Modify a bucket to carry more firewood

ponytug · Jul 7, 2008

Slick!

MossRoad said:
We have tons of 10" and under trees. We drop 'em and drag 'em to a central location and lay them next to each other. Then I use my forks to lift 5 or 6 of them up at a time from the middle and cut off 16" pieces pretty fast this way.

stray · Jul 9, 2008

Guess i Just had to throw this one back in.

Schultz · Jul 9, 2008

I recall a couple years ago one of the members made a huge wood bucket out of an old oil tank. That one was pretty neat.

KentT · Jul 9, 2008

Schultz said:
I recall a couple years ago one of the members made a huge wood bucket out of an old oil tank. That one was pretty neat.

And later broke a wheel motor shaft when he overloaded it with too much heavy material...

That would be "Stray" as I recall. One of the best things about this group of PT owners is that we'll not only talk about our sucesses but also our problems and challenges...

BobRip · Jul 9, 2008

stray said:
Guess i Just had to throw this one back in.

Yes, the big red bucket is excellent. If I had an oil tank handy I might build one. Was the broken shaft caused by this?

stray · Jul 10, 2008

Less not blame the big red bucket for my stupidity. I had my wheels reversed while knowingly over loading the pt with several large rocks. The rear wheels were off the ground and was flopping left and right while trying to back and turn up hill. let us say I was trying my dern best to brake a wheel motor. In fact I don't recall anyone else braking a wheel motor but at least I have proven it can be done.

J_J · Jul 10, 2008

stray said:
Less not blame the big red bucket for my stupidity. I had my wheels reversed while knowingly over loading the pt with several large rocks. The rear wheels were off the ground and was flopping left and right while trying to back and turn up hill. let us say I was trying my dern best to brake a wheel motor. In fact I don't recall anyone else braking a wheel motor but at least I have pr oven it can be done.

Stray,

There probably are some that have broken a wheel motor by reversing them , but would be to ashame to admit it. If we could only see how many wheel motors have been ordered from PT, then we would know for sure, but PT probably does not keep records.

KentT · Jul 10, 2008

J_J said:
Stray,

There probably are some that have broken a wheel motor by reversing them , but would be to ashame to admit it. If we could only see how many wheel motors have been ordered from PT, then we would know for sure, but PT probably does not keep records.

JJ, as far as regular posters here, Fourteen and I are the only ones I recall running reversed wheels, and neither of us have had wheel motor failures...

Mine are also loaded with WW fluid, which is also NOT recommended. But, I know the risks I'm running and have decided to take them, in order to get 25-degree slope capability -- the max rating for my Kohler engine (NOTE: Robin engines have a max rating of 20 degrees).

Just wanted to throw that fact out there...

MuncyBob · Jul 11, 2008

stray said:
Less not blame the big red bucket for my stupidity. I had my wheels reversed while knowingly over loading the pt with several large rocks. The rear wheels were off the ground and was flopping left and right while trying to back and turn up hill. let us say I was trying my dern best to brake a wheel motor. In fact I don't recall anyone else braking a wheel motor but at least I have proven it can be done.

I will be starting my big bucket project soon and thanks to your idea too! I have an oil tank ready to be cut and have a welder on loan to help reinforce the new bucket and attach the quick attach plate. Plan to use the bucket only for sawdust and wood loading with no reversed wheels so hopefully I won't have any wheel problems.

stray · Jul 12, 2008

JJ I can only tell you what I do know about the wheel motors. When I went to power trac to replace it. Terry took a look at it and said the shaft had broken to far back and too much damage had been done to justify fixing it. Terry then asks what in the world had I been doing to break it. I said all I could make it do and then some with the wheels reversed.
I was backing up hill because going down the bucket wouldn't stay in the air. I thought if I could just get turned around more of the PTs weight would be down hill and thus I would be able to travel and slide the bucket. I was jerking forward and backward flopping the back end left and right. All this at full throttle and all the pt would do. How could I have expected something not to give?
Even at this the wheel motor held through it for a while.
Also Terry said they got very few broken wheel motors.
In conclusion the wheel motors must be very tough. I just found their breaking point.