GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications

   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #1  

ray66v

Super Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2006
Messages
5,507
Location
Ohio
Tractor
GC2310,
Please post any upgrades or modifications you have done to your GC, which you think other GC owners would be interested in doing.

I will start with 2 I have done.

The first is the addition of a glow plug light for early models that do not have one.

When you energize the glow plugs, the metal strip, (bus bar), that runs between them has +12 Volts dc on it. If you get a 12 volt light, ground one end, and hook the other to the bus bar, you have a glow plug light.

Ideally, you use an instrument lamp that has the right socket to lock in one of the unused holes in the dash. You can get these where they sell aftermarket gauges. Or, even just buy a cheap gauge that comes with one, if they don't sell them separately.

There are also lots of bright led's now you could use. Keep in mind, unlike a light bulb, they do have polarities you need to observe.

If you cannot find a bulb that has the socket to fit securely in one of the empty holes in the dash, use aluminum foil tape to hold the lamp in the hole from the underside. You won't know the difference.

The lamp is not on long enough to get particularly hot, so there is not much need to worry about how well you connect it to the dash.


Another useful upgrade, was a 12 volt power jack, to allow me to plug in a float charger without opening the hood. My GC has the original brush guard, which must be lowered separately, before you open the hood, so it's not very convenient.

I used a Radio Shack panel mount jack like in the photo below, and mounted it low on the part below the dash that curves downward. This is to keep water out of it. It is simply connected directly to the battery. Then, I just added the compatible plug to my float charger.

Anyone who does this add, please be sure to add a low amperage in line fuse to the positive side. I think I used a 2 amp.

I keep most of my equipment on a float charger, (the cheap Harbor Freight ones work fine), when I don't intend to use it all the time. This adds considerable life to wet cell batteries.
 

Attachments

  • Radio Shack.jpg
    Radio Shack.jpg
    4.7 KB · Views: 584
   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #2  
I installed 2 work lights, that I purchased at NAPA. I mounted them to the protective brackets on the turn signals. 1 faces to the front, the other to the rear.
 
   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #3  
#1) My first best cheap upgrade to list is because of ray66v great idea, and I urge everyone to INSTALL A GLOW PLUG ACTIVATION INDICATOR LIGHT to light up when the glow plugs are activated, :thumbsup:.
I purchased a sealed 1/2" diameter red light from Napa and installed it in the dash near the emergency switch. I looked under the dash to make sure there was lots of room where I drilled the 1/2" hole with a flat style wood bit through the plastic dash. The location is approx 3/4" to the left of the emergency switch and approx 3/4" lower then the emergency switch, :cool:. I connected a red and black 20 gauge wire (enough plus a little extra to make my connections) with crimp style connectors and installed heat shrink tubing to the two black wires extending out of the back of the light. I then added a 1/4" slit wire loom covering over the two wires. I fed the wires and loom through the hole I drilled and pushed the light untill it was flush with the outside of the dash and made a label to identify the light "GLOWPLUG LIGHT". I connected the black wire to a grounding 1/4"-20 bolt with a crimp style connector along with heat shrink tubing near the back of the dash and the ground side of the battery (this bolt was installed for the horn ground I had installed at an eariler date). I then fed the red wire and loom and connected it the glowplug wire on the flat metal bus bar plate that connects all three glow plugs, again using a crimp style connector and heat shrink tubing, ;). Now I can "see the light" when the glow plugs are activated, :cool2:.

#2) My second best upgrade was to install the MF block heater, :cool2:. Approx $140. If you live in a real cold area, well worth the money, :thumbsup:.

#3) The third best upgrade I have done is to have rimguard add to all four tires at a cost of about $100. I had to remove all 4 tires and take them to the local rimguard dealer (tire shop) to have them filled. They filled the tires in about 1 hour and this added 97 pounds (9 gallons) to each rear tire, and 43 pounds (4 gallons) to each front tire.

#4) Switch all of my fluids to Amsoil Synthetic.

#5) Added a mechanical thumb to the dipper on the backhoe and also a tow hook to the upper flat area on the backside of the backhoe bucket.

#6) Added a tow hook to each end of the topside of the FEL bucket and also added a HF 2" receiver hitch at the center of the topside of the FEL bucket.

#7) Forgot, I guess adding a cab counts, and a heater, and 2 front work lights, and 2 rear work lights, and a 6" diameter 2 speed fan and a dome light in the cab, and added about 5 jeep type grab bars to get in and out of the cab, and a steering wheel spinner knob.

