Hoe, hoe, hoe

[plastikosmd]

Well the tractor is back, new 448 installed. I was worried the hoe would be too big for the machine..but it is just perfect. Also had the mid pto installed, and rear SCV. The driver forgot the 448 manual, so before I go pick it up, if someone wants to run throught the connect/disconnect methods to the hoe, I would appreciate it. It ripped that dead stump up without even a wheeze. Somehow my little allis b12 snuck into the picture.

 

[Cidertom]

If you have not figured it out already. This is how I do it. Note differences in my method and JDs. Mine are in ()

Curl the bucket (Point the bucket, uncurl it all the way. Put a wood block under teeth)
(lower the stabilizers to just horizontal)
raise seat.
shut down tractor.
Remove BH hoses. Cap them.
Connect 3pt hose to power beyond.
start tractor
raise rock shaft control (3pt )
remove retaining pins from frame.
lower rock shaft untill bh is on ground
Drive away.

 

[plastikosmd]

thank you, i will print this out and go try it later. regarding the hose, there is no need to connect the inflow/outflow on the PB to make a circuit after removal? (i guess if this were true there would be another hose floating around) but just curious

 

[plastikosmd]

ok was out playin, and didnt remove..but couple more questions

1) why do i have to lower the stabalizers...they take up room

2) there are maybe 2 hoses on the right of the machine, one on the left..didnt look to close which do i disconnect and connect to?
thank you!

 

[Cidertom]

Reverse order:
There should be only one way to hook up hose after BH is off. You should have a short flex hose mounted to the tractor with male coupler loose while the BH is on. This goes to the female coupling that comes from the SCV after the BH is uncoupled. The BH hoses are stored and the Return fitting on the tractor gets a dust cap.

You don't have to lower the stabilizers. I do to keep it safer. If you look at the BH while it is on the ground you will see that it is "top heavy" and would not take much to cause it to fall over.
I have the occasion where a percheron could decide that it needs a butt scratching and topple it. After shaking the BH I even became concerned that the 7 year old child unit could cause issues.

 

[plastikosmd]

ok got it, will give it a try this weekend, thanks for advise. good thinkin on the 7yr old. I dont have any of those runnin around yet...plan to build a rolling dolly for moving it around, I will incorporate some additional stability when I do this

 

[B8FISH]

If you are re-attaching outside with the ROPS up--you can ignore this. I store mine in the basement of my barn, which requires the ROPS to be folded down, and the first time I re-attached was quite an experience. When I (unknown to me) lifted the BH up with the rockshaft the ROPS contacted the control levers on the BH--no problem until I connected all the hydraulics and restarted the tractor--the back end went up in the air and sideways--only shutting it off stopped the dang thing from hitting the floor joists above me and squishing me in the process. I had to remove the upper ROPS pins to take the top half off so I could work the controls to bring it back down. I have since put a c-clamp on the ROPS--it is just big enough that the ROPS gets caught on the protective bar around the BH controls and cannot contact them.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

If you have not figured it out already. This is how I do it. Note differences in my method and JDs. Mine are in ()

Curl the bucket (Point the bucket, uncurl it all the way. Put a wood block under teeth)
(lower the stabilizers to just horizontal)
raise seat.
shut down tractor.
Remove BH hoses. Cap them.
Connect 3pt hose to power beyond.
start tractor
raise rock shaft control (3pt )
remove retaining pins from frame.
lower rock shaft untill bh is on ground
Drive away.

I took my 447 off for the first time a while ago and did the reinstall yesterday. A couple of observations.

When the hoe came off it ended up sitting on the floor, tipped at an angle away from the back of the tractor - probably would have been prevented by curling the bucket as Cidertom suggests. As a result, when backing the tractor to the hoe (sitting on the floor) the Rockshaft pins were still about 2" away from engaging and could not back up anymore. This required connecting BH hoses and using the stabilizers and boom / bucket etc to tilt the BH into more perpendicular position so the Rockshaft pins engaged.

Reconnected hoses for Rockshaft operation and raised the BH. Found the BH would not raise quite far enough to insert the "L-Pins" This situation is described in the Manual - so sounds like adjustment time by the dealer.

Reconnected the BH hoses and raised the unit using the stabilizers - inserted "L-Pins"

To summarize, the key to easy removal / installation seems to be proper adjustment of the Rockshaft arms and keep the BH as close to horizontal / perpendicular as possible.