Power King Economy Tractor Restoration

Just when I thought I was done

2011-12-21T09:58:00.002-06:00

I can't beleive that I am saying this but just as I am so close to being finished with this project I am getting ready to take it all back apart. In the picture below you can see the spline shaft and the spline coupling. This picture is after I had taken it apart and before I went in to bed that night. I took a picture so that I could remember how it all had been. I didn't want to forget so I simply laid the coupling in place but did not put it on in the position that it was orgionaly. It was very difficult to take off and I did not want to have to heat it up and knock it off again.

When I put the tractor back together I put installed the coupling to a small line on the spline shaft where it looked like it was before. But when I was assembling the transmission to the rear end I almost had it completely mated together before it engaged into the spline fit.

As I think about it I think it would be best to check to see how long of an engagement it has before I start using this tractor as a bulldozer pounding the dirt and snow. I don't want the spline in the rear end or the coupling to strip off. I hope to do it all in one day before it snows on me.

Electrical Problem fixed

2011-12-08T20:41:00.001-06:00

After trying to track down the electrical problems I finally found that I had grounding issues.

The bolts holding my transmission cover to the frame did not have a good connection. I guess my paint job was too good.

I removed these bolts and used a file to remove all the rust and the paint under the bolt head. I also made sure the cover was free from paint and that the under side of the frame, where the nut mates, was free of paint .

I used a volt meter to track the connections all the way back to the engine and the starter. Now it will turn over like a dream.

The repaired solenoid works great too!

I did find one problem. The spark plug seems to be bad. What do you think? Looks like I will be picking up a new spark plug tomorrow.

Power King Economy Wiring Diagram Factory

2011-12-06T14:57:00.001-06:00

I had been looking for a high quality wiring diagram to add to my site. I could not find a good one so I sketched one up real quick.

My tractor is not wired this way. I no longer have a rectifier or a seat switch or a clutch switch like this one. I will make a diagram and add it later showing how I hooked up my alternator.

Starter Solenoid Problems

2011-12-06T10:18:00.001-06:00

As I started hooking the electrical system back up I had some problems. First of all my 12V battery was very old and tested bad. But after I got my new battery I still could not start the tractor. I had power to the ignition switch because the head lights worked. I used my volt meter and found that all of the functions of my switch worked.

I tested the Starter Solenoid, and what I found, I did not understand. I had continuity between the main posts of the solenoid, which means the starter of the tractor should be energized? Then I tested continuity between the incoming post from the ignition switch and the battery post and there was continuity. So it was time to disassemble the solenoid to see how it was shorted. This is what I found:

You can see I already put some scratches in the new paint job. Oh well, I need it to work. I can touch them up later.

I simply use a wide flat screwdriver to pry the lid up.

This is the top of the plunger. The round copper disc gets pulled down and makes contact with the right and left bronze posts completing the circuit. This is what allows current to flow to the starter from the Battery.

The spring is to push the switch back open when the operator released the ignition switch.

This is looking down into the plunger hole. You may notice that the disc make contact with the bronze posts in the same place every time. When I reassemble this I will turn these around so that it has fresh surface to mate with in the future.

The post has a rubber insulating pad on the inside.

Through the canister housing is a nylon bushing that insulates the post from the housing.

The post that receives the current from the ignition switch is connected to the magnet wire that goes around the electromagnetic coil. Notice that the insulating washer has been damaged from where I had turned the post around when making the external connection to the switch wire. I also found that the side posts had done the same thing. That is why there was a short in the assembly.

The magnet wire was damaged and shorted against the side of the housing as well.

I removed the insulating washer and plan to reuse it but I will flip it over to have a fresh area around the critical areas.

This is the end of the coil wire. It simply is striped at the end and makes contact with the steel disc on the top which makes contact with the housing, which makes contact with the tractor dash to complete the circuit.

The coil did not look damaged at all so I did not take the time to rewind it.

I reassembled it careful to insulate everything to where it should be and tightened everything so that the posts will not make contact with the steel disc. I should work now.

