Bought my first Tractor

Gotcha6

Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
The clutch I am referring to is not the same as the add-on PTO clutch for the 8N Fords and such. That clutch is basically a one way ratchet clutch that will not allow power or momentum to return to the transmission from the mower. The one I am referring to is a series of plates dry stacked and clamped together akin to an automatic transmission that can be adjusted to allow slippage above a certain torque. It wouldn't do any good on an 8N to keep you out of the pond..........
My story about the ethanol gas is just my experience. Doubtless, if you keep an eye on your fuel bowl and keep the water out of the carburetor, you won't have a problem. How's the gas mileage with the E85? I hear it reduces MPG by about 1/3.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
You know I love you but you forget i'm in the middle of corn country. There is no such thing as regular gas here. What they call regular contains up to 10% ethenol. I've not had any problems running older equipment on 10% ethenol. I run E15 in my 03 Silverado 203,000 miles and still on the original plugs. Wife runs E85 in her 12 suburban and again no problems.
View attachment 197090
I thought ethanol was supposed to bring prices DOWN, not up. If this is a recent photo, then you are paying too much for watered down gasoline. Looking at wear on the buttons, it's clear that most don't care for the alcohol fuels.
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
I thought ethanol was supposed to bring prices DOWN, not up. If this is a recent photo, then you are paying too much for watered down gasoline. Looking at wear on the buttons, it's clear that most don't care for the alcohol fuels.

That is a recent photo and yes gas prices (taxes) are ridiculous in Illinois.
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
The clutch I am referring to is not the same as the add-on PTO clutch for the 8N Fords and such. That clutch is basically a one way ratchet clutch that will not allow power or momentum to return to the transmission from the mower. The one I am referring to is a series of plates dry stacked and clamped together akin to an automatic transmission that can be adjusted to allow slippage above a certain torque. It wouldn't do any good on an 8N to keep you out of the pond..........
My story about the ethanol gas is just my experience. Doubtless, if you keep an eye on your fuel bowl and keep the water out of the carburetor, you won't have a problem. How's the gas mileage with the E85? I hear it reduces MPG by about 1/3.

I don't really know about gas milage, we don't get out much. We run into town every now and then and that's about it. I absolutely hate going to town and so does my wife. Everyone wearing masks, freaked out about the kung flu.
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
I finished hogging this evening I only had about an acre or so left (red arrow).
IMG_20201012_115642114~2.jpg


The boss (wife) the wanted me to run over another acre where we will put the garden and stuff. I just laid the hog on the ground drug it around with the old girl and mulched up what I previously hogged. I told her it's not a finish mower but she wants to be able to go through it with her zero turn.

Now I'm looking for a disc harrow and a ag lime spreader. This place needs some hooves something aweful. I'll be working fence rows this winter for animals this spring and also cleaning up willow saplings around the pond. I hope it gets cold enough to freeze the pond so I can walk on it and clean up around the bank.
 
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sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
I buy the highest grade gas at the pump for my small engines, including the 2 cycle machines, and I always add SEA FOAM to the gasoline mixture, as well as STABIL. With this mixture I have had no fuel system failures, even on those machines that get seldom use. I have a high wheel push mower I purchased over 12 years ago, and sat idle for 11 of those years. I pulled it out last month and drained the fuel, refilled the tank and and it started on the second pull! It really does help to drain the fuel tank if it has to sit for a long period, but the gasoline additives really help keep the carburetor from gumming up.
 

23tony

New User
Tony
:Lol Both my youngest daughter and my daughter in law are afraid of it. They both said at separate times when I asked if the wanted to ride it. "i'm not getting on that tractor, the tires are taller than I am". Of course I had to say if your scared, say your scared. The both said I'm scared.
Mine is a rather new Kubota (5 years old). My 4-year old granddaughter loves it - I have to take her for a ride any time she visits.

Looks like a nice vintage piece. Keep it happy and it will keep you happy. I learned that from seeing some of the old workhorses at our annual tractor show.

I get where you are might have an impact, but weird that a rural area doesn't have at least one or two places to get non-ethanol gas. They're all over around me. State regulation maybe?
 

