New GC1705 owner

[SteveM70]

I took the bolt all the way out to see how much reverse travel there is and something else stops it. I assume you don't want to mash it down and strain the linkage, so I made sure it does contact the bolt. It still makes contact ran all the way in. I'm leaving it, as you said, I had poor performance in reverse and it's much better now. I was actually concerned, before I had to use the loader to help me back up in a few steep places. Now it will spin the tires if it gets to that point.

Yeah the honda is a unique machine. 18hp, has 4wd, aws, diff lock. It has an 8 speed manual trans high/low. It will go anywhere. In fact, it ran circles around the MF in soft conditions, and would have had to pull it out of the mud of it wasn't for the FEL. It has Ag tires though so expected. Hydraulic lift on the front and snow plow/dozer blade. Unfortunately, mine lacks rear lift and a 3 point. They even made a loader for it, but as I said, parts are just too rare.

Yeah, Ag tires make all the difference. I started out with Ags on my GC but recently switched to R4's. The Ags would get me through mud that the R4's don't stand a chance in but the R4's do every bit as good, if not better on the steepest parts of my lawn.

The reason I switched too R4's was because the Ags kept getting holes in them. A problem that was made worse by the fact that I lost fluid out of the rears every time this happened. Now I'll gladly wait on dryer weather too do field and woods work in exchange for not finding flat tires and puddles of windshield washer fluid when I need my tractor.

 

[AxleHub]

Finally drying out here a bit so I washed it up and made sure the transmission fins/and cooling fan were clean.

In the other picture is my honda 5518 4wd AWS. It was supposed to be the tractor that was to do the job of the MF, but parts were too rare and expensive. I hate to sell it but may need to. It is still a beast.

I've got a Honda Ht3813 lawn mower and these Honda riders certainly were ahead of the curve. Mine is a 13 HP twin cylinder water cooled unit. It's taken on my steepest hills and sidehill and has a manual transmission yet it has a fair amount of engine braking by virtue of the unique transmission. It's too bad Honda quit building riders as they are incredibly durable and quiet running and WI 13 HP it outputs 21 HP riders and never heats up in thick grass in idle of hot summer. But this year I plan to sell it and the grass catcher system forit to cut down the storage needs.

 

[07keo02]

Storage needs are part of the issue. I'm building a lean to off the current garage soon for my truck, gc1705, and john deere d130. I don't need the Honda, but I hate to see it go. It's just the most practical one to sell. At only 18 horse but manual transmission, I think it would hang with any 22-25 horse hydrostatic tractor comparably equipped.

 

[rider7767]

Thanks, I would not be going with a 3 point. I have spoken with wallstien and woods. Wallstien currently makes a subframe kit and woods is currently in development.

I was reading in the fine print and it said some sub frames will not work with mid mounted mowers. When you talked with them, what did they say?

 

[07keo02]

I was reading in the fine print and it said some sub frames will not work with mid mounted mowers. When you talked with them, what did they say?

This is what the website says under it's part number for the gc1705 subframe:

"Midmount mower compatible
(GE605) Must have either OEM reversible seat or seat kit"

One answer I don't have yet, is wether or not the 3 point hitch will be able to folded up and left in place or not. The video of the ge605 backhoe has a gc1705 with it installed, and I believe you can see the 3 point there.

 

[coldsteelva]

On the GC series, the 3PH lift arms swivel down, stabilizers swivel up and top link rests just above or in the drawbar hole. From mfr. the parts are held in place by a rubber strap hooked to either side of the ROPS support. You never have to remove them from the tractor.

 

[07keo02]

On the GC series, the 3PH lift arms swivel down, stabilizers swivel up and top link rests just above or in the drawbar hole. From mfr. the parts are held in place by a rubber strap hooked to either side of the ROPS support. You never have to remove them from the tractor.

Does this apply to 1705/1715's as well? I only ask because someone in a thread said they were designed differently for the backhoe.

 

[SteveM70]

Does this apply to 1705/1715's as well? I only ask because someone in a thread said they were designed differently for the backhoe.

Check out your 3 point. The stabilizers should be pinned into the lift arms in a manner that you can quickly release. If so, then you can follow Coldsteelva's directions on folding them up.

I would ask the mfg. you decide to get the backhoe from as reassurance but in the pic you posted the 3 point hitch is definitely still on the tractor and folded up.

 

[edgarrian]

I have already patched mine b/c of small nail. I didn't fill mine though so its not a big deal.

Yeah, Ag tires make all the difference. I started out with Ags on my GC but recently switched to R4's. The Ags would get me through mud that the R4's don't stand a chance in but the R4's do every bit as good, if not better on the steepest parts of my lawn.

The reason I switched too R4's was because the Ags kept getting holes in them. A problem that was made worse by the fact that I lost fluid out of the rears every time this happened. Now I'll gladly wait on dryer weather too do field and woods work in exchange for not finding flat tires and puddles of windshield washer fluid when I need my tractor.

 

[AxleHub]

Yeah, Ag tires make all the difference. I started out with Ags on my GC but recently switched to R4's. The Ags would get me through mud that the R4's don't stand a chance in but the R4's do every bit as good, if not better on the steepest parts of my lawn.

The reason I switched too R4's was because the Ags kept getting holes in them. A problem that was made worse by the fact that I lost fluid out of the rears every time this happened. Now I'll gladly wait on dryer weather too do field and woods work in exchange for not finding flat tires and puddles of windshield washer fluid when I need my tractor.

Steve, didn't you have problems with Ag tires on steep lawn? I would think they would rip sod like no tomorrow. I got turfs for that reason and I have to say - I fully expected them to do good on my steep lawn areas - but I sure was surprised how very well they do for traction on snow and ice - and my driveway is almost as steep as my lawn. I don't use chains in winter and we had lots of ice this year.

 

[SteveM70]

Steve, didn't you have problems with Ag tires on steep lawn? I would think they would rip sod like no tomorrow. I got turfs for that reason and I have to say - I fully expected them to do good on my steep lawn areas - but I sure was surprised how very well they do for traction on snow and ice - and my driveway is almost as steep as my lawn. I don't use chains in winter and we had lots of ice this year.

I have one particularly steep part of my lawn that stays wet. No rider I've had in any tire configuration I've tried (turfs, R1's, R4's) will mow it without tearing it up.

I didn't have a problem with the Ag tires but when they would slip, they would dig. Most of this was made a non issue by learning the trouble spots and engaging the diff lock before a rear wheel slipped. The R4's, on the other hand, seem to get better traction on lawn grass and tear up less when they do slip.

My lawn started out as very rocky hillside woods. It has been a work in progress in my free time for years. Although it's coming together and I'm proud of what it is now in comparison to what I started with, I'ts not at the point where a few tire spin marks are an eye sore.

 

[Jshan82]

Have any of yall had your 3 point hitch to whine? I have right wt 4 hours on mine and my three point hitch whines with the the box blade at one spot. Also it will not drop all the way down it goes so far down then stops. I have to get off push it down to get low enough to hook up to box blade.