# How do I identify my lawn tractor?



## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

Well I actually know make and model of it. Its a lawn chief that was manufactured around 1988-1989 or so. My wife's ex-husband bought it new from True Value hardware back then. I'm actually in the process of restoring it since they had all the accessories for it (the mower deck, the huge snow blower attachment, and the rear bagger accessory). 

Anyway the tractor is complete except I would like to replace a few of the big peices namely the hood. The hood that is on there now has a big broken peice out of the front of it (plastic) and I would like to try to find something comparible.

How can I track down what kind of tractor this is comparible to? 

The info I have on it now is:
Model Number: 5708-1000
Code: 8084D
Serial Number: 687966
Western International Inc is listed as the manufacturer.

Any ideas?


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## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

I seem to recall that Western International was owned by AMF and sold to Dynamark which I beleive became Noma and so on and so on, I think it finally ended up becoming part of Murray that is now owned by Briggs. Do you have a parts list for it?


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

30yearTech said:


> I seem to recall that Western International was owned by AMF and sold to Dynamark which I beleive became Noma and so on and so on, I think it finally ended up becoming part of Murray that is now owned by Briggs. Do you have a parts list for it?


Actually I do have a parts list. Its in storage someplace, but I do have all the orginal documentation for the unit.

I was just kind of hoping that it was compatible with some MTD tractors or something.


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## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

Well I was thinking that if you had the original part number for the hood, you might be able to track down the part, possibly through Briggs...


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

Yes you are correct.....dynamark became noma... then murray (murray then sucked out the quality and dropped noma) murray is now owned by briggs..... if the numbers show something there..... its gonna be slow getting it...


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## newz7151 (Oct 15, 2006)

bugman said:


> Yes you are correct.....dynamark became noma... then murray (murray then sucked out the quality and dropped noma) murray is now owned by briggs..... if the numbers show something there..... its gonna be slow getting it...


If not impossible since Briggs is not vending out parts for mowers older than 1998 I believe. The likelyhood (no pun intended) of finding a hood for that mower is going to be slim to none. The only way you'd find it is to check every Murray distributor in the US (pre Briggs buyout) and see if they by some bad luck of theirs, still have one laying around in stock.


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

Eh. Well if I can't find the hood, its not a huge loss. I will just find some sort of stick on hood scoop thingy (you know, the stuff they sell at JC-Whitney) and cover the hole.

Make my tractor look like its ready for racing! LOL


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## mowerman (Nov 2, 2006)

Post Picture Might Have One Hanging Around Have A Mtd Hood That Might Fit But Won't Know For Sure Till I See It


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## mowerman (Nov 2, 2006)

post picture might have hood for that machine but won't know for sure till i sdee it


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

http://bo.spilky.com/tractor.html

thanks...


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

Thats a noma outdoor products made mower! lol, should know, have two of em...


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

Hood for the one that got used for parts though has a rather nice crack down it.....
Rest of the hood looks ok, I would (if it were me) just take a thin peice of sheet metal, cut to size and screw it over the hole..., and then paint the whole hood with krylon red.


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

Do you by any chance also happen to have some of the misc pieces on top of the mower deck? I at one time in my infinite wisdom tried to repair it (i did get it jury rigged) but I lost a few of the pieces that made the blade brake work properly and I also lost the original part that engaged the blade. (the cable attachment) The original cable snapped and I just replaced it with my jury rigged setup but I would like to take my time and put it back together properly.

I will take more pics to show you what I mean and post tomorrow.


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

Nope..... as the deck off that frame was a 48? inch deck (it was in the high 40's) and well, rusted out from underneath (deck fell off and Never took it with the frame) Its basically just a rusty frame sitting outside now..
I know what you mean, but this noma was a dynamark (so it was a different blade engagement setup) has the same deck level lever design (but that was rusted shut and cable snapped)

This is why you never leave a mower outside!!! or well, outside all its life...


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

Got yah.

Anyway, so you do have a hood for it or not? One that is in at least better shape than mine? I also really want the headlight as mine is missing part of it where it got broken.


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

bugman said:


> Hood for the one that got used for parts though has a rather nice crack down it.....
> Rest of the hood looks ok, I would (if it were me) just take a thin peice of sheet metal, cut to size and screw it over the hole..., and then paint the whole hood with krylon red.


So you do have the proper hood that has a single crack in it?

I could use some fiberglass repair and repair it or do what you suggested and put some sheet metal over it.

How much would you want for it? And are the headlight lenses intact and working?


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

Yours looks to be in alot better shape....

One on this one is worse then yours actually, the hinges are messed up, (someone had the bright Idea of pulling it down all the way, I think it was one of my neices playing around with it) Headlights gone (I scavenged the wiring for the other one)..., crack is a pretty good crack down the top of it now after sitting a car tire with rim on it a couple months ago... to keep the wind from blowing the plastic off from over the old 12horse engine I took out of the other one..

