Breaking in my new toys... from Yeehaw! to Uh oh!

[Spiveyman]

john_bud, yep, good idea. I'll measure that length then be able to check it periodically. I'll also know a good bit more what to watch for as I'm working. With all this rain, I'm not sure when I'll get to work on it some more (that sounds funny just saying "all this rain" )

I don't think I have to worry about roots in that mess. It's all just muck pushed out from the bottom of the old pond, so other than sapling roots from the sycamores growing here and there I don't think there's anything too stout. There are however a few decent sized rocks here and there. That's the next step to get those suckers out so I can continue leveling it.

I didn't call the police about the guy because I didn't get his license number. I figure he's a bitter old gentleman with a chip on his shoulder about having the right to drive 37 in a 55 if he wants to. And technically he's right, but someone's gonna get hurt. Either by running in to him or catching him on a trigger happy day and he shoots someone. What a crazy world. What ever happened to the good ole' days when people would just flip you off. Ha! Just kidding. Most parts of KY if you are on a rural rout and driving a truck you're more likely to get a wave than to see a turn signal, but folks are generally still pretty decent around here.

sandman, so 16.9-30 is what tractordata says are stock? I am not all that familiar with sizing tractor tires, so I don't know how big of a difference there is between a 16.9-30 and an 18.4-34. Is one number the diameter and the other the width?

You know, before I got the thing, I never would have thought a tractor like mine weighed that much. It doesn't look like there's all that much too it compared to an SUV or something. But what is there is solid (except for the fiberglass hood thing???). It is crazy to think that my tractor with two bale of hay will easily top 10,000 lbs!

 

[sandman2234]

I wouldn't worry about the tires, use what you have till you have to replace them, then worry about it. If yours was fwa like mine, I might be a little concerned, but not much. As you were told, just make sure they stay away from the implements.
My 7710 fwa, with duals, extra fuel tank, 12 front end weights and a boom mower is way over 10,000 pounds. You should have seen it when I brought it home on a landow trailer and it was sticking over the sides by a tire and a half. I get on my JD, but climb up into the Ford. Extend the boom mower to the rear, stretched out and the front end will come off the ground. Quite a ride till you get used to it.
David from jax

 

[Spiveyman]

No worries there friend, look at the tred on those tires:

No way I'm replacing them until I have to, even if I had the money I'm way too tight. I will however be careful with them. Like a dog with 3 legs, you learn how to get around in your situation as if it were normal. That caution will likely serve me well in other areas as well.

I like the "get on" Vs. "climb up in" comparrison.

Newbie question, what is "fwa"

 

[john_bud]

Spivey,

The first number is the section width, the second number is the wheel diameter. (The steel part) So, a 16.9 - 30 is 16.9 wide and is mounted on a 30 inch wheel. The overall height, you have to look up. Can't determine from the numbers. They do try and keep the tires all about the same height (about, not exact) for the same wheel size. So an 14.9-30 and a 16.9-30 are only about 1/2" difference in overall diameter.

jb

 

[sandman2234]

I used to put 4x4 but was repremanded in the fact that the tire sizes aren't the same, so it's not a true 4x4. So I use the PC correct term of front wheel assist or FWA for short.
David from jax

 

[Spiveyman]

jb, I figured it was something like that. At least it makes sense even if you can't get exact dim's from the numbers.

sandman, FWA DUH!!! I knew that one, if I'd seen it in an ad for a tractor, FWA I would have known it. I think the caps help too! I was trying to figure it in context and nothing made sense. I was thinking, filled with air?? But that didn't make sense. So now I'm curious, why would FWA make a difference in me doing anything with my tires relative to the BB being too close?

 

[sandman2234]

Nothing, being concerned with a different tire size only if you had FWA, in that the tires need to rotate at the same ratio as the opposing axle. If someone changed out the rears and didn't change the fronts, you would have excess strain on the driveline.
There isn't anything wrong with your tires, other than not having any hours or miles on them!
Get busy and wear them at least past the "****" on them.
David from jax

 

[Spiveyman]

There isn't anything wrong with your tires, other than not having any hours or miles on them! Get busy and wear them at least past the "****" on them.