Gotcha6

Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
Dad had a neighbor that retired from the phone co. and moved to Alton, MO. some years back. He and his wife bought 600 acres and he grows grassfed beef along with his daughter and her husband. His wife was driving the tractor uphill with a wagon behind it when it began to stall. She pushed in the clutch and the brakes couldn't hold it from rolling back. She's buried in a small family cemetery on the place. If your family or you are not respectful of machinery, KEEP THEM OFF OF IT! I've been around machinery all my life and I've never operated one yet that had and apology button. Think about it.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
I buy the highest grade gas at the pump for my small engines, including the 2 cycle machines, and I always add SEA FOAM to the gasoline mixture, as well as STABIL. With this mixture I have had no fuel system failures, even on those machines that get seldom use. I have a high wheel push mower I purchased over 12 years ago, and sat idle for 11 of those years. I pulled it out last month and drained the fuel, refilled the tank and and it started on the second pull! It really does help to drain the fuel tank if it has to sit for a long period, but the gasoline additives really help keep the carburetor from gumming up.
Ever read the MSDS sheet for Seafoam? Naptha (lighter fluid,) ethanol, and light oil (diesel fuel.)
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
I finished hogging this evening I only had about an acre or so left (red arrow).
View attachment 197120

The boss (wife) the wanted me to run over another acre where we will put the garden and stuff. I just laid the hog on the ground drug it around with the old girl and mulched up what I previously hogged. I told her it's not a finish mower but she wants to be able to go through it with her zero turn.

Now I'm looking for a disc harrow and a ag lime spreader. This place needs some hooves something aweful. I'll be working fence rows this winter for animals this spring and also cleaning up willow saplings around the pond. I hope it gets cold enough to freeze the pond so I can walk on it and clean up around the bank.
If you are going to be building fences, you need a post hole auger for your tractor, ASAP!
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
Dad had a neighbor that retired from the phone co. and moved to Alton, MO. some years back. He and his wife bought 600 acres and he grows grassfed beef along with his daughter and her husband. His wife was driving the tractor uphill with a wagon behind it when it began to stall. She pushed in the clutch and the brakes couldn't hold it from rolling back. She's buried in a small family cemetery on the place. If your family or you are not respectful of machinery, KEEP THEM OFF OF IT! I've been around machinery all my life and I've never operated one yet that had and apology button. Think about it.

Actually long story short.. my first tractor was supposed to be a FORD 3000. My neighbor made arrangements for the owner to bring it by my place Saturday morning for a look-see. But that Friday evening he lend it to his neighbor to haul 500 gallons of water down to his food plot for deer season. He thought he set the parking brake. Got off the tractor and proceeded to water his plot. The tractor rolled down hill and crashed into a tree. Tore the front end all up. Needless to say the tractor never showed up at my place the next day. This was supposed to be a surprise also, I knew nothing about it

A lot can go wrong with a tractor, no doubt about it. Water weighs about 8.3 lbs per gallon so the watwr rig was little north of 2 ton, plus the wagon weight. Thankfully only the tractor was hurt.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
That is a recent photo and yes gas prices (taxes) are ridiculous in Illinois.
Here we are paying around $2.05 for 10% ethanol fuel. Illinois tax $0.37 cent per gallon, NC's tax $0.345 cent per gallon. Add the 2.5 cents to NC's price and it is still cheaper per gallon than Illinois prices, by over 10%. Your transportation costs should be less than ours, as refineries are closer by, plus alcohol is transported here by railcar ( you can't ship ethanol in the pipe line) from the midwest. Here as the percentage of ethanol increases, the price DROPS! My 1990 Honda Civic got 40 MPG before ethanol fuels, but dropped to 32 MPG with ethanol, which meant I was using 25% more fuel with ethanol. The ethanol was designed to make fuel supplies go further, but when you are using 25% more, ain't so. The Corn Lobby is ripping off the American driving public, especially in Illinois. Alcohol was made for drinking, not driving.
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
Here we are paying around $2.05 for 10% ethanol fuel. Illinois tax $0.37 cent per gallon, NC's tax $0.345 cent per gallon. Add the 2.5 cents to NC's price and it is still cheaper per gallon than Illinois prices, by over 10%. Your transportation costs should be less than ours, as refineries are closer by, plus alcohol is transported here by railcar ( you can't ship ethanol in the pipe line) from the midwest. Here as the percentage of ethanol increases, the price DROPS! My 1990 Honda Civic got 40 MPG before ethanol fuels, but dropped to 32 MPG with ethanol, which meant I was using 25% more fuel with ethanol. The ethanol was designed to make fuel supplies go further, but when you are using 25% more, ain't so. The Corn Lobby is ripping off the American driving public, especially in Illinois. Alcohol was made for drinking, not driving.