Now I have another problem. I may have fried other stuff because the starter will not do anything when I bypass everything and the lights will not work at all. I checked all of the switches and they work. I will keep you posted when I figure it out.

Install Alternator on Antique Tractor

2011-11-20T22:29:00.001-06:00

After fighting a low battery almost every time I went to start my Power King I decided to see what it would take to install an alternator on the tractor. I found a used Delco alternator and started figuring out how to rig it to the tractor. At first I had a link belt on the alternator, but after a year it started coming apart. On this tractor it is neccessary to pull the engine and cluch in order to install a belt on the middle pulleys. The middle cluch pulley assembly has (3) pulleys to use for different equipment. One of my pulleys is used to drive the hydraulic pump. I am using the other for the alternator leaving the other for what every else I may need to drive in the future.

My Dad had tried installing one in the past and had already built a bracket that was almost in the right location. I searched the Internet to find instructions on how to install an alternator on an antique tractor and did not come up with much. So I figured it out my self. My alternator is a self exciting alternator, which means that I have to get the engine RPM's up pretty high before it begins creating a charge to the system. After you excite it on start up you can throttle down and the alternator will continue to work. As I begin re-wiring the tractor, I will detail how and why I hooked it up. I will try to make some videos demonstrating how the charging system works.

This is an updated wiring diagram of how I hooked up my electrical system to work with the Delco Alternator. I went to my local Radio Shack store and got a few Rectifying Diodes that worked great.

Paint details soon

2011-11-18T09:36:00.001-06:00

I have had several people wonding how I painted this tractor. To be completly honest I had no idea how to do paint until this project. I went to my local Pivco and they walked me through what I needed for the project. The guys there were amazing. They told me step by step what to do.

I am getting ready to start painting my seat and a few parts such as my 3 point hitch and snow plow. I will make sure that I detail every step of the process for the blog.

I bought new decals for my Power King at http://www.serviceproparts.com/contents/en-us/d4371.html

Service PRO was really easy to buy from. Their web site was clear and professional.

The quality of the decals are amazing. They are a heavy duty. They look better than what came from factory. I can't wait to put them on.

Installing new choke cable and fabricating bracket

2011-11-18T08:07:00.001-06:00

Ever since I can remember the choke cable on this tractor did not work. It was no big deal to me. All we had to do was; un latch the hood, open it a little, and then prop it open with the air filter cover. Then we had “easy” access to the choke lever. After you got it started you would simply lower the hood and re-latch it on both sides.

Well, after doing this for 25 years I decided that it would be nice to fix it properly. The problem was I had no idea how the original choke cable was laid out and frankly, it must have not been done very well because it did not last long. So this is what I came up with to fix the choke cable.

First of all I was very fortunate to have a good friend, Chuck, who is as big of a pack rat as me. (He also drives a train, which is a very cool thing to say you do for a living.) He gave me a choke cable that he just happened to have laying around. I cut it to length after I got it to where I thought it looked good.

After I had it all hooked up I realized that there was nothing to fasten it to. Nothing even close to where I needed to mount it. I busted out a scrap piece of 1/8” thick steel plate that I had laying in my scrap steel box and started laying out a bracket. I used my Dewalt portable metal cutting band saw and my 19 volt Craftsman chordless drill and this is what I came up with.

I put it on last night to test it out. I still need to remove it and paint it before it becomes permanent.

It works great! I can’t wait to start it up for the first time using my new choke cable.

You may have noticed that I installed my freshly painted PTO. I do not think it is on all of the way but I did not have a long enough jack bolt to take it back off. That will be something I will look at again this weekend.

Cleaning up the old PTO

2011-11-17T08:10:00.001-06:00

It has been a while since I have been able to work on my Power King. Last night Rocco, my Wire Hair / Lab mix, helped me get the front PTO cleaned up.

One of the interesting features of this antique tractor is the fact that you had the ability to hook up many unique attachments to it and turn them on and off with a flip of a switch located on the tractor's dash.

