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I have had episodes of this in past and often in recent times. Typically with the transfer in use, it does not release easily or at all. With the setting handle raised out of the notches on the side of the tractor and the tractor driven, it eventually snaps free. I had the dealer check this a...

Full tank of fresh gasoline. Tank, and lines had been flushed this past summer. Fuel pump fuse good. electric connection at pump 12.45V. Removed pump and direct connected to 12V and nothing. Of course the tractor was about 1/4 mile away from the shop tools. However, way back soon after I...

At about 750+ hours my original drive belt shredded into many itty-bitty pieces of cording and rubber. Must have come off the rear groove and tangled with the keeper. I had a spare and replacement on the 4500Z was a breeze, but I did get some extra clearance by removing three front grill...

Regarding the threads recently about unexpected stalls that at least some have been from solid objects or semi-solid objects in the fuel tank blocking the fuel exit or fuel line, I noticed this YouTube from Messicks: So I ordered one and will see if it fits properly when I get back to the...

Any sources for turf tire 23/8.5-12 for John Deere (Yanmar) 650 turf tires. Rear 31/15.5-15 ???

SwampDog posted the above referenced thread some time back. Yesterday, I noticed a youtube by "HeartBreakOrchard" or similar with same symptoms. That video maker determined fuel starvation before the fuel filter. He removed the tank and cleaned that finding dirt and what looks like...

I recall that a good while back our member "Murphy" (IIRC) reported his install of a better suspension seat and I almost followed up to get the product he used. My Z came with the "upgraded" suspension seat; I have tried all of the various pre-laod spring settings and that thing is and has been...

I recall that a good while back our member "Murphy" (IIRC) reported his install of a better suspension seat and I almost followed up to get the product he used. My Z came with the "upgraded" suspension seat; I have tried all of the various pre-laod spring settings and that thing is and has been...

First plowable snow of the season, family coming to swap gifts, so driveway needs plowed. 16 degrees F, battery tender "tending", pull the choke on the 4700, turn the gas on, turn the key, the dash lights up, but no starter. The electronic control board is totally dark. Bounce on seat to see...

Is it best to leave duals on or remove the outer wheels? I have always taken them off suspecting the duals would tend to ride up on the snow instead of cutting in. I removed the outers today, but is that the common practice? prs

Murphy alerted me to this a few days back, but today is the first time I could access the youtube and it is on the Ventrac web site too. 4 new models, two 72" ones and two a bit more than a foot less wide. One each of those with either fine cut teeth or rougher cut teeth. I wonder if they...

Ventrac 45Z-Greasing the infamous U-Joint and removing side panels-BLUE CORD Property Care - YouTube This felllow has a Z and such, he seems to do a nice job. prs

I have nice contour mower for sale with about 300 hours on it. Very good condition in shed. It cuts very smooth and just does NOT scalp, amazing 84" swath. Original blades, have a spare set too. My problem with it is that it cuts too short to suite me, I prefer to cut at 4 1/2" to 5" and...

I had been running the rough cut. Put it away and knowing that the finish mowere was to be next I went ahead and coupled to it that evening. Next time out, I left the optional deck flip hydraulic hoses in the mower deck's retainer holes since I would not be flipping the deck. Almost finished...

I am beginning to shop for a new saw. I prefer Pro models as I tend to keep them a loooong time. I was on the Stihl site and as I picked through the possibles I noticed ALL of the West Coast handled (wrap around handled) models were marked "NOT AVAILABLE". Any reason for that? I am...

The black plastic clamshell that has the switch and two colored buttons that tops the SDLS lever cracked and broke out around the retaining bolt on both halves of the clam shell. I was on a 30+ slope and in thick high fescue and cutting at 5". When it broke, I saw the pieces fall and was able...

My John Deere 650 4WD Compact tractor wears original Bridgstone Pillow Diamenter turf tires 37 years-old. Baby needs new shoes. 23X8.50X12 Front 31X15.5X15 Rear Any help in locating source for compatible rubber. prs

Third time; first was first winter, four years ago. Second was year before last and third was an hour ago. Turn the key so that switch is in run postion. Dash lights on, slope meter boots-up. NO fuel pump clickity-click. NO starter motor. Check to make sure the battery disconnect is...

