Treadle to hand control conversion on 1430

[jfischer]

Might be able to cut out some access openings in the hood for day to day maintanence like checking oil and refueling. Cover them with hinged panels if you didn't want to leave them open.

I thought about that, but heck, just trying to lift a gas can up there to fill it, and not spill it all over the place will be enough. I will just use smaller cans, as I know I am not going to be able to pour a 5 gallon can that high.

 

[joshlee]

Yeah, I can see how that should work out fine. Thanks to Mossroad and Woodlandfarms we have some awesome idea's to think about for the seat and the hood! Like Mossroad was saying about using the auxillary for opening the hood, the possibilities with these PT's are many that I see.

Well, with these machines you can literally have the wheelchair right beside the operators seat, and its relatively simply to get up on. Whenever getting it up on the trailer I just stay in my wheelchair and reach over to the controls while driving it up on. That makes it easy without any problems.Even in my shop, its nice to move the PT around without without actually having to climb up in it, and this why I want the hand control to return to center. With putting a cruise control on it, I'm not sure how to go about it? After I finish this hand control I'll take some good pictures of it and post them for you and everyone on here. I'm sure the people on here, along with you will have some good idea's of how to go about it.ao

Hey Josh, I am thinking that if you drill a hole where the seat flips now on the bolt about 3" lower, or so it won't hit the top of the Hydro Cap that it would lower it down fine. I saw someone else do that when they put a suspension seat on, and it raised things up too high.

Never thought about the hood being so heavy. I guess I am used to the JD's all these years with a fiberglass hood. I wonder if any of the gas cylinders, like on the back windows of cars, would help it with the assist needed in lifting.

How do you get on and off the machine, (to the chair, if you drive it up on the trailer)?

I am just Southwest of Washington D.C., in Northern VA, so I would say about 345 miles or so.
Jeff

 

[joshlee]

I thought about that, but heck, just trying to lift a gas can up there to fill it, and not spill it all over the place will be enough. I will just use smaller cans, as I know I am not going to be able to pour a 5 gallon can that high.

Do you think some kind of a pump attached to the gas can would work well?

 

[jfischer]

Do you think some kind of a pump attached to the gas can would work well?

I have tried a few of them in the past, and most don't work well, or leak, and are messy. I tried some of the battery ones, and a few, but seems the best is to just put it in smaller cans.

Have you found anything that seems to work any better to lift it that high from the chair?
Jeff

 

[joshlee]

Thats a great idea. If I ever do have to lower the seat, I will definitely keep that in mind.

So Mossroad, do you think the armrests Power Trac sells go well with these seats? It looks like they have enough cushion on them to make it comfortable.

Or you could take the plate off the oil reservoir, measure it, and have a new plate made with a recessed cap. Only problem would be dirt around the cap. For that matter, you could just remove the plate and put on a flat plate with a gasket and put a dipstick tube on the inside of the engine compartment where it would be protected.... like maybe they should have done at the factory??? :laughing:

 

[joshlee]

Thats about the only thing I found to work well too, is the smaller cans. Another thing is getting a high quality gas can. Those cheap ones are such a pain, because half the time they leak all over me and hurt my hand trying to get the cap off. I think the two cans I have are made by Lion? They are 3 gallons and work out pretty well. They have a squeeze mechanism that opens the cap which has a flexible nozzle.

So, you were down there today? Were you talking with Kristie, the sales person? Which machine are you thinking about getting?

I have tried a few of them in the past, and most don't work well, or leak, and are messy. I tried some of the battery ones, and a few, but seems the best is to just put it in smaller cans.

Have you found anything that seems to work any better to lift it that high from the chair?
Jeff

 

[joshlee]

Might be able to cut out some access openings in the hood for day to day maintanence like checking oil and refueling. Cover them with hinged panels if you didn't want to leave them open.

Those are some good ideas! Thanks RegL.

 

[joshlee]

Might be able to cut out some access openings in the hood for day to day maintanence like checking oil and refueling. Cover them with hinged panels if you didn't want to leave them open.

I heard somewhere, that years ago there was a cab heater that was powered by the Duetz air cooled desiels by the oil. Have you ever heard of such a thing?

 

[BobRip]

M R, I am going to try it without anything in there. I just thought the gas struts might help, but after looking at the machine today, there is not a lot of room in there to add cylinders or such. Heck, it will keep the arms built up opening it.

I made a suggestion to tell people that seem to have problems with the engines running out of oil, or not checking it. I told them that at the end of the day, I always open my hood, that way when I get on it the next time, it reminds me to check the fluids. They said they might start telling customers to do that.

Or you could connect the existing oil pressure switch to a light and beeper like I did. It comes not connected to anything.

 

[jfischer]

Thats about the only thing I found to work well too, is the smaller cans. Another thing is getting a high quality gas can. Those cheap ones are such a pain, because half the time they leak all over me and hurt my hand trying to get the cap off. I think the two cans I have are made by Lion? They are 3 gallons and work out pretty well. They have a squeeze mechanism that opens the cap which has a flexible nozzle.

So, you were down there today? Were you talking with Kristie, the sales person? Which machine are you thinking about getting?

I have a few of the older cans that don't leak, and you don't have to pull, or push anything to get them to flow. Wish I could find more of them.

Yes, talked a lot to Kristie, Terry, and a few of the people down there. I am getting the 425, (all I could afford now) wish I could have gotten the 1430, but after I got to thinking about it, was probably bigger then what I needed, with a 6ft snow blade and all. When I go around my house, I know that even using the angle on it, that is still 5'5" or so. Guess that is one of the things that bigger is not always better

Oh, I am going to take the trailer down there on Wed. to pick all up. Figure the prices are about as good as they are going to get on attachments.