PTO Pump

[bindian]

Dougster,
I don't know if you have a 509 & 511 owners manual. I am attaching the page on bucket positions just in case you don't have the manual. The different positions are a big difference on my 511.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Dougster]

Dougster. Another thing that I am sure you already know is that it makes a big difference what holes you have the cylinder attached to the bucket with. I am not sure how you are digging but you might experiment moving these around. My 511 buckets have 3 different positions. Some are great for scraping up against a wall and others are better for ripping.

Dougster,
I don't know if you have a 509 & 511 owners manual. I am attaching the page on bucket positions just in case you don't have the manual. The different positions are a big difference on my 511.
hugs, Brandi

Thanks for the excellent reminder. I believe my bucket is set to the "standard" position... but I'll check tomorrow for sure when I get back to my "rockscape" jobsite.

Things continue to go well on the "rockscape" job. I have now moved ALL assigned rocks to the new rock pit... and about two dozen others so far... and moved on to other work in combo with more rocks. The 4110+509 is moving rocks I never thought possible through patient, creative use of the backhoe and my magnificent new CAT 66" toothed digging bucket. That new bucket is absolutely insane!!! Why didn't I get a toothed bucket a year ago??? This thing makes the words heavy-duty (as applied to compact tractor equipment) rather laughable. That new bucket is ULTRA-freakin'-super-heavy-duty.

Ended up with an external leak at the FEL control valve today. Couldn't pinpoint the exact source, but everything was tight to my wrench and the leak is not that bad. One good rag wrapped around it and I continued working. I'll worry about fixing it after the "rockscape" job is completed.

Dougster

 

[bindian]

Thanks for the excellent reminder. I believe my bucket is set to the "standard" position... but I'll check tomorrow for sure when I get back to my "rockscape" jobsite.

Things continue to go well on the "rockscape" job. I have now moved ALL assigned rocks to the new rock pit... and about two dozen others so far... and moved on to other work in combo with more rocks. The 4110+509 is moving rocks I never thought possible through patient, creative use of the backhoe and my magnificent new CAT 66" toothed digging bucket. That new bucket is absolutely insane!!! Why didn't I get a toothed bucket a year ago??? This thing makes the words heavy-duty (as applied to compact tractor equipment) rather laughable. That new bucket is ULTRA-freakin'-super-heavy-duty.

Ended up with an external leak at the FEL control valve today. Couldn't pinpoint the exact source, but everything was tight to my wrench and the leak is not that bad. One good rag wrapped around it and I continued working. I'll worry about fixing it after the "rockscape" job is completed.

Dougster

Dougster,
How about a photo of that CAT 66" toothed digging bucket?
hugs, Brandi

 

[Dougster]

Dougster, How about a photo of that CAT 66" toothed digging bucket?
hugs, Brandi

I'll have to take a picture or two after it comes back from the "rockscape" job and gets cleaned up a bit... (read: totally repainted!!!) ...but to give you some idea of its brute strength, it is a 66" bolted tooth bucket and weighs 545 pounds empty. The thing is a brutal monster and it proved three things to me:

a) Skidsteer stuff MUST be made tough... especially when the name "CAT" is in raised lettering on both sides, and...

b) 66" is definitely the correct FEL bucket width for my 41 HP tractor, and finally...

c) Where the heck have I been for the last year on bucket teeth??? Greatest dang thing since sliced bread from the stale bread store!!!

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

Ended up with an external leak at the FEL control valve today. Couldn't pinpoint the exact source, but everything was tight to my wrench and the leak is not that bad. One good rag wrapped around it and I continued working. I'll worry about fixing it after the "rockscape" job is completed.

Well, the FEL control valve (Prince LVS) is leaking like a cow relieving itself now... and I am out of commission until it is fixed. The "rockscape" client is not happy... and so I may end up renting the JD110 after all. I asked him to grant me a one day maintenance delay... and if the FEL control valve leak can't be fixed... I finish the job with the JD110. Problem is that the Beast is at the jobsite and God only knows where I'll get parts in one day. I suspect it could be some o-ring somewhere... but if it is a cracked body, I am zinged but good!!!

First serious equipment failure on a client's site. It does not feel good.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

Saturday Morning Update: The infamous "rockscape" job is entering the final stretch. There was a big step forward yesterday when I brought in a rock splitting subcontractor to break up the two large surface rocks. Price was quite reasonable compared to the heavy equipment moving options... and now the two surface monster rocks will be gone for good. We keep finding new buried rock "challenges", but the worst is probably over. Only one potentially serious problem rock remains. It was hidden from view under one of the monster surface rocks and we didn't notice it until several of the monster rock pieces were cleared.

The 4110+509 continues to amaze everyone, including moi. Some of the operations ain't exactly fast or pretty... but the results to date are hard to argue with. The sizes and sheer amount of rock that have been cleared to date are almost shocking. Largest rocks successfully dug out and moved to the rock pile: about 4,000 lbs each.

In regard to the FEL control valve leak, I replaced four o-rings on the quick disconnects and got the leak back down to an occasional couple drops. No more cow relieving itself. Two o-rings were good, one was marginal... and one had completely disintegrated. Finding the right o-rings was not quick or easy... and the ones I installed are probably not a perfect fit. I will deal with the remaining small leak(s) after the job is complete and the Red Beast is back in it's garage bay.

In regard to the PTO pump... I am probably not getting one. The backhoe's problem is neither flow nor speed. At 2,500 engine RPMs there is plenty of flow and plenty of speed. The problem, if any, is inadequate operating pressure. The operating pressure issue must be resolved first or I'll just be wasting my time & money.

The Bradco 509 has really done quite well all things considered... some would say remarkably well. A Bradco 511 would likely have done even better based on its better geometry and how the job of digging out these many large rocks had to be approached. I would still love to own a much more powerful machine, but I am limited by current towing capacity to about 7,300 lbs. Until that ugly fact of life changes, the 4110+509 is probably still my best overall bet for the wide variety of work I'm pursuing.

Dougster

 

[LarryRB]

Dougster
speaking of PTO pumps and parts, the neighbor and I will be visiting Bob Wolf either Monday or Tuesday, where I will be getting some Bradco 48" pallet forks,, You have anything there that I can pick up for you?

 

[Dougster]

Dougster speaking of PTO pumps and parts, the neighbor and I will be visiting Bob Wolf either Monday or Tuesday, where I will be getting some Bradco 48" pallet forks, You have anything there that I can pick up for you?

Hi Larry - I ordered those several missing Bradco nuisance parts for my hydraulic thumb project from Messicks. So thanks for the offer, but I think I'm all set for now!

Dougster