OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Ride-On Mowers Resto Notes: Murray ... with Overhead Foxtails

We pulled the wiring loom, and traced the wires.
Just to double check where we needed to patch anything.
Next we set up all of the chassis tinware and checked for faults.
The nose cone was dented and some minor twists we hammered out on an anvil.


All removed parts were treated similarly, they were washed in degreaser, washed in petrol (gently) and then spray and wipe (yep) with a scouring pad.
Then we rubbed them all with #320 W&D before repainting with epoxy.
Every assembly was washed in solvent, usually diesel and the petrol, scrubbed in a degreaser bath and then washed with car wash, rinsed and left to dry in sun. We of course had spots of rust on some of the exposed metal within days so we knew we'd got it right.
I'll show you my washer setup soon (I need to take some pics) but it's simple and effective. Also a pressure washer is handy (essential).

We'll jump a bit here as at this point we'd tapped the engine and wanted to test fit it.
Here's a little trick to tap the holes properly.
Drill a hole almost exactly correct (smaller) in a piece of 19mm MDF only about 75-100mm sq using a drill press and offer the tap through this into the case. This provides a guide to keep the tap square to the cases. Once the tap has taken into the case, remove the guide and flush the hole and resume the procedure.

Any way we dropped the engine in and found that we had a few issues...
The exhaust didn't line up, (no surprise there) and that the engine was longer and the bonnet wouldn't fit. A bit more interesting. We'll look at that soon.
And... the inevitable wiring issues. I'll go into those again but they are relatively simple whe you get down to it.
(I suppose anything is simple after a full switching 32 bit microprocessor).
Here's the engine offered up for initial measurement.
Be prepared to fit and remove the engine several times during the whole thing, I keep a pallet etc. so it's less effort than doing a battery.






Of course all of these procedures were stringently observed by our diligent management team...

WOOF

Feel free to ask any questions about anything except wiring.
I'll do a new thread soon as soon as possible so that anyone can trace and wire a chassis to almost any engine. That's not for this thread. Any engine questions, paint, screws, etc. no worries.
Hope you're all enjoying so far.

WOOF!

My previous comment was ill considered and insulting, I apologise.
I was on a run with a manic diatribe and just barged through any comment without thinking. OOPS
It happens to me often, (BiPolar) and IQ aren't good for making friends.
Sorry

And as we continue with our build we stop, blow a spliff and chill.

Oh yes..

Cool tunes, where would we be without cool tunes...



Then we may become raucous. the best is yet to come...
I'm forking with single barrel EFI..> Won't that be SO cool.

Here's a little close up of two of the issues that we had fitting the larger engine.
Firstly the engine was longer.
Secondly the exhaust spat straight into hood. It really kills the paint.
Here I'll show the extension and later some better pics and much later (when the rain stops) I'll outline the exhaust solution.


Here you can see where the bonnet hinges and further back a bolt.
Just forward of the bolt in the original tinware was the mount for the bonnet (hood if you're a yank).
I made a pair of brackets from some scrap 2mm plate which moved the hinge point 65mm forward and 20 upward.
I used the rear bolt holes to hold the brackets to get perfect position and then welded through the original hinge holes to the brackets.
Then of course I dressed the welds and primed, prior to final paint.
In the top left you can see the problematic exhaust ('zorst if you're a yob). The small spot welds holding the baffle were dressed back clean with a Dremel (I love my Dremel) so the deflection pipe would would fit cleanly, I'll show that in the near future.

You can also see here the selective use of the chrome plated bolts.
They give a bit of bling (is that REALLY a word?).
This machine will remain a work in progress for an example of the ridiculous things you do with a Lawn Tractor . I like the term "Lawn Tractor" better than ride-on mower for the lager engine in front machines. Ride-on always throws images of old Rover Rangers in my head (My 3rd resto from now)here it is.



My current work in progress is a Lawn Tractor by Victa which shares the same chassis and setup with our iPhone build but I don't have a deck so I'm building an ungoverned 15hp with a carby from my old school Yamaha 250XS a tuned exhaust and a foot throttle. It goes well. So it will become the tow car for the trailers and implements and in top gear a bit of fun.
Here it is from the original ad. We have it running around with a hand throttle and a (really) dodgy exhaust.




The following project (research, parts acquisition and resources are well advanced) is a 42" Husqvana. I'll be offering this for sale as I only have 2 acres and 1/2 an acre per mower is approaching overkill
I've got some great ideas for this and I'm torn as which I'll keep. I've learned a lot from the Murray so the Husky may be better?



Anyway, I can see it, but to you guys it's just piece of yard trash.
This one I'll thread here as I do it. I imagine about 6-8 months as winters here are not fun for playing outside.

