Picking up the PT from Overnite

Barryh · Nov 18, 2005

Thanks Doc,

for making that clear. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Yes the Hydraulic hose is for bleeding the system after a filter change at the 50 hour mark per your manual. The manual states only change fluid, if your fliud becomes contaminated. Some members like to change their fluid at the 100 hour mark. I plan to change mine out with synthetic oil at that time.

My tank says use only 5W-30. My manual says use only 10W-40. I plan to go to a 15W-40 using Amsoil in place of Dino. Some members who have changed to a 15W-40 or higher multi grade have reported better wheel motor torque during Hot weather, once the hydraulic fluid heats up. Not to get off topic here though... congrats on the new machine. Nice setup and place you have there.

MossRoad · Nov 18, 2005

Congratulations! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The blue sleeve is on our 2001 model. Helps protect the hoses and keeps some dirt out, but not much.

The forks are one of the most usefull tools. Besides lifting stuff, we also use ours to pop out bushes and rocks. They spear right into the ground and have pretty good leverage for small root balls.

SAVE THAT HYDRAULIC HOSE!!! As others have mentioned, you will need it at the 50 hour service interval to bleed the variable volume pump. The key is to get the air bled out of the system using the starter motor with the spark plugs disconnected. The proceedure sounds complex, but is easy once you do it. Ask more questions about that as you get nearer to 50 hours.

That group shot is what I'm talking about! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif The proudest day for any PT owner. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

So, the first time you got on it, did everything feel and look like you thought it would? I remember hopping on and driving down the long dock at Overnight, then out to the parking lot and loading everything up. Felt great. I remember all the research and the folks here at TBN that really helped me make my decision. Great bunch of folks, here! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Enjoy your new machine. Take your time and really have fun with it while you get use to it. Go out back somewhere and dig a hole, just for fun. Buy two cans of spraypaint. One black and one JD Green. It is a pretty close match. You will probably find that you will start getting scratches around the wheels, first. Once a year I remove my wheels and touch up the area behind them. But really, that thick plate steel isn't going to rust much as compared to sheet metal.

Oh, one more thing... as a new PT owner, you MUST post the first time you bonk your head on the ROPS. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

ClintBlake · Nov 18, 2005

After you use it a while, yours won't look blue either. The machine is way too clean. Correcting this should be your top priority.

toolz_not_toyz · Nov 18, 2005

( So, the first time you got on it, did everything feel and look like you thought it would? I remember hopping on and driving down the long dock at Overnight, then out to the parking lot and loading everything up. Felt great. I remember all the research and the folks here at TBN that really helped me make my decision. Great bunch of folks, here! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

)

Couldn't have done it without having spent all the time here. It's a big purchase and I don't like to buy things twice. About a week after I bought the lawn tractor at the old place (my first lawn tractor) I was pretty disappointed. Those things are pretty useless except for cutting grass and pushing a little snow. And the grass cutting wasn't that great, at least not for that property as it kept on getting stuck going up the hill at the back of our house unless I put weights on and then it was just slow as molasses. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Like I said in a previous post, the PT is a lot bigger than I thought it would be. Those wheels look pretty big when you're driving too. And all of the attachments...well, let me put it this way: had I known the 4n1 bucket was so big I would have reconsidered buying the LM as well, but then maybe I'll find out later that that thinking would not have been correct.

The number one thing I've started thinking about is adding a diverter valve or doing something so that the QA cylinder can remain attached to the aux pto even when using the mini-hoe or 4n1. I think it's kind of weird they haven't changed that setup. Seems kind of unintuitive that you'd have to reach down to the QA leaver each time you wanted to curl the mini-hoe, for instance. There needs to be another large lever next to the existing one. I started looking through this forum for discussions about the subject.

Without this forum I wouldn't have a clue how to hookup the 4n1 or minihoe. I had remembered reading something about needing to use the QA lever to control curl. PT doesn't document any of this stuff. I spotted the main PTO hoses right away. But it didn't make sense to me that you would have to disconnect the QA for some implements. Just seems to defeat the purpose of the whole quick attach system if you have to step on/off the machine a few times to just hookup one attachment. But enough about that.

One more thing. I can now see why some folks are willing to give up top end speed for greater torque. Even at half throttle this thing feels pretty fast.

KentT · Nov 18, 2005

Here's my modification to add a lever on the left side of the steering wheel for the Aux PTO/Quick Attach...

IMO, it makes a BIG difference in ease of use for the Aux PTO...
Aux PTO Mod

toolz_not_toyz · Nov 18, 2005

( Some of those hour meters also indicate engine rpm. Check and see if there is a selection button. )

Unfortunately, no there isn't a selection button.

pajoube · Nov 18, 2005

Love that group shot. Your home is beautiful.
A clean machine ????? who ever can keep one clean except fourteen!
PJ

toolz_not_toyz · Nov 18, 2005

Thanks for the comments about the house and the machine all. Doesn't it all look so nice and green and pretty everything? The house is new and the weather isn't typically as pretty as it was that day; well, not counting the gorgeous summer we had with practically zero rain or cloud. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

For the PTO situation I'm thinking what's needed here is either just a diverter valve with a solenoid or maybe an additional aux pto circuit. Really, if you put a switch in the dash to select between aux pto 1 and aux pto 2, you could add another joystick. When it comes time to use the QA, just flip the aux pto switch back to aux 1, thereby disabling the 2nd joystick and re-enabling the QA lever. I think the QA lever is in a good place when you think if it was on top, you could end up accidentally disengaging the quick attach.

I think it was davesisk that had a mod. that used such a diverter valve.

stray · Nov 18, 2005

Nice very nice. O for the joys of a first time PT owner. Just learning is much of the fun. I assume you already have a leaf blower and a pressure washer. They are what it takes to keep it clean easily. Now get out there and get to work I mean well you know what I mean. Keep us posted and let us know how well it does on climbing steep hills?