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A friend of mine delivers trailers, mostly goosenecks, for a living. He has gone from Ram 3500s to 4500s and now 5500s because of the weight of his loads. Usually he trades in between high 300,000 to a bit before 500,000 miles, and he has never had to do anything to the brakes. Yes, that...

That's a 3-way 3-point blade I made towable. I'm no good at finish grading so now there's an axle in the rear and a long tongue up front. Basically mimicked a road grader best I could by creating a longer distance between the tractor's rear tires and the blade. You can see the same principle...

You're doubting correctly. Rams have exhaust brakes, and quite effective ones, but that's entirely different from a Jake brake.

Up until a couple of weeks ago the ones with hydraulics were parked shaded by trees, or covered with plastic. Basic 3-point stuff has been parked in that spot for over a decade. The mowers used to spend the winters on top of containers, and the snowblowers live in a shed.

It's common for me to end up with summer blend in the winter, and vice versa. A direct result of having a 110 gallon fuel capacity in my 3500 and not driving it often.

Could work...as long as I don't need something that's in the back of it. And getting the ones that are 8' or 10' wide in there would be a chore.

And some things work better than others, including additives and oils.

Are you saying that the three still full 325 gallon totes I have, which were filled about three years ago, maybe more, now contain unusable fuel? I hope that's not what you meant. But thankfully the engines running on that fuel doesn't seem to know that they shouldn't be. And I don't know why...

It doesn't seem to have anything to do with the size of the tank, and why would it? I've only had one case of bacteria (it is not algae, by the way) and that was in a 20 gallon tank on a vehicle that had sat in Texas for a long time, without a cap. There was water up to the edge of the filler...

If there's no water there won't be any bacteria.

Well, the sealing edges of the filter were fairly intact, but at some point there must've been enough suction for the bag to slink through. I'm sure those blowers ingest a fair amount of air when stepping on it, even though the max positive pressure in the intake isn't all that high.

Thankfully not, but a plastic bag courtesy of some tourist from Texas. Can't quite comprehend how it made it past the filter.

A new air filter. The original was clean enough, but...

If I get fuel delivered in the winter, they add Howes. So I add it as needed to fuel delivered in the warm months, and in the tanks of vehicles that get fueled up at regular gas stations. We do occasionally see -20 here, so some sort of anti-gel is needed.

The comparison between those two isn't even close. One tests things pretty much the way I would, the other is an actual tribologist who mixes up his own oils for use in racing. Both may be geniuses in their own way, but when it comes to knowing lubricants there's a night and day difference.

It's nice to wake up and see anywhere from two to eighty (depending on season) elk through the bedroom windows. It's not an every day occurrence, but more often than not. The deer largely hangs around 24/7, but in smaller numbers. Some just look up from their eating when I walk by 20 feet from...

Thankfully they seem to be far smarter than deer when it comes to avoiding being hit. Many times I see elk looking up from eating along the shoulder, look my way, and probably think "What's this dummy doing here at 3 AM?". Then resume eating. A deer is far more likely to run up on the road in...

I hesitated buying that one (for about $7K in '10) until learning that the guy was building Class 8 trailers for a living. Absolutely beautiful welds. And I'm sure he had squirreled away the material from work. Had it delivered (only had a 1/2-ton at the time), only thing wrong with it was...

I'm about as far from recommending towing with a 1/2-ton as it gets, but if I had to, this would be my trailer of choice. Checked the weight on the ball out of curiosity - 400 lbs. according to the scale, which was about right for that trailer. It was light. What I really like is that a...

I have a small Warn on the rear of my homegrown tractor to lift and lower the blade, with two snatch blocks (one to slow it down). Have replaced the in/out switch several times, but never anything else, including the cable. The Warn 8274 up front has never failed.

If it's an original, yes, but I got a copy (guess the patent expired) on a trailer and it was not good at all. Fixed it by converting to a tow ring, like I do on most bumper pull trailers that doesn't need a WD hitch.

Oh, yeah, I forgot that you started at the "wrong end". You were only a nice drive on 64 away. Oh well, maybe next time.

Almost forgot. Not that it's truly something I bought quite yet, but on the 13th I ordered a Durango. It was the first day the order banks opened for the now available 5.7 and AWD combined.