Next, we'll do some colour matched bolt heads.
Both cheap and easy but very good and very good but will piss off the missus to no end.

Now, we'll talk about paint.

In this job I used Eleven (11) different paint products.
Each had a particular advantage or suitability to the job and in some cases was the only choice. Remember that each can was $15-20 then the right paint will add nearly $200 to a resto. Of course if you're doing several the cost get diffused but these thing if not accounted for can be unreasonably expensive. Also add paint thinners solvents spray guns, masks etc. Consider.


Unfortunately, there is no shortcut here.

Always use the right paint for the right job. I understand that most of you are servicing small engines and restoring smaller implements. These rules apply and this will be a long and boring diatribe. I've restored classic cars, race cars and maintained all sorts of machinery, I fly R/C planes where the weight is critical, I've run a successful hobby shop where the applications for paint are beyond imagining.

Let us talk paint, the difference between a winner or a loser.
On this particular job I was a total loser, did'nt get the epoxy thinned right and had some runs. But I learned a lot and will never suffer those particular indignities again.

Let's do one method every 5-6 posts, that will help the interested and I my ego can pretend you care about my mower

Application #1
A random sheet metal item that's scratched and some minor rust is appearing.

Wash, I use a strong household cleaner first and if it's REALLY dirty, a solvent bath with kero or petrol.
Toothbrushes are good as are scouring pads, there's no real need to go to specialised "auto shop" products, common household stuff and simple solvents are good.
When the piece is CLEAN. Examine for chips and faults. Now is the time to tap out any dents and to check for flaking paint.
If you have flaking and loose paint this is the time to halt degradation. Using course paper, either a random orbital or by hand rub the loose paint until the good paint blends with the underlying metal. we want a SMOOTH surface not smooth with an edge that may have some oxides waiting like cancer.
Apply a primer, if we have minor imperfections, use a filler primer, if not just a good metal primer.
It will dry quickly but leave for 24 hrs on a good day and 72 on a bad to let it shrink back. Sand then with a 400-600 grit paper and ensure all imperfection has been addressed. If you have issues the repeat but only in the areas needed. I use a course airbrush or touch up gun for 90% of my painting as it's mainly smaller areas on mowers and my Brother is a total ace on bodywork so I only really play with the smaller areas.

Then using about 30psi in my gravity feed touch up gun (see below), float 3 coats onto the object. Usually I'd do in batches so when I'm done with all for one coat, I'm ready to start again.
I't's very important to do all this in one session, going back after a few hours will bubble and lift the previous cats and the only solution is begin again. (I've been there trust me it's a real headfuck).
The last coat thin a little more.
I use about 20% for the initial coats but at the end thin to about 40%, in acrylic terms it's called a "flash" coat but the reasoning and result is the same that the thinned coat melts the ones below and the surface tension smooths the finish.
Epoxy dries slow so either awarm day or an oven for small bits for a good finish.
One of the many reasons I remain a bachelor .

I'll assume you have a compressor ?
Then grab a few of these...
I have both and they work well but have different feels.
The suction gun is more subtle but finer





and the gravity feed is closer to an adjustable rattle can.



I use this gun for more than 80% of the work so if only one than I'd use it for most things.

It's junk compared to an Iwata and I have those but compared to industrial work and hobby work it isn't worth me getting those guns out.

Keep it clean, look after it and it delivers 1000's of times the investment. As with all good tools, maintain and be familiar and they become good tools. I'll pick up my cheapy touch up gu now and surf the settings and get to incredible standards.

PLAY, PLAY, PLAY some more. make it comfortable is more important than its cost.

I airbrush with a Passche but won't get it dirty for a mower.

I use Dulux metalsheild for chassis stuff and VHT for specific Hi-temp applications but use Automotive acrilics for some body mork but this job was done with epoxy everywhere, harder to do but tougher and more suitable for an outdoor machine.

I also dissasemble my guns, lap the needles to the nozzles using autosol and a slow drill before I run any paint through them. you get a better control I think.

We'll be back soon with a new addition to the management team.
Young in years but good on imagination, I can follow a manual but imagination takes a different type of thinking.




He'll deliver absurd, imaginative thought to a humble Husky.
at 6 weeks he's in the groove, watch out when he inherits the throne, DayGlo colours, anti clockwise blades, removal of governors??


I see anarchy


But maybe nothing.
He's just a puppy after all...

Lotsa LUV
Bill

Meet
Dr. Winson O'Boogie.
Named after the pseudonym that John Lennon used when he performed with artists that were not on his (EMI) label. Altruistic anarchy.

