[AT] Back to the Hole in the Wall

Thu Mar 28 17:51:13 PDT 2024

I was happy with the service from the hole-in-the-wall electrical shop a couple of weeks ago when they rebuilt the generator for my newly-acquired 3020, so I went back and had them do the same for the 620’s generator.   In recent years the charging system hasn’t worked on that tractor, but I didn’t use the tractor all that often and I had a battery tender charger handy so looking into the charging issues never rose to the top of my list of stuff to do.   But it’s nice to now have the generator cleaned up, regulator checked and adjusted, and the charging system back in operation.    Repair cost was the same as for the other one, $127.93 all in.

The regulator on a 620 is mounted directly to the generator, and positioned such that in normal operation it leans inward so it’s mostly out of harm’s way and out of view.   When I unbolted the generator and pulled it off the tractor, I noticed the regulator cover has a spattering of green paint overspray… no doubt from about 25 or 30 years ago when the original owner of the tractor had the local JD dealer overhaul and repaint the tractor.   I’m glad the electric shop left it on there rather than cleaning it off or repainting the cover.   Nice little touch of the past.

I drove the 620 around a bit this afternoon to watch the ammeter needle with the repaired generator in place, and it looked fine and the tractor sounded as good as ever.  What a solid old workhorse.    But I’m thinking now of selling it… it’s served its purposes for me, both the purely functional uses and also the sentimental and emotional ones, but the 3020 is taking over those roles and I’m feeling it’s time to let the 620 go to a new owner.  I’ll give it a quick bath and see what I think then.

Dean Vinson

Saint Paris, Ohio

From: AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> On Behalf Of Spencer Yost
Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2024 4:18 PM
To: Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Subject: Re: [AT] Time to commence tinkering

My hole in the wall alt/gen/starter shops closed except in w and he’s terrible.  I’ve complained before on the lis about him.

So I use the hole in the wall shop in Mt Airy NC.  I once saw a diesel electric locomotive starter in there.   Man was that huge.  We have a very small rail line in our area that I guess does not have the capability to fix their own starters.

Yadkin Valley Railroad:

 <https://www.gulfandohio.com/yadkin-valley-railroad/> YVRR — Gulf and Ohio Railways, Inc.

 <https://www.gulfandohio.com/yadkin-valley-railroad/> gulfandohio.com

 <https://www.gulfandohio.com/yadkin-valley-railroad/> 

Spencer

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 17, 2024, at 3:09 PM, deanvp at att.net <mailto:deanvp at att.net>  wrote:

Deans,

I didn’t remember that the change of Generator to Alterbator occurred in 1969. I’m glad my 69 2520 has an alternator. One less generator to fix. Having those little hole in the wall repair shops available is really helpful. 25 years ago when I started collecting I had some tractor club members refer me to those kinds of shops. I have outlived every one accept a guy called “Cast Iron Mike”  who can perform miracles on repairing cast iron breaks and cracks. Losing my old “Hole in the wall” places has caused me to do a lot more myself. The new shop have decided that they are going to get rich their first year in business.  And there are enough customers to help them but it just doesn’t fit my MO to pay that much just for labor. Yes, I understand they have to pay much more for their tools and test equipment but I’ll let others pay for it. Unless I get stumped and then often it is less expensive to just buy another fixable generator. There is a certain amount of peace and tranquility that occurs in your own little shop with no one bothering you or having a deadline to meet. When I retired 25 years ago I had two things on the top of the list. One I never was going to wear a tie again and the other was to never get on another airplane. I’ve succeeded with the tie except for funerals and weddings.  And I probably have been on less than 6 airplane trips in the last 25 years.  I would rather drive for 3 or 4 days rather than get on an airplane. We have been coming here to AZ since 2006 ,17 years or so and have never used an airplane to get here.  The car may look like we are OK’s moving to California but we still get 28 MPG. Motels have become almost as bad as airplanes.  It is amazing how extremely bad motels/hotels can charge over $100 per night now pushing $150. .  But still better than airports and airplanes. In NW WA  Boeing dominates a part of the labor market but over the years I have met several Boeing workers and managers and I can fully understand the quality control issues they are facing. I’ve never met so many people unhappy with their employer as Boeing employees. I don’t know who is as fault. But  with that kind of environment good quality planes are not built. I don’t know about the Boeing labor relations in the Carolina’s.  It is an entirely different mindset than I am used to. I guess we maybe had more opportunities to go somewhere else if we didn’t like our current employer.  

