Project: Gravely Model L

[flyboyx]

Sweet progress! 72" just seems like a lot of mower for 7 hp. I cant wait to see the rest of you attechment collection.

[88BlackS-ETA]

I got everything put on, including the remote PTO setup, and used it for ~30 minutes before the carburetor started leaking fuel. So I ordered a kit and rebuilt it. Then the mower got a nasty miss fire and I had to find out why. So after much trouble shooting, I finally asked for help from other Gravely addicts. They were stumped also.

Compression is 96 which is very good for that motor. I set the valve lash, gapped the points, gapped a new spark plug, even took the head off to check for stuck valves (both move and spin freely). Well I turned the main jet in all the way plus 1/8th of a turn then turned it out 2 turns and now I cant get it to miss fire. So must of been a piece of dirt in the carburetor somehow.

I bought a New Old Stock hood that will be here some time. I used lapping compound and reverse spun the reel mowers to sharpen them. They cut so much better then they used to..



I pulled out the snow cannon that was bought with everything else. It wouldnt turn by hand so I drained the gear box (mostly grease and some oil), checked the worm gear and refilled with oil. Then cleaned out the rust,stones, ect and can spin it by hand. The chute would not move using the crank handle so I pulled that apart to find the chain so dirty that it popped off the gears and stuck almost straight out when I held it in my hand. A little shaky shaky in a bottle of gas and then soak in some oil and it works like new.

https://www.facebook.com/robert.he.376/videos/182861645465159/

Then I pulled out the rotary plow. It would not budge either. I fully pulled it apart and cleaned the input shaft bearings and they are good. The vertical shaft and all 4 seals were shot to sh*t. So I ordered new and while I waited on those to come in I sandblasted most of the stuff and started to paint the gear box.

[88BlackS-ETA]

So here is a pretty good update!!!

I have been slacking A LOT on this lately because 'Murica... Any how, my brother welded the gas tank side so it looks better and he also did both brackets that hold the tank straps so they are now stronger and wont break.

I started work on the gang reel mowers. I started with the main reel. Redid the gear housing gaskets and put now Mobile 1 140 gear oil in it. I removed the rollers from all 3 reels and sanded the rust off the shafts (axles?) then put a coat of grease on them and reassembled it. I greased the bearings on the ends of the reels. All 4 belts got replaced with new.



I have almost everything plainted (2 selector bars left to paint then I'll be done) and the tractor assembled. I had almost everything to gether when I realized I put 2 brackets on the wrong bolts and had to take almost everything back off. Then today my brother and dad pressured me into starting it and see if the PTO worked. Well I couldnt move the lever to engage the PTO. So out came the acetone/ATF mix to take the pto handle apart. It is so worn out it would work anyhow. So came the other setup, which we slightly changed so it could work. Hooked up the 76" gang reel mower and tried it out. I never adjusted the reel height so it was very low, oooopssss.









At idle it has ~30 psi of oil, didnt look when I went ~half throttle. Starts first pull every time, got to love that. I still havent learned all the controls yet, there are 3 levers that swing forward and backwards that control forward and reverse, high/low.

https://youtu.be/PV1I-0xUqf4

[Reichart12]

Pennsylvanians and their tractors :P

Good looking work as always!

[Ether-D]

Aw man this is great! I grew up with gravely two wheelers. That looks incredible. Great job!!

[BobombETA]

Excellent restoration! I have an old toro snowblower that i'll be doing something similar to before winter hits.

[yellow2000S/R]

sweet.

have you thought about getting ag tread tires instead? they seem like they will be more useful.

He has a set of chains that came with it.

[flyboyx]

sweet.

have you thought about getting ag tread tires instead? they seem like they will be more useful.

[88BlackS-ETA]

Went and split the rims apart and started to sandblast them to find out the first one I did had rust holes straight through the lips...So new ones were ordered and when they came in I sandblasted them and painted them canvas white. I painted all the oil related items satin black and put all of it on, even a new oil pressure gauge. I cleaned the bottom of the magneto housing off and where it mounts to, I also put a coating of dielectric grease on both surfaces to keep it good. The paint on the one rim is still drying. I need to get the rim and tire back together so I can put it out of the way and bring my E30 back in, supposed to get a bad storm with hail...

[88BlackS-ETA]

Small update. I finished painting the engine block. I ordered a new fan shroud (mine was f**ked up to badly) and sandblasted then painted it. Painted the fan, hitch, other brackets and nuts/bolts. Then started to put it back together. I found the fan was hitting the jug with 2 of the blades so on and off that came ~5 times until I bent the fan blades far enough out to clear. I also got the 2 side air deflectors in and painted as well (they were missing when I got the tractor).





Closer to being done but still far away. Need to sandblast the hood and handle bars then get the hood front edge fixed and reinforced. Paint all that crap and try to get everything back together. Also have new tires coming and already have the tubes for them. The rims need split apart and painted also.

[yellow2000S/R]

that 9000 is something you could actually do a little work with.

Was told the engine was rebuilt a few years ago and shortly after it lost reverse and was torn apart for paint and fixing but the previous owner got sick.

[flyboyx]

that 9000 is something you could actually do a little work with.

[yellow2000S/R]

I'm his brother. I have a bunch if project ones I purchased the last 2 months.


In picture:

8123, 8179-kt, and an unknown. 50", 50", 60", and wing deck.




GMT 9000 That we own 50-50. 72" belly deck and 50" wing deck.

[Matt-B]

oh man nice, Ill take some pictures of the stuff me and my dad restored.

Similar stuff, walk behind tractors, planet Jr, and I forget the other 1

[rturbo 930]

I'll get some info for you in a few days when I'm back home. No clue what it's worth, so I'll have to do some research. It's fairly bulky though, maybe 2ft x 3ft and about 5ft tall.

You're about 2.5 hours from me, not too far from where my mom is from (Hanover).

Edit: There's also a sprayer if you're interested in that as well. I think it does 500PSI if I remember right.