[RevDogg]

Hi there folks. I'm Nate. I've been lurking around the forum for a wee bit gathering information and admiring your wonderful old Deere's (and the knowledge you all have with them.). I've never known much about the John Deere garden tractors but after seeing how rugged and well built my buddies two 316's are, I fell in love. Plus, the Onan's remind me of a sawed-off little Subaru engine (another love of mine), and thus, I'm hooked.

My interest in the forum came from wanting to know as much as I can about these machines because I decided to take the plunge. Last fall I bought a 1992 316 with the P218G. The machine had 730 hours on it from original owner. It came with a 46" mower deck (needs bearings), mule drive, loaded rear tires, bolt-on wheel weights in the rear, custom weight rack with six suitcase weights, 2-link chains, 49 snowthrower and model 15 cart. Package deal for a grand. I didn't really have the money at the time, but couldn't pass it up. Great running machine. Cart is rough (used for firewood) but serviceable.

Right after purchase I completely restored the Snowthrower (all new bearings, chain, idler sprocket, new jd paint all around, etc) and put it to good use this winter. I plan to tear down the tractor this summer and restore it as well. Though, it really doesn't need anything at all 'cept for a new seat and a little paint here and there, I want it to be virtually new again. I'm sure I'll need to pick your collective minds when little mechanical quirks pop up throughout the process.


I look forward to learning with you!

 

[johndeereelfman]

Great to have you aboard with us Nate. Welcome to the site! Good luck on the tear down and restoration, and if you have questions along the way, don't be afraid to ask. Oh, and we have to have pictures, or it's not yours!

 

[RevDogg]

Thanks!
I'll get some pics again soon, but the good ones are gone. I had taken a bunch when I bought it, and loads of the blower resto but failed to transfer them to the PC from the iPod they were taken with. The iPod was stolen a couple months back :/  
Hopefully that guy is in to John Deere's too lol

 

[truck21]

Welcome aboard Nate, sorry your not a bit closer lots of John Deere stuff around here.

Don

 

[RevDogg]

Here we go with pics. The paint and the home made drift knives took it hard this winter. Going to have to repaint the blower again this summer, and replace the knives if I can't straighten them out reasonably. It was quite a winter up here, and I put 150 hard hours on it since November. She needs a bath badly, but still too cold to bring out the hose lol.

Oh, and here you can see how I might have bent the drift knives as much as I did...

 

[truck21]

Hi Nate,

   The deeres are great machines, I have a 314 and I think it`s my favorite tractor. I have a 54 inch blade with power angle. I put dual hydro ports on the front and a dual brake setup also. I also added a sleeve hitch for rear attachments.

   Don

 

[Littledeere]

Hey Nate good to have you with us that's a real workout your giveing the 316  there great tractors I have 2. I am glade all that is were you live and not me made me cold just watching the video.

 

[RevDogg]

Nice rig!
I would love to harvest parts from a 318 (or whatever else would bolt on.. (I don't know much about them yet)) and add dual brakes and 2nd hydro up front. I can live without the power steering, being I'm huge and all. I DO want a 3-point though, but I could make do with a sleeve hitch. Problem is, there's hardly anything to be found up here for parts. All the whole machines I find are in about the same shape as mine (not perfect, but too good to part out) and go for a couple grand. All the others have been restored and go for more. I'll forever keep prowling craigslist though, just in case.

 

[Bolens 1000]

Welcome!

 

[-GR-]

RD, welcome to JDFanatics. You definitely had a lot of snow to deal with this year. Looks like the 316 handled it like a champ and is still ready for more work.