Goodbye Kubota, hello EarthForce

[Knight9]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

Mark,

<font color=blue>I don't know how relevant this is to others here on TBN, but I can post some pics if anyone is interested. </font color=blue>

You're kidding right? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Since when did anything have to be relevent for TBNers to want to see pictures of it! Of couse we want to see pictures!!! Bring em on!!! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Kevin

 

[Harv]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

<font color=blue>Development of it took longer than it was supposed to</font color=blue>

<font color=blue>adapt it to the hydraulic version</font color=blue>

<font color=blue>didn't like the the switch design</font color=blue>

<font color=blue>the powers that be here in the States</font color=blue>

<font color=blue>conference call with a couple of the EarthForce engineers in Prague</font color=blue>

<font color=blue>the only machine in the world to have one</font color=blue>

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Cripes, Mark! And here I bought my tractor off the shelf! /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Next time around I hope you build the whole thing from scratch. Anybody doubt that would be one heck of a machine?

 

[MikePA]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

<font color=blue>I don't know how relevant this is to others here on TBN, but I can post some pics if anyone is interested.</font color=blue>

Mark, how long have you been on TBN? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Do you really have to ask if we want to see pictures? /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Bring 'em on.

 

[MossRoad]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

Would it be relevant to others here on TBN?

Yes, me! /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

Mark:
Sounds suspiciously like the Power Trac system with electric solenoid.
I'd like to see pictures.
(I'm also looking for a rocker switch to graft to the joystick on the 1845. I got the W.R. Long 4 in 1, which seems bulletproof. For opening & closing, you detach the hydraulic lock lines and hook the bucket lines to that valve. The controls are clumsy for opening & closing, so I need another open center valve, solenoid controlled, in series, with the rocker switch mounted as a dual trigger. Then I can just leave the locking lines hooked up. Make sense? Konw a source for rockers?)
When I can promote a friend's camera, I'll post some bucket pictures in the PowerTrac mods thread.

 

[RonL]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

Mark

This sounds like the system Caterpillar uses on its' IT (Integrated Toolcarrier ). The tool carrier has two huge pins at the top and two hydraulically driven pins in the bottom. The tools ( bucket, forks, etc. ) have two massive hooks at the top and two pin holes at the bottom . To make the connection you tilt the tool carrier forward and hook under the hooks on the tool. You then roll back the tool carrier and engage the locking pins with the IT hydraulic circuit. There is a lockout on this circuit ( dropping a 1300 pound bucket could present problems ) . The clever thing is there is a diverter valve on the hydraulic circuit that serves as a secondary safety and diverts hydraulic flow to two quick connect fittings that appear to be about one inch. On my Cat 416 C IT it takes about a minute to switch from a bucket to forks. After hooking up it is recommended that you apply down force to the tool to confirm that the tool is locked on.

RonL

 

[MChalkley]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

Ok Kevin, Mike, MossRoad & Charlie, here's the pictures of the hydraulic FEL quick-attach.

First, a pic of the hydraulic cylinder portion of the quick-attach system. The cylinder is installed horizontally between the two locking pin actuating levers. The cylinder extends to lengthen the pins and lock the attachment in place. The levers you see are just like the levers that operate the pins on the manual system, so it can still be used if there is a failure in the system. The hoses you see inside the protective sleeve laying on top of the bucket are the 4-in-1 cylinder hoses, removed from the quick-connect fittings at the bottom right so you can see the QA mechanism better.

 

[MChalkley]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

Oops, let's try that again...

 

[MChalkley]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

Here's the other end of the hydraulic portion of the hydraulic QA system.

The hoses that control the QA cylinder are inside the protective sleeve that goes between the two quick-connect fittings for the front auxiliary circuit (this circuit powers the 4-in-1 bucket and other front mounted attachments, like rotary cutters, etc.)

The hydraulic quick attach system is powered by the front auxiliary circuit, using an electric solenoid, so the original front auxiliary circuit tubes had to be replaced with ones that have fittings for QA system, which you can see near the center of the picture.

The solenoid is mounted to the loader arm near the top of the picture.

Coming out of the top of the solenoid is the wiring harness that supplies power and ground to it.

 

[MChalkley]

Re: EarthForce EF-5 usage report

Here's a close-up of the solenoid valve.