Hi, Harold
I have a brochure showing the midmount mowers for the New Idea EGT series. I was looking for information on heavy duty mower motors and motors to run my orchard sprayer, at the time, and they sent me some very good info. New Idea has since gone out of business like many other agricultural companies.
I was very interested in the mid mount mower on their tractor that was the same size as the E-20/I-5 . I have an I-5 and it came with the wide seat you are mentioning, and it also came with the horn. The switch is located on the left, I think. I haven't looked or used it for quite a while, so I don't remember for sure. If you want more info, I'll go look for you. The power pack booster was also available on the GE models and possibly the Wheel Horse also. It was only a battery pack, similar to the weight box for the rear, with three 12 volt deep cycle batteries in series which were paralleled with the tractor batteries. I made my own using a weight box under frame and just plugged it into the outlet on my I-5 which was for operating the fork lift attachment. On the C-185 or E-20 tractors, you'd have to look at a wiring diagram and find the proper attachment point. I'm sure someone can direct you properly in that part of the project. It definitely added an hour of mowing time and extended the snow blower time and gave excellent additional traction. With Tire chains on, I had drug a 4200 pound car (that wouldn't start) through a very deep snow drift into my garage with it.
G E turned over the production of the tractors to Wheel Horse at some point. I never did find out if GE made any of the New Idea tractors, but they were made at the same time and sold while no Elec-Traks were still being made..same as the Wheel Horse, so who made what is a good question. I'm interested in that, also! I do know that they had outside suppliers, because I talked to a 90 year old guy in Dayton, Ohio, about 5 years ago (who was retired from owning a large hardware, commercial mowing supplier) that had sold Elec-Traks and also supplied the company with specialty relays and so forth for them. He had gotten into that part of the business from doing electrical things for the government during the war and had an excellent rating on longevity of parts for special duty equipment. I know at the time they were moving their business to a new location and wondered what happened to the things he mentioned that they still had in stock. Didn't have time to ask him, however, as his sons (who now run the business) needed him for something and he left.
Hope this helps........
Gary Woodard
HWZ <hwz att net> wrote:
Hi,Everybody
I just purchased a brochure on the New Idea EGT series of electric tractors.
It seems like New Idea had more accessories available for their models than Wheel Horse did.Or so it would appear from comparing the 2 companies' brochures.
New Idea shows:
*Mid-Mount mower deck for 12,15,20 models.In making room for the deck it appears that they raised the foot rests and moved the front axle front further. This raises 2 questions: Would that not increase turning radius? And secondly,it looks like their seat is not on springs. Thus the combination of the lower seat and raised footrests raises the guy's knees in the picture,making him reach almost through his knees to get to the steering wheel.
*They show a wide seat-Golfer's special.
*An optional Power Pack Booster,supposedly gives you an extra hour of mowing time.Can anyone shed some light on what exactly that is?
* A horn. I have one that I want to put on my C-185,but since it didn't originally have one,I'm not sure where a good place would be to put the switch.Maybe somebody would know where it belongs?
*And most interestingly,they offered a clevis hitch (they called it a sleeve hitch).Does anyone have one of these that I could get some pictures of. I would like to buy or make one to plow my garden.
Finally,could someone provide me with a timeline of production of these tractors,i.e. did GE make all of them,or did Wheel Horse have production at one time,and if so,who made the New Ideas?
Oh,and having gotten my mower deck together and installed (C-185,born same year as me) I notice that when I have the deck down and go around a turn,there is quite a bit of play until the mounting arms contact the mower guide. Is this normal,and is there some purpose for that?
Sorry to bend your ears so hard,and seem so naive,but I find these things very interesting.
Thank You,
Harold Z.