58-70 Simplicity and Allis-Chalmers Maintenance

[@MidwestMotoRider]

Definitely a cool looking tractor and the fact its still in service makes it even cooler!

[@ZippoVarga]

For sure Sir Moto! More reliable than anything you can buy today, that's for sure. Cheers my good man! Zip~

[@lukebecker1959]

I have an 1966 Allis Chalmers big ten and a 1964 b-10

[@ZippoVarga]

They're tough machines! Zip~

[@kipblack7196]

Thanks for the maintenance tips. There were some great suggestions too!!

[@BrucesShop]

The 2 videos came out the same morning. That is weird. Proof we aren't copying each other. good video. Too fun'. I know you have more adjustments than I do. Your tractor does more too. When something gets worn on my tractor it has to be replaced. I told everybody "no more tractors" and this year I have done more than last year. I used my spring remover tool the other day. (Hook and wire)

[@auburnfolsom]

Good video & tutorial on lawn & garden tractor maintenance !! A couple of points or my 2 cents worth. I tend to lube the places that have grease fittings every other use of the machine (when a mowing time lasts 2 - 4 hrs or more per mowing). Call me OCD, but better safe than sorry. Same with many of the oil points. As to the mower deck it's self. The 3 spindle housings (for the 32" mower) on my Simplicity walk behind tractors had plugs threaded into them about mid way top to bottom on the housing. They appeared to possibly have been filled with gear oil (90W) from the factory to try to help lube the spindle bearings. What I did was to disassemble & clean the spindle housings & remove the inner bearing seals from the upper & lower bearings. Then when I reassembled the housing I installed grease fittings where the threaded plugs had been, thus making them grease-able. Yes it means getting at the underside of the mower deck to lube them, but bearing failure is no longer an issue. Spindle bearing lube points aka: grease fittings are used on the bigger commercial mowers & tractors (Deere being one). So I consider it an upgrade to the " maintenance free " planned obsolescence of the non-grease-able types. Even the replacement spindle housings for MTD's, etc now come with grease fittings in them. Keep in mind that grease & oil also help attract dust & abrasives when mowing, etc. So keeping the machine as Clean as possible will help deter ware from the dust & abrasives collected while mowing. I usually blow (via compressed air) off my machines (all the nooks & crannies) after each mowing / use. Especially when used in dry dusty conditions. If they get really nasty....out comes the pressure washer. On the engine oil subject, I have been switching all my 4 cycle cast iron Briggs, Kohler's & Wisconsin's over to high mileage full synthetic 10w30 or 10w40 oil. As the synthetic is suppose to cling or coat bearing & cylinder surfaces better than the older style oils. This is especially helpful to engines that see infrequent start / run times or sit for months or over the winter w/o being run. As to oil change intervals with non-synthetic oil, I believe Briggs used to say every 50 hrs & More frequently if operating in dry dusty conditions. Like an old timer once told me, " an oil change is cheaper than a Rebuild or a new engine or transmission ". Just sayin'..........

[@ZippoVarga]

Auburn, all good points for sure. The earlier deck spindles were hit/miss for the presence of grease zerks or plugs, but yes, on the decks I have with them, they get a similar treatment. Ugly-Alice is dirty, yes, and although I am OCD, Ugly Alice still gets power washed once a season. She doesn't work as hard as she used to now that I have a later model AYP mower (Winnie the Poulan). Which gets the treatment you give your working machines, since it mows 3 acres sometimes twice a week. I will caution you to investigate detergent oils in engines without oil filters. The term "Detergent" is misleading. Very misleading in fact. There is no "detergent" in todays oils. What is in them are additives that hold contaminants in suspension within the oil so they'll pass through the oil filters of todays engines. Engines without oil filters need a NON Detergent oil so that the contaminants settle to the bottom of the oil sump/pan, out of harms way. So, although I'd LOVE a Synthetic that is safe for these early engines....none exist. Research Synthetic oils more closely and you'll discover there's nothing synthetic about them. The oils are just refined more and more additives are introduced to do a better job of holding the contaminants in suspension to pass through the oil filter and to get into the areas of todays tighter tolerance engines. No oil filter...you're spreading the wealth of contaminants through out your engines to be deposited in all the wrong places where they'll sit until the next time the engine is started. I do agree with you on the concept that a synthetic oil "should" be better for all engines, but the fact remains...there is no oil filter, stay away from oils with additives to hold the contaminants within the oil a.k.a. Detergent Oils. If you want to prolong the life of your vintage engines like I do, use what is supposed to be used in them. I've got engines over 75 years old that are all original and that run beautifully. I'd love for an oil company to develop an oil that has all the benefits of the synthetics, but without the additives that hold the dirt within the oil, but the demand isn't there, so it isn't a viable money maker for oil companies. Back to maintenance...another thing to consider is time. Most people today have been conditioned to use it until it wears out, throw it away then buy new. Failure is engineered into the products of today and all of the minions have fallen for the corporate conditioning also known as, quality only lasts until the warranty runs out. You and I and a select few believe nothing should be thrown out or discarded just because it's old. You care for your equipment, so it'll last. Just switch back to the non-detergent oil my Friend. But research it to see and weigh the benefits vs. the harm and make your own determination as to which benefit is more valuable. Keeping the contaminants away from vital engine parts or not. Cheers! Zip~