Dean VP

Apache Junction, AZ

From: AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com <mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> > On Behalf Of Dean Vinson
Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2024 5:58 AM
To: 'Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group' <at at lists.antique-tractor.com <mailto:at at lists.antique-tractor.com> >
Subject: Re: [AT] Time to commence tinkering

Dean, yep, a generator… I think the OEM switch to alternators happened with the 1969 model year, and this tractor is a 67.   I thought briefly about converting it to an alternator rather than taking the generator to a shop, but sticking with the generator appealed to me from an originality perspective.   

And I like this particular shop… little hole in the wall in the not greatest part of town, small reception office with a battered stainless steel counter and some old sales displays of various toggle switches and cut-away starter motors and such.   From the counter you can see back toward the shop area and there are shelves lined with must literally be a ton of starters, alternators, and generators in all sorts of sizes.   They do a lot of truck service but also years ago had rebuilt the starter on my Super M for 12 volt operation, since the tractor had been converted to 12 but the starter pinion would hit the ring gear like it had been fired from a cannon.   Anyway, kind of an old-school feel to the place.   Total bill with tax for reworking the 3020 generator was $127.93.

That $10 Crumblis tester sounds fantastic… inherently interesting to think about and no doubt to work with.  I do greatly appreciate and admire DIY effort.   Lately almost all of mine has been focused on a renovation of the second floor of our house, which we’re hustling to get to a useable state before a big family gathering coming up in just a few weeks.   When we conceived the project more than a year ago we hired a general contractor with the intent of having them do all of it, and the planned family gathering in April 2024 seemed a long time away.   But after some months of planning and prep work it became clear this firm’s focus was building complete new homes with limited customization options and they just weren’t going to give enough priority to our comparatively small job with 100% custom details.   They refunded our money and we parted ways respectfully, but of course there’s no way to get the time back--so I’m now acting as the general contractor plus doing all the electrical and painting plus a lot of the demolition and framing myself.    As a fairly informed guess I’m estimating I’ve avoided at least $10,000 in labor charges by doing this work myself—so I’ve happily rationalized to myself that even after buying this 3020 I’m still a few grand ahead.  😊

Dean Vinson

Saint Paris, Ohio

From: AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com <mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> > On Behalf Of deanvp at att.net <mailto:deanvp at att.net> 
Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2024 3:21 AM
To: 'Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group' <at at lists.antique-tractor.com <mailto:at at lists.antique-tractor.com> >
Subject: Re: [AT] Time to commence tinkering

Dean,

Your 3020 has a Generator and not an alternator?  My 1969 2520 has an alternator. I have a faint memory that JD started the NG tractors with generators and then switched to alternators. Without digging out some reference books I don’t know when that change occurred. As far as your painting goes I would say that will be a 10’ touch up when it dries.  BTW.  The tire company needs to take a long time to justify their charges 😊 .   I can attest to the fact that old regulators are better built than the new ones. I’m lucky to get a 70% success ratio with the new ones.  Generators are another thing. Just cleaning them up sometimes solves the problems but sometimes the brushes are worn out or the armature it worn out at the commutator or the bushings are worn out  or the field wiring has shorted out or opened. Or all of the above. 

Several years ago I purchased a armature buzz box which helps and 2 years ago I purchased at an auction a Crrumblis generator/starter/regulator tester.  Probably 50’s era but amazingly still works   The primary benefit is it spins the generator in a fixture so some output testing can occur in a more friendly environment.  A momentary load can be applied and it measures the output I got that for an auction price of $10.00  Then last year I picked up an Allen Instrument Tester assembly that has 4 different portable testers in it .  That cost me $30. Also 50’s era stuff. Don’t have manuals for any of it but I’m starting to figure out how it all works. Helps to have an electronics background 12 of my tractors have generators  and I’m too damn tight to have them repaired by a shop so when I get a round Tuit I tackle the generators. Actually it is kind of a nice break from all the mechanical stuff.  The repair parts are expensive enough. At least I am not paying $150 plus shop labor rates.  I’m 83 years old and still haven’t given up yet on trying to do stuff myself.  That got close to changing last August.

Keep us informed on how it goes when you put that beauty to work.  It will purr like your M. 

Dean VPtt

Apache Junction, AZ

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