Alright, but are you referring to the Ford or the emission systems? A '17 Ram will keep running normally as long as it isn't turned off, fuel is added, or it's idled for a "long" time. Wish I knew how long they consider being long. If it happens to me again and the auxiliary tank is still not...

Right here at home getting things done (or trying to) as usual. Well, I'm assuming you came up here on 84.

I dunno. I've driven my Ram 3500 past the end of the dreaded 150-mile countdown twice, for well over 200 miles...and nothing happened or went wrong. But about 15 years ago a Chevy pickup limited me to 55 mph, after I had shut it off in town.

Oops, I read this too late. You drove right by me.

Chances are good that I can fix or circumvent something that went wrong on a trailer. What I can't easily fix is my bad back, which makes it so well worth it to have hydraulic jacks and dovetail, etc. It's the same principle as having a tractor with a loader, really.

I'll second, third, and fourth that. Didn't get smart enough until my current 35' gooseneck was ordered, partially because the cost for that option was quite low since the trailer would have the pump anyway, for the dovetail. Now I'm thinking about converting the other goosenecks to powered jacks.

It's almost unavoidable to have a trailer with a higher load capacity weigh more, unless going with aluminum or a well engineered one. My 32' PJ weighed 10K, the 35' Diamond C weighs just over 8K. Both basically identically equipped. A trailer's weight doesn't really bother me. If I want to...

Oh, there are indeed a few things that fits that description. Sure, a 25K rated trailer is overkill for a 6,400 lb. load, but when it doesn't fit between the fenders...

Same with hydraulic dovetail trailers. It's very helpful for getting the loads over the axles. Ordered a regular dovetail trailer (before getting sold on the hydraulic tails) and got that one with the axles 18 inches farther forward than standard.

Actually, 102 inches is max, not 96. And regarding the Challenger pictured above, my little 16-footer has removable fenders, but thankfully the Challenger's doors clear them. Even a Porsche GT4 did, but loading and unloading that one with its minuscule approach angle was a different story.

Hmm. I think it's a pain to install anchor points on wood decks, having to add metal to the bottom, and attach that to the frame and/or crossmembers. Sure hope you hadn't planned on only securing the anchors to the wood. And then I can weigh in on the weight of a tilt trailer. For obvious...

Albuquerque tried electric buses. It was on the news when they caravanned them back to California...with tow trucks being every 5th or so vehicle in the line.

Those are to keep snowdrifts from ending up on the road. Haven't seen them in places that aren't windy.

Are you insinuating that they know things that AI does not?

Free healthcare, huh? That's what we had in Europe when I grew up. Yes, it was "free" if disregarding that my parent were paying about 80% in tax. Another drawback was the efficiency. When my knees went out at 18 years old (couldn't walk more than maybe 20-30 feet per day) the wait to see a...

I'm impressed. Normally it seems like getting truthful information from China is next to impossible, but apparently AI has found a crack in the armor and now has access to info that not even the Chinese may know about.

No, there's nothing wrong with getting two year old tires, other than that I have to get new tires two years sooner than if I got tires that are actually new, not just new to me. The ones I want to replace were installed in '18, so well overdue for a car that supposedly tops out at 199 mph...

Recently sent all four tires for my Challenger back to Tire Rack. They were also from '23. I need to either find fresh tires or not drive it until I do. I strongly suspect it won't get driven until spring the way things are going.

Okay, that's funny. Beyond unrealistic, which will make it interesting to watch it (not) happen. Or, Europe might become a second Cuba and keep the older usable vehicles going for several decades if the EU is indeed idiotic enough to stick with their pipe dreams.

My Burnham boiler's new circuit board only lasted one year. At least the original hung in there for 12 years.

Never heard of anyone having to buy the tank before. The rest is probably all in one unit, so it makes sense if the pump, heater, and sensor comes as one. And those are available even on eBay. Time for a different dealer maybe?

For some reason that sentence made me wonder why they haven't started pushing, or mandating, electric powered generators yet. After all, it's a dumb enough idea that some politician should've suggested it.

Perhaps, but there are a couple on implements where the hook just wouldn't fit, unless I machine it down quite a bit. And that still wouldn't help with the different heights. So I use the link that came with the HF version, which solves that issue and is still quite quick to hook up being just...

Which is why I use a link instead of the hook.

I dunno. Those diesel generators they have in some places (for a one vehicle charging station) look pretty meaningful. Might be 40-50 something KW. Multiply that by thousands of EVs and the consumption would be noticeable.

