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If I set everything up RIGHT, my 1929 John Deere D will start every time on the first impulse. With their huge pistons it would take unbelievable strength to flip one of these over the way you can a little John Deere A. Consequently, a lot of time and effort must be spent following a strict procedure wherein everything must be adjusted “just so”. It is as if each one of these old tractors has a personality of their own and it takes quite a bit of time to get all of the quirks figured out. In this cold winter weather the oil in the crankcase and the compression is such that I am not physically strong enough to turn it over like I can in the warmer months. As a result I just leave her parked in the corner of the barn. (An issue I would not have with a styled electric start tractor.) My tractor originally came with steel wheels and somewhere along the line split-rims were welded onto the front wheels. If they are assembled properly and inflated correctly they should not be a problem. But you really need to find somebody who has familiarity with these so as to avoid the danger of having them come apart under pressure. Concerning styled “vs” unstyled. With a hand start tractor everything needs to be right on the money, carburetor, magneto, timing, compression, the works. With an electric start styled D a good battery allows a lot of sins to slip by the wayside. My advice would be to avoid the “basket case” tractors every time. Even if you can do all your own mechanical work, the cost for parts can add up quickly. My advice would be to buy the very best tractor you can afford. Like they say, “You pay now, or you pay later.”
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