RE: (ET) Valve Stems

["Elie, Larry (L.D.)" <lelie ford com>]

I think for that and for extra weight.  Any heavy front attachment (and 
the snow thrower would count) is very heavy.  That said, I prefer the 
NARROW tires because I till a lot and can get closer to the plants.

BTW, when I got back from vacation, my 2 acres of berries was a mess.  
Tall weeds are hard to till (they tangle) but the ET offers a solution:  I 
put the rear discharge front mower as high as it would go (3-4"), mounted 
the sleeve hitch in place of the toolbar, mounted the cultivator behind.  
I mowed the weeds and cultivated.  The power draw was LOWER than normal 
mowing (more room to throw out the weeds and slower?) and next pass I can 
till.  The only thing that might have worked better would be a disc, but 
that I don't have, I don't even know what width the ET's disc was.  The 
rear discharge let me get close on both sides, and didn't spread the trash 
in the row.  It was a bit dusty...


Larry Elie


-----Original Message-----
From: Lee Richardson [mailto:lrichard jbc edu]
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2001 9:32 AM
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) Valve Stems


you wrote:

>All the discussion on cast vs. welded axles brought to mind a question.
>My E-15 has the cast front axle.  The front wheelshave the valve stems
>on the inside.  The wheel geometry prevents turning them so that the
>stem is on the outside.  Is this standard?
>
>                                         Rhett George

 From Lee in Tennessee:

I think the difference is in the width of the wheels.  My E-15 (cast iron 
axle) has narrow front wheels/tires and the valve stems are on the 
outside.  My E-20 (Steel axle) has wide front wheels/tires and the only 
way 
they will fit is with the valve stems facing in.  I have no idea what was 
standard.  Maybe the wide tires were an optional extra, for extra 
protection for the turf (?)