[@wildbill1461]

hi zippo; i hope a lot of guys watch this, because it is the only way that any tractor can survive

[@davessmallenginerevival2847]

Hey zip don't know how I missed this one it was fun and I really like ugly allis. I'm putting a video out Thursday or Friday showing my neighbors Allis Chalmers 916 hydro that he bought for $300 with a snowblower attachment!!! He wants me to fix it up for him

[@ZippoVarga]

They're great machines! Although I prefer the non floor board models, the 916 is a nice mix of old school dependability in the Briggs engine and more modern creature comforts. Enjoy the machine while it's in your capable hands my Friend! Zip~

[@greenmule4634]

Thanks Zippo, Mule

[@willyck948]

as for oil life still doing some tinkering with ideas of duel filters utilizing a fuel pump to circulate the oil. Just put a bypass filter on my vanguard and is now safe to run oil for a year and change engine filter every 100 hours, oil once a year, and bypass filter every 2-3 years👍

[@andrewahrens5359]

Make sure the four bolts are tight that hold the baby to the frame

[@osengasimplicity]

Yes great reminder and just seen it pop up and knew it be you and yes finally 1st comment

[@michaelriley3619]

Zippo, can you tell me what motors off other older Simplicity tractors fit on the allis B1 if it’s motor is bad?

[@wtbm123]

Cool

[@willyck948]

been working on a cast 16hp had a bad miss fire constantly. Checked commpression-good Valve lash-good Spark plug-good Condenser-good Magnito-good got down to the points🤔 look like brand new no ware on them at all The engine came with wrong Coil to begin with last owner probably replaced the points so... Looked closer and found the ground post the plunger lever pivots on is loose so the points don't stay parallel when the engine is running causing bad connection at the points Dang cheap parts😤

[@clauslundberg9224]

Nice vid - thanks for sharing. What's your favorite oil and grease for this maintenance?

[@lwoodt1]

Your rear axle has a grease fitting also ,,, and grease in the outer rear differential it self ..

[@ZippoVarga]

I Mentioned the axle grease fitting at 8:40 Mr. Wood. That fitting greases the differential, the transmission requires gear oil. I think we're on the same page. Cheers my Friend and thanks for having my back. Zip~

[@lwoodt1]

You are so right . My apologizes ,,

[@ThePheonix2009]

I found that by keeping up the lube like that-- the mice stay away from the wiring.

[@michaelneumann2634]

Rebuilding one any idea what the deck belt is? I can't for the life of me figure it out

[@abcoatesbc]

Hey Zippo, looking for some help on a Gilson tractor ignition wiring issue. Was wondering if you might be able to help.

[@JoshKilen]

very nice tips. so on my Wisconsin engine that I have, I just used cheap sae 30 oil in it then I added zinc, it that fine, or should I use Non degergent compressor oil then add zinc? also for a 10 yanmar clone diesel that has pressure lubrication and it just has a screen for a filter, what would you recommend? 10w-30 shell rotella diesel engine oil?

[@owengarrison177]

Zippo , My 64 landlord drive axle is turning but wheels are not turning ?. Thanks

[@gregjohnson8353]

What oil do I ues in my allis chalmers b10 in the gear box and rear trans

[@melchrisrian7957]

👍

[@garryludwick2990]

10-4 on the grease n oil. I change my tractors way more than most. Only $5.00 and way easier than any repair ...

[@ZippoVarga]

Very true! I keep a schedule for all of the machinery on the Ranch and if I changed all the oil and did the grease on everything at once I'd go through 10 gallons+ of oil and probably a tube and a half of grease lol. Cheers Garry! Zip~

[@dannydunnagan3267]

Good video I like ugly Alice.Thats one mean machine.

[@ZippoVarga]

Yes she is! There's not much she won't do. Cheers my Friend! Zip~

[@chrisssmallengines3456]

I do not think people take pride in there machines to maintain them ,that's why we have deposable things more and more made in China. The good machines we have had in the past are built better last longer with a bit of TLC.

[@buzzsah]

looks like a rat rod. :)