That would mean that California doesn't have any ingenuity left, which might be true, but even with lower EV numbers than they had hoped for there are already scheduled power outages because the grids can support the demand.

I'm absolutely amazed at how long I've lasted. Had I known I would've tried to be much nicer to my body. And my apologies to all the guardian angels I've driven to drinking, quitting, or worse. But they say that God protects drunks and idiots, so here I am. Double safe.

And related to battery powered tools, this morning I learned that a man who had collected tools and parts for his project Studebaker for 40 years lost his garage to a...you guessed it, a lithium tool battery being charged. Sad. No idea if he used quality tools and batteries, but I don't even...

Since we're doing copy and paste, this is basically what I've seen since shortly after the introduction of ULSD. "While sulfur is not a lubricant itself, sulfur compounds in diesel fuel were historically a key component in providing lubricity, which is the fuel's ability to reduce friction and...

When I had a '80 Peterbilt, insured as an RV and used as one but couldn't get it registered as such in CA, they wanted me to spend $20K on an exhaust system for it. That would've bought me four years of compliance, for about the same as I had paid for it few years earlier. Ended up registering...

I largely agree, except that the sulfur itself doesn't do anything for lubricity. There's more to it.

I'm not "most", but not only do I not want an EV, if I had one it would be useless around here. I could go somewhere in one, just not make it back home again...and that's not even counting wintertime EV range degradation. But it does look like I am in the "most" group when it comes to EV sales...

Hah, that reminded me of another politician/trial period scenario. My native country was LH traffic, but they had been smart enough to prepare for converting to RH. The decision to switch kept getting delayed. When it was finally close to being decided on, one brilliant politician suggested...

No, a postal Jeep I converted to 4WD. And I recently sold a RHD Jeep JK. Funny that you mention Land Rover and putting yourself yourself in the center. The prototype Land Rover had the steering wheel in the center and seating on each side of the driver's seat. It was largely a copy of the...

The only thing strange with a RHD to me is that when towing it was harder to keep the trailer's tires by the white line on a curvy road. Would've thought it'd be easier, but nope. And that was obviously not with my KEI pickup, but another RHD vehicle of mine.

The speed rating is another reason I like the Venom tires. Mine are M rated, which is cutting it very close, but that's better than L or less.

I've been impressed with the Venom tires. They're all-steel construction, much like a mini commercial tire, and are easy to balance. Didn't put them on the horse trailer since they deserve the smoothest ride possible. That one should ideally have bias ply tires on it, but it's hard to find...

I don't get too hung up on the wire colors. They can vary from trailer to trailer. Where it can get tricky is when going from commercial 7-pin round to 7 flat, and that's because the brake and turn signals are separated on the commercial side.

I just finished grading (after removing up to eight inches of dirt) in three spots, maybe a 1/4 acre in total. Or about 20 loads in my 16' dump trailer. Started with ripping using the 8' box blade, then mostly used the smaller box blade I've made towable, with the long tongue. It's been shown...

Recently registered mine, not complicated at all. Mine will climb slopes I hadn't expected it to (maybe 30-35 degrees on grass and dirt) in 4WD, but without the diff lock. And on street tires. Haven't needed any parts, but many places sell nothing but KEI parts. And insurance was stupid easy...

I don't want my box blade to follow dips and humps. I use it to get rid of them.

Between the lift arms and the hydraulic top link I can probably lift my small movers to about 40 degrees or so. Needless to say, I don't run the PTO at high speed when doing it.

It's a pin that locks what's basically a horizontal trailer ball in each corner. You can kinda see them in the photo.

On mine there are pins securing each corner as needed, but they made it foolproof and it doesn't allow having the pivots locked diagonally, or to dump forwards.

There were times when I managed to distort the thin material of the clip, but it was easy enough to make them work again. These days I have better anchor points (like QRTRHRS) and haven't had any issues. I still have and use my first ratchet straps from the early '90s. They must have several...

Oh, it's no big deal to swap the links. Don't do it often anyway. Although, more often than the excellent side link I bought from you. And I did run a diverter valve for a while, to operate the steering on the axle on my home grown Frankenblade - now a towable 3-way blade.

I use nothing but ratchets with snap hooks. They can't possibly fall off. Used zip ties to secure the excess strap, but have recently switched to short hook and loop straps. They're faster to undo and obviously reusable.

