Naked 430

[BravoXray]

I have never had any problem with moisture inside the cab, and certainly not any salt, so that really isn't an issue for me. Some of the wires have been in there for going on twenty years with no problems. If they were on the outside, I would have used shrink tube splices with the soft sealer on the inside..

I had three semis for over 30 years, so I am an expert at wiring exposed to the elements. Only time I had problems was when someone else had ****** with it, like taking the cover off the junction box on the rear of a trailer and not putting it back on, if the wires were damaged, or the connectors to lights or switches failed. So-called weatherproof connectors on wiring harnesses leave a lot to be desired.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have a friend who owns a farm and uses a 430 to mow the driveway lawns and his yard. Last year he started having me do it with my Zero turn and I agreed to it, its easy money and helps him
Anyway, hes considering selling the 430. I dont know the year, but its a diesel, 1150 hours has 60 mid mount mower and remote outlets up front. Has hitch on the back. Overall good condition and runs fine except a crack (repaired) in the front cowling. I think he lightly bumped into a tree. No rust, stored inside.
Whats a good asking price for it?

 

[Richard001]

I have never had any problem with moisture inside the cab, and certainly not any salt, so that really isn't an issue for me. Some of the wires have been in there for going on twenty years with no problems. If they were on the outside, I would have used shrink tube splices with the soft sealer on the inside..

I had three semis for over 30 years, so I am an expert at wiring exposed to the elements. Only time I had problems was when someone else had ****** with it, like taking the cover off the junction box on the rear of a trailer and not putting it back on, if the wires were damaged, or the connectors to lights or switches failed. So-called weatherproof connectors on wiring harnesses leave a lot to be desired.

So your a truck driver who drives trucks with wiring systems designed by the truck manufacturer. You are not a system designer, but a user. And yes, often times the designer of wiring systems get it wrong. Sometimes it's because they cut corners to cut cost, but sometimes it's the fault of the assembler in the factory.

You maybe correct about the issues around the wiring inside of the cab. Typically safe from direct contact with rain or snow. My post was just a cautionary advise that perhaps the wiring in the cab could become and issue.


I worked as an electrical system design engineer for 13 years for an over the road refrigeration company. I am well aware of problems that can occur in electrical systems exposed to the elements.

I believe that your approach to the use of sealing connectors is valid.

You certainly seem to have a good grasp of the issues with connectors, and I admire you work on your JD.

Richard

 

[BravoXray]

Yes, there are both type of problems. Connectors and wiring, both inside the cab and outside on the chassis leave a lot to be desired, Weatherproof connectors have gotten better over the years, but inside the cab, especially on the newer trucks with electronic dashes, they can be a nightmare.
One of the Peterbilts I owned would burn out the headlight switch on a regular basis. I didn't even power the headlights and marker lights directly, only powered the relays for them. I connected an ammeter to it several times, and it never showed more than a 4-5 amp draw, But about every few months the connector would overheat and the switch would burn up. Never did figure it out. Same truck developed an intermittent miss in the engine. Three different shops couldn't figure it out. Finally one injector stopped firing altogether, driver limped it to the local CAT shop and they found a wire had broken inside the injector harness. Same harness they had checked for continuity a month before and found nothing wrong.
A year and a half ago, the other truck with a newly overhauled CAT engine, about 20K miles on it, start running rough and lost all power. Had to have it towed 120 miles to a CAT shop in Indianapolis. After some diags they found oil had somehow gotten into a connector on the ECM. They flushed the connector out and reconnected it, the engine started and ran fine. Cost me over $1300 in all.

Back in the 90's I owned a Cessna 172D with an outdated panel and avionics. In '98 I bought am STCd panel conversion kit and replaced it. I did all the wiring on it and the avionics stack over four months. Everything worked perfectly the first time it was powered up.
Then in 2000 I bought a 1960 Beech Debonair, it also had the original panel and avionics that were marginal at best. In 2003 I bought A Beryl DeShannon panel kit for it and did the same thing to it. I was meticulous about labeling ever wire and hose/tube and made lots of drawings, notes and pictures. It came out great too. The only problem in the entire wiring system was a mis-wired mike jack on the intercom harness that I had bought with the intercom. Swapped the tip and ring wires, and all was good. No problems in the 17 years since.

So I have had a lot of practical experience in different type of electrical systems and wiring. I hate to have to fix anything twice, to I try to do it right the first time.

I considered putting a couple of Metripack connectors on the wires coming out of the switch box to connect to the supply and light wires, but thought that was overkill.

 

[Richard001]

BX,

OK Now I'm really impressed. I also am a pilot but not current.

And I never owned my own plane, always rented.

Keep up the good work.

After all the work, and money, you put into the JD, maybe you should just leave it in the garage and use it for parades.

Richard

 

[BravoXray]

Thanks, I never seem to just fix things up and get them functional again, I like to go the whole route and make it like I want it.
Oh, did I mention that I replaced the tired IO-470 in the Deb with an IO-520? I did all that work myself, under the supervision of my IA. It entailed replacing all the wiring from the firewall forward. That was pretty simple.

I only rented a plane once, while I was refurbishing the Deb. FBO had a Piper Arrow N4217T, so the instructor and I took it up to check me out and I could make a trip up to Gaylord, MI. All went fine untill we returned to the field and the gear wouldn't extend when the gear lever selected down. The instructor extended it manually and we landed with no problems. The shop put it on jacks the next day and the gear worked flawlessly. Glar the instructor was with me for a witness.

Yeah, I'm going to hate to take it out that first time, but it;s a tractor not a show car. I still have to take it to the canvas shop to get the front cover modified so I can get it all snapped together. I has never fit correctly since I've owned it, but just never got around to fixing it. Went over and talked to the guy on Friday, and with his schedule of work, Christmas and Amish Old Christmas on January 5th, he said January 7th is when he can get it in. So if we get snow, I can clear it with the Kubota. So far I don't see much snow in forecast.

Here's a couple of pictures of my birds. The inflight picture of the Deb was before I changed engines and prop.

 

[BravoXray]

I have a friend who owns a farm and uses a 430 to mow the driveway lawns and his yard. Last year he started having me do it with my Zero turn and I agreed to it, its easy money and helps him
Anyway, hes considering selling the 430. I dont know the year, but its a diesel, 1150 hours has 60 mid mount mower and remote outlets up front. Has hitch on the back. Overall good condition and runs fine except a crack (repaired) in the front cowling. I think he lightly bumped into a tree. No rust, stored inside.
Whats a good asking price for it?

I would guess somewhere in the $7K to $9K area, but like anything, It depends on how bad a buyer wants it.

 

[Hay Dude]

I would guess somewhere in the $7K to $9K area, but like anything, It depends on how bad a buyer wants it.

WOW. I was thinking about $2k

 

[LouNY]

I would guess somewhere in the $7K to $9K area, but like anything, It depends on how bad a buyer wants it.

I guess it would depend on which JD 430 you are referring to;
Pardon Our Interruption
The used lawn mower one no way, $2-$3000.

Ni idea why it named the link the way it did :laughing:

 

[BravoXray]

Just to finish out this thread, I have finally gotten the refurbishment of my 430 finished. Last thing to be done was a modification to the fabric cowl on the cab so that it fit properly around the hood. I hooked up the blower with my new mount I built to keep the drive shaft happy, and now it's all ready to go.
Weatherman says we might get a few inches of snow in the next week or 10 days, I'll believe it when I see it.