Deere

2010 - Volume #34, Issue #1, Page #28

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Deere "B" Mower Tractor

"I thought FARM SHOW readers would enjoy this one-of-a-kind Deere tractor that I modified to use as a lawn tractor," says David Owings, Eldora, Iowa.
    "Special tire equipment gives the machine a low profile and low center of gravity for stability and reduced ground speeds. Built on a 1942 Deere "B" row crop chassis, it pulls an 84-in. Woods rear discharge finish mower at 3 mph through 7-day growth Kentucky bluegrass with ease. The 1,100 rpm engine is relaxing to listen to compared to a modern 3,600 rpm screamer.
    "What I did was to install 9.5 by 24-in. Firestone turf tread tires on the rear and 16-650 by 8-in. ply turf tires on the front. I also engineered a Cat I 3-pt. hitch and added power steering that's completely hidden in the chassis except for the belt-driven pump I used. In addition, the original crank-start was replaced by a 12-volt electric starter with a 12-volt alternator. I also installed a remote fuel tank with an electric fuel pump to replace the stock tank above the engine. The gasoline stays cooler and there's less evaporative losses.
    "Another change I made was to install a horizontal exhaust, which is compact and there's no pipe sticking up to catch tree branches. I also installed an automotive dry panel air filter, which is concealed in the frame so there's no air stack sticking through the hood to catch.
    "The rear wheels I installed fit the common 9-bolt Deere hubs û they were custom-built at a local co-op that has a wheel shop that uses the wheels on center-pivot irrigation rigs. The front wheels were made by a friend using 8-in. Snapper Comet rear wheels and 6-lug centers from old wagon wheels.
    The final touch was to install a comfortable K&M Deere-style cloth seat designed for a 40-Series tractor.
    "Gear speeds with these tires range from 1.5 mph in 1st gear to 7.8 mph in 6th gear.
    "Friends laugh when they see it but I tell them it'll do the work of four garden tractors and it already has a 67-year start to outlasting all of them."
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, David Owings, 1414 7th Ave., Eldora, Iowa 50627 (dvd42@heartofiowa.net).

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Deere "B" Mower Tractor FARM HOME Lawn Mowers (31h,38) 34-1-28 "I thought FARM SHOW readers would enjoy this one-of-a-kind Deere tractor that I modified to use as a lawn tractor," says David Owings, Eldora, Iowa. "Special tire equipment gives the machine a low profile and low center of gravity for stability and reduced ground speeds. Built on a 1942 Deere "B" row crop chassis, it pulls an 84-in. Woods rear discharge finish mower at 3 mph through 7-day growth Kentucky bluegrass with ease. The 1,100 rpm engine is relaxing to listen to compared to a modern 3,600 rpm screamer. "What I did was to install 9.5 by 24-in. Firestone turf tread tires on the rear and 16-650 by 8-in. ply turf tires on the front. I also engineered a Cat I 3-pt. hitch and added power steering that's completely hidden in the chassis except for the belt-driven pump I used. In addition, the original crank-start was replaced by a 12-volt electric starter with a 12-volt alternator. I also installed a remote fuel tank with an electric fuel pump to replace the stock tank above the engine. The gasoline stays cooler and there's less evaporative losses. "Another change I made was to install a horizontal exhaust, which is compact and there's no pipe sticking up to catch tree branches. I also installed an automotive dry panel air filter, which is concealed in the frame so there's no air stack sticking through the hood to catch. "The rear wheels I installed fit the common 9-bolt Deere hubs û they were custom-built at a local co-op that has a wheel shop that uses the wheels on center-pivot irrigation rigs. The front wheels were made by a friend using 8-in. Snapper Comet rear wheels and 6-lug centers from old wagon wheels. The final touch was to install a comfortable K&M Deere-style cloth seat designed for a 40-Series tractor. "Gear speeds with these tires range from 1.5 mph in 1st gear to 7.8 mph in 6th gear. "Friends laugh when they see it but I tell them it'll do the work of four garden tractors and it already has a 67-year start to outlasting all of them." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, David Owings, 1414 7th Ave., Eldora, Iowa 50627 (dvd42@heartofiowa.net).

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