20 Follow us onTwitter @BetterFarmingON Better Farming January 2017 Rachel completes a brake job on a 1957 JD 520. Here, she uses a brake riveting tool to apply new pads onto the brake shoes with brass rivets. This iconic John Deere 720 standard diesel tractor is equipped with a gas starting motor – called the “pony motor”. (All two-cylinder JD diesel tractors had this pony motor until JD introduced the electric start.) The gas engine starts first. When the pony motor is fully revved up, the diesel engine can be engaged and started. The pony motors are quite sensitive – and after they sit for a while they won’t run. Rachel and Dan tuned up the pony motor on this tractor and now it runs beautifully. FIELD TRIP Rachel shows the worn clutch plate from a Farmall 504 tractor. In the case of this model, Rachel and Dan had to split the tractor in half in order to complete the clutch replacement. Rachel and Dan worked together on the hydraulic repair on this Massey Ferguson 165. The pump is in the transmission on these tractors – so it’s a messy and involved job to repair the hydraulics. Rachel says her smaller hands made the job a bit easier, as she was able to work with the small bolts.