[Lance Skene]

Thats a bit hard to say without hearing your tractor..... is the original muffler one of those little shaker pots? or is it an actual can style muffler? Even when new the shaker pots are not as quiet as a can style muffler that is still in good condition.... altho the inside of the cans are often rotted out long before there is any visable holes ithru the outside of the can.

a good trick with a shaker pot is to add an elbow so that it faces as far away from the operator as possible because the sound from those pots is very directional.

the K engines, when new, actually have very little mechanical noise but after 40+ years of service most now have alot of engine rattle which is magnified if the engine doesnt have rubber mounts.. in some cases the mechanical noise is actually louder than the exhaust itself... and that is more common with the 321/341 engines than it is with smaller Ks... the bigger pistons caused more wear over time which causes the engines to rattle more... and that is also why busted con rods are far more common in the 321/341s than any of the smaller Ks

my point being: If you want a quiet K series engine you should start with an engine rebuild.

 

[Equipment guy]

Worth a shot I would think. Inners could be rusted, or burned out, but not showing from the outside.
I have always wondered about the Supertrapp Small engine mufflers too, but have never tried one.

 

[slingworks]

Worth a shot I would think. Inners could be rusted, or burned out, but not showing from the outside.
I have always wondered about the Supertrapp Small engine mufflers too, but have never tried one.

I've tried a couple things since I posted. I bought a new pot type muffler and I can say it was slightly quieter than the OE muffler. (Was the original PK muffler). Looking at the original I notice about 1/8 of the inner baffle wasn't closed. Replacement was slightly better but not quite a major improvement by any means.

I bought a NOS nelson muffler (About a foot long and 1" pipe threads on each end). Was some sort of Govt contract muffler. With a combination of a pair of 45deg fittings I placed horizontally along the side of the engine. HUGE difference. Regarding sound reduction I'd say 1/2. It does seem to have slightly different characteristics though. No reduction in power at all, but I do notice a bit more random 'backfire" when I idle it down. With the pots there is no backfire effect.

Good enough. I just wish this tractor has more power and high lift blades...But it is what it is.

I bought an Ariens Gt20 with a 60" deck....Don't have it up and running yet but I suspect it may be the replacement for the 1614.....

 

[Equipment guy]

Ariens GT20 is a very nice all around garden tractor. I don’t have a 20, but I have a GT17, and a grand sierra with the 22hp engine. You will like the power steering, and there were many attachments available. Everything fits everything from the early S models, through the end of garden tractor production.

 

[slingworks]

Ariens GT20 is a very nice all around garden tractor. I don’t have a 20, but I have a GT17, and a grand sierra with the 22hp engine. You will like the power steering, and there were many attachments available. Everything fits everything from the early S models, through the end of garden tractor production.

Deep down I guess I'm a little partial to the Ariens...In the early 80s my Grandfather bought a YT11 and had it for at least 20 years. As a boy I loved driving it and always did think they had a sleek look for a mower...I guess that GT20 is a little more of a brute. I looked at a couple High Sierra mowers, seem to be the same machine with just a more brittle hood?

 

[Equipment guy]

Yea, GT, and Grand Sierra same thing just different bodywork… what I have figured out, is that all the Sierra models of that generation used common plastic up front. So I have a couple hoods, and grille assemblies in stock.

 

[chieffan]

What kind of rings? From the inside tire?? I havent used ZTs alot myself but I used a JD525 front mower for two years before switching to the Simplicty front mower models and Ive been using them about 4 years now... and none have left any marks... they dont turn quite as tight as a ZT and both have steering wheels.... just guessin' but maybe with a ZT you may need to be more careful since the two wheels have independant controls.

Sorry for the delay Lance. Been laid up a bit. The rings are from the scrubbing or pivoting of the inside drive tire. Did not have that with the 525 I had, just traction issues. Tires were full and had weights on.
Rings were worse around the small tress/bushes/shrubs making the tighter turns. Went back to tractor type mowers and problem solved. We have a lot more stuff to mow around than most people do. Most don't like mowing around bushes, trees, etc so they take them out of don't plant them. ZTR's are great for ball fields or just mowing around a building or two. But I won't have one around. Neighbor just bought a new JD this spring and she drive it like she stole it. Going to look one and see what kind of rings she is leaving.

