[AT] Pearl and other tractor updates

[Henry Miller]

Yesterday was busy, though not as productive as I hoped. 

First order of business was the tire on my hay rack, the steel belts are
showing, so even though it somehow holds air it needs to be replaced. I
don't have a socket or tire iron big enough so off to town.  While there
I stopped by deere for a new fuel strainer gasket. $5, would be a buck
online, but $10 shipping and handling. Once I explained that it wasn't
the sediment bowl, but the carburetor end they got it. 

Back home I got the tire off, but half the studs stayed in the lug nuts.
This was not planned for. I put some penetrating oil on and I'll let
that work for a while before trying to remove them. 

The closest I got to driving a tractor was next, my wife was weeding and
needed my help to move the result. After a couple wheelbarrow loads I
got out the uv4. The dump box is a lot easier to use than an unstable
wheelbarrow. I let my son do the driving on my lap. We took the most
convoluted route possible but there was no hurry. 

Next off to the pearl tractor. The gas tank was so varnished that fuel
wasn't reaching the fuel lines. So over the last few weeks I removed the
tank, cleaned it, and put in a tank liner kit. Also I cleaned the fuel
sentiment bowl and replaced the fuel filter. Put it back on, a little
fuel, which promptly leaked out the bowl, right through the new gasket. 

While checking the pearl I noticed that the differential has no oil so I
filled that. The new oil promptly leaked out the end of the axel. Wheel
off, and there is a chain (gear reduction) from the end of the axel to
the wheel. Chain is easy to remove, but the sprocket is not, no room for
my gear puller. I might need to get a two jaw one, or perhaps something
else. I'll think about my options for a bit. 

Last to the deere model. This has a 1.5 horse model E hit n miss engine,
and the fuel tank feels like a quarter inch of sand in the bottom
through the tank drain. I figure it is best to remove the fuel tank and
clean it good. I can't get sockets in with the engine on.  Un bolt the
engine, remove the radiator. Now I'm stuck. The fuel tank sticks out
underneath several inches, it was designed to sit on skids (a cart).
There isn't a good place to lift, and it is heavy, and I'm not sure how
I will set it down once I get it moved. 

By then it was bed time. I have a lot to think about before I go on. 

-- 
  Henry Miller
  hank at millerfarm.com