Big Arsed Mower? Would not fit in my 8' garage door shed and I've had enough of rear discharge. But, I bet it is a great mower. Hydraulic tilt-up is "option"? Seems as if it would be totally necessary. prs

My catalytic muffler's heat jacket or blanket is wearing out. I hope that white matter is not asbestos! I used a header wrap material to cover the worn areas, but that is hot going to last. Raw Dodge hinted at a no brainer type solution quite a long time back. But I must have not brain. I...

How long does the drive belt last? About 500 hours for me. I found the original main drive belt beginning to fray and to be very stiff today. I had the hood and grill of in a half arsed attempt to repair the muffler/cat heat blanket. That made the belt very easy to replace and also very easy...

While doing pre-winter service on my tough cut mower I had it lifted up for blade removal, sharpening, and replacement. (The All American Sharpener model 5005EXT and an angle grinder make accurate sharpening easy on clockwise and counter clockwise blades.) In lowering the deck, I did not...

Regarding the Kubota gasoline fueled engine. I have had some trouble with spark plug service life. Our service schedule from Kubota calls for checking (cleaning and re-gapping) at 100 hours and replacement at 1,000 hours. On my 4500Z the original pugs were absolutely ruined at 100 hours. All...

It has been mowing season quite a spell now, how have the new model decks been performing? I would like to mow a little taller than my contour is capable of providing. prs

To make a shot story long; I purchased a new 2018 Goldwing cycle. Great bike, but the saddle, typical Honda, is lousy. It is a new model and the aftermarket has yet to come out with a better saddle. So I purchased this memory foam pad for office chairs. Good in office chair, but did not work...

... is expensive. The closest dealer quotes about 14,000 with additional cast weights, second front hydraulic set-up plus WV tax. That is way more than the contour mower, my current most spendy attachment. I believe the MSRP is over 14 grand without the weights and second hydraulic or tax...

This is my first season with attachment for snow removal with Ventrac, the big broom. It did a great job yesterday, clean to the pavement and quick too. It was only a light snow, about 1"+ a tad bit and I typically did not mess with it unless more than that when I was using a grader blade on...

This will be my first winter where I will be prepared to use the 4500 for snow removal. I have the rotary broom now and this has done well in clearing chestnut burs from my long driveway and today I brushed the leaves over the far bank (the wind may put them right back). I have always used my...

Looks extraordinarly expensive, but wonderful! I have long ditchlines and road banks and bad back too. prs

Not so much "if", but how? How does one go about draining and replacing the gear oil in the box. In the parts diagrams I see no provision for a drain on the bottom of the box and I see no access to a drain from under the center deck even if there was one there. Do we use a hoist to stand the...

... pretty much standard. I noticed the parts lists for my Ventrac and implements list a Ventrac part number and they also give a shorter number such as B45. I search for B45 belt and get a great variety of brands, most with the same specification for dimensions. All of the belts for the...

Probably not, but just in case I will ask; is windshield washer fluid corrosive when used as wheel ballast IF the wheel is NOT filled to where the fluid covers ALL of the steel wheel? Right now, my wheels are filled to where the rim is just barely submerged in the ballast. But, I am...

I use pad locks and chain to keep ramps and tailgates from walking off. I use the locking pins on receiver hitches and also on the ball couplers of smaller trailers. But, kept outside and not used over winter, in spring the locks are bound-up with corrosion. The pad locks not so much, but...

I recall a thread several months to a year ago on the topic of rigging a hook-up camera. Maybe this one would do: iBallhitchcam.com - iBall Wireless Trailer Hitch Camera prs

I noticed a new YouTube video from VT. The Ventrac employee shows or sorta shows (you really can not see if he really was successful or not) accessing the front Zerk of the drive shaft from the RIGHT side. More power to him, if he really did get it that way. I have success getting it from the...

DeWalt makes a super powered rechargeable battery powered grease gun, 10,000# max pressure! Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! ;-) But that is overkill and it comes with a hefty price tag. The main feature I notice that could help those of us with the 4500 is the 42" hose. Now, that would get us in there...

