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Found a video on youtube of a Cast 430L in operation, that shows the one sided operation of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMTubLo8K1w
The three point and the front end loader both come off the back where the PTO shaft is. The disadvantage of this is you have to pick one. The advantage is that the weight of the engine is counterbalancing both the three point and the front end loader.
I found some original sales brochures for the Cast . It’s interesting the subtle differences like the intake moving from one side to the other.
I wish I had the original pad, but it’s long gone.
Interestingly the problem I’ve had with the steering is touted as a sales feature here.
So I’ve started using the Cast, and it is a little beast. Attached below is the tractor using an old John Deer 3 point grader. The front and rear wheels are articulated, and supposedly it has power steering. There is a reverser cam on the center steering wheel so that when you swing the seat around to drive in the direction you want, it reverses the steering, along with the clutch and brake. On mine the cam follower is broken, so I will be making a new one, and posting dimensions for anyone else who needs it.
It uses stock category 1 three point equipment, and has two PTO speeds, a fixed 1000rpm, and one that is dependent on the travel speed of the tractor. It would be super easy to add a hydraulic top link , in that it already has the lever from the loader, which replaces the three point The hydraulic lifter mechanism lever for the three point is already re-purposed to be the grappler hydraulics on the front end loader.
The hood is off in the shot, and I’ve started to clean up the engine. The engine parts are available from Kohler, formerly Lombardini, formerly Slanzi. it’s close enough to the old 2 cylinder diesel found in the roadside signs from the 60’s though the 90’s.
They are noisy beasts, especially if the valves have not been cleaned of carbon, which needs to be done on a regular basis. The muffler is currently a vertical short piece that is acting like a resonator not a muffler.. That will have to be fixed, at some point… for now the shotgun muffs are a must.
Here it is prepping the spot for the new chicken coop.
This weekend was the first time I got the tractor up and running. It’s a 1960’s era CAST 430L, so finding parts is not easy at best. I so far have made great use of the lathe and the mill to bring it up to snuff.
It worked flawlessly as a land smoother… next step is to get the front end loader part working. I’m going to start posting more information about mine, as there is not many left as I go.
