Hilbilly
Veteran Member
Since joining this forum I've been hooked and now it's starting to cost me.:laughing:
After seeing all the grapple threads and the talk about adding a third function to the FEL, I knew I had to have this. Since I have no experience with hydraulics, I read and read about it on this forum and asked some questions, to get a basic understanding of how things work. Then it was off to the dealers to get a diverter valve kit. His price was $900 plus taxes. Parts only. I found an implements dealer that had the kit for $450 and I was on my way to buy it but thought I would stop at Princess Auto on my way through town. Low and behold they had the valve for only $250, SOLD! They didn't have a switch but I thought how much could a switch possibly be. I'll find one and the search was on. Finally found out who makes them and contacted Fasse to get a price. I just about had a heart attack when the nice lady on the phone said $150. I live in Canada and with our dollar as low as it is now that switch would likely cost me about $250 CAD after shipping, duty, taxes, brokerage fees, etc. Come on reeeaaaallllly!!! For a little rocker switch in a rubber boot. Well it is what it is. So I searched all over the internet and these forums and couldn't find anything like it. I've looked at marine stores thinking they would have waterproof switches that I could mount on my loader control joystick but no luck. So now I am taking a new approach. I found some cheap momentary switches on Amazon and have ordered them. The thinking is to put a small switch in the end of a short piece of pex or pvc tubing and strap it to the joystick. I can seal the ends of the tubing and mount it so the switch is on the bottom of the tube. That way I pull up on it to engage, just like on a semi truck shifter. I'm now waiting for the switches to arrive. If it works I will post some pics.
In the meantime I got the valve painted and installed. The most amazing thing is that all the FEL functions still work.:dance1: I don't know for sure if the 3rd function will work though since I don't have anything to hook up to it, yet. Monday I head down to the coast to get some steel supplies and I will start building a grapple when I return. Exciting times ahead.
Now to find some grapple info to base my build on.
After seeing all the grapple threads and the talk about adding a third function to the FEL, I knew I had to have this. Since I have no experience with hydraulics, I read and read about it on this forum and asked some questions, to get a basic understanding of how things work. Then it was off to the dealers to get a diverter valve kit. His price was $900 plus taxes. Parts only. I found an implements dealer that had the kit for $450 and I was on my way to buy it but thought I would stop at Princess Auto on my way through town. Low and behold they had the valve for only $250, SOLD! They didn't have a switch but I thought how much could a switch possibly be. I'll find one and the search was on. Finally found out who makes them and contacted Fasse to get a price. I just about had a heart attack when the nice lady on the phone said $150. I live in Canada and with our dollar as low as it is now that switch would likely cost me about $250 CAD after shipping, duty, taxes, brokerage fees, etc. Come on reeeaaaallllly!!! For a little rocker switch in a rubber boot. Well it is what it is. So I searched all over the internet and these forums and couldn't find anything like it. I've looked at marine stores thinking they would have waterproof switches that I could mount on my loader control joystick but no luck. So now I am taking a new approach. I found some cheap momentary switches on Amazon and have ordered them. The thinking is to put a small switch in the end of a short piece of pex or pvc tubing and strap it to the joystick. I can seal the ends of the tubing and mount it so the switch is on the bottom of the tube. That way I pull up on it to engage, just like on a semi truck shifter. I'm now waiting for the switches to arrive. If it works I will post some pics.
In the meantime I got the valve painted and installed. The most amazing thing is that all the FEL functions still work.:dance1: I don't know for sure if the 3rd function will work though since I don't have anything to hook up to it, yet. Monday I head down to the coast to get some steel supplies and I will start building a grapple when I return. Exciting times ahead.
Now to find some grapple info to base my build on.
