Not a Riceland but this 55 standard tread tractor, which I presume was an original import to UK Kerosene model and converted during it's working life to a Perkins P6 diesel engine possibly as a threshing tractor sold at last Saturday's Cheffins collective auction, it had been very well restored and sold extremely well on the day.

Malcolm.

Pleased to announce that my MH 55 Riceland Diesel has now arrived in the Uk as per the attached photos.    I bought it purely on the basis of seeing an advert and am well pleased with it.  It is an instant starter with virtually new tyres.  At present it is down in mid Wales where it was unloaded from the container and I have a haulier bringing it up to me in a weeks time.  Then I can get underneath it and establish if it is a true Riceland.

Firts job on it will be to get rid of that hideous checker plate battery cover and get an original pattern replacement made!  And of course that wretched flap on the top of the muffler.............

John

John F.,

That would look to be a very nice find!  Let me know what you find (and what you are looking for) when you get underneath it.  Once you have done that, and after I get past next weekend (the last of several in a row with something significant going on for me...), perhaps I can crawl under mine and look for something similar. 

I am also interested in the oil and fuel filter layout on your tractor.  Mine needs to be completely redone as it has a replacement engine, and doesn't currently have a mounted engine oil filter.  Mine also has the earlier throttle between the legs instead of up on the steering column.  That is looking to be a bit of an issue with how mine is currently laid out.  I have taken photos of the oil and fuel filter set-ups on several M-H 55 diesels.  They aren't all the same, but I have been narrowing-in on what appears to be the most common set-up.

Look forward to your next post / update on your tractor.

Cheers,

JB

John B,

Do you have the Repair Parts List for the MH 55 Diesel Tractor Form No 690 145 M1?

If so then what I am looking for to categorically identify a Riceland is on pages 78 and 79.

The diagram on the bottom right of P 78 shows the riceland version of the fender support and braces which are listed as part nos 15-21 on page 79.

The tractor is now scheduled to arrive on Monday afternoon so I am itching to get underneath and will report asap.

John F

John F.,

According to my manuals record/spreadsheet, I should have Form 690 145 M3 for 55 Diesel and Form 690 144 M3 for 55 G, K, LP.  I have made myself a note to pull those out of the file cabinet and have a look tomorrow.  Then have a look at my 55 wide axle and see if I can match anything up.  Will let you know what I discover.

Thanks,

John B.

John,

Myself and Lyn ones (who imports our tractors) have been doing a bit more thinking on this Riceland matter.  He has a 55D and it is identical to mine - he has been comparing the two in his yard.  The conclusion reached is that possibly only the tyre equipment (and hence rims) is the only defining feature of a Riceland - and of course the Riceland tyre is a different tyre to the Westerns and Hillsider.

The parts books semm to be a source of confusion!!

John

 
My considered thoughts on the Riceland issue, having browsed and re-browsed the parts catalogues and discussed with John Bush and Lyn Jones now stand as:

1. Obviously they had to have Rice tyres on the 18 x 26 rims
2. According to Form No. 690 145 M1 Parts list pages 78 and 79 the Rice tractors had different part numbers for their fenders
3. On P 79 the Rice tractor has parts referenced as nos 15-21 which are different part nos from the “regular” tractors referenced as nos 5-12.
4. These two sets of parts are shown on the opposite page 78 in the bottom left diagram (rice) and the diagonally opposite diagram for the “regular” tractor.
5. These two diagrams seem to be identical! 
6. The question is why different part numbers????????????????
7. We have no way of knowing what the parts nos on these fabricated parts on our tractors are because there are usually no part numbers on any fabricated MH parts.
8. The fact that tractors are found in none rice areas e.g. Saskatchewan on rice SIZE tyres (but regular agricultural pattern) suggests that MH just sold these tractors with the 18 x 26 agricultural rims/tyres into these areas along with more regular “Western” tractors on the 15 x 34 tyres.
9. That the “westerns” and “Hillsides” were the same tractors on agricultural pattern tyres, just named differently for different market areas.  Maybe the wide front axle, extra weight and wider tyres made for greater stability across slopes so this could be used as a marketing ploy in hilly areas.

The two relevant pages from the parts books attached.

Further comments more than welcome!!!!!
John

John B,

I think I recall that you wanted pics of the engine of my 55D for the filter arrangmenet or something?  Well here is a pic of each side of the engine.  I'm no expert but it all seems to be original to me.

John

John F.,

Thanks for the photos.  Looking further down the chain there is actually a pretty good shot of the oil and fuel filter layout on your tractor taken by Lyn.  I am now comparing that to photos of the filter layout on 3 other 55 D tractors that I have in my files...  Alas, none of them are exactly the same.  Go figure...

One of the photos I have is with the earlier fuel injection pump.  Comparing it to yours, I have noted a big difference in the front gear housing and how the fuel injection pump is mounted.  I had not noticed that before.  In a bit, I'm off to the barn (it has warmed up to 18 F now) to look at the fuel pump mounting on mine, and then start scratching my head some more...

Thanks again,

John B.

John,

Keep scratching!!  I presume that you are aware that there are some good diagrams in the operators and parts manuals???

Mine came without a pulley but I had a spare one from a 203 thinking that would fit.  Alas - NO - the 55 has a larger diameter shaft so I now need to find a pulley ..........  Life goes on!

John