Thread: MF165 Project

Yes, much better to steer now. Tyres weren’t ballasted, I undid the centres from the rims and the centres are still where they fell out - I can’t shift them, let alone pick them up. Will use the forklift tomorrow to move them. Now, just imagine what the back ones weigh...

Originally Posted by Homestar

Yes, much better to steer now. Tyres weren’t ballasted, I undid the centres from the rims and the centres are still where they fell out - I can’t shift them, let alone pick them up. Will use the forklift tomorrow to move them. Now, just imagine what the back ones weigh...

I posted a while back where I had a flat on a front tyre of my Chamberlain. It has the wheel and rim an integral iron casting about two inches thick (wider at the rim and the hub). I had to build a portable tripod and use a chain hoist to lift it off and get it into the back of the 2a to take into town to get it fixed.

Originally Posted by Homestar

Yes, much better to steer now. Tyres weren’t ballasted, I undid the centres from the rims and the centres are still where they fell out - I can’t shift them, let alone pick them up. Will use the forklift tomorrow to move them. Now, just imagine what the back ones weigh...

My rears were only water filled ..... Bloody scary to handle... I let them drain for two days before I could safely handle them. These are only little 28" tires too Your tractor is going to be 1/3rd heavier again most likely!

Originally Posted by JDNSW

I posted a while back where I had a flat on a front tyre of my Chamberlain. It has the wheel and rim an integral iron casting about two inches thick (wider at the rim and the hub). I had to build a portable tripod and use a chain hoist to lift it off and get it into the back of the 2a to take into town to get it fixed.

The old tractor here has cast wheel centers that are about 1" thick. I'm guessing they made them down in geelong. Fortunately the rim itself is normal metal. So you can roll/move them around once un-ballasted.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

My rears were only water filled ..... Bloody scary to handle... I let them drain for two days before I could safely handle them. These are only little 28" tires too Your tractor is going to be 1/3rd heavier again most likely!

I weighed the back wheels when I did the brakes - my mates forklift has scales on it - around 700Kg each with water and weighted centres. If they went much more that a few inches off centre, you’d not be able to stop them going over. Will likely keep the water in the tyres but the new centres turned up today. Haven’t fitted them yet, been doing other work.

And another big day on it today, gotta love extra long weekends. 👍

So, fitted the new ROPS. Only just managed this myself even though it was in 3 pieces - it’s bloody heavy! At least it will fit in the shed like this.
8B16D59E-9F84-4EB9-82DD-52949BB14F06 by Gavin Gregory, on Flickr
48F56F1B-5D1F-4A0F-83F4-C1B595007994 by Gavin Gregory, on Flickr

Then onto some painting. It’s not a great paint job, and I never intended it to be but from a few feet it looks the part.

Before.
20CB6F4F-D86B-4801-81BB-F758A101C922 by Gavin Gregory, on Flickr

And after - already on the tractor, with tidied up ‘165’ emblems and new stickers.
8042424B-99C3-4CD2-8B7D-A6E0A5E1E725 by Gavin Gregory, on Flickr

And a couple overall - Still waiting on new headlights and the inner grille panel. Still a bit to do, but coming along nicely. 👍
709548E3-DCD7-47B6-834A-F0D209D2EF9A by Gavin Gregory, on Flickr
26C3E375-95DF-4B8B-A742-D0892CB429E1 by Gavin Gregory, on Flickr

Next time will finish off the front end, and start the prep to paint the rear guards and see if I can’t fit the new centres to the back wheels.

Right, now it’s time for an afternoon kip with the Pugs, then back to the train set... 👍

Looking good! In fact, it is going to turn out that good that you may not want to use it in case it gets scratched!

But you will have to something about that crappy muffler! On the TE 20 that I restored many years ago I had a stainless steel one made up, but that was a down swept exhaust, so not very big.

That new ROP is bloody brilliant. Never had them in my day but always wondered about how far they stick up and maybe hit something.

Originally Posted by Old Farang

Looking good! In fact, it is going to turn out that good that you may not want to use it in case it gets scratched!

But you will have to something about that crappy muffler! On the TE 20 that I restored many years ago I had a stainless steel one made up, but that was a down swept exhaust, so not very big.

That new ROP is bloody brilliant. Never had them in my day but always wondered about how far they stick up and maybe hit something.

I've pulled the ROPs off mine its such a bloody PITA and I couldn't fit it in the shed to work on it .... must put it back on someday. The fold down ROPS is a brilliant idea (very expensive I imagine as it must be engineered).

You must have purchased a new sticker kit for that as well. Were they hard to find ?