The PTO on this model is an Electromagnetic Clutch assembly. When you flip the switch on the dash it completes a circuit to allow voltage to the Clutch. This voltage energizes the coils within the clutch assembly. As the magnets pull together they create fiction between the rotor of the clutch, which is keyed and bolted to the engine drive shaft, and the clutch stator which is tethered to the tractor frame. When the magnets engage, they allow the pulley to begin to spin at the same speed as the engine RPM. When the switch is turned off, it opens the circuit and an internal spring forces the clutch surfaces apart then pulleys will no longer spin.

My PTO clutch needed a little TLC. Warren, a friend of mine from Young Life, and I spent some time with some sandpaper cleaning all of the visible surfaces. I took it apart and cleaned out the dust and dead bugs (and the ones that were still alive too). After we got it looking smooth and clean we applied some beautiful Rust-oleum gloss black paint. I plan on picking up a new key this afternoon and putting it all back on the tractor tonight.

Front wheels

2011-07-20T15:45:00.001-05:00

Did some cleaning and painted the front wheels. I also got the engine installed and painted. I installed a drive belt for the alternator that is too short. That means now I have to pull the engine/clutch assembly to replace it.

Some Paint going on!

2011-07-20T15:41:00.001-05:00

Epoxy Primer. Looking so nice.

2011-05-19T09:35:00.000-05:00

Last night I got back on the Power King Project. I got the frame cleaned up and primed. It looked awesome. I put (2) coats of Epoxy primer.

Looking better than new.

Looking a little hazy.

Now it is time to put the kids to bed. Tomorrow is Ethan's last day of school.
I can't believe he will be in the 3rd grade next year!

After putting the kids to bed. I mixed me up some Hugger Orange and went to work.

I put two coats of color. It needs 1 more.

Getting the good paint is so worth it.

Amazing. I can't wait to start putting it all back together!

More cleaning and Some PRIMER!

2011-03-14T14:40:00.000-05:00

I finally got out there and was able to sand clean and and get some parts ready for primer. I have taken some pictures of my progress and the things that I have used to primer and what I am using for paint.

This is where the battery sits. It need lots of cleaning and sanding.

The hood need to have some dents banged out. The guy at the paint store told me to clean it, primer it, and then use the body putty to make it smooth.

I got the gas tank looking really nice and ready for primer.

This is all that is still together on the main frame. I hope to take the wheels off and clean and paint with out taking this all apart. I have degreesed it about 4 times and each time I clean more off. hopefully only one more time.

This joint has been broken for a long time. I welded it back up.

View from front.

Clutch housing. The hydraulic pump is mounted here.

Hydraulic oil reservoir

This is the thinner to clean my stuff up while painting.

2 part epoxy primer that I am using.

Make life easier when mixing! A must have!

My neighbors gun that I am using. It works awesome! Lots of control.

The paint that I will be using. I can't wait until it is done!

The primer went on really nice. I wish that my paint gun held more paint. I could only mix small amounts at a time. I think next time I will mix lager volumes and just keep adding it as I need it.

I also got the clutch housing primered, and the tractor dash assembly scraped, snaded and primered! I got a lot done this weekend. I hope that next weekend I will have some orange going on!

Brief up date

2011-01-13T13:16:00.002-06:00

I put the new bearings in the rear transmission and reassembled the transmission. It was suppose to snow the night I was putting it together so I stayed up until 2:00am putting the tractor back together. I was so excited to start it up and test out all of my repairs when the battery was totally dead. It was so dead that the battery charger kept kicking off. I am going to try to put some resistance in the circuit tonight to see if I can get it to take a charge before replacing it.

It did snow but only about 2 1/2" so not enough to push around yet. I am really excited to see the improved range of motion in the blade assembly. Before the repairs it had a range of about 4 or 5 inches. I expect it to have more then 12" now! We will soon see.

I also ordered new decals for the whole tractor. They should arive in about 2 weeks. Maybe by then I will have most of it painted and ready for them to go on.

