Paint color for belt drive and starter

Rod51M · Sep 4, 2012

I am nearing the end of my restoration project on my "51 M. What color or material should I put on the belt drive pulley? The material is in good shape but is a light brown color. I have painted the metal parts of it red. Don"t know what the material is or what th original colore was. I"ve thought about applying a wood stain and a sealer.

Also, what color should the starter be? I was told the originals were red but rebuilt ones are black. Mine is rebuilt and is black but if the orginals were red I thought I"d paint it red also.

Damon K. · Sep 4, 2012

Original were red starters, and yes rebuilt were black. I lightly sand the belt pulleys, for two reasons, 1. to "clean off" the dirty wood, 2. so the wood is lightly "scuffed up" to "hold" the product your putting on, and then seal them with wood sealer. I have stained them as well in a light color stain. They look very nice either way.

Dave BN · Sep 4, 2012

I would paint the starter red, don't forget to mask the tag. Not sure what I would do with the pully. I've seen them painted black or with belt dressing on them-that looks ok but if the rest of the tractor is extra nice I would look at a few others before I decided.

David

mike1972chev · Sep 4, 2012

Yea,they were just sprayed over RED along with EVERYTHING ELSE(radiator hoses,and electrical wires included!)NOT the best from the factory,IMHO .

I did mine like you would have bought rebuilt in the 60s. Why? IDK,I am just a little "kooky" like that. lol (my tractor isnt even restored

kevinj54 · Sep 4, 2012

If you want it like factory, most everything was red on the outside. The starter would have been black where they could not get to it. The wiring and such was red also.

If you want a more detailed look with unpainted wire, etc I would leave the starter and genny both black.

I made mine an well maintained tractor with clean wire, cables, black starter & genny, black hoses & radiator.

Wardner · Sep 4, 2012

Wang-tractor043.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket

</a>

I have purchased two NOS pulleys in IH factory crates. It appears to me that they were treated with some kind of oil. Probably linseed oil but it might have something weird like neatsfoot oil or similar.

I would rotate the pulley on the tractor and clean it with sandpaper till nearly white. Might even treat it with oxalic acid or bleach. When dry, I would apply linseed oil.

You could also call Paper Pulleys in TN and ask them.

kevinj54 · Sep 4, 2012

I belt mine up to something and the pulley gets a nice finish!!!!

gene bender · Sep 4, 2012

The pulley is paper but the starter should be Red. Most paint the pulley black

Rod51M · Sep 4, 2012

Thank you all very much for your input. These are really helpful. As an old wood-worker I am especially excited to work on the belt pulley.

The Dukester · Sep 4, 2012

Black starters are like black carburetors.... "I got something special and left it painted black to show it off".

mkirsch · Sep 5, 2012

The pulley is not wood. It is PAPER!

IMHO leave it alone. If you start sanding it down you peel off the protective coating that has been formed over the years from having the belt dressing burnished into the surface as the tractor ran the ensilage cutter, or buzz saw. You'll never recreate that.

The pulley's surface is pretty much impervious to moisture right now. Exposing fresh paper will let it soak up anything in the vicinity, and it will be garbage in short order.

Unless the pulley is really nasty and ragged on the outside, leave it alone.

Paint color for belt drive and starter

Rod51M

Member

Damon K.

Member

Dave BN

Member

mike1972chev

Well-known Member

kevinj54

Well-known Member

Wardner

Well-known Member

kevinj54

Well-known Member

gene bender

Well-known Member

Rod51M

Member

The Dukester

Well-known Member

mkirsch

Well-known Member

Similar threads