Ah, I use hydraulic top links so I basically forgot that there's another version. I shouldn't have, since with the rear blade on the M6040 I have to use the stock link, because all three remotes are in use with that blade. But since the top link can only be a certain length for the blade's...

I don't want my land plane to follow the road surface. Instead I want it to cut down the humps and fill in the dips.

That's odd, considering how many places sell parts for Kei vehicles. Maybe it's a really rare version/make/model? If so, consider buying another one for cheap, but a common one. Private party can be very affordable.

On the flip side, with a rental you'll have no idea how many times the tires have been curbed, what shape the wheel bearings, brakes, etc. are in. If something goes wrong with my trailers I only have myself to blame, which I much prefer.

If using the rear blade I run it angled so the gravel goes from the edges towards the center of the driveway. With the land plane it ends up there automatically since its cutting edges are angled.

About six years ago I bought a low mileage HiJet with a dump bed. Don't remember what model year it is, but it might have been 15 years old at the time, probably less. My girlfriend, who likes stick shifts, didn't care for the shifter being on the left, so about a year later she ordered a new...

I have run my somewhat heavy (1,600 lbs.?) rear blade backwards if the driveway only needs a touchup, but for getting gravel back to the surface the 8' land plane is my weapon of choice. And I don't necessarily run either one with the 3-point all the way down.

At least my HF one came with the extra piece that allowed me to not use the hook. I don't think a single implement of mine would work with the upper hook, and I don't mind having one pin to insert and remove.

Used to very strict annual inspections, before arriving in the USA I expected the road sides littered with broken down vehicles here. Surely all those wide aftermarket wheels, engine swaps, etc. must be devastating. Well, as it turned out, I saw maybe 80% fewer broken down cars than I was used to.

I dunno. For me it's keeping them in the shade. Tires, hoses, and such don't like UV, but getting wet doesn't hurt them.

I install the rods that generally come with them and keeps the boom from moving. The buckets can slowly uncurl, but that's no biggie. On the BX25D I have to tie the outriggers together as they leak down somewhat quickly. If parked with enough space around it there wouldn't be a need to do...

Sounds like a small rollback would be nearly ideal for you. I've always wanted one, but it's easier to use one tow vehicle and trailers.

That Ram 3500 is the only thing I tow with, even if it's only five empty 325 gallon totes. So far it has never been "too much tow vehicle". But it is marginal with 25K behind it.

I'm definitely not arguing that. Yet I've sold more of them in the past few years than I have bought. And it doesn't bother me if the trailer is larger/more capable than it needs to be. Sometimes it's just right, even if the load weighs way less than what the trailer can support.

I would add one suggestion to that, based on experience. Get 5,200-lb. axles instead if the trailer will see more than occasional usage. After having to replace axles three times on a light trailer that never had more than 3,000 lbs. on it, I will never use 3,500 lb. axles again. Granted...

To avoid confusion, it's a tandem axle, not a single axle with duals, right?

Yep, and I had a lot of fun doing that in SoCal. Here, the 40-100 hp light and nimble cars still cornered great, but...to go uphill from 7,500 to 10,000+ feet was a different story with naturally aspirated cars. So I switched to supercharged V8s. Sure, the cornering isn't comparable, but those...

Jeez scootr, even I did eventually learned that a car can be driven slower than what it's capable of. It took a while, but it can be done. My Harley was sold because of how people behaved on the roads in SoCal.

If an air chisel won't do it, try Tannerite.

Amen. But at least it's easier to deal with on a PTO shaft than in locks.

Here's my small HF tarp covering the original tattered canvas top, and the steel version.

As mentioned earlier, in my case the tractor lifts higher, plus it allows me to see where the load ends up when using a dump trailer. For a small field of view, yes the skid steer does offer better visibility up close. With the tractor I can see 360, it has usable mirrors, and only the hood can...

It is indeed a HF tarp, but I don't remember how large they come. Lucked out and had more than enough corrugated steel left over from the barn, hay barn, car port, etc. to cover a smaller trailer that I only had the bows for. When the good HF tarp expires. the other trailer will also get a...

Yes, for the most part I could, just not nearly as efficiently. I thought I explained why in the post you quoted, but maybe not clearly?

