A few lessons learned after 3 years

[Duke4AZ]

A fuel gauge is really for show.....look in the tank if you think you might need fuel reguardless of what the gauge says.

And always use a sealed beam flashlight to do so.

 

[shane]

About the salesman, reminded me of a sign I read in my JD dealers office.

"Arguing with tractors salesman is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while you realize the pig likes it!"

 

[Oleozz]

Congratulations Talltale on your new tractor. How about some pics? Why the filled tires on the front? That 8 ft blade should do the job on the snow.

 

[CharlieKtractor]

good job, Talltale. you'll love it---especially 'bout fillin the front tires. learned that lession myself a while back. I even foam filled 'em. ain't had a flat yet!!!

 

[talltale]

The filled front tires may be a bit of overkill with the 5040, but the added weight should help keep the front end from being pushed around by the big blade. I'm also putting Trygg ice chains on all fours. You can take a look at them at White Mountain Chain of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. They're the only chains I've found that don't disappear into the lugs on Ag tires. I'll post some pictures as soon as the tractor is delivered (sometime next week).

By the way, the final straw with the L3830 was having to get pulled off a snow berm I was high centered on by my neighbor with his JD 5205.

 

[norsker]

talltale,

Which chains are you getting on your tractor? I followed the link that you posted but didn`t see any specifically called ice chains.

BTW, how much are the ice chains for the front, just as a frame of reference.

Thanks!

 

[talltale]

The chains are Trygg Flexi's. 9.5X24 fronts are around $500.00. 14.9x28 rears are around $850.00. Most folks forgo the pricey fronts and opt for a cheap set of ladder chains. If you really need the traction, spring for a good set of fronts and rears.

 

[briancd]

A 7' opening only slows a 7'2" ROPS a little bit, depending on construction of course.

Wow, that must be an understatement! I thought my discovery that a standard 80" door would allow an 80.25" ROPS through with only minor creaks, groans, and cracks was the limit of the physics involved! Your 2" "push" beats my quarter of an inch by a long shot, (but I can still operate my door!)

 

[Z-Michigan]

Wow, that must be an understatement! I thought my discovery that a standard 80" door would allow an 80.25" ROPS through with only minor creaks, groans, and cracks was the limit of the physics involved! Your 2" "push" beats my quarter of an inch by a long shot, (but I can still operate my door!)

I interpreted his statement to mean that he seriously damaged his building because the ROPS won the fight. Curious to hear the whole story though.

 

[638]

When I forgot to lower the ROPs and jammed the tractor under my door opening, I put the bucket in full dump, then lowered it all the way, raising the front end enough to be able to fold the ROP. Didn't do much damage to the door opening.

ron

 

[norsker]

The chains are Trygg Flexi's. 9.5X24 fronts are around $500.00. 14.9x28 rears are around $850.00. Most folks forgo the pricey fronts and opt for a cheap set of ladder chains. If you really need the traction, spring for a good set of fronts and rears.

Thanks for the info talltale. My fronts are 7x14, small tractor 1720 Ford, and if they make the chains in that size they would probably be worth the price because we often get deep snow here before the ground freezes. You know what that means when you`re in the woods. Mudholes look just like everything else........until you fall in!

 

[john_bud]

Thanks for the info talltale. My fronts are 7x14, small tractor 1720 Ford, and if they make the chains in that size they would probably be worth the price because we often get deep snow here before the ground freezes. You know what that means when you`re in the woods. Mudholes look just like everything else........until you fall in!

Yeah, but you can sure tell where they are AFTER you've been stuck for a half hour!

jb

 

[jk96]

Learned this yesterday. Make sure you lock you bucket in place immediately after lifting with your FEL.

I hooked the bucket with my quick attach plates, tilted up, then drove to my pile of sawdust and scrap lumber I needed to clean up. I planned on locking it in when I got to the pile. Well, you guessed it. I forgot. Loaded the bucket, drove to my burn ditch, and rolled the bucket forward. Dumped my load of lumber and my bucket into our 20' deep ditch.

 

[sandman2234]

20' is still within the range of a chain. Just climb down there and hook a chain to it and drag it back out. If it were me, the neighbor would have just dumped a load of fishguts in there before I dumped the bucket. In that case, how good is your fishing, or how much is one of those huge magnets going to cost?
Another lesson, always install a guard on any spinning ditch digger you build before testing it! For some reason an 18" wheel with 3" wide teeth will cover you and the next forty feet in front of you as soon as you drop it into the soil. If we had rocks here, it would have been my demise!
David from jax

 

[tallyho8]

I just bought a new chainsaw. It worked great the first time I used it. The next day I put it in my loader bucket and drove my tractor to the rear of the pasture to finish cutting and moving the trees. First thing I did when I got back there was to scoop up a section of tree trunk in my loader to move it. When I dumped it out in my fire pile, I also dumped my new smashed chainsaw. Does anyones memory ever get better with age?

 

[Gizmo36]

jk96 and tallyho8 I am glad to see I am not the only one that dose dumb thing in my older years.I just can not remember any . So I have to do three times the work .It takes all day to do a two hour job.

 

[638]

I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one with old timers disease.

ron

 

[Gizmo36]

That should have said ( I just can not remember anything ).