CT_Tree_Guy
Platinum Member
\"Our\" 5030 - thanks to all at TBN for your help!
This post has been a long time coming. I've been coming to TBN for close to 2 years, and would classify myself as an "Elite Lurker" because I've easily read 2,500 posts, maybe more. I guess I never registered until now because you've all covered every question I could possibly dream up with your 500,000+ posts. (Plus, all I seem to have time for is work and sleep!)
I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help and generosity in sharing all of your experiences and knowledge. This is an amazing site with a lot of great people, and you helped me buy a machine (5030HST) about which I have no regrets whatsoever. I've been using it in my tree business for over a year now, and I can't think of a single time that I said to myself, "if only i had gotten such-and-such ...".
It has lived up to, and exceeded, all of my hopes and expectations, and made my work so much easier and more profitable that I am wondering how I did without it for so long.
You've all helped so much with so many questions - cab/no cab, turfs/ags/r4's, remotes, fill the tires or not, hydro, shuttle or gear, quick-attach or not, skid plates, tractor safety, winter operation, oils, greases, grapples .... you name it, you guys helped me with it. Thanks so much.
She's a tree-haulin' beast - 6' Bradco brush grapple on the 853 loader and an Implemax grapple on the back for grabbing logs, brush, branches and whole trees. The rear grapple is operated by a joystick controlling 3 hydraulic solenoids, and a toggle switch on the loader knob does the front grapple. (Hydraulics masterfully installed by Bob Wolff at Woodbury (CT) Tractor). The front grapple will pick up an 18" diam. 10 1/2 foot long oak log like it's a toothpick, and the 800 lb. grapple on the back balances the machine very nicely. If I have to max out the loader, I can grab a log with the rear grapple to keep things balanced. Never filled the tires, and glad of it. She's as light or heavy as she needs to be. The trees don't stand a chance any more /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I think I read just about every single post there ever was about tires, and ended up buying a set of Glennmac/MChalkley Specials - 19.5 x 24 wide Michelin XM27's for the rear, 11 x 16's for the front. No interference anywhere, I guess the 5030's frame is a little roomier than the 4610's. And I'll be sure to let you all know how I like them as soon as I put them to use! I got the tractor with Titan turfs for working on manicured lawns, thinking I'd need the XM27's as soon as the going got tough, but so far I haven't! The turfs have been amazing - in the woods, on soft lawns, hills, most everything I've needed them to do for 530 hours. (Bought the tractor in April '04 - she's been working). I'm still very new to tractoring though, and I have a strong hunch I don't know what I'm missing with the turfs for when the going gets bad. I would have tried the Michelins out by now, but WHO KNEW they wouldn't fit between the fenders of my trailer? Anyone have a nice 18' 4 1/2-ton deck-over for sale? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Anyway, more to come I'm sure, as I'm deeply in love with my tractor and love to talk about it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
At the risk of leaving anyone out, in addition to the "Tire Meisters" Mark and Glenn, I want to specifically thank Bird, Henro ("Topic: When is a tractor not really a tractor?" - keep it coming, I love it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif), 5030 (let's talk about hydraulic oil coolers), Jinman, MossRoad, Junkman, RaT (1150 loaders, mmmmmm), CowboyDoc, PineRidge, Egon, KiotiJohn (hey, your tractor's orange and that's good enough for me) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif, Gordon, John Miller, Harv (you and Jinman are gentlemen among gentlemen), Slowzuki, JerryG, Soundguy, Bob Skurka, RBargeron (I want a 5450!) , Ron J Hall, TxDon (go 5030's!), YooperDave and Jim Morrissey for all of your excellent posts.
(Again, sorry if I left someone out - if so, you know who you are, and please pat yourself on the back) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Your collective wit, humor and knowledge, and the generous way in which you share it, has improved my life immensely. In addition to thanking you from the bottom of my heart, I'd like to do my best to give something back to this great forum. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have about tree work, chainsaws, or chainsaw sharpening, which is a passion of mine.