I wouldn't even think about using the skid steer for that, even though I have all the necessary parts and adapters to run 3-point stuff on the skid steer. For leveling dirt, gravel, etc. I much prefer using the tractor pulling one of these two. If there's no real precision needed, either...

If you mean the dark green canvas type ones, I've had one covering a trailer with a "soft top" for maybe four years now and it's still in perfect condition. Despite our brutal UV. Unlike the HF straps that are holding it in place.

Saw E0 for cheap at a Maverick in AZ, but don't remember the price. Basically close to the same as regular. What pleased me was seeing $2.89 for diesel within 60 miles of home.

Same here. But that's largely because I've never owned anything with tracks. Reseating beads I've done hundreds of times. No biggie.

I considered getting one with tracks, but since mine's basically only driven on hardpacked snow or ice with the snowblower, my thinking was that the higher contact pressure would be helpful. Without having tried a tracked version I don't know how they'd compare, but my wheeled one with chains...

I never brought up the tipping and inability of my skid steer to go where most everything I own can, except the low cars. Not talking about crossing irrigation ditches, but very shallow drainage ditches. Normally I cross those diagonally, either because of approach and departure angles, but...

Wouldn't it be possible to put a mower on a mobility scooter and shrink the footprint by another six square inches?

Yeah, you'd have to lift it either way, and tossing it into the bed might be easier. I just can't get over how huge those fender blinkers look, and I'm sure they're standard size.

You should be nice to the little thing and let it ride in the cab.

Hate to tell you, but the right rear strap has fallen off. That can easily happen with the open hook style.

If sitting in a warm cab with a heated windshield, why not?

Looks like I underestimated my L218's capability. "The New Holland L218 skid steer loader has a lift capacity of 1800 lbs (818 kg) at 50% tipping load. The tipping load for this model is 3600 lbs (1633 kg). It also has a lift height of 10 ft (3.05 meters)." Then again, I also underestimated the...

It's the other way around for me, with the tractor able to lift 2,000+ and the skid steer is supposedly only good for 1,500 (never really lifted anything but tree branches with it). Also opposite, for snow removal I run an 8' front blade and a 9' rear blade from the comfort of the heated cab...

I try to not even turn with the skid steer, to keep it from tearing up the driveway, grass, whatever it's on, let alone run circles with it. For basic loader work I find the tractor far more user friendly. Loading a dump trailer, for example, I can see where to put the next bucket load in the...

You're missing a very useful part there. A crane. It takes at least four to have the best tool. Okay, three if you get rid of the skid steer.

Maybe try something from the opposite end of the spectrum? After the hole diameter and potential clutch adjustment issues are taken care of.

I'm not good at having only one...not at all. Maybe some day somebody will invent a machine that can do most everything well, but until then I'll have multiples of several things. Heck, with four backhoes I still don't have one that's great once outside its particular strengths.

Is there still on old gasket on the mounting surface by any chance? Were the filters tightened to spec?

Alright, with a small tractor and a more capable skid steer that makes sense. In my case, the M6040 can lift much more than the NH L218 can. It's not 10 times the machine, but maybe about twice.

Hmm. Mine sure couldn't. On the other hand, my tractor seems to be able to do anything the skid steer can. Except to run the snow blower.

My skid steer is lowest on the usefulness list of the machinery I have. It was bought to run the snowblower, because that's what the 'blower was made for, but there's very little I like about it.

Excess bolt length is easily taken care of with a spacer.

I would imagine that a bolt is used primarily because it's a lot cheaper to drill three holes than to machine two sets of splines. And if the splines aren't lubed, it'll get even more expensive down the line. There's no reason not to use a bolt in this application, but for it to work the three...

Hmm, that would pretty much make it a stationary snowblower. Unless it's towable and you've never seen a trailer before.

I don't understand why it matters what the tractor is parked on, level or not shouldn't matter. I'd get a dependable baseline (frame, for example) and then compare to whatever the bubble, pointer, or digital readout, says at various points. If somehow I couldn't find or fix the problem area...

Yeah, we need to warn senders about trying FedEx next day shipping. Our address doesn't exist when picking that option, but 2nd day does show up in their system. Not that it means actual 2nd day arrival, but at least the stuff gets here that way.

Wait, are you saying that you, too, can't get next day Amazon deliveries? Oh well, at least I have you beat with a mere 110 miles to a Home Depot.

