Another Heald Hauler for you

J

johnnylabguy

New Member
#1
#1
I have an old john deere gator AMT 600 that I've used quite a bit over the years around the yard and in the woods hauling firewood. Handy but it turns like a semi truck and is a bit slow to drive to the woods:


Then I found this on CL this spring:


It's an early 90's Kimball(Heald) Hauler with a great-running 16 hp briggs vanguard and a 3 speed transmission. It's in very nice shape and I really like it. It's almost too nice to use like my gator really! The lights were added by a previous owner as well as the Case IH motif and fresh paint. They did a good job. I've had to tweak a few minor issues and the company owner Ron Kimball and his son have been very helpful. Although I still need to call them to work out my final drive pulley alignment issues. If I line them up, the final drive chain alignment is way off:shrug:. I have a compromise right now and "only" have an 18 mph top speed. They say this 3 speed should do 25 mph. The gator is around 12-13 mph so its still a quicker commute to the woodlot! I'll post a few better pics if anyone's interested.
 
J

JKautoFab

Active Member
#4
#4
we looked at an AMT600 like yours local, guy wanted 1200. there was ONE good tire. rest were almost slick. all the wheel studs had wallowed out the wheel holes from not being tightened . the rear calipers were worn into the rotor, there was no sign of pad in sight. the chains looked old, one was missing and the belt was worn. the front felt like it was greased with concrete, and before the guy started it i pulled out the oil dipstick. bone dry. i looked in the hole. there was a little bit of oil residue left in the corners. i asked if he had any oil he said naw it runs fine reached over and cranked it up. :doah::doah::doah::doah::doah:

drove it around. would get past 3 mph, which was probably for the best anyway considering the way the rest of it was. 1200 dollars what a joke. i told him id be afraid even at 350.

so then my dad went and bought one with the cushman style two seater front end, without ever seeing it run. it ran... just smokes like a freight train! kawasaki is kinda sucky! so i got a new straight shaft crank for a 13hp genny honda clone i have to put on it. run pretty well after that!
 
J

johnnylabguy

New Member
#5
#5
JKautoFab said:
the rear calipers were worn into the rotor, there was no sign of pad in sight.
Click to expand...
That's one of the problems with the old AMT 600's. The brake parts are scarce and expensive. I only have pad left on one of my calipers. The other I disconnected for now because it was too worn. Luckily I'm a flatlander here in Ohio so its not an issue. I do have some motorcycle hydraulic brakes the previous owner gave me specifically to replace them but I haven't gotten to that project yet. There's even someone selling the same type retrofit on ebay.

The kimball haulers brakes work like their supposed which is another plus for it. I'm weighing the pros and cons of each machine before I get rid of one. I'll miss the 4x4 of the gator and it's power dump. But I like the speed,more powerful engine, brakes, and manuevability of the hauler better. Decisions, Decisions!
Here's a pic of the hauler with a teeny tiny poke of wood on its first quick trip to the woods. It doesn't match my john deere chainsaw as well either! lol

Another at the woodshed:
 
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