that..

 

[proessler]

Thanks Bill, Pics aren't in my learnin' curve yet! I'll have to have Denny come over for personal instruction...

 

[drglinski]

Come to think about it, isn't just about everything that's made these days only designed to last a few months to a year or so if you're lucky?

 

[hydroharry]

Bill James - with regard to your comment on batteries and Johnson Controls making many of the name brands - last I understood there were really only about 4 companies actually making batteries any more, and they were making them under all the other names, brand names, big box names, etc. Have you got any more details on exactly who they make them for, and if there actually any differences on the insides versus just a different sticker on the outside? I had thought Interstate was one of the companies that made all their own stuff, really run independently.

Bill and Paul - so it now appears to have a 100 point restoration you need a nut on the top of the filter for "some" units, probably narrow frame hydros. I'll bet the manuals for wide frames and on show no-nut filters.

 

[bjames]

Probably the same batteries with different stickers. Johnson Controls makes the batteries for Interstate but not Exide. The 3 big manufacturers are Johnson Controls, Exide and East Penn(Deka).

http://bestbatterytips.com/best-brand-battery-manufacturer/johnson-controls/

 

[dfrisk]

SCOTT T. I have to agree with Bill J., Johnson Controls seems to have the best line of batteries overall regardless of what sticker they put on them. And I agree that a Die Hard used to be a good battery but I've got a 2 yr old Die Hard Gold that's giving me fits right now. It goes dead in 24 hours, charge it back up or jump & run the car for 3-4 hours and it's good, then it may go dead again in 1-3 days or 1-3 weeks. It's happened three times in the last month. Sears says the battery is fine, and the car has every possible electical option available so it could be something's up with the car too. The alternator is less than a year old from a reputable local rebuilder.

Had to laugh at your comment about the Champion battery. I had a 1000 CCA one I bought from Wally-World. It was my last straw for buying ANYTHING @ W-M or that battery mfg (Ohh I hope they went out of business!). Battery was 26 months old, was free replacement up to 24 months. I went over a speed bump in the high school parking lot just a bit faster than I should have... I normally creep over them about 2 MPH, and I might have been doing 8-10 MPH. About two hours later the truck would barely start, hardly run the heater, wipers, & lights at the same time. The truck spent the night on the battery charger that night. Next morning it even set the truck on fire idling at a gas pump filling it with gas. The battery had suffered a loose plate internally, shorted out, only making 8-9 V and the alternator was charging wide open trying to charge a bad battery, the heavy wire from the alternator to the starter solenoid over-heated and burned up taking the alternaor with it. I towed the truck to my local Ford dealer 5 miles from the house, they tested the Champion battery and it failed every test. I took it back to Wally-World and they charged me $16 for a new OTHER brand battery. I told them I'd be filling a claim for the damage and towing of my truck due to the POS battery. Took SIX WEEKS and several calls to the store manager but they finally sent it off to Minneapolis to be "Tested" I even talked to the guy in the lab who "tested" it and claims it was fine. I told him to install it in HIS car, this was in January, and let me know how many times his car started unassisted with my old battery. He declined my offer. I then told him to throw the thing away. I talked to the Battery Buyer down in Bentonville and he said they had so many problems with that battery MFG and the Champion brand batteries they stopped selling them between the time I bought the battery and the time I had the problem. Anyhow, that was about 18 yrs ago and I haven't spent $50 at W-M since. I can't afford their cheap garbage especially when it tears something else up that was working O-K.

 

[dfrisk]

PAUL - I got NO problem coming over you Your side of town, in fact I need to make a trip over that way some day anyhow.... Just have to ask you HOW many pic's have you ever seen me post? And there's a reason why..... I guess we could have a phone conference with KRAIG for special training for the two of us.

I could probably figure out how to post pic's, but my camera is 10 MP and I know I'd have to re-size the images and reduce resolution and that's where I'd have problems.

I suppose this emoticon fits here nicely,

And this...

And this...

 

[hydroharry]

Dennis - I haven't seen Champion batteries around in a long time. Who (or what) made them?

And just so I'm not confused - did you go over that speed bump when you were in High School?

 

[dfrisk]

HARRY - The Champion lable was HUGE... covered the whole frt & back of the battery but in small print on the bottom of the side decal it said, "Made by GNB Technologies". And there was absolutely NO relationship between GNB and Cooper Industries who owned the trademark for Champion. GNB paid royalties for the Champion logo used on every battery they made evidently. Now it looks like EXIDE owns GNB. And Cooper Ind. is now owned by Federal-Modul.

And I was hurrying to the HS to see SON off on one of his Middle school football games. I wanted to follow the team's bus to the game. I wasn't sure where the field was at the "Away" game but I finally found it. In the four years SON played football, the team they played that night was the ONLY team that ever beat them the first game of that season. The coach later found out the team that beat them was more of an "Allstar Team" from several local schools. But SON's team beat them anyhow the second game something like 21-14. You'd have thought they beat the GB Packers that night! There was always a group of about 60 parents at every game, that night in the rain & wind there was closer to 100. Rained close to an inch during the game. The kids were soaked, field was covered in water, ball was soaked. The Kid's wanted the win that night and they deserved it!

Back when I was in HS, speed bumps hadn't been invented.

 

[drglinski]

Has anyone ever used a Case IH battery (from a dealer)? I tried to do some online shopping- looking at CCA and such- couldn't find anything short of calling a dealer.

Thanks

 

[mhomrighausen]

The Tractor Supply Batteries or otherwise Briggs high CCA type are as Steve B. stated, a very good for the money battery. My brother gave one to me last winter and it was three years old or so then. It is in the 125 and it starts up in this weather. Exide makes the NAPA batteries. Gould batteries available at Arnolds are a fantastic battery. The difference is the number of cells within the battery. More cells then better battery. Your box store batteries don't have as many cells in their batteries. Take one apart sometime and check it over.

Here is a little more on who makes batteries in the U.S. and for whom. CLICK HERE ... According to that little snippet... the Champion brand is still around somewhere.

 

[hydroharry]

Marlin - thanks for the snippet. I guess it's more like "And then there were 3" (left).

Dennis - geez, you're bringing back memories. When I was in JHS we set a basketball record hadn't been broke in 20 years - LOST every game. The next year I was a freshman on the varsity football team and we set another team record - WON every game and State Championship. But wouldn't ya know it, the Coach got a big money job and left. After that it was just so-so. I think speed bumps had just been invented - they were the new thing at the drive-in theaters

And to stay on topic =

Daniel - don't know about Case/IH but most of the Cub dealers I've seen seem to sell the DEKA brands. Be interesting to know what Case/IH may have if any for L/G units.

 

[aschumacher]

Marlin, are you thinking of the number of plates in a cell?? As I recall lead/acid cells are 2 volts each by 6 cells = 12 volt battery. I do recall from afar back about more plates equals better battery.