I believe it's Ai. It's funny though. Zoom in on back tire, no tracks. I noticed that right away. Doesn't require AI, just somebody with a sense of humor backing up to the implement and taking a photo.

Oh, c'mon. All you need is a snatch block used in reverse, doubling the amount of cable it can pull.

Okay, that was not the fastener application I thought. Now things make sense. I'd start measuring hole sizes and find a bolt that is a loose press fit in the largest of the three, then drill/ream the other two to that size. Which could be metric.

I can't quite picture how your setup looks, having nothing like it. It just seems odd to me to have loose (okay, snug) fasteners in any situation where rotational forces are transferred through them.

Checked Amazon, found the Magnetomatic Pipe Locator. It's more expensive than the Pipe Finder I have, but seems to be very similar. Basically a telescopic antenna on a very low friction handle.

Using the comparison to lug nuts again, it's not the fasteners that keeps the wheels secure. It's the resulting clamping force between the wheels and hubs that does the job. Sure, untorqued lug nuts would keep the wheel from falling off...but not for all that long.

As mentioned earlier, it looks like the bolts have been "rattling" in their holes, until they give up due to the shear forces. Work hardened if you will. I don't think it's one "shear force incident", but repeated abuse from not being tight.

Not a great comparison, but if you only snugged your lug nuts down, breakage would follow. Based on the photos, those bolts have taken some serious shear forces.

I'm not good at using dowsing rods, but thankfully I don't have to be. The affordable Pipe Finder detects just about everything (which is good and bad), including empty PVC pipe.

I tried with a bearing puller, too, since I didn't want to mess up the OE steering wheel. Didn't work. Maybe I should try again since it's been several years. Then again, I don't know where the nut and washer are anymore, so it might be smart to leave well enough alone.

Shortly after getting my '10 Kubota I tried to get get the steering wheel off. Failed, and that was on a new cabbed tractor so no rust. Used a very similar puller, but don't remember trying any penetrants. Been using it without the nut on there ever since, hoping it'll come loose eventually.

I took for granted that they need to be tight.

Why the high RPM when engaging and disengaging the PTO? Not that it should break fasteners, but I always use the lowest RPM possible.

Not that it should be considered a good solution, but if continuing to have the top link hopelessly out of adjustment, use chain or cable instead of steel straps. Normally what Land Pride calls the floating top link can absorb several inches, but it does have its limits.

You could get a longer bolt, cut the head off and pick a die of your liking (within reason) to create the missing thread.

Somebody should inform vehicle manufacturers about the evil RTV they use, in the presence of lubricants. And there's no need to use so much that it can end up inside of what it's supposed to seal. Somewhat like that you cut out holes in the paper gaskets instead of putting the entire sheet on...

How things have changed since I got mine in '10. Was about to buy an ex rental with 300 hours on it, but the rear tires were already half worn and the interior looked like (what I imagine) a NYC bus would. For $3K more (10%) I got a new one, from the same dealer.

Thanks, that's what I figured it had to be. Just haven't seen a setup like this before. If I'm lucky the seals are still good, but weren't good enough to keep fluid out while the cylinder was under pressure for several years. Either way, a filter is probably in order since that vent is low and...

It'll still seal just fine. I clean diff covers (for example) well, then lightly oil the surface it goes on. You can make your own reusable gaskets that way, and if nothing else the cover will come off easily next time, and there won't be any need to scrape silicone off of the surface. It'll...

I'd start with one of these, and add a pump.

I vote for tandem axle with brakes, 16-18', useful for lots of things. Not that tandem axles changes anything when it comes to getting the load's weight in the correct spot, but if nothing else, a tire failure won't be quite as dramatic.

Speaking of leaks, has anyone seen a cylinder with only one hose and the other end with a mini flapper on it? Well, it was more of a very enthusiastic spritz than a leak, but anyway.

It can. When buying backhoes and cranes at auctions, some of which had sat around (outside) for decades, I generally went for the ones they couldn't get started. Getting a simple diesel engine running is easy, but the ones they had photographed "in action" to show that everything worked usually...

Gotta occupy the brain cell with something while doing menial work.

That's what I thought. The RPMs sure don't seem to make any difference on mine.

Well, the L3800 rarely runs at PTO rpm, yet it seems to simply count engine hours. Haven't paid enough attention to the M6040's meter readings to be able to tell, but I'll check that one, too, at some point. And it does run somewhat close to PTO rpm a couple of times per summer (when mowing)...

Days later and I'm still trying to figure out how my hour meter could know what I'm doing with the tractor. It sure seems that it simply shows the time the engine has been running, and may even keep adding to the run-time with the engine off and ignition on. Admittedly, I haven't timed it yet...

Sticking with my radiator shroud comparison, the volume would be coming from below the blades just like from the front of a vehicle's radiator. And to maximize the effectiveness of the fan, the shroud should fit a tightly as possible relative to the fan. Of course, then the air then has to go...

Hmm. So when the crud builds up on the sides, to me that's a bit like a better fitting fan shroud on a radiator. But you're saying it leads to less lift. How come? (I've obviously never spent time thinking about this, or much about mowers in general).

Valvoline V813 seems to work very well.

I would use some cheap fluid for a rinse, then use something recommended/approved for the actual fill.

No reason to get the tractor involved for such a simple task.

The 10-footer wouldn't fit inside, and while the 5 and 6-footers technically would there's so much...um...good stuff inside it that nothing more does. Thankfully, they don't rust anyway because of our climate.

I used to store the mowers on containers over the winter, but these days they are parked on the grass year around.

And what bad happens if leaving the crud in place? On my mowers it tends to eventually fall off by itself.

If you make a jig, be sure to use conical "bolts" so the stud diameter doesn't matter. Then come up with a formula for measuring between two studs on a 5-lug wheel. There are cheap and simple calipers specifically for the purpose in case you want something already made. Oh, and keep in mind...

My aftermarket 3-point backhoe was a complete pain to install, not even counting having to mess with the PTO driven pump. Meanwhile, the ones powered by the tractors' hydraulics are easy to deal with. Especially the one on the BX25D since it's so tiny and light.

Humorous? There should be a 3/4-ton (or better) in front of even an empty 20' trailer, I think.

The ones shown on Multicar's website seem to be more like Unimogs than anything even remotely basic. And with prices to match.

I bought a decent size 3-point mounted backhoe for my M6040. Went out and dug a test hole, which it did just fine, but the more I looked at everything that could go wrong the less I liked it. Sold it to a neighbor....who promptly broke it. Not completely the backhoe's fault, but still. I'd...

Aside from the mounting method, I think you'll find that the tractor is too light to do any meaningful digging with. Except maybe in sand. That statement is based on using a BX25D to clean out irrigation ditches, digging a cat grave in topsoil, and some other light tasks. It's not lacking in...

That might be true here too. Not that I've noticed the rust, but GM and Ford pickups are about as common as 1/2-tons around here. In other words, few and far between.

Large tires and 10' works well for me. Of course, if time wasn't an issue...

I would pay to avoid "free" oil changes at a dealer. Have forfeited about a dozen of them. Not only have people ended up with the wrong oil in their vehicles, there has been other collateral damage. I buy vehicles at dealers, but after that I stay away and maintain them myself. Not necessarily...

Unless you're in a hurry, try to hold out for one with more power. Guess you won't be crossing the Rockies with it, but it still sucks to be underpowered.

I mentioned the supercharged versions as a worst case, and before that the V6.

Wow. So oil pressure isn't equalized in the engine, but stays pressurized only in the bottom end until the engine starts??

I'm definitely not confusing the two. Thankfully my batteries as good enough to turn the engines fast enough to build pressure. Not that I can monitor it on the gauges while cranking, but on the 3.6 V6s it's easy enough to hear the difference when starting them. They're noticeably quieter...

And on at least one model, composite front fenders.

Additives can fall out of suspension, and the oil itself can get condensation in it. That's about all that can happen to stored oil as far as I know. Then again, I do remember seeing The Motor Oil Geek showing old oil that wasn't exactly good after a while.

There, fixed it for you.

I have several vehicles that "must" have the oil changed every six months. Well, some have had oil changes after two years, and their analysis showed that the oil was still plenty good. Now this is after low miles, and every time one is started it gets driven until the oil is up to temp. They...

After 15 years I'm still amazed at how minimal the rust issue is here, compared to SoCal where I used to live. Freeze/thaw cycles don't seem to matter, or things frequently getting wet. Steel just doesn't rust much here. For example, this crankshaft was put in the scrap metal pile just over...

If worried about oil on bearings and such, a '19 should have the option of holding the gas pedal to the floor during the normal starting procedure. Doing that cuts the fuel off, so the engine turns but doesn't start. I give all our FCA/Stellantis vehicles a few seconds of letting the engine...

