# Columbia tractor



## PTV (May 6, 2021)

Hello, new to the forum. I recently bought a Columbia tractor, 16 hp, hydrostat drive. I'm looking for any information, pictures etc... of these tractors. About the only thing I have found out is that it was made by MFD and named Columbia.

 Thanks John


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

You'll have to post a picture of yours.* MTD* have been making them for years. Home Depot sells them up here, looks like the new Cub Cadet. The early ones looked like standard MTD units.


----------



## poncho62 (Jun 23, 2010)

The older Columbias were an MTD 990, from the 1970s. I had a 990, it was a Wizard, sold by Western Auto stores


----------



## PTV (May 6, 2021)

That looks like mine. Except it is white and orange. Have to figure out taking and posting pictures.... John




poncho62 said:


> The older Columbias were an MTD 990, from the 1970s. I had a 990, it was a Wizard, sold by Western Auto stores
> 
> View attachment 72471


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

This is from a brochure on ebay


----------



## PTV (May 6, 2021)

Wish it looked like that. I'm wondering what sort of belt guard fit over the belt to the starter/generator? I see some mounting brackets by the starter generator. Would also be interested in recreating the 3 point hitch it looks like it would have had. John


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I'm sure you could find many parts at salvage or on line. As poncho62 said, they were MTD tractors made for other brands, the MTD 990 or the Wizard as above.


----------



## PTV (May 6, 2021)

I downloaded a manual for a MTD 990. I see they recommend Type F transmission fluid for the hydrostat. Is that what
you use now??


----------



## PTV (May 6, 2021)

I need to remove the knobs from the levers to be able to remove the sheet metal from the tractor. I assume they screw on, but they don't want to budge. I don't want to break them. I'm thinking of drilling a small hole in the top of each one and squirting some penetrating oil in each. Has anyone else come up with other ideas for removing them??
Thanks John


----------