At this point I must insist that NONE of these following and few before projects are my own work.
My neighbor Mark was fascinated by my playing and just wanted to hang out and see what I was doing, another neighbor Glenn helped by borrowing a mower and suggesting a slasher or bigger unit might be usable.
I have over 60 R/C cars and was going toward 5th scale with 23-35cc engines and fixing mowers and one or two restorations, my brother already had a thing for '60's Victas and early '70's rovers so he gave me a collection of later model spares.
The rest became inevitable.
Of course I dismissed both and carried on in my own way until I was given a few interesting bits of junk and re aligned the service areas.
It was so much easier than doing cars!
I now have over 120 working internal combustion engines in all sorts of implements.
I still covet a 1960's David Brown tractor above all.
To Mark, my stalwart parts washer and continual poke in the back to get on with it, Glenn who suggested and then cautions about being "too perfect, just "get it done" and my brother who collected for years before I realised the there were even different model mowers.
To the forums here and also elsewhere, the variety of opinions and the sparks of an idea, that's why I'm here now and finally some of the great parts providers, if they didn't supply the part now they did, or will and their catalogues give incredible insight.
My gratitude beyond words.


To restore or refrbish is the best thing you can do for recycling because it is not only landfill, but the costs of making another in the materials and power are negated.

There is also the beyond cool feeling of mowing the verge with a 50 year old vintage mower, priceless.

I have become the victim of their enthusiasms and as such the captain of a ship that may never make port.
With

Mark
Glenn
Sue
Max (management)
Bella (management)
Winston (management) to begin soon.

Enjoy the ride, we're having fun doing something interesting, not profitable.

Here's the dash panel.
I'll do a detail on this later but a this point it's just an access panel to the fuses and solenoid so we used it for an interface panel,



at this point it was the initial shakedown so a lot of features were left out until we'd run it through the initial tests.

We're about to add an ammeter to the top dash and a 12V lighter socket, aux audio input and an hrs usage meter to this panel.
(Remember we still have only put 500ml's of petrol through this so far). I refilled with 1.5 litres 2 weeks ago but we've started it once since then. I'll take the meter as a Zero.
The layout and population is fairly simple. The Dash units are available online cheaply, from me they're about $20 but I test and then epoxy them first.
The amplifier units the same, about $7.00 on line but I test and coat in epoxy plus add 3.5mm aux dash connectors. For about $20.00.
The antenna is almost done and I've used a similar system that I've used for some planes and helos so I'm good with the performance for simple FM radio.
The knob I use now is a guitar control that's a gibson SG replica but of course anything..

Here's the amp,




about 15W bu it's really for parking, sitting back with some beers and it's good enough for that, I removed the 3.5mm input and direct patched the front end line outs into the inputs of the amplifier.
Likewise I patched the front end and amp to use common -ve and switched power a simple panel switch just turns on the panel.
So, by turning on the power, we can play tunes with no regard for the mower being on or off.

Pics coming soon.

It's about 2" square so we work with that, the front end unit is equally simple but we'll go through all the wiring patches soon.

One thing I cannot stress enough is to take pictures.
When doing a pull down it may be several weeks before the parts are painted, replaced or refurbished so to rely on the frail human memory would be folly of the greatest risk.
Even to sub assemblies, I won't go into details but would offer this example of the blade engagement mechanism.



It had to be disassembled for cleaning & painting.
To refer back to the pictures meant that it would go back together first time not with a lot of experimenting and mistakes.

Another tip is ALWAYS have a container next to you for screws and parts. Putting them aside or on the footrest etc. is the first guarantee of failing, they get bumped, camouflaged or just plain lost and you'll waste hours looking for something that should have been there all along.
I keep all reusable containers (take away food, dips, plum puddings etc) and also the small sandwich bags and a permanent marker are very good where you have to keep the bits for a while.
Don't use glass, trying to gather up your bits among the shards of a shattered jar is not fun.
Keep glass jars for mixing small amounts of paint, they're cheap and when you're done you can toss them. Don't bother with jars that have plastic lids, the thinners will melt them into a sticky goo and ruin the paint. I seem to have an affinity for Aldi cream cheese jars, 250ml metal lid and good proportions for paint. You'll find your own best thing but try a few different ones. I also probably do more paint than most of you so I get more chances to make mistakes.
This job took 3 months (though not full time) so some of those bits may sit for that long before you see them again.
Properly labelled bags and pictures will prompt the memories and make the reassembly so much easier.

G'day Bryce I take a few pics with my phone these days. It's usually in my pocket and easily backs up to the computer. Anyway, it's a little off topic but tell me a story about your David Brown. What model is she? Do you have a few acres to play with it? Just a passing thought if you were to drop a glass jar you could try pick up the bits with a magnet.