GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications

[MF RED in MT]

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.

Hey ray66v,

I am giving the thread new life, because this is such a good thread of valuable information for new owners and old...

I am surprised the last post was almost 3 years ago.

Maybe MF added some of these simple upgrades to the newer tractors?

The 2 best upgrades I can think of are the glow plug dash light, and a cheap auto parts horn addition (the wife really hates this one when I use it to get her attention).

KC

 

[WranglerX]

Hey ray66v,

I am giving the thread new life, because this is such a good thread of valuable information for new owners and old...

I am surprised the last post was almost 3 years ago.

Maybe MF added some of these simple upgrades to the newer tractors?

The 2 best upgrades I can think of are the glow plug dash light, and a cheap auto parts horn addition (the wife really hates this one when I use it to get her attention).

KC

My two year old GC 1715 has glow plug lamp in instrument panel... Believe it is activate from key switch though...

Dale

 

[MF RED in MT]

+1 for MF...

 

[GeneV]

Another vote for reviving this thread!

I did a few things. I swapped the swiveling seat for a fold-down seatback one. Now, I flip the back down and sit on it when working with the hoe.




I build a mower deck dolly.




I built a loader joystick extension to bring it closer to me.




And I build a skid plate.

 

[ray66v]

Hey ray66v,

I am giving the thread new life, because this is such a good thread of valuable information for new owners and old...

I am surprised the last post was almost 3 years ago.

Maybe MF added some of these simple upgrades to the newer tractors?

The 2 best upgrades I can think of are the glow plug dash light, and a cheap auto parts horn addition (the wife really hates this one when I use it to get her attention).

KC

Yes, we the pioneer 2300 series owners had to take some arrows, so the current model owners could enjoy their "upgraded" 2.0 and 3.0 versions of the GC series.

My latest upgrade:

Last year, I decided I was tired of trying to shovel mulch from a 48" wide trailer, in to a 47" wide bucket. And, since I just finished making a "load handler" style roll up mat to unload my trailer shovel free, it was time to address the bucket size problem.

Rather than make some sort of funnel to add to the top of the bucket, I decided I would rather just make a bolt on bucket extension.

So here is my 7" front bucket extension:



I can now crank the mulch right into the oversize bucket, smiling the whole time.

 

[GeneV]

So that bolts on the outside of the side of the bucket, then?

 

[MF RED in MT]

Another vote for reviving this thread!

I did a few things. I swapped the swiveling seat for a fold-down seatback one. Now, I flip the back down and sit on it when working with the hoe.

View attachment 643995 View attachment 643996


I build a mower deck dolly.

View attachment 643997


I built a loader joystick extension to bring it closer to me.

View attachment 643998


And I build a skid plate.

View attachment 643999

Is that seat more comfortable then the OEM seat? After the first year, I have not turned the seat around to operate the backhoe, I just stand next to the backhoe, real close.

What's the red button on your joystick extension, an ejection button, ha.

KC

 

[MF RED in MT]

Yes, we the pioneer 2300 series owners had to take some arrows, so the current model owners could enjoy their "upgraded" 2.0 and 3.0 versions of the GC series.

My latest upgrade:

Last year, I decided I was tired of trying to shovel mulch from a 48" wide trailer, in to a 47" wide bucket. And, since I just finished making a "load handler" style roll up mat to unload my trailer shovel free, it was time to address the bucket size problem.

Rather than make some sort of funnel to add to the top of the bucket, I decided I would rather just make a bolt on bucket extension.

So here is my 7" front bucket extension:

View attachment 644065

I can now crank the mulch right into the oversize bucket, smiling the whole time.

Now that's a real clever attachment, thinking outside the box, I mean thinking outside the bucket.

KC

 

[GeneV]

Is that seat more comfortable then the OEM seat? After the first year, I have not turned the seat around to operate the backhoe, I just stand next to the backhoe, real close.

What's the red button on your joystick extension, an ejection button, ha.

KC

Oh that fires the cannon, I got it mounted ssqa when the bucket is off. Naw, it's just a plug for the hole at the top of the handle.

Yeh, this seat rocks. Without the spin mechanism, there's no wobble when driving around. Also I sit a little bit lower now. And it works great for the backhoe.

 

[MF RED in MT]

Oh that fires the cannon, I got it mounted ssqa when the bucket is off. Naw, it's just a plug for the hole at the top of the handle.

Yeh, this seat rocks. Without the spin mechanism, there's no wobble when driving around. Also I sit a little bit lower now. And it works great for the backhoe.

Could you provide the brand/model #, I'm tired of the wobble.

KC