Building a New Hill Mower

Thanks Nappy. I do need a break but it will prob have to be next year, or after dads barn is built and done, and the farm is cleared out from my 40+ years of stuff, cars, and Horses lol.

What slowed me down today in what time I spent on it was I started working on this one like it was for a customer, especially once the paint came out... I decided to touch up the tractor some while waiting for other things to dry and before I knew it it was starting to look sorta like a refresh so I called dad and told him to come take my paint away, but he wouldn't. The painting wasn't part of the plan but it seems the older I get the more OCD I get with my work lol.

Here are the earlier today pics after my "quick touch up" I thought I would do...

Anyway... The belt slips good when disengaged and running now, the PTO setup is on and done, tires are mounted, rear tires are on, rear mount is on, and a few more things are painted...

A few of our new HD front wheel bearings in the front wheels and then I can move on. It's a lot more than I planned but she's worth it and will make another nice long term family tractor.

are those photos over past few days of the sparkling clean tractor from just the foam cleaner... or from also using the steamer as well ? Would love to see photos of how clean the tractors get from just the foamer? I ordered the foamer on your sugesstion but the steamer not something I would have. Great project .. Bill

Morning Bill. I foamed them then steamed them after the foam sat for about 10-15 mins. I haven't tried it without the burner (hot water/steam) portion on but I will next time. I ordered it based on it was cheap, reviews, and the fact that most anything that is foamy, even bathroom cleaner works a lot better. Also, I'm only running at 1500 PSI and most peeps have regular pressure washers like my old one that run a lot higher than that. I would love to know what you find in your test if you have a minute to let us know.

Anyone else ever worked on wiring and looked at these diagrams until they were about to go blind. Between a bad connection at the circuit board, a burnt trace on the circuit board, a bad test switch for the circuit board, and some bad switches and a bad ground I was almost there lol...

Some good news is we now have the 111353 test switch that is long discontinued from Toro, I got some in last Friday that work great, one is in the 312-A now. It hooks up the same as the original, only difference is it is not momentary up for the test but that's a good thing, no more trying to hold the momentary switch up while doing testing on the tractor circuits. Up is energized and down is de-energized, it also has a waterproof boot option. Now I just need to get them in the store soon.

There is also a momentary push button version I got in that works just as good but the wires have to be rearranged, prob too much of a headache for peeps, we'll see.

Here are the pics of the terminal that was burnt off, the trace was also mostly burnt off of the board but fixing traces is easy, and I have some of the connectors around. The 2nd pic is a new one, I need to find a supplier for some of the connectors to put in the store in case other peeps want them since I'm on a fixing test lights rampage... After fixing the board, replacing the connector, and replacing the switch all the lights were working with the test switch on but the seat switch light wouldn't go off with the key on or running, it ended up to be a bad ground in the seat switch/PTO switch circuit. After it was all working I tried an LED board that was in the back and it worked too so since it's a newer, less trouble prone design I'll use that one when done. I spent too much time on the wiring today, this is one of those times when I wish the OCD wasn't so bad lol...

The board + switch is in and it has all 4 wheels now, the 2nd pic is the screw on rubber boot, looks weird but I'm just not used to it.

The rest of it will be easy, as long as I don't keep looking at the need for paint and decals on the tower... The rear fender and hood could use the same, That may be a good little Winter project if time allows.

Geno wrote: The board + switch is in and it has all 4 wheels now, the 2nd pic is the screw on rubber boot, looks weird but I'm just not used to it.

The rest of it will be easy, as long as I don't keep looking at the need for paint and decals on the tower... The rear fender and hood could use the same, That may be a good little Winter project if time allows.

i will say that there is only one GENO and HE IS THE MAN.............. :jump

Lol thanks Nappy. There are more Geno's but I may be among the craziest and most OCD for sure...

I ran the buffer over the belt guard and other side panel and they came out pretty good, but then I got into the new steps and thought "oh no, the paint's gonna have to come out again"...

We also have some weights on the rear, the traction part is all done now.

Steps are blasted + painted, rubber step treads have been done with tire dye. Most of the part that shows on the step looks really good.

Working on the panels now and putting the half moon in them for the new lift height adjustment. I know everyone says you should never use an iron worker hole punch die on anything less than a complete hole punch but I thought since the panels were thin it would work ok, and it did. I think it would only be suitable on thin gauge steel to avoid ruining the punch and will sure make these jobs a lot easier. I learned a new time saving trick today.

Getting ready to blast the other panel now, I got to digging through my spare decals and found most all of the correct decals for the plates so they may as well get redone. Good thing Terry always sends kits with 8 speed and auto decals, and seeing as I keep and organize everything left over I have a lot of extra decals sitting around lol.