I'm not what some might call mechanically inclined. In fact, I've further broken my share of projects that were originally attempts to fix something. I'd like to believe, though, I can learn from experience on minor tasks that I've seen or helped others with. Such an example is the ole Cub Cadet HDS 2155.
The poor thing looks like Hell, and it deserves better. For the last four years, my hope was to get one more year out of it. Yesterday included an attempt to get yet one more "one more year" out of it. After stopping at a couple of parts stores, I set out to get aforementioned lawn tractor primed for another season of lawn manicuring.
Of course I had forgotten that I left her in the shed in pretty ragged condition. I hadn't changed the oil; the deck belt was in shreds; it had struggled to even start last Fall, and I hadn't cleaned it at all. I can imagine what she was thinking as I opened the doors to the shed with parts in hand. If she could have talked, she probably would have told me that she no longer wanted to be revived.
After some grimy hands, a few swear words, and a blast to my forehead with the belt tension arm that slipped out of my hand, she fired up - even better than I remembered prior to the long winter's nap. I did struggle a bit getting the PTO to engage...apparently that little green wire really does need to be connected to the battery in order for the switch to turn on the PTO and set the blades in motion.
So the English major managed to refresh the 2155 gal and get the yard mowed. Total cost was about $60.00 I think, which was considerably less than the neighbor down the street who wants $1,000 for the much newer Cub Cadet he's selling and that I spend a good part of a Sunday contemplating the value of. Yes, he's now mowing and fertilizing his lawn with a brand new John Deere something or other. And I imagine someone will buy the tractor he's now got up for sale. Me, I'll try to get another year out of the CC HDS 2155.
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