That hole in yours... since the rest of that hood looks great (just take a peice of thin sheet metal, cut to fit and screw it on) and paint it krylon red (that plastic adhering paint)


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

I wouldn't worry myself (if it were me... lol) about the headlight lense on yours...., the good noma I fixed up... had the full lense (cracked down the middle) I just finished breaking it off.... looks ain't everything, plus I get more light out em... (well one now, one bulb fell out somewhere)


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

LOL.. I know what you mean about it being functionally fine, I'm just one of those weirdos who wants to make the tractor look nearly new again.

My wife and her ex bought this tractor brand new back in 1989 so it does have some sentimental value to her (sounds silly but thats one of the reasons i'm cleaning it backup).

I figured I would fix up the hood and replace the seat and then the rest of the tractor could be cleaned up with engine degreaser and then a good washing and waxing. 

Heck, its cheaper then restoring a 65 mustang!


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

lol, yes....
I also went out to the back and looked at it again..., the one you have has a plastic panel (its just a cover on these mowers) but even if that one was in good shape, it would flop around on it alot, as this one was made with no such plastic panel..., hood was made to fit one without...


Btw, ANY rust you see.... scrape it off and paint it with a rustoleum (rust inhibitive) paint... that frame was about to break in half almost by the rust damage it had... it was more then likely stored outside all its life...

Oh yah... the bearings (wheel, and spindels) are or should be graphite and are cheap to replace if worn out...


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

For maybe fixing that hood..., some cracks (like on the side I can see in the photo) can be braced from the inside... and mix some jbweld to sort of patch it (sand it flush and smooth) same goes for patching the hole on top.. if you put the thinest piece of sheet metal you can find... cover up around it with jbweld, sand it and paint the whole deal...

This is why I like steel hoods!!

Oh, for the rust... they like to rust where the battery sits.., where the fender mounts to the frame... and around the trans mount and under the foot pads it seems...
You'll have to unbolt the stack pulley to take the engine out, so do that first..


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

I found something really interesting today at the hardware store. They had prepainted alumium (I think) panels with the diamond plate pattern in them. They had black/red/white and the red is just like the red on tractors.

I'm thinking about buying a sheet of that (only 16 dollars) and using that to cover up the holes in my hood. 

I have already took the stack pulley out and am going to remove the engine tomorrow and I'm going to start cleaning it up good. There isn't much rust (only a bit of surface rust) since the area i live in is rather dry and the tractor was kept inside for most of its life except for the last 3 years. It did get really faded though.

Thanks for your advice, Bugman!


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

No problem....
diamond plate sounds like a pretty cool thing to use... I believe I've seen that somewhere... ace hardware? I think....
Yeah the tractor looks good by looking at the pics...
If your gonna paint the hood, use krylon, cheap stuff will work, but will fade... this stuff doesn't.


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

Yup! Ace hardware is where I found it.


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

Thought so!... I might go look at some myself as well....

When you remove the engine, keep the bolts (as you can use them for the new engine) and parts off that engine.. (carb, shroud, etc.) and sell those! make a little back.
Wouldn't hurt to even crack it open and see what went wrong with it either...


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

bugman said:


> Thought so!... I might go look at some myself as well....
> 
> When you remove the engine, keep the bolts (as you can use them for the new engine) and parts off that engine.. (carb, shroud, etc.) and sell those! make a little back.
> Wouldn't hurt to even crack it open and see what went wrong with it either...


Yeah, I'm gonna crack it open, I'm really curious to know what went bang.

The carb on it only has maybe 5-10 hours on it tops. I replaced it shortly before the engine blew up.


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## woodhaven (Jun 27, 2006)

I have one that looks just like your pictures. I can't find any information on it anywhere and I need belts. It is 12 Hp and 38" cut. If anybody knows the belt sizes or the part numbers please let me know.


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## bobotech (Oct 6, 2006)

Are you sure it's not a 39 inch cut?

Mine is a 12/39 model with a 39 inch cut.

When I had to get a belt for my tractor a few years ago when it was running was to take a peice of rope and wrap it around the pulleys in such a manner that I was able to estimate pretty darned closely, the proper length of the belt.

I can't remember where I got it, but I brought the rope which was tied off as a big loop to the automotive supply shop and they measured out the length of the rope and I was able to get the belt.


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## woodhaven (Jun 27, 2006)

You are right. It is 12/39. Its and old age thing I guess. I need any kind of info on this thing. I need belt size bad. Thanks


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

It should correspond with a murray.... (as both of mine are murray belts now) Course I never measured mine to exactly say... the women I was talking to knew what I needed right when I said what it was...
Go with the rope idea bobo was talking about


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## woodhaven (Jun 27, 2006)

Bugman do you know the murray part number?


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

Sorry I don't....... been atleast 2 years ago since I got them..


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