Not sure just how I managed to mangle this wheel yoke on my rough cut. Was cutting multi-flora rose and autumn olive tangle to reclaim invaded field along old fence rows. Noticed drag marks in the dirt and on inspection this bent heavy steel yoke. Set me back over $50.00 to replace. prs

Not meaning to complain too much, just thinking out loud and besides, there has been little activity here to discuss of late. The manual that came with my 4500Z and the several since then revisions on line call for an annual drain/flush/ and refill of coolant. Mine was delivered to me with the...

In another thread mention was made of revisions to the manuals for 4500 series tractors. I noticed today, that as of 01/29/2016 the manual is again revised. prs

I see that Raw Dodge has mentioned options for his Steiner for hydraulic filter. What about the filters on the 4500 Ventrac. I probably need to take a close look at the filters on my power unit to see if the manufacturer is listed or not. Wix does not list any for the application, thus NAPA...

This tractor has always been murder on rectifiers when using the front electro-magnet clutch. For the past 10 or more years I have had the charge circuit disconnected and use a combination start/deep cycle battery instead; putting that on a Deltran Tender when finished for the day. But, I...

I greased the Ventrac and checked everything out. I tried to figure out a way to access the drive shaft zerks from the right, but although Houdini might have success, my mitts are too large to fit in that way. But, from the left it is not difficult. I used the start motor to "bump" the shaft...

I was watching "Everything Attachments" videos and noticed the spokesman mentioned that some compact tractors have Cat 1 3pt hitch that only raises fully or lowers fully; i.e. will not hold and return to a particular mid position. REALLY!?!?! Why would the makers do such a foolish thing? If I...

:-) Apologies to wdwurker for stealing his post title; well sort of. I have a lot of new grass freshly germinated a few weeks back over several acres. I also have lots of oak and chestnut trees that drop their leaves rather late and over an extended time. Our recent warm and clam weather has...

My 33 year-old JD 650 just keeps on keeping on. In the distant past I was able to hear a little "pop" in the manifold when the glow plug activated some fuel, but past few years that "pop" has been absent. So, in beginning my winter prep yesterday ahead of snow season, I decided to trouble...

With crude prices down so relatively low, the rumor around here is that the refiners are skimping on the ethyl and that premium grade is currently alcohol free or nearly so. I don't know about that, but I can usually detect the ethyl by its odor in fuel and I did not notice it in the premium...

Until recently, its been a snap. Long handled curved tire spoon ( I was going to post a link, but WOW have those gotten expensive - just cut a 3/8" strip off of a piece of framing lumber) made short work of it before. But, now the grass seems to have a lot of sugar in it. It matts and sets-up...

I want to thank all you folks for helping me along. THANKS! I have posted about a lot of issues: The "squeak"? No big deal, just greased the right places (where ever those are). ;-) Getting hung-up on down hill side guy wires? Sure was glad to know I was not the only one. So far, so...

First the set-up for why. Its rained a lot this year. The ground is soft and my land is sloped. So, a couple of weeks ago I was mowing with 10 to 15 slope to my right and a telephone guy wire to my right. I tucked the contour mower around the wire's base getting nice and close, then backed a...

I a 4' PTO tiller that has worked great even though it is greatly worn. I have misplaced the female end of the PTO shaft, the end that attached to the tractor. I need to search for parts, but to save me I can not recall how to SPELL the maker's name. It is something like KARONE or CARONE or...

My new 4500Z is beginning to squeak and squeal when turning at slow speeds. RawDodge posted a link to an aerosol product that is supposed to be THE cure. Trouble is, even if I had that magic potion, where would I douse the Ventac 4500? Both pivots have Zerk fittings and even though I am well...

According to the on dash tachometer the Kubota gas engine is about 250 RPMs below spec. Engine manual says to get that corrected, but the machine seems to be running fine. Then again, some of my work should be done at wide open throttle due to weight of implement and slope and thickness of...

Model 4500Z running tough cut and contour finish mower. Only about 35 hours now. When I first began using it the weight transfer operated fairly easily from lowest setting to highest. Now, the lever that operates the transfer will not engage the lowest setting, the one all the way forward (be...

