Tractorpoint Login

print < Tractorpoint Login

Search for = harvey

Topic

Morning Tom Depending on how and what type of soil you are using it in hp really isn't a factor. IE: little two man rental things! The best factor is a good solid machine with good hyd's to pull it and control the speed of penetration. I'm not sure I would want to try a 24" auger with my 4400 but I use a 12" all the time. I am sure I could run an 18-24" no problem, but if I doped off for a second and the auger sucked down into some soft stuff the tractor would never pull it up. Out comes the big pipe wrench and back it out. For a tree hole I'd drill a couple of feet down with a 12" and dress up the hole by removing 6" around it with a shovel. The hard part is done by the tractor. As far as breaking thru hard soil you can add to your point and cutters for penatration. If you are going to do lots of drilling I'd get a med to good quality NAME brand. If you are in stony ground get lots of shear bolts, the soft ones not hardened. Some days me thinks it might be worth a hardened one but I have rebuilt it once (more education it the school of higher learning "Hard Knocks").

3 pt posthole digger
Tractor Projects
Replies 6 Post by harvey

Don not really sure what size you are lookin for. An excellent site is ackerman he has a post here somewhere under Jim about an auction. He has prices and many used units. That should get you a feel for the market in used tractors. I'm thinking a used tractor is fine if the size is right. I bought a little 1982 Ford 1500 4X4 used in 87 gave 5000 just traded on a new one and got 6500 for trade. It was garage kept and well maintained also well used by me. These little snots hold their value over time. If your age is not a concern I would not hesitate to buy a name brand. Me thinks Art can verify tractors holding their value over time. Yup I do not expect to get my new price back any time before 10 years, but then again this one should take me to the end...

Help Victim of JD Stick Shock
Yanmar Tractors
Replies 22 Post by harvey

Matt This subject is beaten very well. My first thought is the clutch is not completly releasing. BUT if free travel is OK. Check ALL the linkages. Remove the side covers look for loose, bent or unlubricated areas that could bind. I had some difficulty with the range shifter and lubricating the universals and other pivot points cured it. I normaly tend to forget stuff like that since every thing seems to be greaseless nowdays.

SyncShift Tranny Problems
John Deere Tractors
Replies 31 Post by harvey

Richard I hear you loud and clear. A story that Art W reminded me of a couple of weeks ago with his "T" handle Geil skid steer (notice I did not say "Bobcat"). Had a Owantonna T handle skid steer with a severe hyd pump problem after a service. Had Owantonna people come out they suspected filter problem replaced with factory brand cross reference by Owantonna same problem. Pressure from pump plenty high so they still where puzzled. They had a engineer from Owantonna fly in, it was a new line, he spotted the problem in about 5 minutes. WRONG FILTER, right number, except for a -A or something at the end of it. Looked exactly the same. Cross reference the same. Difference was the flow on the inside...That was a easy and cheap lesson in the school of hard knocks.

Hyd filter
Parts and Repair
Replies 9 Post by harvey

It would make sense. When someone asks about my JD and I tell them I have a 4400. Their eyes look bewildered. Then comes; what do you need with a tractor "THAT BIG" for??? Refering back to the 44 series AG tractors. Just my thought because I have not heard anything yet. Course I try to stay away from there, for awhile, cause I want a snow blower, but am not ready to part with money yet....

New Compact Line
John Deere Tractors
Replies 9 Post by harvey

Bob I probably will get accused of insensitivity, but here goes take 2 bays and let your signficant other park out in the weather??? :-) I'm still chuckling... I also keep the tractor in the heated garage both our cars stay out. My work bay is usually occupied with a project. I keep the attachment that I am using on. PROBLEM unless I use pressure washer or scrape the under side of mowers I have a MUSTY smell in the house. I keep most attachments in the hedge row and do not cover them. Reason; the sun and wind will dry them out and a cover will keep the moisture in that comes up out of the ground. I do use the casters in the shed (that is full of rought cut lumber, firewood and precious treasures) to store my counter weight box. Back to the insensitivity, it was explained to me that this year I would add more garage space on for her parking... we'll see who runs this place...do not ask for pictures of my ripped and tattered body.

