thebunns

Thanks, hardtail! I plan on keeping in touch with the forum. I might even be able to pass on a tip I've gotten or share the results of an experience I've had in the last 20 years. Vic

Good idea---I'll tell him! Vic

It's all over. Yesterday I sold both tractors to a local industrial mechanic for $2000. He had to come only 5 miles to pick them up. Vic

Thanks, "Doc"! I'll try it your way---it sounds good to me. I think I'll put a heater on it to help evaporate any moisture left in the radiator. Vic

I am keeping the Jeep & we're going to the west side of Moses Lake where my wife has a couple of relatives left.

That's a tough analogy to follow---I've never taken a pain killer! Vic

I agree! Vic

Thanks for the plug, Hardtail! Actually, I'm trying to get away cheap as I don't need the tractor any more as well as my -14. I'm moving down the hill where I won't need them. I'd like to patch it up as the rest of it is in working order. I just finished using it last winter on my driveway. I'd love to sell both tractors for whatever I can get for them to get them off my property. There are many good parts (new & rebuilt) on both of them that I've added over 20 years. And they are both in running order (minus the radiator leak). Vic

The lower radiator gasket is leaking. Is there any known patch, liquid steel, etc. that could be applied to circumvent having to pull the front end off the tractor? Vic

I forgot to mention a couple of other things---when you find out what your tractor is, Binder Books is one place to look for manuals. Also, in my opinion the price is over double its value. I think that it would have to be in perfect shape, along with a recent wash job to be worth that much. Vic

From the pictures, it has quite a few features similar to my TD-14 although the tracks look wider (maybe 22"). From the driver's seat check the left side of the dash for a decal with info on it. Vic

Here are a couple of shots I took this afternoon on my way to plow out a shed that stores equipment. Vic

My 80 year old TD-14, the one that has plowed my 1/2 mile steep driveway for the last 20 years has allowed me to live in the mountains all those years. Vic

I agree! Just for laughs, I tried starting my little 2 cylinder Chinese Rhino at 0 deg. (18 deg. C). One quick shot of engine starter (ether) & it started immediately. Vic

It worked! I did add a heat rod in the dip stick hole along with the propane heater. After all that I cranked on the motor for about 20 minutes before it continued to run. Vic

I've had the block heaters on both my -14 & -14A for two days at zero deg. fahrenheit (and below). Neither one will start, I believe because the oil is too thick. Tomorrow I'll put a 40,000 BTU heater under the pan of one of them for half a day and then try & start it. Vic

I would think that a winch full of cable would be up towards a ton. Mine has about a half spool of cable on it that I've never used but I put 450' of 1/2" cable on my -14 and it almost filled the spool. Vic

I've always thought (maybe told) that my -14A weighs around 12tons with the blade on front & the winch on back. Vic

If you order from VBelts Direct in Las Vegas, I doubt they will care about a new number. Vic

Hardtail, To your second question---I don't know! As to the first these tractors, made in China were sold here (mine came from Jerome Idaho) as demonstrators. Hobby Horse Ranch sold it to me. Mine had 7 hours on it. I got it in 2003 to plow my driveway but found out real quick that I needed my TD-14 & -14A with their blades built up 18" to do the job. It usually takes both to have one running come spring. That Rhino turned out to be quite light. I've bent the blade digging rocks out of my driveway & the tracks have to be kept as tight as a violin string to keep them on the rollers. Good enough? Vic

The glow plug on my Chinese Rhino went bad & when I put a new one in its design was such that I twisted the hot wire off by merely tightening it in the manifold. I found that one shot of ether just prior to turning the motor over makes it start immediately. Vic

A tip for the future---if you want to know if the decompression valves are closed during diesel operation, put the lever in diesel mode, pull the spark plugs & turn the motor over. Stick your finger in each hole & if no air comes out, the valves are closed. Vic

I'm looking at TD-14A serial number TDF34659. There are differences between that one & my -14A serial number TDF36246 manufactured in the same year. I'm told by my "main mechanic" that farm tractors were built with different gear ratios or rear end ratios, giving higher speeds/gear. Is there any way to find out if this is correct, other than putting the two tractors side by side, picking a gear & see what happens? He was guessing that the farm tractor might be geared too high for plowing snow, which is my main reason for having the tractor.

That's what it is!

F2036, Thanks for the update and address for Charley, I will find a card and send a note off to him. We have (or had) more than our share of snow here. It warmed up to 45 degrees Monday and now we have glare ice or snow encrusted ice:-( Here is a picture for Gary of warmer times here in Iowa Wil Here is a picture of my snow moving equipment Here's my brother's snow remover in Steamboat Springs: F2036, Thanks for the update and address for Charley, I will find a card and send a note off to him. We have (or had) more than our share of snow here. It warmed up to 45 degrees Monday and now we have glare ice or snow encrusted ice:-( Here is a picture for Gary of warmer times here in Iowa Wil Here is a picture of my snow moving equipment Here's my brother's snow remover in Steamboat Springs: