2305 Bucket Level Indicator

kljunior · Jan 10, 2006

Am I the only one who hates the new style bucket level indicator ??? I replaced the top half and rod on mine with a homemade copy of the old style.
Why did they change it? I think they suck!

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JDFANATIC · Jan 10, 2006

klj,

Nice work! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Shawk · Jan 10, 2006

Very nice... My 2305 hasn't been delivered yet, but I wondered how that little level indicator would work. We'll see... Thanks for posting the pics.

EasyE · Jan 10, 2006

I have only used the one that comes on the 2305. I bought mine in Dec. and it is my first tractor and my first time using a bucket level indicater so, I don't know the difference. What are the differences in the one you made and the one I have other than looks?

Shawk · Jan 11, 2006

I haven't had one on anthing I've owned until the 2305 which is yet to be delivered. Here's a link to what the old ones looked like on the 2210's.... They look as though they may be handier than the new ones... a lot like yours. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
http://www.stonehams.com/pdf/210loader.pdf

rvtech · Jan 11, 2006

I have only used the one on the 2305. It works good for me. I looked at the pictures and the manual for the 2210's indicator, but I don't see how it's better.

kljunior · Jan 11, 2006

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have only used the one that comes on the 2305. I bought mine in Dec. and it is my first tractor and my first time using a bucket level indicater so, I don't know the difference. What are the differences in the one you made and the one I have other than looks? )</font>

I would say that it is more a matter of what you're used to. I like the old style because I have used it for 15+ years and found it to be accurate and a good quick reference as it is sharp and clear at a quick glance. The new indicators in my opinion are very crude and not accurate.
The principle with the new ones is that you line up the bend in the rod with the loop that it runs through so that when the bucket is level, the bend rests on the loop. You really have to watch the movement of the rod and try to figure out which way it is traveling (indicating whether the bend is just past the loop or just shy) For me, this was hard to see and not a very accurate way of indicating level. At the very least, a poor quick reference.

RalphVa · Jan 11, 2006

I have the old style on my 410 and use it and like it. Yours looks good but looks like it goes up awful high. I'd be knocking mine down/bending it with tree limbs if it were that high.

For instance, I left my rod sticking out for a while and just had a stripe painted on the rod to indicate level. After having the rod struck and bent a time or two, I sawed it off like they tell you to do in the directions for installing it. Now, the casing is stronger than the rod inside, but I think it'll still be knocked back or bent by a tree limb or anything else you come up against, particularly if you work on unlevel ground and get close to something on the right side.

Ralph

kljunior · Jan 11, 2006

the pics are somewhat deceptive. It doesn't stick up any more than it has to to accommodate the throw of the rod so it doesn't fall out of the bottom of the tube. It is a few inches higher than the fel rear mast and lower than the top of the steering wheel. The rod is flush with the top of the tube when the bucket is level.