4 in 1 bucket tip

[gordon]

Mark you got me---verbosity that really is a word!!! Now were cookin. Great post and thanks I gathered up most all of my questions and when I couldn't hold them back anymore, I let loose all at once. Great info you posted and I bet it's easy to write now but alot of it was hard learned through trial and error.

Guess that Long doesn't make a 5-1/2' bucket. From the sounds of it with the rocks you have moved or should I say small boulders and just some dings in the bucket its darn tough. How has the tooth bar held up over time did you get that from long as well? Replaceable pinned teeth or welded on teeth?

Thanks for that good old Mark post!!! I'm ready for anything now I've got the dictionary by my side./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I got a private e-mail from someone who shall remain nameless and he said that the tires Michelins were more than worth the hassle of mounting them. He said that you just can't believe the traction and footprint in the woods. Great floatation as well. You should have told me about those tires and how good they really are Mark. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
The p.s. was everything you heard about the tires is true.

Ok guys just make me drool/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[MChalkley]

Gordon - You're always welcome, of course. You're right, it took a long time to figure all that stuff about the regenerative circuits out. I was the first one to report the problem to Long and they were very puzzled as to what was going on. A friend of mine and I eventually figured it out and told them our theory - they agreed it had to be that, but told me I'd just have to live with the reversed hoses, that it was the only way I could get it to work. I wouldn't settle for that, of course, and the rest is history.

The tooth bar also came from Long. It has peened-on teeth, but they're in no danger of needing to be replaced anytime soon. It's holding up extremely well.

As for the tires, I did tell you about them: The original posts in the "L4310 Enhancements" thread told everything. Where do you thing the person who sent you the private e-mail heard about them from? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif As for the identity of the person who sent you the private e-mail, it's no trouble figuring out who he is, if he's a poster on this forum - only one other person has bought those Michelins and installed them. In fact, he put me on the trail of a place to buy the front tires at a much lower price than I'd found! I'm glad to hear he's happy with his. I sure am with mine.

MarkC

 

[gordon]

What got me thinking about the tires is, today I had the skidding winch on the back of the tractor and we just got a good bit of rain overnight and also some today. But I still tried to do alittle skiding without the tractor chains. Did some spinning on the third trip out once the trail got alittle soft in a couple of spots. I had her loaded pretty heavy though. A new part of the trail that I built last week. Hasn't packed out firm yet. Back to my point. I was wondering how well or if I would have had any wheel spin at all with the mac daddy tires. Time will tell about that one. It won't be this year but in the future I'll have a set of those tires.

But it's a toss up on which way to go first. The 4-in-1 or the tires first. My checkbook wont allow both. Unless I find a few nice veneer trees that are hidden in those woods and a good market for them. Or maybe if I'm real lucky some or even a birdseye maple--worth about $6000-12,000 for one log!!! But they are supposed to be extinct in the state of DE. But one never knows./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[MChalkley]

Gordon - I don't have to think long about which I'd rather give up. I'd much rather give up the tires than the bucket. There's things you can do to compensate for poorer tires, like chains, or just working more slowly, but it's hard to replace that 4-in-1 bucket!

MarkC

 

[gordon]

Good point Mark. Some things you can work around but other things just help with production and making the job go easier.

I think I've figured out the perfect test!!! For a period of three months we could trade buckets and tires just to see which one I would miss more when you take them back. How does that sound!!!??? Man if I could talk you into that one I would quit my day job and go into sales./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[MChalkley]

Gordon - Um, don't bother quitting your day job... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkC

 

[dmccarty]

I'll answer the "holding" up under use question.

I've only got 68 or so hours on the tractor but much of that is using the 4n1 FEL. I have moved tons and I do mean tons of logs and stumps with this thing. I still laugh when I pick up some of the large timbers, 12-15 feet long 20+ inches in diameter. I can barely roll the logs so picking them up with the FEL still boggles my mind.

The key to prevent bending of the bucket is to pick the logs up 90 degrees to the timber. You want both sides of the bucket to grab the timber at a minimum. If the top and bottom of the bucket grab on that is even better.

If you must grab something that violates the above approach then try to center it in the middle of the bucket.

The damage I have done to the bucket has been bending the sides and teeth when grabing a log and pulling at an angle. Sometime you just gotta do what you gotta do. Pulling at an angle will force the end of the log into one side of the bucket. The log weight and drag will cause a part of the bucket to move out of alignment. My 4n1 has two teeth on the inside of the bucket that will lock into logs that are being grabbed. I have bent them as well.

The fix is real simple. A hammer or sledge works in getting things back into alignment. Course it is better to prevent the problem in the first place.

I don't have any teeth, except for the two mention above, on the bucket. I push the bucket into the log with the bottom edge parallel to the log. I then grab the log with the bucket which moves the timber a bit. I then roll the bucket back which moves it into the lower part of the bucket edge. I clamp down to make sure that everything is secure and off I go.

Hope this helps...
Dan McCarty

 

[Djwalker]

I just used my Long's 4n1 to move ~100tons of 16" rock. I drove into the pile and scooped it up. My bucket hardly has a scratch on the paint. My neighbor helped for a while and bent the cutting edge and dented the back of his standard Kubota bucket. I'd say it's quite a bit tougher than anything Kubota makes.

Dave

P.S. I did the hydraulics by replacing the joystick with the remote mount joystick. It not only has a non-regenerative dump but is also easier to reach. A more expensive option, however.

 

[MChalkley]

Gordon - I guess I could've done a little more thorough job addressing the durability question, but by the time I got to that one, I was tired. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

My Long 4-in-1 bucket is on its 3rd tractor and has about 800 hours of use on it. You can see from the pictures in the "L4310 Enhancements" thread what kind of shape it's in. As I mentioned before, it gets lots of abuse and never complains. I routinely lift stuff 75% heavier than the L4310 is supposed to be able to, for example. I've used the clamp as an "instant chainsaw" many, many times, too. For the past couple months, the right side cylinder has been leaking a little - and that's the first problem I've ever had with it.

MarkC

 

[gordon]

Yea I did blast out a bunch of questions all at once. I have figured out two things. First a long bucket would be without a doubt a great long term investment. Second I won't be going into sales any time soon.

A couple of the others with the long bucket also posted on there toughness. All the same results a very well built product. Seals go over time in the hydraulic cylinders, sounds like it's time for a rebuild kit. Or take it to the hydraulic shop and have them do it.

Ok now you also went with a heavier duty solinoid valve to get rid of the chattering problem. Just a stronger solinoid or the entire valve assembly? I went through the entire 4310 post last night and it must be in the old posts I will go there tonight and see if I can find the posting on it.

As for the spool valve you just changed the outermost spool? I guess in a worst case situation I would have to buy the entire valve body for the remote mounted valve. That is what I've got on my loader now because of my cab. It's a remote mounted that is cable operated. The valve has seen it's better days but still works for me. I guess if you had a cab tractor with the four in one bucket the problem would be solved without having to do anything but go to a heavier solinoid valve to operate the jaw on the bucket.
Gordon