Tyre issue/manual rant/FEL bucket indicator

[MArvane]

Had my new 4500 4wd with FEL delivered Friday. First thing I did is check everything. I tried to find the recommended tire pressures in the manual but couldn't find any listed for the machine with the FEL. I DID notice, however, that someone (apparently at Mahindra) had painted onto each tire/tyre (can't resist) a pressure---on the rears, "psig 24" and on the fronts, "psig 54" (I think it said 54, but was partially rubbed off). I used a digital pressure gauge and lo and behold, there was 24 psig on the rear but 45 psig on the fronts. Now, here's the catch: The front tires state something to this effect" MAXIMUM 33 PSI IT IS DANGEROUS TO EXCEED RECOMMENDED PRESSURE OR LOAD". I called the dealer, he didn't know what the correct pressure is but recommends lowering the front tire pressure just short of where the sidewalls start to bulge. Very scientific. I suspect that the engineers at Mahindra know something we don't, but after two unanswered phone calls I am posting this hoping someone knows the recommended tire pressure for these machines with the FEL option. Seems that 45 psig in a tire rated 33 psig maximum is a bit high unless there has been some homework done to justify it.

While I am ranting, the owner's manual is a mess. There have been changes to the engine that are not reflected in the manual. There are references to the wrong pages, wrong illustrations, wrong tables. Some (many) of the photos do not clearly illustrate the subject under discussion. There are contradictory recommendations, in particular in the lubricants areas. There are issues that may be clear to experienced tractor owners, but not to me---and I think would have been useful to be stated in the manual. For example, I found out that you need to have the shuttle shift in neutral before shifting the low-high gear. Or is it just me?

And by the way, I would welcome creative ideas on ways to indicate bucket angle so as to be visible from the operator's seat. I've seen the rod in tube; any others?

Thanks all,

Michael A
Cypress, Tx

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

Glad to see you got your tractor. Wish it was a little less rainy so you could get more time on it. I never asked were you got it from. Eddie Knox at Knox Tractor, Bob Humble at Top Flight, other?

First tire/tyre pressure. I would not go over manufactures max (at lest not by more than a pound or 2) unless Mahindra puts a different rating in writing.

The owners manual on my 2615 is also disorganized. Most of the shortcoming you mentioned are in mine. The mantanence/lub section is clear enough that I am satisfied with the manual. You should get clarifacation on yours. I would pound on the dealer for answers.

Creative bucket angle indicator? It is tough to beat the toughness and cheapness of the rod and tube. A creative answer. (warning this may get long winded)One of the products we manufacture at work is a Tank Level Inticator (TLI). It works by measuring cap in an electronic circuit. On the rod and tube type setup, one end, say the tube end, would be electified with a low voltage signal. The rod would be grounded. An insulater placed between the rod and tube. The electronics would in effect measure the engagement lengh of the rod and tude. This would then be transmitted to a analog, or digital, display on the instrument panel.

There are otherways to make this measurement. I just used the meathod we use at work.

 

[MArvane]

Thanks, Charlie. Actually I was considering magnetorestrictive because with our humidity capacitance would require compensation. Got any other ideas?

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gifLOL

Michael A
Cypress, Tx.

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

Capacitance shouldn't change too much you would be measuring the dialectric of the insulator, a change in the dialectric of the air would intro some error but not a lot.

Magnito-strictive would work. Just need to figure out mounting methode and mateials to not get ripped off, keep out stray magnatism. Neither issue would be a deal killer.

In the not so distant part I was working on a laser range finder. It is not too difficult to get 1/8in resolution and acuracy from them. I have one on my desk from Leica. There is a manufacture of TLI, k-tec. The last I hears (a couple of years ago so they may have worked out the problem) it made a decent thermometer. IE to much temperature induced error.

Given enough time I could come up with more. I need to go act like I'm working now.

 

[Y2KF250PSD]

The only thing my loader manual said was to run the front tires at max pressure. In my tractor manual, it showed that to be 48lbs (2wd model). They had 24 in them, I bumped em up to 44 and all is good. I didn't see any max or recommended inflation pressures on the sidewall so who knows.

Also, my loader (KMW) does have the rod/tube type level indicator but I noticed the Great Bend loaders I looked at did not.

Maybe you could order the rod/tube from KMW. I wound up needing to trim the tubing on mine anyway, it wasn't correct.

Chuck

 

[MArvane]

PS to Charlie--

I purchased from Top Flight. Knox was my first choice but I lost track of how many times I called only to be told that they were busy or with a customer, and they never would return my calls. Business must be good!

Michael A
Cypress

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

The quotes I got from Knox were about 10% more. I liked Bob, their shop and there parts department more.

 

[KENB]

Most of the time, Knox will beat Top Flight's prices if you let them know what Top Flight quoted. Top Flight is selling at nearly dealer cost is what I've heard. The money that is being made is the 2% discount by them paying Mahindra's invoice within 10-15 days. So let says for a 4110 the dealer cost is $16,900, they can still make $388.00 on the sale selling at dealer cost. Also, usually there is some sort of "fee" associated with the sale (maybe around $200), that is added on to the "Sale Price". I know Top Flight told me that this fee would be added to the final sales price at delivery. It is all old fashioned arithmetic, and the bottom line is how much you have to write a check for. So, when getting quotes, make sure you get a "drive out" price. Everything else is what I call "funny math". I too liked Bob at Top Flight, but Ed Knox has been in business here in Houston at the same location for about 30-35 years, and was easier access for me because my office is about 10 minutes from their store.
Both Top Flight and Knox seem to be good dealers, but personally I don't think either know as much about Mahindra tractors as those guys from the northeast that post messages on this site now and then (New England Tractor). In my opinion those guys have more information and a better website than the MahindraUSA site (other than the fact that they misspelled "implements" on their site). I don't know them personally, so this is not an advertisement for them. Just my opinion of what I've seen so far.

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

What I got from Top was 'drive out'. I went to Knox on a Saturday morning. Eddie met me on my way to the tractor. The first thing he said was 'I don't know much about this tractor'. Not a very good start. Knox estemated 'a few hundred over $13k' for a 2015. He went inside to get the price but apperently he was too busy to get the actual dollor amount or write it down. I then told him that was too high. I could get a Kubota 7510 for that. We then went to his office were I told him the prices I was quoted on the BX2230, B7510, JD 2210 and 4010. He still didn't write up a quote nor did he offer to come off his price. He said send me a copy of your quotes and I will see what I can do. Faxed them the next Monday morning, about a month and a half ago. He still hasen't called back.

At Top, Bob had all the prices in his pocket and was quick to give them to me. When I told him which one I liked, we went to his desk and wrote it down. Top was $12400 on the 2015. I went with a 2615. He quoted me $14700. I payed $14700 0% 36 month plus $400 for 3 years insuance.

 

[KENB]

Charlie, I would have bought mine from Top Flight too if Knox had been that way with me. Don't blame ya a bit. That is poor service, and shame on 'em. Since we are both in the same area, I wanted to mention something about the $400 insurance for financing. I financed mine also at the 0%/36. But I got my insurance from Farm Bureau. They insured the deal (16,900) for $72 per year. It is full replacement insurance just like you get from Agri-credit or whoever the people are that insure the Mahindra finance deal. The offered me the $400 for it, but I decided to check with my Farm Bureau agent, and I am glad I did. Maybe you can still check it out and pocket an extra $200, who knows? Either way the 0% deal is a good one. Unlike car deals, the finance rate does not affect final dealer price on these tractors. Happy tractoring.