JoeR

Thanks for the welcome! I agree that tractor quality probably peaked in the 60s and 70s. There's plenty of good ones in the previous and later decades, but I think that's when the best ones were made. After that they started to cheapen up a little bit as manufacturers got more competitive and chased profits in exchange for quality. The latest ones suffer with unreliable electronics and bad exhaust aftertreatment systems. Earlier than that and they were still getting stuff sorted out. Poor metallurgy and fluid leaks were really common. My Do-All uses 140W oil in those side gear cases. There's only a felt seal between the wheel hub and the case. The owner's manual says it's normal to leak a half gallon of oil out of each gear case per day! There's also no crank seals, so the oil just drips out the ends when you run it. Kinda funny. Joe

This is my 1929 Rumely Do-All tractor. It looks rough but has had a complete mechanical restoration done on it. It took about 15 years to gather the necessary parts to do it. Most of the internal engine stuff had to be made, along with the gearing to run the rear wheels. I decided to keep the original sheet metal, even though it's a mess. They're only original once. I've added wheel extensions and cleats since I took this pic. Last thing to do is add the rear fenders, but I'm having trouble getting started on it. I think they look way better without them. LOL.