 

[Lance Skene]

I havent spent very many hours on ZTs but I suspect it might be tricky to control the inside tire without the aid of a differential.... mostly I dont like the two handed lever control on them, but they do get the job done in alot less time, even faster than the JD525 or my Simplicity front mower... I liked the 525 but it was kinda awkward to climb on/off and it would lose traction on some of the hills I had at that place... once I tried my first Simplicity there was no going back, you just walk up beside it and step into the seat, it has a steering wheel, storage space, only thing I wish they had made foot controls for the hydro... its overkill for the place I have now, here a little RER work just as well.

BUT... I get where some of you still like to use the older tractors.... I mowed with this Sears GT19.9 last week, Im sure it took twice as long and used twice the fuel but I had fun with it

 

[Ingersoll224]

Ok, I am having some thoughts on a new to me used tractor.

I currently have an 82 Power King 1614. I like it well enough for what it is. Well built/heavy. Now, I used my brother's Bolens HT23 a bit yesterday tilling my garden and I have to say that old machine really impressed me. Very powerful and easy to operate with the hydraulic drive. I noticed it felt like it "Floated" over rough ground better than the 1614, likely as the tires are wider?

In fact, I found it to be a much superior machine to the 1614. I'm left thinking the hydro drive IS the way to go....

No, I don't want a Bolens HT23. I think they're maybe a little too hard to find and would complicate ownership/parts sourcing etc. But what has come to my interest are the Ingersol Tractors. Specifically, the 4020 w/power steering

I guess what I looking for is a little input/thoughts from the forum here. Has anyone owned both a PK and and an Ingersol?

I have maybe 3 acres to mow, somewhat hilly.

I have an older Ingersoll 224. Great tractor. For my 1 acre lawn, a 44" Hustler zero turn is the ticket. It cut my mowing time in half vs the 48" deck tractor it replaced. If you can swing two machines, you will save hours every week. I figure I have saved over 300 hours of mowing time over the 10 years I have owned it... almost an 8 week vacation.

If tree spacing allows and you do not have steep ditches, a zero turn with a 60" deck will make QUICK work of your lawn. Scag, Hustler, Gravely and a few others make really nice machines. Low center of gravity of a ZT is a big stability plus on side slopes. The small wheel Ingersoll/Case are better suited for hills in that regard too.

 

[KennyP]

If I were going zero-turn, I'd get a Bad Boy.

 

[slingworks]

Some day I might acquire a zero turn. For now they seem fairly steep pricewise. I paid $250 for the Gt20, I doubt I could pickup any zero turn for that...

I did see some nice ZT machines at a consignment auction in April. One went for 6k and a small one went for 3500.

 

[Lance Skene]

Most ZTs are still fairly pricey but you can find an older front mower like a JD525 for 2k or less, and if you look at the cost of operation over the next 5 years a tractor with a belly mower will cost more than that just in the fuel difference alone, 3 or 4 hrs a week is alot of extra run time.... and there is even more time and fuel involved running a weedwhacker after your down mowing because there is alot more of that job to do when you use a tractor.

I switched over to front mowers about 6-7 yrs ago and I still think they are the ultimate design, with the deck out front and several inches wider than the rest of the machine you can get under hedges and trees where even a ZT cant reach. With my current Agco Allis and 48" deck I can mow under a wooden corral or barbwire fence and reach 5"- 6" beyond it, and that makes a big difference in the overall appearance of your finished cut. The only thing that will get under the hedges as well is a sickle mower.

I like old tractors as much as anyone just not for cutting grass, in most cases the deck is in the way if you want to use the tractor for anything else and it makes it more awkward to climb on/off the tractor.... for us old guys. Lol

Simplity Sunrunner