[jpswift1]

We must be almost neighbors, I also have an MF1855, you can see the pic in my profile. I bought it to build into a loader tractor but that hasn't happened yet but I did buy a ford LGT125 with a loader so I could use the loader off of it but I have just been using that for loader work. I also have a MF12G with a tiller. A good alternative to Buffalo Bearing is BDI bearing on Cayuga road behind the airport, I have bought mower deck bearings and front wheel bearings there, good prices too. I'm in the process of converting my 1855 to power steering, I have the power steering valve from a Deere 318 but still have to get a steering cylinder.

Another Western New Yorker......that's great to hear there's another 1855 owner around! We'll have to meet up and chat sometime. Thanks for tips and it sounds like you've got quite the collection!

I didn't make too much additional progress, but I did get the new seat mounted on the 1855 seat base and it matched up almost perfectly.......only two holes on the mounts had to be lengthened just a hair. What an improvement over that cob job hacked up seat that someone stuck on there with only two bolts!

 

[KennyP]

Good to see progress! Wheels look good!

 

[jpswift1]

Good to see progress! Wheels look good!

Thanks Kenny. There was some pitting, but it's not too bad. The rear wheels will have the weights on them, so the flaws won't even be visible on the face of the rear wheels. More updates this week.

 

[jpswift1]

More progress today. I got the grille all painted. I love the looks of the front end on these 1855 tractors and that Rustoleum Wheel Silver is a perfect match. Here's some the grille painted and with the mesh loosely installed.

 

[limebuzz]

Looks good. Not to burst your bubble, but the hood support(K) bracket is black, but it will still look good when all together.

 

[jpswift1]

Looks good. Not to burst your bubble, but the hood support(K) bracket is black, but it will still look good when all together.

Thanks for the heads up. In the pictures it's just in gray primer. I didn't get any picture of the finished product after I did it in black. Next will be the hood, side panels, and fender pan. There's some light body work that I'll have to do to fill some pits and a small ding or two, but it should come out pretty nice. I was actually thrilled to see how well my amateur Bondo job came out on the grille where the dent was in the upper corner.

Here it is before:

 

[limebuzz]

Have you found a decal set yet? Just wondering where a guy can get th MF in the front grille. Ya, you would never tell it was crunched in now

 

[jpswift1]

I got the 1855 decal set from Maple Hunter. They're great folks to deal with and the entire decal set (very high quality and an exact factory replica) for only $35, shipped to my door. They might just sell you the front MF grille decal if you ask.

http://maplehunterdecalstexas.com/masseyferguson1855.aspx

 

[jpswift1]

A few more small updates. I got the rest of the wheels painted and I ordered 2 Baldwin BT8301 hydraulic filters from Grainger for about $9 each (with an account). I'll get the fluid and hydraulic filter changed in the rear end next, change the oil, oil filter, and plugs in the Onan and then start pulling the side panels, running boards, rear fender pan, and hood off to get them ready for paint. I also got the headlight trim pieces all cleaned up and the entire grille assembly is all put back together and the headlights are in. Unfortunately, the weather is not cooperating here at all lately so progress is still a little slow. I also have a lead on a pair of rear wheel weights (53 lbs each) that I think I can use on the inner side of the wheel........I can get the pair for $90. What do you guys think.......should I do it? That would put me at about 280 lbs of wheel weights on the rear of the tractor.

https://www.grainger.com/search?searchBar=true&searchQuery=bt8301+baldwin

 

[Sawdust]

Looking real nice...the painted grille looks aggressive. What red paint did you end up using. I'm debating on my MF12 of using my sprayer or do a rattle can job. I can get the cans made up at Sherwin Williams although pricey I hate cleaning a spray gun. Enjoying your project.

 

[ENafziger]

That's a great price on the weights. What brand are they?

 

[jpswift1]

That's a great price on the weights. What brand are they?

Wheel Horse. I'll be sure to get them ASAP......I want to add a lot of weight to the back of the 1855.

And I contacted Rustoleum about matching up a color that is close to the Massey red (since they discontinued it) and their people told me that Sunrise Red is very close, so I think that's the direction I'll be going. A Rustoleum rattle can paint job, then clear coating, followed by wet sanding and buffing has yielded excellent results for me.

 

[limebuzz]

Thanks for the tip on the paint match. I have 2 sets of MF weights on mine and the tires are loaded to the brim. Have yet to loose traction.

 

[jpswift1]

Thanks for the tip on the paint match. I have 2 sets of MF weights on mine and the tires are loaded to the brim. Have yet to loose traction.

No problem, happy to pass along some help since everyone here has been so helpful to me. Rustoleum Wheel Silver and Rustoleum Sunrise Red look to be very close matches, not exact, but really, really good.

Are those Massey weights that you have the 2 piece ones that weigh 40 lbs each?

I'll have the 53 lb Wheel Horse weights on the inside of each wheel, 34 lb Sears Suburban and 51 lb John Deere double notch ones on the outside of each wheel. With all the mounting hardware it should be a total of about 140 lbs per side, 280 lbs total on the rear. I hope that helps keep the Goodyear Super Terra Grip ag tires from spinning when I'm using implements on the 3 point hitch.

 

[limebuzz]

Yes, they are factory MF split weights. Not sure how much extra weight I've gained. But it seams to be adequate for what I do.Sounds like you shouldn't have a problem once you get your weights on. Are you going to fill the tires too?

 

[jpswift1]

Yes, they are factory MF split weights. Not sure how much extra weight I've gained. But it seams to be adequate for what I do.Sounds like you shouldn't have a problem once you get your weights on. Are you going to fill the tires too?

I'm not a fan of filling the tires because it seems like every tire/rim combination that I've dismounted have been an absolute mess and it ruins the rim and goes everywhere. It's just easier for me not to do that and I don't like dealing with tubes.

 

[limebuzz]

Everyone has their preference .I filled my first 1655 with Calcium front and back with tubes.Never again. Makes a mess of the rims even with tubes in them from spillage I guess? I've used washer fluid in the rest of the tractors. Haven't had to pull a tire off so I can't say what the insides of the rims look like.

 

[jpswift1]

Hey limebuzz,

You mentioned your tractor doesn't spin with all that weight on the back. What kind of work does your MF tractor do? I'm going to be using a 5" landscape rake after I use a shank/ripper with four 16" shanks to rip the ground up before raking the sod and small rocks and other debris out. I know the 1855 is a HUGE garden tractor, but I don't want to be overly optimistic so I figured I'd ask all of the pros on here because everyone always has such great advice.

And a few more updates. The grille assembly is put together and ready to go and the Vredstein V61 tires for the front are mounted. I didn't put the valve stems in yet or inflate the tires because I'm going to put another final coat of paint on the wheels......this way it'll be easier to mask the tires off to prevent over spray. The back of the wheels look good, but unfortunately the front of the wheels have some light pitting that even the sandblasting couldn't remove, but it's not really that noticeable and I may try and fill them with some Bondo, but we'll see.

 

[limebuzz]

With the 1655, I have a blower for the winter.and we (usually) get a heck of a pile to blow.i also have a 5'back blade that it pulls in the winter too if need be,without any trouble.and I have a brinly plow. It just plays with the 10".last year,i didn't have a gauge wheel on it so I tried to see how far I could go into the ground before it wouldn't pull it. And it was darn near 10" deep before it killed the tractor. Not a good idea, but I did anyways. Those tires sure look sharp on those tractors. I want to get a set this year.

 

[KennyP]

It does pull strong, Paul! Has your wife been on it again? She will definitely need that weight on there!