11-B goes back into service next week:

New LED worklamps are ordered through my son in law as he is parts manager at a John Deere construction dealer and I want good ones. They cost a bit more than chinese garbage, but I'd wager they'll be working much longer than those. I'll get the new Spectra laser system mounted to the blade and ROPS riser post in the next week or so, and figure out how to mount up and power a 20K Tulsa cable winch on the rear to be used as a drag winch in the woods as this is to be a working tractor again.

To me if it doesn't make 90% of rated performance it's replaced, as downtime is too expensive to bear. 

I have a new float/maintainer to install on the dozer and once I finish with testing this will be permanently installed. 

First thing to do with any lead/acid battery not performing satisfactorily is to ensure it is topped off with the proper electrolyte. Adding tap, or city water is a very bad thing to do over the lifespan of the battery. Only distilled water is to be used. Second thing is to completely discharge the battery purposely. This can be done as easily as leaving the headlamps burn to discharge it completely. A multimeter across the posts showing .5VDC is close enough to complete discharge, but there needs to be very little voltage stored. Now connect a battery charger at a low charge rating for two hours. After that time, switch the charger to a higher rate and allow the battery to charge fully. Check the electrolyte for specific gravity which is a direct indication of battery charge level. Each of the cells should be close in value. 1.26-1.28 is 100% charged. Have the battery load tested at 50% of listed cranking amps for 15 seconds and the indicated voltage should remain above 10.5VDC during the test if a 12VDC battery, and better than 4.5VDC if a six volt battery.

There is much more to it than that but for the novice, (no offence meant) I don't want to get anyone hurt, or burned from an exploding battery which can happen.   

These tests are best performed with everything at ambient temperature rather than just off a charger for stability and tracking.   

Couldn't really move the tractor much without getting into now finished yard as it's blocked with mowers and other implements. I was able to move fore and aft about five feet and this is enough to know both steering clutches are free, both speed selections in the transmission work in forward and reverse, the service brakes apply and release correctly, and the blade functions work correctly.

Received the new LED lamps for this tractor and may order another pair for the rear as they are much nicer than any incandescent I've ever been around. Definitely cannot look at them in the dark..... I will need to cut off and straighten the left headlamp guard as it was caught by a limb and bent/twisted many years ago partially torn from the tractor. This limb was the reason the limb risers were added. The lights are too expensive to run unguarded, or in the open. Here is a photo from last year showing the headlamp guard:

The prior owner will be putting his equipment up for the winter this next week and I'll get this one back to the shop for a full service. The upholstery shop is running behind in my job but should address it later in the next week also. I have all the decal kit to rebrand back to a HD-11 Series B tractor too, but the tractor needs blasted clean and repainted first.

Temperature took a nosedive yesterday, but should be above freezing later today and most of the week. As I get older I'm finding myself less willing to work in the cold if the job can wait. Hopefully I can get this field work accomplished before the hard frost of the winter sets in, but if not, it can wait another year as I have enough work around my place to gain comfort on the tractor with.   

Nice looking tractor !

As left as I want to see if the blade stays elevated till tomorrow when I return. It is currently 21-1/2" from the driveway:

Picked up a two gallon jug of transmission fluid of the type currently installed and will top it up tomorrow. Also acquired two gallons of 90wt for the finals, and a pail of AW32 for the hydraulics if needed.

Here is an original selling dealer decal in El Paso, IL:

 

Although defaced, it can still be read from the most part:

This was under the fuel tank branding on the rear and is still quite legible up close:

The power of good working relationships in action this was.

  

I used to pass there weekly when maintaining navigational facilities but changed positions in 2008. They were a JCB dealer and we had a TLB blow a hydraulic line and I went there to have a replacement built up. This was in 2010 during a facility upgrade that was part of my former workload. Don't get by the area much any longer but remember well them maintaining/repairing equipment all over central IL.