My First Tractor will be a Ventrac 4500Y.

[John Joseph McVeigh]

What kind of splitter you thinking of?

Hi, Murph.

I am considering:

the Wallenstein WX540;



the Wallenstein WX640;

,

both of which are horizontal/vertical hydraulic log splitters, and

the Split Second kinetic (and horizontal-only) log splitter.



I have oak, hickory, and black walnut to split, including some very large rounds.

I am also considering the Wallenstein BXMT3213 Chipper/Shredder.



The BXMT3213 has a three-inch-diameter capacity. I'd like to get the BXMT4224, which has a four-inch-diameter capacity, and considerably more engine horsepower, but there are storage-space issues as well as budgetary ones.

(In addition to buying the 4500Y and attachments a little over a month ago, we just signed a contract for a substantial kitchen makeover, and I do mean substantial.)

Anything over three inches I would probably burn anyway. Our house has three stacked-stone fireplaces.

I visited the nearest Wallenstein dealer today. The log splitters and the chippers and the chipper shredders are available in several different colors. The stock color for the splitters is blue... similar to a Ford Blue or a New Holland Blue. The standard color for the chippers and chipper/shredders is yellow. Each is available in red at no extra charge, but red would have to be a special order that would take four to six weeks for delivery. I'm not in a great rush , and I am inclined to get the red for both the splitter and the chipper/shredder. I think that red will be more visible and will be a better color match for the 4500Y.

Any and all comments are welcome.

With best regards,

John

 

[murphy1244]

I am thinking of this carrier.

View attachment 410978

That's what I have, think I bought it from Northern tool. Don't over think the spinner knob. Keep it simple.

 

[murphy1244]

If I ever buy another splitter it would have a log lift. I don't like crawling on the ground to split wood, I do have a Wally BXM-42 chipper/shredder for my Tractor.

 

[BKBrown]

I don't know if yours is the same but here are a couple pictures of mine. The arm rests do not attach to the sides of the seat, but to the back. I seem to remember someone saying that the inserts are under the back panel and the location of the holes are molded into that back panel plastic so you only drill the plastic cover and the inserts are already there. Max is the nosy boy in one of the pictures Chocolate Lab well over 100# and not fat Just BIG.

Hi, BKB.

I did take a look at the Ventrac web site before posting my enquiry to the forum, but I did not see any installation instructions.

With best regards,

John

 

[John Joseph McVeigh]

I don't know if yours is the same but here are a couple pictures of mine. The arm rests do not attach to the sides of the seat, but to the back. I seem to remember someone saying that the inserts are under the back panel and the location of the holes are molded into that back panel plastic so you only drill the plastic cover and the inserts are already there. View attachment 411065View attachment 411066 Max is the nosy boy in one of the pictures Chocolate Lab well over 100# and not fat Just BIG.

Hi, BKB.

Thank you very much for taking the time to take and to post those pictures.

My seat looks different from yours. Mine does not have those external brackets. I believe that I can feel the mounting supports under the vinyl of the side panels, and holes and a keyway in them for the mounting posts of the arm rests. But I hesitate to cut, for obvious reasons, until I have word from the dealer.

Best,

JJM

 

[John Joseph McVeigh]

Traction Test.

Sunday night into Monday morning, we had freezing rain and sleet here. By Monday morning, the driveway was glazed with ice. It was too slippery to walk on without Stabilicers strapped to my shoes.

I decided that this would be a good traction test for the 4500Y. After warming up the tractor, I headed down to Falls Road without lowering and running the broom. Falls Road, which is a numbered State road and a Snow Emergency Route, had been salted and was clear. The driveway, however, was icy all of the way down to the road.

On the way back, I put the primary SDLA lever in the float position, engaged the PTO at 2100 rpm, and then brought the revs up to 3100. The broom was counter-rotating relative to the direction of travel. I thought that this would be a good test of the tractor's hill-climbing ability. The tractor had no problems climbing any of the inclines, including the steep hill with the S-curve. The broom removed small loose surface ice-balls, but there was still a layer of ice between the tires and the pavement.

When I got back up to the top of the hill, I made laps with the broom counter-rotating. You can see the results in the following pictures.











These conditions did not require the use of either steel or rubber chains.

This might not be a worst-case test... a thicker and smoother layer of ice might be more challenging, but for 99% of the time, I do not think that the 4500Y will need any form of assistance. For the remaining 1%, sand, or ice-melting compound, or a mixture of both, will probably do the job. Applying sand or ice-melting compound or both will be easier than mounting and then unmounting chains.

John

 

[BKBrown]

OK - then mine is different from yours. I believe I would wait for clear instructions first too. Did you go to the MY Ventrac site and use your Model and Serial # to log in ? That is where the parts manual can be found. There may be an expanded view of the seat and arm rests. ???

 

[John Joseph McVeigh]

Hi, BKB.

Thank you very much for taking the time to take and to post those pictures.

My seat looks different from yours. Mine does not have those external brackets. I believe that I can feel the mounting supports under the vinyl of the side panels, and holes and a keyway in them for the mounting posts of the arm rests. But I hesitate to cut, for obvious reasons, until I have word from the dealer.

Best,

JJM

Further to the above, here are some pictures of my seat, and of the arm rests.

From the back, with the seat in its normal position....



From the left side, with the seat in its normal position....



There is an "indentation" in the left side panel. I can feel a plate behind it, with a hole and a keyway. I have highlighted the area in question with a white rectangle...



From the right side, with the seat in its normal position....



There is also an "indentation" in the right side panel. As is the case on the left side, I can feel a plate behind it, with a hole and a keyway. I have again highlighted the area in question with a white rectangle...



From the left side, with the seat in its raised position....



The "indentation" is visible.

Here I have added a white rectangle to help you see it....



From the right side, with the seat in its raised position....



The "indentation" on this side is also visible.

Here I have added a white rectangle to help you see it....



To be continued...

 

[John Joseph McVeigh]

To be continued...

From the back, with the seat in its raised position....



The arm rests...



The right arm rest, viewed from the left side...



Both arm rests, viewed from the front...



My take is that I need to use an Xacto® hobby knife to cut X patterns in the portions of the side panels that contain the indentations, with the Xs centered on the holes that I can feel through the vinyl material from which the side panels were made. The shaft of each arm rest has a stud sticking out at right angles to the shaft. These must fit in the keyway that I can feel through the vinyl material. The studs presumably latch into place. I'm wondering whether I should slip an O ring or a nylon washer (or both) on each shaft to help melted snow and rain out of the innards, or put some silicone grease on each shaft, or all of the above.

Any and all comments welcome.

With best regards,

John

P.S. We want snow, at lots of it! Snow, snow, and more snow! I still have not had a chance to put John Z. through his paces.

 

[BKBrown]

I would hesitate myself until I had clear instructions. I don't see what is going to hold those studs in place inside the seat. What is taking your dealer so long to give you a set of instructions ?? Did you look at My Ventrac ? I believe I would also ask for instructions on that web site - they have always been great and quick to respond.