Sitting on a level garage floor, the little ball in the viscous liquid may be 5 degrees one way or the other. Mowing across steep slopes I saw it reporting about 10 to 15 degrees the OTHER way, hit a bump and it went to "0" and hit another and it was between 25 and 30 in the correct direction...

I find myself yearning for a tough cut mower for my 4500. A good used one would be nice, but there are none to be found locally. I will ask my dealer and his competitors, but do you guys/gals have any leads? prs

I tackled the wet meadow that had grown pretty tall with fescue, timothy, and orchard grass. The running water had drained away, the ground was soft; but I did not make too much of a mess of the ground taking great care to baby the Ventrac. The tractor held to the bank of a driveway that...

Mark Connel of Connel Power Equipment in Barboursville, WV was dragged and apparently run over by a thief escaping in a car from Mark's store with a new top end Stihl brush cutter. Mark was well enough for an interview, but had plenty of road rash. He said this is the third such theft and...

I mowed my yard and a large field for about 8 or 9 acres total. About 7 gallons of gasoline through the Kubota "Z" engine. All with the 82" contour mower (my only implement for the VT so far). The large lawn is a piece of cake, especially with the ROPS down so as not to crash into limbs of...

I fail to notice any adjustment for this in manual, but my front hydraulic lift raises the implement's right side before and higher than the left side. I wonder if this is the tractor or the implement (contour mower). I need to check that out first, but just wondering if there is some...

I mowed about 6 1/2 acres of rolling field today. The grass was heavy fescue and orchard grass, wet with dew as well as soggy or succulent with internal water. The under turf ground is very wet. Mowing quality was good, no problems with the clippings fouling the rollers or under deck of the...

I mowed about 3 acres this morning with the 4500Z and contour mower. Wide open throttle, full on weight transfer. 10 to 30 degree and no problem with that stability wise. But, with the SDLA Assist "off" the hydraulic flow rate to the motors still fades to neutral in only a moment or so...

We all now Ventrac does not operate a refinery, so their proprietary motor oil and hydraulic oil are rebranded from some supplier; maybe Texaco or XOM or Valvoline/Marathon? My dealer was pretty open about that and said any top quality motor oil that meets the grade and spec would be fine, but...

Ventrac 4500V with duels and 7' contour mower. Delivery to me is to be a few days to a week since the mower deck was not in stock. You good folks were a lot of help. Thanks! Rooster

I own a JD 650 I have had since new in 1982. Runs well, but parts are getting difficult to find with Deere John telling me my baby is obsolete. Maybe I am obsolete too. Any way, I think Yanmar marketed a twin to the JD version. If so, which model? Any great source for parts? prs

They are similar. So similar that Steiner is discussed only on this Ventrack forum. Apparently similar enough that some proprietary attachments seem to interchange. Right? So, is this a Ford/Mercury or Plymouth/Dodge kind of thing? Or are they truly different with maybe a little interesting...

Considering B3350 series. What is the extent of the additional service due to the emissions system? I do all of my own work. Rooster

Like the title says. Given parts availability, I could keep my 32 year-old JD 650 going like new for another 32 years; well except I will never make it that long. I purchased it in part because it is just what I needed and need, plus JD had a great rep for parts. But, when I order now I often...

I am considering this new model as my first Kubota. Kubota's description of the 72"mower, well, even the 60" center mount raises a question. The online literature remarks that the height setting for their mowers is adjusted by setting the height of the mower's wheels. On other center mount...

I did not have much luck with the search feature, can you tell me about the quality, efficiency, of the Bush Hog PT5 sickle bar mower. I have quite a bit of road bank and ditch line that I currently hand clear with commercial grade string trimmers. Getting a little too old and lazy, I guess. prs

There is a sticky at the top of this forum reminding us to post brand specific topics in the appropriate brand specific forum. OK, but where are the brand specific forums? prs

My first post here. My Deere 650 compact is getting long in the tooth with regular use since 1982, although it runs well excepting the charging system that was never much good. I have been "shopping" for a few years, but have found nothing that appears to be as foot sure on these WV hills as...