Tonight I hope to get out there and take the blade apart and remove a bolken bolt and contuine cleaning. Getting it ready for some paint soon! It is so dirty, greasy, and rusty. Lots to do before primer can go on.

Paint Soon

2011-01-06T09:10:00.001-06:00

I visited our local Paint Store and picked up all that I need for painting. Wow, it is not cheap. I figure if I have went to this much trouble to get it fixed and painted, I might as well do it right.

I really want my grand kids to be able to appreciate this piece of equipment. I hope to start painting this weekend. I have lots of cleaning and preparing to do to make that happen.

This is a fun picture of my homemade rotor tiller.

Yeah, I can just hear the redneck jokes.

It worked really well.

Fixing Jammed Transmission Shifting Handle

2011-01-03T10:47:00.002-06:00

The main reason I had to take the PowerKing completely apart was because while pushing snow last year my transmission would not shift out of gear. This was not good because I had just pushed a huge pile of snow across the highway that I live on into a huge ditch. Well, now here I was stuck in the middle of the highway and I could only drive forward with a deep ditch in front of me. I had to turn the engine off and run to get my truck to pull it out of the highway. Luckily the roads were very bad and only a couple of cars had to stop while I was trying to chain it up to my truck.

This is the process of fixing the front transmission. I have already done this to the back transmission. Which took forever because I had never disassembled the shifting assembly before.

Remove the assembly from the gear casing.

I mounted mine in a vise so that I could hammer and work on it.

This is with the transmission in the neutral position and the handle toward 1 and 2

This is neutral in the center.

These plugs simply push out with the guide rod when you gently tap them out.

Loosen the set screw. There is a compression spring and a ball behind this screw. There is another ball on the other side and an oblonged ball in the center. Be sure to have all of these balls and springs in place before re assembly.
They can make there way out and get lost if you are not careful.

Gently tap the first shifter and rod this direction first. This makes room for the roll pin to be removed.

Punch out roll pin.

Make sure that the pin can go into deep part of casting.

Use punch or long bolt to tap the rod completely out the opposite end of assembly.

Do the same thing to the next shifter assembly.

Using a flat screwdriver remove shifter capture spring.

Push shifter out this direction.

Notice the flat spots worn on side of disc. This is why the shifter was jammed. It would not roll up the side of the shifter assembly. It was simply Jammed in place.

These flat spots will need to be welded up and ground back to round.

Using a hard rod weld up flat spots. It is important to build enough weld so that the disc can be ground to a round flat disc with fairly square edges.

This is what mine looked like after welding. Lots of build up. I used many light layers of weld with a 7018 arc rod.

Using a grinder, I ground it down to close to size.

I used the lever and slot that it needed to fit to make the final adjustments.

I kept taking a little more off until it would just fit.

I then dressed it with a fine file to "polish" all the surfaces so that it would fit properly and slide like it is suppose to.

Just like new again. Now to reassemble and see how well it works. It works beautifully. I don't ever remember it shifting so well in all of my life. It should last another 33 years.

Now I need to finish removing the inner bearing race from the shaft assembly from the front assembly and pick up some new bearings to replace them. In the mean time I plan on trying to straighten the hood dents out and sand it to be ready for new paint. I also will do this on the transmission and the covers and rear fenders.

Some more before pics

2011-01-03T09:59:00.004-06:00

My dad had painted some of this tractor at one time. He removed the old decals from the side and top of the hood. I don't think he re-painted the whole tractor. Probably just the hood. I do remember at one time that it had some scratches and some rust from daily use. We had lots of pine trees at our house with low hanging branches. After years of mowing the grass close to these limbs, it put some scratches on the hood. We were not gentle with this tractor. My dad and my brothers and I used this tractor to do lots of work, hard work that eventually lead to some bumps and scratches. I hope to bang these out and sand the paint all down to metal and get a good coat of paint on the whole thing. It would be awesome to get some decals to put back on the top and sides like it was when it was new.

The engine is a 14 HP Kohler. It has been rebuilt once because it has been ran without oil, I was using it at the time but I am sure that it had been ran with out oil for some time before that. It was rebuilt in 1990.

