4 Wheel drive indicator with inclinometer install on a Grand L Cab

hawkeye08 · Jan 31, 2014

I don't know why, but I am unable to see Waxman's pictures... based on the words, nice job, I'm sure the pictures make it even better..

wmonroe · Feb 1, 2014

Very nice, well thought out mod. Between you and Paul my mod list keeps getting longer. Let us know what degree incline the tractor feels comfortable on and where the line is that it is starting to be too steep.

ovrszd · Feb 1, 2014

Yeah, I'm anxious to hear about that too. I had a cheap inclinometer on my B2910 and ran it over 15 degree side tilt a lot while mowing roadbanks. Didn't have anything for steep inclines though.

I tried to climb a steep timber bank, very high, maybe 60', with my L4400 in the Springtime once. Made it halfway up and spun out (R4's). Slid to the bottom. Wouldn't have had the time to look at a meter if I'd had one!!!!

WaxMan · Feb 1, 2014

wmonroe said:
Very nice, well thought out mod. Between you and Paul my mod list keeps getting longer. Let us know what degree incline the tractor feels comfortable on and where the line is that it is starting to be too steep.

ovrszd
Re: 4 Wheel drive indicator with inclinometer install on a Grand L Cab

Yeah, I'm anxious to hear about that too. I had a cheap inclinometer on my B2910 and ran it over 15 degree side tilt a lot while mowing roadbanks. Didn't have anything for steep inclines though.

I tried to climb a steep timber bank, very high, maybe 60', with my L4400 in the Springtime once. Made it halfway up and spun out (R4's). Slid to the bottom. Wouldn't have had the time to look at a meter if I'd had one!!!!

Now you guys want me to be the test pilot?

Nah, I don't think so.

Someone somewhere has that information.

I have a Cub Cadette zero turn call a TANK. I bought this for mowing my yard, it's a commercial model. Heavy duty, wide and low to the ground. This page is in the instruction manual, it says don't go over 15 degrees.
So If the Tank can't go over 15 degrees you can be sure that is the number I'm going to watch.
Now going straight up a hill. At the end of my property at my other house there is a steep hill that I drive straight up. Last October I pushed some dirt and brush to the top of that hill or just over the hill. From the bottom of the hill I tried to scoop up a pile and I could feel the tractor tipping back easy with the fell on the ground.
I said whoa felt like it was tipping back, I wasn't too worried because my backhoe was on. But is was a scary feeling, I will be curious what that degree is and will let you know that one. But as for side to side just shy of 15 will be my limit.

I don't know what they mean by saying don't go straight up and down the hill? I mow up the hill at the other house and it's more then 15 degrees for sure. I would never go side ways or I'm I missing something? Is it easier to tip over head over heals then side to side?

varmint · Feb 2, 2014

After seeing 4shorts and then waxman's great work on their 4wd indicators, I decided I need one, too. Since I have a smallish B8200 Kubota, no cab (sigh) and not a lot of open dash space, I gave up on using any of the indicator lights I had hoarded, and went looking for a small LED indicator light. After looking at hundreds on eBay, I came across these: 5 LED Indicator Light Lamp Pilot Dash Directional Car Truck Boat 12V | eBay
You'll notice the price- delivered. I saw the same lights being sold for higher prices all over the place, so for $2.19, I figured I can't go wrong. Plus, I have been pleased with the other little electrical items I have ordered from China and Hong Kong, equally crazy cheap.
Since I won't be installing this stuff till it warms up (too lazy to remove the chains just to drive into a heated shop) I wasn't in a big hurry. I will post this little project when I get to it. Meanwhile, enjoy the pro's posts!

WaxMan · Feb 2, 2014

npalen said:
Waxman, tell us a little about your background where you learned all these skills. Are you self taught for the most part, trade schools, on the job experience etc? Don't mean to be nosey but I, and probably others, would enjoy hearing about you're above average (way above) abilities.

To answer your question -
I guess I always watched my father work in the basement when I was a kid, so I also was always making stuff in the basement from scratch from parts and stuff laying around. Every toy I ever had ended up in pieces because I always needed something off of it to make something else at the time. I loved old electronics. Our neighbor was a TV repair man and had a shop in his basement, and had a dump out back. I would dream of the day he would clean out the shop which he did every once in a while.

Whenever I would get something new, even today, I would make a box for it or a stand or some accessory for it.
My best friend of 38 years once said "you're always making stuff, and whatever you're making there's always a pile of 5 or 6 of them in the corner that weren't good enough." So true. I make it as I go - no real plan to follow just an idea what I want the outcome to be.
My wife of 35 years says I take everything to the extreme, except picking up after myself.

My mother's dad was a big tinkerer and my father was a tinkerer. My mother is very creative, always using her head and coming up with different ideas around the house. She painted pictures and made dolls, she still paints once in a while. My father worked in an aerospace company and would tinker with his Bolens lawn tractor and plow setup after dinner for a few hours in the basement. We also made go carts together. I wish he could see my Kubota - he would have loved to have a bucket and backhoe. He would bring old switches and stuff home for me to make something with.
So from a long line of tinkerers, I guess I'm just a tinkerer also.:confused3:

ovrszd · Feb 2, 2014

I'm sure your Father is very proud of you and enjoys watching you work on the Kubota. As you admitted, he inspires you to this day. Thanks for sharing your story.

Some might say there's something wrong with you. I say there's something wrong with us, lack of patience and perfectionalism diligence.

WaxMan · Feb 2, 2014

ovrszd said:
I'm sure your Father is very proud of you and enjoys watching you work on the Kubota. As you admitted, he inspires you to this day. Thanks for sharing your story.

Some might say there's something wrong with you. I say there's something wrong with us, lack of patience and perfectionalism diligence.

Thanks ovrszd, that was nice to read.

npalen · Feb 4, 2014

Thank you, OVRSZD, you should be very proud of your heritage and your abilities.

npalen · Feb 4, 2014

varmint said:
After seeing 4shorts and then waxman's great work on their 4wd indicators, I decided I need one, too. Since I have a smallish B8200 Kubota, no cab (sigh) and not a lot of open dash space, I gave up on using any of the indicator lights I had hoarded, and went looking for a small LED indicator light. After looking at hundreds on eBay, I came across these: 5 LED Indicator Light Lamp Pilot Dash Directional Car Truck Boat 12V | eBay
You'll notice the price- delivered. I saw the same lights being sold for higher prices all over the place, so for $2.19, I figured I can't go wrong. Plus, I have been pleased with the other little electrical items I have ordered from China and Hong Kong, equally crazy cheap.
Since I won't be installing this stuff till it warms up (too lazy to remove the chains just to drive into a heated shop) I wasn't in a big hurry. I will post this little project when I get to it. Meanwhile, enjoy the pro's posts!

Hello varmint--I have a B9200 and would like to install a 4WD indicator also. Do you plan to mount a switch by the 4WD engagement lever to turn the light on? P.S. How can something so low priced be free shipped from overseas? Government subsidized?