Garage Space needed for Tractor
Operating and Attachments
Replies 10 Post by harvey

Roger what a refreshing post. I'm thinking if the drive in that steep and icy why plow it anyway you'd never get a car up it. Seriously any type of old used chains that will fit the tire will work fine. Keep them loose so the cross links will fall out of the tread. Brakes are your worst enemy on ice. They will stop the tire from moving and the cross links from creeping. Add lots of cross links you can get them at auctions and farmers hedge rows. Like Roger said use wire for temporary set ups. It's not a 100+HP tractor and your not pulling a 6+ bottom plow. I've used my set-up to break up the surface ice for neighbors with steep icy drives by riding one brake and letting the other tire chew releasing enough to keep forward motion. Mine are from the highway dept well worn, not safe to use on 60,000+lbs trucks at highway speeds. Trade them coffee and especially DONUTS :-) they will help you load all you can haul. Have fun!

What to expect from chains
Snowblowers / Snow Plows
Replies 10 Post by harvey

Just my humble oponion: The last place you want to tow your little trailer rig and tractor is into a DOT inspection station. UNLESS your weights are correct, your break-away-brake switch is perfect, you know exactly and can document the tensil strenght of your tie downs. POINT- a 790 can not weight more than 3500 or so and a single chain over the center of the frame may be more than enought from a legal point than 4 non rated nylon straps. The DOT can weight each axle, if one is heavy... a non working brake may get you impounded until a certified brake mechanic repairs it. This learning is or can be very expensive. I've seen some good advice on this board. Some way over kill. Some really would concern me and I have been down both sides of the fence with squeaking by and over doing it. If you have a good trucking company near by, clean, good looking equipment, stop in and chat with them about your needs. Most drivers love a chance to bend an ear. Lots of luck.

JD 790 Trailering
John Deere Tractors
Replies 5 Post by harvey

I stuck a pump right in my heating oil tank. Its been like that for ove 10 years now. Before that messed around with cans. Come the BIG ICE STORM PTO generator will be fine. I get about 2 hours per gallon average use. Alittle less on mower at PTO. I like it!!!!

Diesel pump
Parts and Repair
Replies 17 Post by harvey

JeffM I'm down just SW of Syracuse and we get more than our fair share. I ski lots at Whiteface, so I see the snow especially in the Old Forge area. I first started out here with a little 1500 Ford and a 4' box scraper. BOY did I feel good about that. Over a 1000 feet of drive and parking etc. Got tired of that after 6 years then the blizzard of 93-94. Bought a land pride 72' back blade 360 degree rotation. (That is still the weapon of choice.) I'd spend a lot of time pushing back snow banks. Found a little 4' 2 stage very light weight snow blower (it needed rebulding, it was all bent and broken). That was the ticket. I could windrow the snow 3-4 plowings drop the blade off, put on the blower and 1 pass each side of drive ALL GONE. Traded my little ford and 4' blower for a 4400 w/fel... Right now I am missing my snow blower. Granted I don't spend the time pushing back banks or, now, stacking snow but the blower is so much easier on the tractor than all of the loader work or banging the banks with the rear blade. Currently the 4400 has chains on all 4 mainly to protect the tires from cuts. Plus they do make the heavy pushing and skacking easier. Only using the rear blade and the fel. Gonna find another blower old and rusty and CHEAP, rebuild it for the few times I need/want it. Maybe a bright shinny new one if this construction season is as good as last one :-)

Rethinking a snow blower
Snowblowers / Snow Plows
Replies 16 Post by harvey

John I use IE 5.?? high light with left click. Right click and copy to notepad, word or hit print. You can also high light it and go to: file/print/printselection. All this assumes you are using MSOS, IE5.

Printing
Website Operations Howto
Replies 3 Post by harvey

Frank, JeffM I see the trade off as a win-win-rewin proposal. I need a new toy, I whine, she makes a deal. I win. I then do her project, she wins. She is so thrilled with her project I get to win again :-). Trade offs are a good thing.

Help I need information
Mowers Field and Finish
Replies 21 Post by harvey

Cutter sounds like a PROJECT. If you have a molboard plow that will do the best job for loosening up the soil. Plus it will be a consistent depth and only get the top soil. You should be able to push backward and push more. Use tire chains to limit the damage to your tires from slippage on the damp soil with sharp rocks. Have Fun!

Land Preparation
Barns Pole Barns
Replies 25 Post by harvey

Morning Bob I do not like to try and pull much snow forward either. The rear blade will clean right down throught your tracks but with any amount of snow they tend to load up. You'll spend a lot of time going over what you did recleaning it. You did not say how big a tractor or bucket you have. So I'll shoot from the hip. You can increase the size of your bucket with some bolt on wings for snow or bulk material (sawdust, chips etc). Make them as wide as you need. You could order an aftermarket blade for your loader also. I'll still bet what you have is 10X better than the old shovel.