Sadly your number is outdated, here is the current gas tax (as of July 2020) But, please don't get me started on politics and taxes. I'll get banished from the site again.

Reference ---> How High Are Gas Taxes in Your State?
Gas-Tax-July-2020-FV-01.png
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
How many drive across the river (Ohio, or Mississippi) to buy gas? Recently SC and NC agreed ending a border dispute. A gas station that used to be in SC, is now in NC, but enjoys a SPECIAL tax exemption allowing them to sell gas at SC prices. Add the difference of taxes to our price, and gas is still cheaper here. DUH?
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
When I got done bush hogging, the next morning the tractor had a flat front tire. Instead of trying to fix, it I just went ahead and bought a set of new tires. I mean the tractor still had the original front tires from 1962. If I can get 58 years out of the new ones... (Not holding my breath). I ordered made in the USA, Carlisle Farm Specialist F-2 3rib Agricultural Tire - 750-16 LRD 8PLY. Which is a bit of an upgrade from what the tractor manual calls for which is 6 ply.

I can't say enough good things about Tires Shipped 2 You there were the best price and I ordered from their website about 1:00am Wednesday morning and UPS had them here before noon the next day, Thursday. I took the old wheels into town to a place called tire plaza and they mounted the new tires in under 1/2 hour. New steel stems also for $29.95. I told them I bought the tires from Tires Shipped 2 You and they said I get a discount for mounting.

These tires are great quality, tubeless and recommended to be inflated to 54 lbs.
IMG_20201015_125621655.jpg

IMG_20201015_125611712~2.jpg


Tires Shipped 2 You also has car and truck and ATV, trailer tractor and other type of tires. If your looking for new one and you do order from them, then I hope your experience will be as good as mine was.
 
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CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
How many drive across the river (Ohio, or Mississippi) to buy gas? Recently SC and NC agreed ending a border dispute. A gas station that used to be in SC, is now in NC, but enjoys a SPECIAL tax exemption allowing them to sell gas at SC prices. Add the difference of taxes to our price, and gas is still cheaper here. DUH?

Well son, let me tell you about county gas tax. On second thought, I better not...
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Don,t feel bad. Here we have sales taxes on death, as we found out when preplanning our cremations. One last slap in the face! But I still don't understand why price doesn't drop with larger percentage of alcohol. Are you allowed to request a refund of road taxes paid on farm use fuel? Maybe you need to get a small fueling station at the farm, avoiding paying taxes in the first place. Between the saw mill, Bob Cat, and tractor, you are buying a lot of fuel that isn't used on the road.
 

23tony

New User
Tony
Well son, let me tell you about county gas tax. On second thought, I better not...
When I drive through VA I'm always seeing variations of more than $.50/gallon along I-95, with the prices grouped together. Guessing it's county. Haven't seen as big a difference in NC, but I don't typically go that far.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
When I drive through VA I'm always seeing variations of more than $.50/gallon along I-95, with the prices grouped together. Guessing it's county. Haven't seen as big a difference in NC, but I don't typically go that far.
$1.84 a gallon on US 70 in Garner today. Going to our daughters in WV, we always stop at Pilot truck stop in Danville on US 58, a mile east of US 29. On US 522 going into WV are three gas stations. By buying in VA, save $0.25 a gallon.
 

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