RTE fenders

If your friends helped you pinpoint your late RTE as a 1951 by using the engine serial number I'm sure that's what you have. I think Brian mis-read his parts book as mine says the first RTE with the clam shell fenders was serial #0045000204 which is actually the last 1950 RTE. Your tractor undoubtedly takes the clam shell fenders, whether the ones you have are the correct ones or not you'll have to find out. I think you have a pretty good handle on what you've got. That's a pretty rare tractor, good luck with it.

Jim

Humbly,
Brian

I'm using the same parts book as you are, but you need to read a little closer. Yes, page 47 pictures the clam shell fender but on page 46 the serial number breaks are for the rear axle and housing. All the tractors went to the new axle and housing in 1952. You mention page 70 too, but it is talking about the platforms. The old platform was used up to the 204 number you mention. What you need to look at is what I looked at - page 89, where it has the new clam shell fender starting at no. 204 for the RTE. This is actually the last 1950 RTE. Makes me wonder if either the parts book or the serial list is wrong. To boil it all down, looks like M-M put a new platform on the 1951 tractors, which didn't allow for using the old straight fenders as the new platform wouldn't accept the extensions that are necessary to mount the fenders. Therefore they came out with the new clamshell fenders and continued to use them in 1952 and up on the new axles housings. I went out and set the fenders off my 1952 on both the '52 and a '48 and they fit the same, which isn't really very good, but that's just the way they are. The U bolt fits both the housings the same, which is much better than the fender. Clear as mud?

Jim

Brian

Brian

Unfortunatley the serial number on my tractor was defaced almost beyond recognition. a few months back I was able to make out enough numbers to put it as either a 51, 52, or 53. Someone helped me use the engine serial numbers to determine the exact year. Thanks for the posting

RTE Serial Numbers
1947 420845-420856
1948 0044800001-0044800501
1949 0044900001-0044900315
1950 0045000001-0045000204
1951 00400205-00400281
1952 00400282 only
1953 00400283-00400287

We should be able to figure out what you've got from the details of your tractor. If you can still read some part of the serial number maybe you can match it up to these. Note that all 1948 and later RTEs started with '004' in their serial number.

Brian