It needs a new gas cap. This one has needed replacing for at least 10 years. It is worn out.

The wiring looks a lot like it did when he first got it. I guess that Power King did not put a lot of effort on making their wiring look neat and organized.

I hope to replace much of these wires and re-route them to look neater and put them inside sleeves to protect them.

Notice the black tar on the side of the transmission cover. This is from re surfacing my dad's asphalt driveway for many years. Every now and then a little would end up on the tractor.

Some Things That Need Attention

2010-12-30T14:35:00.000-06:00

One head light needs to be replaced.

The hydraulic hoses are all original and have never leaked a drop. This all needs cleaned. I replace the ground lead from the battery in 2009 along with a new battery. The ground wire needs to be routed differently. It is easy to step on when getting on and off the tractor.

The 3 point hitch needs some special attention. It is bent and twisted in all directions from years of use. I also think that I need something back here to pull with. I am always using this tractor to pull stuff, so I plan on adding a chain hook and a ring, that can have a rope easily tied to.

Front blade needs lots of attention. The Horizontal bar that slides into the receiving slots is very bent from pounding the dirt and snow for 33 years. The hinge arms that hang down are very loose. The bolts are worn out and the holes are very worn open.

The bolt in the bottom of the hydraulic arm is worn out and the holes are worn big. I plan on welding this bolt in place in the vertical arm to eliminate the slop from this joint and to improve the reaction time to the front implement.

In 2009 I put on an old alternator that I got from my neighbor, Steve. It works great. The seat needs some special attention. This seat was refinished when I was a kid for father's day one year. I remember at that time it looked the same way. Seats have not looked good for very long on this tractor.

Model 2414

2010-12-30T13:51:00.000-06:00

Serial Number 40533

Notice this was made by Engineering Products Company INC. in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Yes it was made in the United States of America.

The model numbers for the Economy tractor/ Power King tractor/ Jim Dandy tractor consists of 4 digits. The first 2 digits are the rear wheel size, the second 2 digits are the engine horse power.
(ex: 24" rear wheel, 14HP engine = model 2414)

On steel body Power King tractors, Economy tractors or Jim Dandy tractors the serial number is located on a tag which can be found on the dash or at the top of the grill area.

Notice the Switch. I changed this out 3 years ago from the conventional Key switch to one that they use in Underground coal mines on mining equipment. It is very durable and works well, not to mention it was free.

The throttle lever seems to want to come down while running. I am not sure why but it is very annoying so that is one thing I want to fix.

The Front Power Take Off (PTO) switch was changed to a toggle at least 20 years ago. I will replace it with a push pull switch. I replaced the Light switch 3 years ago (July 2007) at the same time as the Ignition switch because it was froze up and could not be moved in or out.

Power King Restoration

2010-12-30T13:39:00.001-06:00

12/18/2010

Power King Economy Tractor: Model 2414

My Dad, Orville (Mike) Mushrush purchased this new in 1977, the year that I was born. When he purchased it he got the front blade that you see here in the picture, a 48" belly mower which lasted about 22 years but was beyond repair, and a garden plow which still works great. The tractor has been used a lot in the 33 years since it has been in the family and is in need of some major up grades and restoration. Right now the transmissions will not shift. I am getting ready to take the engine off and remove all covers that hide the duel transmissions so that I can repair them. While doing this I am going to attempt to repair everything that needs some attention in the process. I am documenting this for a few reasons:

1. So that I can remember how it all goes back together.

2. To record the repairs so that in the future we can see what has had to be repaired before so that if it keeps happening it can be improved upon to keep it from needing repair again.

3. So that we can see what was original to the tractor and what I am up grading.

4. To make memories of this repair and renovation. Since my Dad bought this the year I was born, I don't ever remember not having this tractor as a part of my life. I even bought one just like it when I was in the 7th grade to mow lawns in the summer, a Jim Dandy model. (Smaller Rear tires and no Hydraulics) I have spent many hours of my life on this old tractor and it means a lot to me.