Rear Blade
Operating and Attachments
Replies 3 Post by harvey

You are a "GOOD MAN" Hillbilly. I hardley ever remember exaust fumes on the vertical stack tractors. I am always smelling old burnt diesel now. Don't get me wrong "I like the smell of burnt diesel in the morning", or did some one else say that? But I work with diesel all day and do not want to sniff it while I am playing at home. But burnt smell is better than SWEAT any day. Should I ramble on....

Vertical exhaust kits
Website Operations Howto
Replies 3 Post by harvey

Morning Hillbilly, I have a 4400 with turfs they are reversed for clearance. I only have a couple of inches top and inside. I use old truck chains. I take a couple of cans of coffee and some donuts to the town barn and ask for their worn chain parts. Generally they have lots of that stuff (If they do not ask them to save you some)that is not safe on the heavy trucks at plowing speeds. Plenty good for what I want. I take all the parts seperate the components and build a new set that I like. I have only needed to build the one set and modified or repaired them as needed in the last 15 years. I weld the cross links together for the right lenght. They can also be bolted. You can add bolts in the middle for extra bite. I have had ag tires in the past. I used chains on them also. Roger posted it right. Chains protect the tires in slippage operations either plowing a field, plowing snow, bucket work on damp or rocky ground, skidding logs etc. Been there and done all that. No you can not go down the road fast. No they ain't purty. Yes they work great for what I use them for. I cut a lot of my own fire wood and do drag out an exceptional, non-firewood, log now and then. You will not beat the $15.00 barter price if you have some time to play. Also you can X the cross links by bolting or welding. I asked JD about the driveline on the front and their only concern was clearance and none about weakness, so I use cut down pickup chains on the front. E-mail me if you want me to take some detailed photos for you. Enjoy the toys in the different seasons.

Tire chains for my JD 4400
Parts and Repair
Replies 20 Post by harvey

Good morning Gentlemen

The quick detach loaders? Any thing can fall off a tractor, quick. I saw a 46a mentioned. I think the better part of the discussion should be how easy do they reattach. Been there done that with 46a and other farm loaders old, ugly, ones with lever trip buckets. UGGGH! But they all were better than the pitch fork. The 430 series on the 4400 is great on and off. I tend to try and use mine like a Caterpillar at work and have to remember it does not have cat yellow on it. I also remember the round point shovel and wheelbarrow drill and lighten up on it.

Loaders What would you change
Loaders Back Hoes
Replies 31 Post by harvey

Micheal

Bunch of dopy ole labeles anyhow... The SCV lever has two lockout positions, one so that it will not move side-to-side, and the bottom position locks out all movement. If you do not have a bucket hooked up you can lock the valve out... If you use a mid-mount mower or something else you can just lock out the side-to-side. The PTO, mid mount runs off the same clutch as the rear. If you are using the mid PTO engage the lever before engaging the PTO clutch.
ENJOY THE NEW TOY!!!

New Tractor - New Owner - Confused
John Deere Tractors
Replies 2 Post by harvey

Kay nailed it. The chains have to be able to creep and move. Not knowing what type of cross links or how many you now have. I'll tell you what I did with my ag tires on little (compact) tires with big (field tractor) side links. I used double ring cross chains in normally installed position then I went to the next middle link on the side chain and installed a regular heavy truck cross link. This way every side link facing up has a cross link. If you are on a side slope driveway with ice I whould use extreme caution, very few things will bite ice. To answer your original question yes you can add connector links between the cross links to hold them up and out of the lugs. Iwould try regular repair links before buying a box of expensive quick repair links with the nut on them. Any way if you have regular truck chains try adding the double ring cross links. Your local tractor supply should have scads of catalogs and chains plus repair stuff you can look at.

rigging tire chains
Snowblowers / Snow Plows
Replies 12 Post by harvey

Hal, Get a spray bottle old windex any thing that will spray. Mix a 3-5 to 1 or so mixture of dish soap (1) and water (3-5). Spray around the tire keeping it wet. Do the beads also. You gotta be patient to find a slow leak. Mark the leak area and like Bird said get a GOOD tire repair person to clean up bead area and patch as needed. Good luck! Of course there is always a tube option.

Front Tires Losing Air- B2710HSTw LA401 Loader and 5 ft finish mower
Kubota Tractors
Replies 7 Post by harvey