Mini Deere Tractors

2010 - Volume #34, Issue #6, Page #23

[ Sample Stories From This Issue | List of All Stories In This Issue | Print this story | Read this issue]

Mini Deere Tractors

"My grandsons like to drive them in local parades," says  Bill Wahlberg, Little Canada, Minn., about the two mini Deere tractors he built.
  His mini 1935 Deere B is powered by an 8 hp, 1-cyl. Tecumseh engine, which belt-drives the transaxle off a Sears riding mower. The tractor's 20-in. rear wheels were taken from an old Deere R ground-driven manure spreader. To make the narrow front wheels, Wahlberg modified wheelbarrow wheels that he bought at Northern Tool. He cut the rims apart and welded in metal spokes, and then mounted new tires on them.
  The cast iron seat is off an old implement. "The steering wheel is from a real Deere B, but the band on the wheel was badly worn so I made a new one out of 5/8-in. round stock and hammered finger indentations into it," says Wahlberg. A 1 3/4-in. dia. car exhaust pipe and an air cleaner pipe mount on top of the tractor's hood.
  Wahlberg also converted an old Murray pedal tractor into a motorized unit that's powered by a 2 hp Tecumseh engine.
  Wahlberg and his son, Ryan, removed the tractor's pedals and moved the pedal driveshaft forward, then cut out a hole big enough for the engine and mounted a pulley on the crankshaft. The engine belt-drives a larger pulley that he mounted on the driveshaft, which chain-drives the rear wheels just like on the original pedal tractor. A spring-loaded lever connected to an idler pulley is used to put the tractor into neutral or drive.
  He replaced the pedal tractor's rear wheels with larger ones and also raised the tractor's front fork to keep the tractor level.
  A small propane tank serves as the tractor's fuel tank, with the propane tank's fuel cap mounted on top of the tractor's hood.
  "A small gear out of an old hand-operated shop drill serves as the steering gear. The 3/4-in. chrome exhaust pipe was made from a chair leg and is welded onto a 1 1/2-in. dia. car exhaust pipe," notes Wahlberg.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Wahlberg, 2570 Jackson St., Little Canada, Minn. 55117 (ph 651 270-1128; billcotools@msn.com).

Click here to download page story appeared in.

Click here to read entire issue

Mini Deere Tractors TRACTORS Made-It-Myself My grandsons like to drive them in local parades says Bill Wahlberg Little Canada Minn about the two mini Deere tractors he built His mini 1935 Deere B is powered by an 8 hp 1-cyl Tecumseh engine which belt-drives the transaxle off a Sears riding mower The tractor s 20-in rear wheels were taken from an old Deere R ground-driven manure spreader To make the narrow front wheels Wahlberg modified wheelbarrow wheels that he bought at Northern Tool He cut the rims apart and welded in metal spokes and then mounted new tires on them The cast iron seat is off an old implement The steering wheel is from a real Deere B but the band on the wheel was badly worn so I made a new one out of 5/8-in round stock and hammered finger indentations into it says Wahlberg A 1 3/4-in dia car exhaust pipe and an air cleaner pipe mount on top of the tractor s hood Wahlberg also converted an old Murray pedal tractor into a motorized unit that s powered by a 2 hp Tecumseh engine Wahlberg and his son Ryan removed the tractor s pedals and moved the pedal driveshaft forward then cut out a hole big enough for the engine and mounted a pulley on the crankshaft The engine belt-drives a larger pulley that he mounted on the driveshaft which chain-drives the rear wheels just like on the original pedal tractor A spring-loaded lever connected to an idler pulley is used to put the tractor into neutral or drive He replaced the pedal tractor s rear wheels with larger ones and also raised the tractor s front fork to keep the tractor level A small propane tank serves as the tractor s fuel tank with the propane tank s fuel cap mounted on top of the tractor s hood A small gear out of an old hand-operated shop drill serves as the steering gear The 3/4-in chrome exhaust pipe was made from a chair leg and is welded onto a 1 1/2-in dia car exhaust pipe notes Wahlberg Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bill Wahlberg 2570 Jackson St Little Canada Minn 55117 ph 651 270-1128; billcotools@msn com

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.

SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW NOW