#8) Added a (approx 600 pounds) concrete wooden framed ballast 3 point hitch rear box with storage in the upper 4" of the box.

#9) Added a cheap horn under the hood.

#10) Added a set of removal bolt on brush forks, removal plywood for the top of the brush forks and vertical plywood at the front of the bucket to help in moving firewood, and added a bolt on set of removal bucket teeth (just shorter then the brush forks), and added a pinned on removal 6 foot tall gib for lifting that attaches to the bucket and/or brush forks or bucket teeth.

#11) Added plastic rear wheel weights (filled with concrete) that attaches to the inside of the rim.

#12) Added 1/2" thick flooring garage type foam pad to the floor of the tractor.

KC :D :D :D
 
Last edited:
   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #4  
#9) Added a cheap horn under the hood.

Nice...by far the best addition.
 
   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #5  
Here are a few of my modifications.:thumbsup:
- Moved marker lights to the inside of ROP so tree limbs don't rip them off. Also add rear lighting.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/massey-ferguson-owning-operating/202732-moving-marker-lights.html
-Made longer hitch to make hookups easier and can make sharper turns when pulling stuff.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...rating/203607-making-longer-hitch-gc2400.html
-Made a quick hitch for my 3PH lift arms to make my life easier.
Canadian Antique Tractor • View topic - 3 PH Quick hitch
-Today I made a marker to make it easier for me to know when my bucket is level on the ground. I welded a washer to a bolt and install to pin that holds the bucket cyl on.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Welded a 1/4" rod 40" long to a piece of 1/2" tubing and drilled a mounting hole in it and drilled a hole in the bucket to mount it. Need to put a small bend in rod to make clearance when the bucket moves.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Leveled the bucket and mark where the rod meet the washer, I then put a small groove in the rod so when the bucket is level the groove slipps in to the washer.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

-One thing I am going to look into doing is to install a light for the glow plugs, excellent idea.
 
   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #6  
anyone know where i can find a pdf file with expanded view of the front axel/hub/drive for a GC2310.I gotta leaky one and like to know what I'm gettin into,thanx rgreis
 
   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #7  
   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #8  
Here are a few of my modifications.:thumbsup:
- Moved marker lights to the inside of ROP so tree limbs don't rip them off. Also add rear lighting.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/massey-ferguson-owning-operating/202732-moving-marker-lights.html
-Made longer hitch to make hookups easier and can make sharper turns when pulling stuff.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...rating/203607-making-longer-hitch-gc2400.html
-Made a quick hitch for my 3PH lift arms to make my life easier.
Canadian Antique Tractor • View topic - 3 PH Quick hitch
-Today I made a marker to make it easier for me to know when my bucket is level on the ground. I welded a washer to a bolt and install to pin that holds the bucket cyl on.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Welded a 1/4" rod 40" long to a piece of 1/2" tubing and drilled a mounting hole in it and drilled a hole in the bucket to mount it. Need to put a small bend in rod to make clearance when the bucket moves.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Leveled the bucket and mark where the rod meet the washer, I then put a small groove in the rod so when the bucket is level the groove slipps in to the washer.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

-One thing I am going to look into doing is to install a light for the glow plugs, excellent idea.



I like this one :)

-Today I made a marker to make it easier for me to know when my bucket is level on the ground. I welded a washer to a bolt and install to pin that holds the bucket cyl on.
 
   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #9  
I resealed the leaky steering controller today and replaced the 8pcs of rubber isolators with the 2 pcs from the 24-26xx. It was easier to install and much cheaper. I also bumped up the 2600RPM to the 3000RPM of the GC26xx. So now I have a GC2510 that the steering doesn't leak.

Doug
 
   / GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications #10  
Finally got around to installing an indicator light for the glow plugs:cool: Connected the blue wire to the bus bar for the glow plugs, followed the existing wiring back to the dash, install a curcuit protector and installed the light that comes on when the glow plugs are actuated.:thumbsup:
 

Attachments

  • 05-09-12_1936.jpg
    05-09-12_1936.jpg
    331.2 KB · Views: 706
  • 05-09-12_1937.jpg
    05-09-12_1937.jpg
    411.1 KB · Views: 588
  • 05-09-12_1938.jpg
    05-09-12_1938.jpg
    462 KB · Views: 604
  • 05-09-12_1939.jpg
    05-09-12_1939.jpg
    432.6 KB · Views: 656
 
Top