lightsison
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Coldwater Tractor Frontend Loader install.
I recently purchased a new Frontend Loader from Coldwater Tractors and wanted to do an updated install write-up.
The loader arrived late one evening and I was happy to see it. The freight company had a few issues getting it the last leg of the trip but it finely arrived and in good shape. Curiously it was covered in coffee grounds I suspect that it had a fight with a load of coffee and won.
The loader did not come with any real instructions but once I unpacked all of the parts and started the install it all started to be real clear how it goes together. To make the job easier I installed a beam and brought a cheap chain hoist and I am very happy that I took these steps.
The first step was to mount the undercarriage. This went smoothly and only took a few minutes.
The second step was to mount two flanges one on each side of the tractor. This step was a bit more of a pain because one of the flanges were in direct conflict with the hydraulic lines. With a little force and a bit of luck I was able to get the plate under the lines. If I had to do it over I know now that I should have unhooked the high pressure line to make it go better.
Once I got the bracket plates and the undercarriage all connected loosely I moved on to the loader arms. This step was the quickest as it just fell into place and bolted right up.
The next step was to mount the brace between the bumper and the loader uprights. This step was a bit of a challenge because the brace did not line up directly with the bumper holes. I used a ratchet strap to coax them into place.
I moved on to hooking up the hydraulic lines. This step was very simple with the adaptors that ordered form Hoye tractor. The only problem I have with this step is I couldn稚 get the side cover back on the tractor. After some readjustment I got the cover back on. I started the tractor up let it idle for a minute and tried to move the loader. It moved up and down and the ram that pivots the bucket moved in and out. It was at this point that I realized that I needed to flip the hydraulic cylinders over so that the loader would not hit the input hoses. I had read this in a few post but forgot. If I were to do this again I would have made this step two.
I gave all of the fittings a quick tightening and added the bucket. I than took the tractor out for a spin and the loader seems to work flawlessly. I have never used a loader or even driven a tractor much so it will take some time to get the hang of using it. Over all I am very satisfied with the experience and would not hesitate to do it again. I paid 2300 total for the loader with shipping 2/3rds of the way across the country. The install was for the most part easy and went without any big issues.
