Two questions from a Newbie

Well, you certainly have an innovative way of explaining the situation!

And after over 25 years working with (and on) these wonderful old girls, I keep learning more about them. You have shown something which has always puzzled me - now, can you solve it? I don't know about the first picture, but the second picture used to be a battery box. One of mine had two big 6 volt batteries in series when I got it - one under the hood, and the second on that platform there. I removed both the battery and the platform, and used a single 12 v battery under the hood.

Back to the first picture - two of mine had that rod running through the brackets or lugs on the transmission, and I've never seen, or had, anything using them - until your picture. What is attached there?

You can buy more of these at most tractor supply stores.

Tyler Woods, Olympia WA

And additional great help from Henning in Denmark. I translate and abreviate:
"The reason the pin has been replace with the blue wire is that the bolt itself is no longer long enough (possible non original front loader installation) The hole in the bolt is partly coverd by the whatchamajigg. The last tech term is mine and not Hennings. I have no idea what it is called in English.

Tom