John Deere 4300 complete rebuild

[kebo]

Dave, it looks GREAT!!!! Although, I would touch up the weight bracket on the front, the ROPS, and probably even repaint the rims for that finishing touch. Or maybe you plan to do that later on? Anyway, you've done a fine job on it and certainly have given it a second life. Shouldn't be too much longer and you'll be putting it back to work. Those folks at the rental place won't believe it's the same one you hauled out of there!!

 

[dfkrug]

Here I have hooked up my hoe to the tractor's PB loop, and operated
its controls to get it up to the correct height to take some measurements.
I have had this hoe in storage for a year, waiting for this moment. It's
a Prairie Dog 7.5, just like the one on my Kioti.

With the hoe mounted, the 3-pt cyl will be completely bypassed, and the
QD return connection goes right to the reservoir. All hoses and fittings
are nice big 1/2" units.

The AUX hoses in the second photo are the two work port hoses of the
3rd SCV. They will be secured to a bulkhead mount welded to the ROPS.

 

[dcyrilc]

Shouldn't be too much longer and you'll be putting it back to work. Those folks at the rental place won't believe it's the same one you hauled out of there!!

It won't be the same machine... he hauled out a pile of rubish - this is a mean, green, working machine!

Nice job Dave!

 

[dfkrug]

Although, I would touch up the weight bracket on the front, the ROPS, and probably even repaint the rims for that finishing touch.

Thx, guys.

For those owners of these tractors, that front plate is covered by the
loader latching mechanism. For rental tractors, the two holes are used
to bolt on the hinged green plate of the loader. That's actually a good
idea for non-rentals, too. My unit has a hand-controlled linkage on the
left loader arm to unlock this plate. Other 4x00s and 4x10s I have seen
only have this linkage on the left, though there is a mouting for the right
side, too.

My philosophy regarding repainting is I tend to do touch-up where rust
is an issue, but I don't ususally repaint whole panels. I have no intention
of covering up the fact that this is a used rebuilt tractor. Not a restoration.
There are still a few places where I plan to do a little more spot touchup.
I have hand-polished the faded sections of the rear fenders.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Wow, its looking nice. When are you going to mount the FEL?

 

[dfkrug]

When are you going to mount the FEL?

Not for a while. I am able to squeeze two tractors into my workshop now,
but not with the FEL on. The other one will need to get opened up soon, too.

The forward FEL mount will also be used to support the front of the hoe
subframe. So I will remove them to add weldments.

 

[dfkrug]

Here is the bulkhead I welded to the ROPS to support the work port
QAs of the 3rd SCV. My cheapo rattle can gloss black does not quite
match the JD off-black, even after polishing it. But it is good enough.

For the control lever, I experimented with some 1/8" plate for a backing
plate and the lever itself. Also, I am going to weld in an old ball bearing
so the pivot will be very strong and smooth. A piece of 1/2"-13 threaded
rod will screw into a black phenolic ball that I have in stock. To get the
articulation I need to hold the cable, I am going to try an old Heim joint.
There is not the room for a clevis.

The third photo is the result. I am using the work light mounting bolts for
a firm attachment to the ROPS. It works, but I may tweak the cable
connection to the lever to make it even smoother. There is a very
strong spring action to this lever, despite drilling a new pivot hole on the
spool's bellcrank.

 

[mjncad]

Looks good Dave. Will you have any problems with the 3PH upper lift arms colliding with hoses connected to your quick disconnects when in the raised position? It's tough to tell from the camera angle if the splayed lift arms will cause you trouble or not.

Any way you look at it, it's a tight squeeze back there.

 

[Willl]

Does this swivel here ?

Edit; never mind, I realize now it's a 'handle'.

 

[dfkrug]

Does this swivel here ?

The photo could be clearer. I need the sun and outdoors pix.

I am re-doing the lever anyway...it is not smooth enough for the forces
required.

All hoses, brackets, and the cable clear all obstacles....the toughest concern
has been my backhoe seat.