Thread for MF 1529

[tmajor]

I've never seen one, before this year. To be honest, I can't see any horns. But, there has been a white buck seen, so maybe, there's more than one around.

 

[tmajor]

Well, I've run about 6 gallons of fuel through the tractor, cleaning up years of trash from lightning strikes, wind storms and neglect.

I've gathered 2 large burn piles, sent some logs home with my neighbor and still have more to do.

Some of the fallen trees were in the old Christmas tree patch, so some of both piles, are dead Christmas trees and sacrificed trees.



A couple which have had the top blown off, which i still have to deal with.



And one area, which I cleaned out. I cut a couple dead trees, which wouldn't fall, due to a massive vine entangled in them all. When I pulled them, the vine trailed along for 40 feet and now encompasses the one burn pile.

 

[tmajor]

The last 2 storm trees are taken care of! Here's one ... bigger than it looks, especially, when standing above you!

 

[tmajor]

Here's is one of the latest projects. There had been 2 big pine trees standing, ... years ago. One was struck by lightning and blown apart. The other one was still standing, but, I believe the lightning killed it. I was a bit timid to tackle it, on my own, so my neighbor, with logging experience and a skid steer, said "he would take it down". I was going to take pictures of it standing, but, when I got there, he had already sawed it off and it was hanging in another tree .... that's where the video starts. (The one blank, part, was when I took the camera down, to see, if anything was coming at me!)

 

[tmajor]

Here is the second of the burn piles, which did get quite a bit larger, than the previous picture of it. Tonight, with the help of the tractor, it's reduced to about a 4' X 8' pile of red coals.

 

[tmajor]

Does anybody have a 1529/1532 service manual? The manual, which I have, doesn't have clear printing on the "electrical" pages ... 12-19 and 12-23. They are pretty much useless!

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

Does anybody have a 1529/1532 service manual? The manual, which I have, doesn't have clear printing on the "electrical" pages ... 12-19 and 12-23. They are pretty much useless!

Sorry, no manual to help you out. How's the 1529 starting in the cold. I put a oil pan heater on mine this year and it makes the cold starts a little better but still huffs and puffs for a while. I think I need to just put in a block heater and be done with it. I've heard a lot of horror stories about putting them in or I would have done it by now.

 

[arizona98tj]

I have a 1529 and it has been used multiple times this season in sub-zero temps....around -10F last time I used it. I use a block heater and if it is below zero, I leave it plugged in for an hour. It immediately starts after about 10 seconds on the glow plugs, without any white smoke, no huffing, no puffing, no gagging, just a nice start into a smooth idle, just like it was doing this past summer.

 

[tmajor]

I started it the other day, when it was about 30ｰ F. It popped right off, with about 10 seconds of glow plugs (no heat). A little more smoke than warmer starts. Since it's gotten down in the teens, I haven't tried it, as I didn't really care, as I didn't want to be out there!

In lieu of a block heater, a 50 watt bulb under the hood, would probably do the trick ... lit, of course.

 

[tmajor]

It's never too late to "learn"! I was taking to a friend, about another friend, who is playing with installing a snow plow to his bucket. We got talking about "float" and he mentioned that my tractor should have the float option. ??? So, I tried it this morning and dang, if I don't have it! It would have been good to know, when I was pushing brush.

 

[arizona98tj]

Floating the bucket is indeed a handy feature. I use it when moving snow. I tilt the bucket back just a bit so I don't scalp the driveway and it works great. In fact, I ran it across my lawn and my neighbors lawn, and it worked great. No having to patch up those bare spots come spring time.

I'm not sure if a 50 watt bulb would do much or not in regards to heating the block. I guess it depends on how cold it is. My block heater is 1.5KW, or 30 bulbs. As I mentioned, it does great in an hour. When it wasn't subzero, I would start the tractor after about 30 minutes of plugged-in time.

On a different note, today, at 8:00 AM, the outside temp was 46 degrees warmer than it was Sunday at 8:00 AM. What a change. We had -36F yesterday morning. I didn't bother starting anything yesterday, other than the coffee pot!

 

[tmajor]

-36°F. is just about 100° too cold!

 

[Snobdds]

-36°F. is just about 100° too cold!

However, when it gets up to 5*, its like a heat wave. I walk around outside with just a tee shirt.

Humans are very adaptable...

 

[tmajor]

Humans are very adaptable...

I believe, that changes with age. I slipped on the ice, yesterday and I feel like it may take weeks, before I feel normal. ... and that's "iffy"!

 

[arizona98tj]

tmajor.....very sorry to hear about your slip on the ice. That is not good for sure. I hope you heal quickly and things are back to normal ASAP. Take care.

 

[tmajor]

@ arizona98tj
Thanks! I feel better today, but don't think, I'll be doing "chimneys" Christmas Eve.

 

[ftgulal]

Putting the front final drive together wouldn't have been too bad going together, but ... the new seal had an "undetectable metal collar" inside of it. I couldn't get the spindle to slide into place. By accident, I discovered the metal ring, which, I suspect was to help hold it compressed a bit or to have a hard surface to drive it in. ?? Once I got rid of that, it went together with no problem.

Today, I got the PTO replaced, with the help of my mechanic. He took a couple of days to try and make some more hay, so suggested I give it a shot. I needed stronger c-ring pliers, which be brought to me. We pulled the shaft, and something dropped to the bottom. Fortunately, there is a removable plate underneath, which was needed, to retrieve the bearing, which dropped and an access hole to hold everything in place, while inserting the new PTO shaft. Works fine on the brush hog, now.

How did you remove the metal ring? I am having this same issue right now

 

[tmajor]

How did you remove the metal ring? I am having this same issue right now

It isn't hard, once you know "it exists"! Drive the seal in, while the metal ring is in place, then just grab it with a pair of pliers, and it should tip out of the seal. I happened upon it, by accident, when I was trying to determine how hard the seal was.

 

[tmajor]

"Ah shucks!" (That, in no way comes close to what I want to say!) With 2-1/2 feet of snow to deal with, neither the Chevy/Plow nor the MF1529 had a chance, in dealing with it! Both are stuck in the middle of the driveway ... helpless! I can't even tell where the driveway "used to be"! The Massey would do much better, with chains! Tractor rubber on snow, "Is like a hog on ice!" It definitely needs chains, especially with R4s.... and from my experience, Ag tires are NOT much better. .. especially in reverse.

Tomorrow, is another day. I'll wade to the two and swamp them with coal ash! The 6 hours I spent today, was enough!

 

[arizona98tj]

The 1529 enjoys having a set of chains. I put a set on the rear tires and it made a notable difference for me here in northern Minnesota this winter.