I would feel much better about changing only the filter than only the oil. Thankfully I can do both.

I'm grateful that they are. Ours have been/are much better when it comes to fit and finish than the US made 1500s have been/are.

I'd rather have a rusty Ram than a Furd. Rust doesn't usually keep a vehicle from starting and running.

It says that those radios are "renewed". Maybe they only renewed the FM portion?

Haven't got around to add hooks to my CK2620's bucket yet, but did decide to put then out by the loader arms, and even there at the stronger part of it I think the bucket would need to be reinforced.

Well, going from females pulling horse trailers to professional tractor trailer drivers, I can add one more category: People that simply don't know how to drive, let alone back up even a small car, and of any gender (I have lost track of how many there supposedly are these days). You mentioned...

Thankfully my girlfriend is an exception. As are her friends, and our neighbors in the area. Then again, only a few of them use medium duty tow vehicles, most are only 1-tons. Either way, I'd rather deal with a female driver in a 6500 than any driver pulling something with a 1/2-ton. Even if...

If they indeed end up costing only $20K and someone still needs to take out a loan for that, they probably shouldn't be buying one. Or anything for a while.

I have plenty of bumps and holes, but with an M-series tractor (large diameter tires) and a 10' mower it's both reasonably comfortable and quick. When using the L3800, obviously with only a 6-foot mower, I have to go a lot slower, mostly because of the dinky front tires.

Unfortunately it is true. That's why we have so few 2-doors left, but plenty of crew cabs with minuscule beds.

Good to know. Now I never want to hear anyone call my '65 Cadillac a boat again.

A normal cruise control does the opposite and disengages when pushing the brake pedal. But I'm sure you knew that. Anyway, the brake pedal wiring is where I'd start the trouble shooting. Maybe bypass that safety feature for a test?

If it could be ordered without all that wizardry, but have 4WD, it'd be far more appealing to me.

I could see having one of those, but not as is. It could be used as a manure hauler on the property, so I'd have to make a dump bed for it, and 4WD would be a near necessity. But the main problem would be that I would NOT trust it to be parked in the barn. Yes, I know that not all EVs burn all...

Yeah, it's the basic up to 10% stuff, but thankfully Star Tron seems to overcome that. Heck, even Stabil keeps gas from stratifying for two years I've found. Come to think of it, the 200 gallon tank's contents must be about two years old by now, yet the more sensitive vehicles that gets fed...

I think we can all agree that diesel lasts longer than gasoline, right? Well, I have a car that was most recently filled up on 5-30-23 and it still ran fine on 12-11-24 when I changed the oil in it. It'll have to get fresh gas next time it's driven, if for no other reason because there's...

It was last used in Nevada, and as I recall from photos that came with it, also in the Eisenhower tunnel on I-70.

The oldest diesel I use was bought about 13 years ago. A few years ago I learned about Star Tron, but while it works wonders on gas I can't really tell if there's a difference with the diesel version.

Of course the two leads need to be connected, but that doesn't mean they cant be put together on an isolated post. At least I'd rather have them secured that just bolted together and free floating behind the dash. Modern induction amp meter? Like on Sixties British cars? And why would anyone...

Yep, it's a tunnel washer. Or was. I bought it, for cheap, as it had the working gears (2,000:1), front and rear PTOs and hydraulics. The washing apparatus itself is a lot like a backhoe, except that it has a break-away feature halfway on the dipper. Thought about swapping the brush for a...

This particular trip, from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and into the Rockies, was a smidgen over the 39,000 lb. CGVWR. As usual, the Ram 3500 pulled it off without any issues. My toy hauler may not weigh a lot, but does put close to 5,000 on the drive axle. Which is rated for almost...

I might have to keep that in mind when it's time to retire the Ram. Those Toyotas are good for a CGVWR of some 40,000 lbs. aren't they?

A BX25 should fit through the front door. Park it in a corner of the living room.

None of the four PJ trailers I have has had any issues with the powder coat, so maybe this is more of an eastern thing?

At the fifth roundabout on a quaint little street (suburban New Orleans) I gave up and drove straight, right over all the pretty little flowers. Between vertical clearance issues caused by low tree branches and pulling doubles, there was no way to keep the second trailer off of them on the very...