Post by nw25 on Aug 29, 2016 7:40:15 GMT -4
So, I'm "adopting" a machine. I've decided to commandeer the NW 25 pullshovel George had me try out when I first became a member two and a half years ago. It's got a still fairly good Detroit 3-71 powering it and a 5/8 yard capacity. She's old and worn and rusty, but she still digs.
The story goes that several years ago George's stepson saw it for sale on Craigslist in Stonington for $800 and naturally, George just had to add it to the collection. He called up Merle and asked him to get the lowboy ready. They took a ride down there, loaded it up, and brought it to the farm. George had to make some repairs to it but got it good enough so that it would dig and walk around okay.
Fast forward to now. I've been running it from time to time and decided I like the old thing, aside from the sentimental value it holds. It got new brakes earlier this year and George has been showing me all the adjustments and tricks to running it. It's a good digging machine. In its previous life it was run hard and put away wet and now I'm starting to fix what's wrong with it and someday want to get it perfect and maybe slap some paint on it. A major repair that I hope to get done before the next show is to fix the travel. It walks great in one direction but hates going the other way! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the roller bearing parts Connor drained out with the water...
Yesterday I went down the farm and took the hardware off the sliding side door. The door has always fell off the track so now it'll get some new bolts and bushings. I also started cleaning the undercarriage but damn that caked-on grease and dirt smelled like total doody. I'll finish cleaning it off next week.
The story goes that several years ago George's stepson saw it for sale on Craigslist in Stonington for $800 and naturally, George just had to add it to the collection. He called up Merle and asked him to get the lowboy ready. They took a ride down there, loaded it up, and brought it to the farm. George had to make some repairs to it but got it good enough so that it would dig and walk around okay.
Fast forward to now. I've been running it from time to time and decided I like the old thing, aside from the sentimental value it holds. It got new brakes earlier this year and George has been showing me all the adjustments and tricks to running it. It's a good digging machine. In its previous life it was run hard and put away wet and now I'm starting to fix what's wrong with it and someday want to get it perfect and maybe slap some paint on it. A major repair that I hope to get done before the next show is to fix the travel. It walks great in one direction but hates going the other way! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the roller bearing parts Connor drained out with the water...
Yesterday I went down the farm and took the hardware off the sliding side door. The door has always fell off the track so now it'll get some new bolts and bushings. I also started cleaning the undercarriage but damn that caked-on grease and dirt smelled like total doody. I'll finish cleaning it off next week.