HA! Cracked me up on that one!! The dealer put the new tires on the front, and I mean brand new, "****" and all when they rolled it off the trailer. Rears weren't far off. One of the first things I did was drive it 2.5 miles down the road to show my papaw. I wore off a ton of rubber on the road down and back compared to anything I do on the farm. Those things will last a long freaking time driving around on my soft grass, but I'll do my best to show some "respectable" wear. I guess this is the equivalent of the dork in school with the shiney white tennis shoes huh? No one will take me seriously until I put some hours on those suckers.

By the way, got a wild hair and actually checked my manual. They do list 18.4-34's in the manual for my tractor, but they are the largest size listed. 1,080 lbs loaded.

 

[Spiveyman]

I finally managed to get some more seat time yesterday! So as I was driving back towards the pond to hopefully finish spreading the dirt, I noticed something that looked funny with the FEL. Here are ther right and left sides:



Notice that left side, the attach point has been knocked inwards towards the tractor. I mentioned hitting that tree the first night trying to turn around. Looks like this was the result. When I loosened that bolt, the thing popped back, not all the way, but most of the way. I tried pulling it back out to the edge of the attach point, but it would not go. The arms do not seem to be in a bind since I relieved the stress, even though the bracket won't go back to the original location. When they come to install the toothbar I'll have them look at it. Everything seems to work fine, no leaks that I can see, so hopefully it will be OK.

With that sorted out I drove on back to get started. Here's some pictures in the day light of where I left off:

View from the dam looking at the area to be spread:


View looking at the progress made so far:


View from the bottom looking up at the dam:


With those pictures captured, I got to work. One thing that was kind of cool out there were all the critters you come across. Here's an assortment:


The interesting thing is that none of them seem to give a hoot about the tractor. I could drive right up on them and they barely seem to notice, but when I'd get off the tractor they would freak out. I don't get that.

Most of it was non-eventful, which is a good thing. I got further sideways on some clumps of dirt than I've been before, but I could tell that I was still pretty stable. My "pucker" range is definitely shifting with experience. Now don't let your safety antennae get you too alarmed, I'm not going to go voluneteer to mow the side of the interstate overpasses - that's still nuts, but I'm getting to know what I can and can't do much better.

So I was cruising along in 3rd gear (low) at this point, most of the major mounds smoothed out, starting to really move some dirt from the higher spots to level the thing out a bit. All of a sudden my whole tractor came to a halt, both wheels spinning in the loose dirt. I hit the clutch and break real fast to see what I'd come across. When I looked back I saw the top of a rock. I eased it into 1st and let it roll forward. When it did, this rocked flipped up out.



Pictures rarely do justice, but that rock was decent sized and lodged in initially at an angle just right to bring my whole tractor to a dead stop. My BB took it fine, so I guess that's a good thing, especially given that it caught on the very edge of the BB - lots of torque. The only thing I found affected was this:


So is that like getting my first merit badge in scouts? I'm in the club now. For those of you who have done this before, what's the next step for that one? Should I try to hammer it back straight or just replace it? Will it be weaker now and not worth trying to salvage? I need to get those re-enforcement deals 3RRL did, but I can't do that myself yet, and I haven't been able to get him to hire out on Ebay.

You can also see the clearance I have b/w the scarifers and the rears, this is partially lifted. I don't drive around with the 3ph lifted all the way to give me little extra room and keep the scarifers off the tred.


I continued on keeping an eye on that scarifer, but didn't have any other problems. There were tons of rocks out there, but that was the only one lodged in just enough to stop the tractor. The rest seemed to just pop up and the BB would lift up as the rolled over. Here's the pile!

Not sure what I'll do with them, but most are a very nice flat shape. I might use those for another project some day, like making a water fall up by the house or something.

By the time the sun was getting low, I had it pretty well leveled out. I wasn't going for level - like to build a house on, I just wanted it smooth enough to mow over but still to have some contour. Here's the view from the rock pile, give you an idea of how long the area is and the slope:


And here's some shots I stitched together to give a wide agle before and after view, well midways and after anyway:


That was fun, now on to the next project...

 

[3RRL]

Hey Spiv-
Good work there! Nice pictures too.
I see you got one of your scarifiers to look like mine? Since you are still working that area, I wouldn't replace it yet until they all look like that. Just take it out and beat back as straight as you can. A little heat might be required because they are tough to straighten out and might even break off.

The added supports I put on my box blade has prevented that from happening now, so indeed, it is something to consider doing. I have pulled up rocks that are nearly as big as the boxblade itself. Your tractor has more power than mine (mine has 55hp but 4wd) so watch it with yours.
Nice to see you getting some seat time now.