And here's one last happy thought: I bet that for every person like me that you have all helped so much, there are probably hundreds more that you will never know about. Well done all, and in conclusion: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
John DeHuff
Collinsville Tree Service
Collinsville, CT
collinsvilletree@sbcglobal.net
This post has been a long time coming. I've been coming to TBN for close to 2 years, and would classify myself as an "Elite Lurker" because I've easily read 2,500 posts, maybe more. I guess I never registered until now because you've all covered every question I could possibly dream up with your 500,000+ posts. (Plus, all I seem to have time for is work and sleep!)
I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help and generosity in sharing all of your experiences and knowledge. This is an amazing site with a lot of great people, and you helped me buy a machine (5030HST) about which I have no regrets whatsoever. I've been using it in my tree business for over a year now, and I can't think of a single time that I said to myself, "if only i had gotten such-and-such ...".
It has lived up to, and exceeded, all of my hopes and expectations, and made my work so much easier and more profitable that I am wondering how I did without it for so long.
You've all helped so much with so many questions - cab/no cab, turfs/ags/r4's, remotes, fill the tires or not, hydro, shuttle or gear, quick-attach or not, skid plates, tractor safety, winter operation, oils, greases, grapples .... you name it, you guys helped me with it. Thanks so much.
She's a tree-haulin' beast - 6' Bradco brush grapple on the 853 loader and an Implemax grapple on the back for grabbing logs, brush, branches and whole trees. The rear grapple is operated by a joystick controlling 3 hydraulic solenoids, and a toggle switch on the loader knob does the front grapple. (Hydraulics masterfully installed by Bob Wolff at Woodbury (CT) Tractor). The front grapple will pick up an 18" diam. 10 1/2 foot long oak log like it's a toothpick, and the 800 lb. grapple on the back balances the machine very nicely. If I have to max out the loader, I can grab a log with the rear grapple to keep things balanced. Never filled the tires, and glad of it. She's as light or heavy as she needs to be. The trees don't stand a chance any more /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I think I read just about every single post there ever was about tires, and ended up buying a set of Glennmac/MChalkley Specials - 19.5 x 24 wide Michelin XM27's for the rear, 11 x 16's for the front. No interference anywhere, I guess the 5030's frame is a little roomier than the 4610's. And I'll be sure to let you all know how I like them as soon as I put them to use! I got the tractor with Titan turfs for working on manicured lawns, thinking I'd need the XM27's as soon as the going got tough, but so far I haven't! The turfs have been amazing - in the woods, on soft lawns, hills, most everything I've needed them to do for 530 hours. (Bought the tractor in April '04 - she's been working). I'm still very new to tractoring though, and I have a strong hunch I don't know what I'm missing with the turfs for when the going gets bad. I would have tried the Michelins out by now, but WHO KNEW they wouldn't fit between the fenders of my trailer? Anyone have a nice 18' 4 1/2-ton deck-over for sale? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Anyway, more to come I'm sure, as I'm deeply in love with my tractor and love to talk about it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
At the risk of leaving anyone out, in addition to the "Tire Meisters" Mark and Glenn, I want to specifically thank Bird, Henro ("Topic: When is a tractor not really a tractor?" - keep it coming, I love it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif), 5030 (let's talk about hydraulic oil coolers), Jinman, MossRoad, Junkman, RaT (1150 loaders, mmmmmm), CowboyDoc, PineRidge, Egon, KiotiJohn (hey, your tractor's orange and that's good enough for me) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif, Gordon, John Miller, Harv (you and Jinman are gentlemen among gentlemen), Slowzuki, JerryG, Soundguy, Bob Skurka, RBargeron (I want a 5450!) , Ron J Hall, TxDon (go 5030's!), YooperDave and Jim Morrissey for all of your excellent posts.
(Again, sorry if I left someone out - if so, you know who you are, and please pat yourself on the back) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Your collective wit, humor and knowledge, and the generous way in which you share it, has improved my life immensely. In addition to thanking you from the bottom of my heart, I'd like to do my best to give something back to this great forum. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have about tree work, chainsaws, or chainsaw sharpening, which is a passion of mine.
And here's one last happy thought: I bet that for every person like me that you have all helped so much, there are probably hundreds more that you will never know about. Well done all, and in conclusion: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
John DeHuff
Collinsville Tree Service
Collinsville, CT
collinsvilletree@sbcglobal.net
