# resto



## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

A customer dropped this off at my shop.A restoration job.It runs,but thye hydro steering isn't working.Don't know much about it ,but I THINK it's an LGT195.Of course,there's no id tags on it.Kholer twin ,and lots of rust!:dazed: It's gonna be a LOOOONG winter!


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

Looks like quite a project! We have a Jacobsen distributor about 7 miles from me, but I have never seen a tractor by them. Plenty of out-front mowers, a few zero turn machines, and a snow blower, but that's about it. Plan to post any pics of it in progress?


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Yeah,I'm gonna try.The big problem,is finding reference pics,to see what it's SUPPOSED to look like.After that,I'll have to search for parts. This tractor is supposedly a '60s/'70s vintage,but I won't know for sure until I research it. Not to changethe subject,but how'd you come out on the pressure-washer that kept shutting off?


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

Haven't had a chance to get to it yet. Its on the list for tomorrow. I plan to do a leakdown test cold, then another after its been running for a good long time. If the compression dies off after running, I'll probably swap the head gasket. I may just do it anyway to be safe. Been seeing a lot of failed head gaskets lately, and also a lot of failed ignition coils. Seems that both run in streaks.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

On the same engine models?


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Well,after some research,I've found that this tractor is a 1979 Jacobsen HEAVY-DUTY tractor!Of all the different models Jake made,this is one of the hardest to get parts for!Jacobsen/Textron doesn't know anything about the older models,and some IDIOT on ask.com wants $29 to answer my inquiry(he looks like he's 17,and listed a dozen training schools,so he's probably a smart- A$^%&#) I feel like I just caught a canibal....it's gonna bite me in [email protected]#&$% !


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

jhngardner367 said:


> On the same engine models?


Nope, just failures in general. About 70% are Briggs, the rest Kohler and Tecumseh.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

I know what you mean. I had a customer ask me to check his oil,on his pushmower,because it starts hard.Found out he put gearlube in it!Didn't do the engine any good!


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

jhngardner367 said:


> I know what you mean. I had a customer ask me to check his oil,on his pushmower,because it starts hard.Found out he put gearlube in it!Didn't do the engine any good!


 I guess gear oil is better than no oil, but still.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

*murray*

Today,was a BAD day,at the shop! A customer brought in a Murrray wide-body,and wanted to get it to stop smoking/knocking.16.5 hp Briggs OHV engine. I checked the oil,and it looks like tar!The tractor itself,is missing body parts/screws,etc.,and I looked up the parts,and gave him a quote,for a new head gasket and oil change, of $154 . He starts getting angry,and I told him to take it to some one else . Just before I closed,he came back,and wanted me to do it...tonite! I told him the earliest I could do it was Saturday,and he started yelling,so I told him to get the H out,and don't come back!I talked to 2 other repair shops near by,and they had the same problem,with the same guy.Some days it just don't pay to talk to people!


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

Man, I don't think we have had anyone that bad in lately. My boss usually tells them to either wait their turn or get out like you did, so I don't have to deal with it most of the time. I love those customers who bring their stuff in and want it done "NOW!". Yeah, these machines that I am tripping over to come talk to you don't exist. I am actually just sitting here twiddling my thumbs, waiting for you to come in. #[email protected]$:

I learned a good trick from a guy at Midwest Stihl (our distributor). He said that when he ran a shop, he would hand his 3-6" stack of work orders to the customer and tell them that he would be more than willing to do their equipment first, but they had to call each and every person on that list and tell them that their equipment was more important and needed to be done ahead of the other customer. He said that always shut them up. If the customer is good about it, I am more than willing to work a unit in, time permitting. If they are jerks, it gets pushed to the back of the line. I don't have time to be screwing around with them when I could be getting machines done.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

I don't think there was any way of saving the unit!It was in THAT bad of condition!But he seemed to think that it shouldn't cost much.That's what set him off.


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## dangeroustoys56 (Jul 26, 2010)

I probably wouldve done the same thing - if people would actually maintain thier stuff regular they wouldnt have issues or high repair costs.

I went over to my nephews house yesterday and did a basic maintenence on his 2005 craftsman - i changed the oil last year- still looked pretty good, but it needed an oil filter - put new blades on it as well and a new plug - had it apart n back together in about 30 minutes - took longer to drain the oil then anything else ( shoulda fired it up before draining the oil). Parts/oil for it were only like $50 .


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

The one posted,here,is a 1979Jacobsen model 53500,and it runs,but the steering valve,isn't working. If I can't find a way to rebuild it,I'm gonna have to replace it.I actually found one..in Europe,for $550.00USD!This thing is the same as the Ford LGT195,but parts are a pain,to find!The body metal has a lot of rust-through,& a lot of it will have to be fabbed. It is one heavy mama to push!


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

If it is the same as a Ford, could it have been made by Gilson? Gilson did make some of Ford's machines over the years. I had a customer with a Ford that had a Gilson deck and blades, though the hood/grill was different than a Gilson and it was painted blue.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

No,definitely a Jake. The thing weighs a ton,and I did find another valve in the US,today. Only $190,too!


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