New 2516 Here Yesterday

[AchingBack]

i will be buying a used 2615 this weekend, good to know that Stonehams is a good group of people. i noticed that they just picked up the Mahindra brand last spring but haven't stopped in yet. congrats on your new tractor!

You will be very pleased with this tractor. Just a few suggestions: Obtain an owner's manual, check all bolts for proper torque, reinforce the top edge of your loader bucket with some angle iron, or flat bar, if it hasn't already been done, have the rear tires filled for increased traction. If your glow plug timer is the 3 second type, eventually it is going to fail, and it will cost you about $200.00 to replace it with the new 10 second unit. When the time fails it causes one or more of the glow plugs to fail. The new unit uses different glow plugs. If you are buying the tractor from a dealer, I would ask them to replace the timer and plugs first. Perhaps they would do it at their parts cost.

 

[rockshaft]

I have the steel-tech 16" thumb (not mounted yet)- seems pretty rugged to me. What don't you like about it? All 3/8" and the welds look pretty decent considering it was the least expensive thumb I could find (150$). Does it interfere with your bucket too much when curled?
Looks like a nice machine charliepff, have fun with it and post some more pics~!:licking:

 

[charliepff]

The thumb does not have a position where I can leave it on and not interfere with the bucket. Other then that it works well. I agree with everything Aching Back said. I did not ask about the glow plug timer. Since mine is new and not a left over I did not think I would have the 3 second timer. I have managed to bend the top edge on my bucket scooping up large rock. So I need to get someone to weld in some angle for me to strengthen it. I will also tell you to watch when retracting the bucket. The teeth will catch the boom easily. This is the first machine I operated that has that issue with the hoe. I did order a service manual from Stonehams even though the machine has a 5 year warranty. They are a good dealer. Very helpful and courteous.

 

[rockshaft]

I've only ever used 2 or 3 different hoes, I've not yet experienced having interference with factory buckets hitting dipper/boom. I looked at a video of a 2516 with hoe operating, the bucket did look a bit long. The operator never hit the boom with his bucket teeth, but he might have been consciously avoiding it. It's a shame you would have to think about that while operating.
Does your BH have one or two swing cylinders?
Looks like the 3ph doesn't have to come off to use the BH? That's a big plus in my book- quick attach hoe isn't really quick attach if you have to install/detach the 3ph linkage.

 

[BrokeSolid]

My BH bucket hits the boom if I'm folding it up to move. i haven't had any problems during use, just when I'm collapsing it to move the tractor.

 

[charliepff]

I believe it is one swing cylinder that controls a swing chain. You do not have to remove the lower arms for the 3 point hitch. The only dificult part of removing the backhoe is dealing with the hydraulic lines. They could have probably designed a little better system for their connections. The hoe digs really well though. I dug a 6 ft deep x 10ft wide x 15 feet long to get at the septic tank. I caught the arm curling the bucket while digging close to the tractor twice. I actually had a scratch from this when I looked at before delivery. If you have it curled up and tucked for travel or storage, the bucket will creep down and contact the arm. Other then that I am very happy with the machine.

 

[backintheday]

The snowblower is from Mahindra and was 2500. Two things I would do different is go with an off brand blower even though this one is built strong, and go with a Woods back hoe and thumb.

I'm in the market for a 3016 and am wanting a backhoe, why would you get a Woods instead?

 

[charliepff]

I actually just replied to your other thread. LOL The woods backhoe seems to be set up a little better. The thumb seems to work better as far as stowing on the machine and adjustment also. Mahindra has an awesome tractor but I am not sure their backhoe building skills is as refined as some other brands. Read back in this thread a few posts and you will see what I have discovered with my back hoe. It has held up well though. So I cant complain there. Just some quircks. I have dug my septic tank, and five stumps along with a massive rock for the neighbor already. So I have gotten some use out of it.