What have you done to your Branson today?

   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,081  
Spent several hours cleaning the radiator, condenser, oil cooler, and hydraulic cooler on my Branson 8050.
They have two screens in front of everything of course you don't just slide them out, 4 thumb screws for one and then
a slotted tab with a 12 mm bolt (recessed) so you can drop it and fish for it. And no hinges to move and separate things.
So lots of unbolting and bracket moving after removing the air cleaner housing.
This was the first time of going that deep into the cleaning, I've been just removing the screens and using the air wand
and then the water wand to flush them out. Today separated every thing blew them out flushed them out then used a foaming coil cleaner,
and then flushed and blew out again. Then put everything back together.
About 5 hours all told. Getting wet and cussing a bit, missing how nice the PUMA 125 is wing bolts and hinged so you can swing them apart easily.
I've only ever just used the air wand from behind on mine. I can get between the cooler and the radiator a little bit on the left side, but not so on the right side due to the way the brackets are situated.

I've not yet done the task the way you did, just looks like a pain to get everything apart. I can't even get my screen out from in front of the radiator without taking the air cleaner assembly off. No idea who thought that was a good layout.

I tell myself I'm doing it "good enough", it does prevent it from overheating. And I do get quite a bit of chaff blowing out the front when I'm blowing through the back side of the radiator.

But I do wish it was easier to take it apart and blow it clear.
 
   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,082  
Interesting that on my 15 series I can remove the screen with no problem. Just have to have the loader lifted high enough to clear.

I also can get the radiator genie in between the radiator and condenser to blow the condenser out.

I do wish it had a screen in front of the condenser as it would help some.
 
   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,083  
Today I was mowing another place we inherited recently that is severally overgrown since, well, since the almost the entire mountain burned on a massive fire in 2005. This place is a 20 to 25 degree slope, so very tricky to work on, specially when there hidden holes from the stumps that burned on that fire, along with fallen rotten trees from previous storms. Extreme care and attention is required to mow it.

Anyway, the place is somewhat dislocated from the village but has a paved road to it which only means one thing. That people will go there to dump all kinds of trash. Turns out I found a piece of broken glass that cut right through the front tire but somehow didn't reach the tube.

Now, do you guys know if this can be fixed somehow, or should I start looking for either a new tire or an used one? The cut it about 1 1/2" long.

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   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,084  
Today I was mowing another place we inherited recently that is severally overgrown since, well, since the almost the entire mountain burned on a massive fire in 2005. This place is a 20 to 25 degree slope, so very tricky to work on, specially when there hidden holes from the stumps that burned on that fire, along with fallen rotten trees from previous storms. Extreme care and attention is required to mow it.

Anyway, the place is somewhat dislocated from the village but has a paved road to it which only means one thing. That people will go there to dump all kinds of trash. Turns out I found a piece of broken glass that cut right through the front tire but somehow didn't reach the tube.

Now, do you guys know if this can be fixed somehow, or should I start looking for either a new tire or an used one? The cut it about 1 1/2" long.

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I would break it down and put a boot patch in it and see if it would hold. I have had good success with that before. I even had a buddy use CA glue on a gash in the sidewall of his pickup. He wore that tire out and never had another flat on it. Lol

Something like this.

 
   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,085  
Today I was mowing another place we inherited recently that is severally overgrown since, well, since the almost the entire mountain burned on a massive fire in 2005. This place is a 20 to 25 degree slope, so very tricky to work on, specially when there hidden holes from the stumps that burned on that fire, along with fallen rotten trees from previous storms. Extreme care and attention is required to mow it.

Anyway, the place is somewhat dislocated from the village but has a paved road to it which only means one thing. That people will go there to dump all kinds of trash. Turns out I found a piece of broken glass that cut right through the front tire but somehow didn't reach the tube.

Now, do you guys know if this can be fixed somehow, or should I start looking for either a new tire or an used one? The cut it about 1 1/2" long.

View attachment 745755 View attachment 745756 View attachment 745757
I would do the boot patch like the previous poster, but I would also sew the hole together. Use an awl and some bailing wire. Or perhaps fill the hole with some kind of liquid rubber that hardens
 
   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,086  
I have used superglue to fix cuts in bicycle tires. You need a way to spread out the cut to get the glue in there. On a bike tire I can pinch the tire and flex the casing to open up the cut. That's probably a lot more difficult with a tractor tire, especially if it's still mounted on the rim.

If there's a chunk missing then the superglue won't work.
 
   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,087  
Thanks for the ideas guys. I'll see if I can source some big patches locally and work something out. I have a couple tire shops within 2 or 3 miles, maybe they have something like that.
 
   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,088  
Some of the older tire repair shops could vulcanize sidewall and tread areas. I've also seen tires sewn up with heavy cord and light wire. I was not impressed with the light wire it actually cut it's way through the rubber.
A heavy boot on the inside for strength then rubber cement and sewing for the gap.
Unless you can find a shop that will vulcanize it.
 
   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,089  
Good ideas...I'd also start saving for a new tire if the patch fails. Glad it was the tire and not your foot!
 
   / What have you done to your Branson today? #1,090  
Good ideas...I'd also start saving for a new tire if the patch fails. Glad it was the tire and not your foot!
I agree. I've been saving for the hydraulic oil and filter change that is now due, now I need to add a bit more that that fund.

I grew the habit of using safety shoes pretty much all the time I'm working anywhere, so I don't worry too much about that but it's definitely a concern to keep in the back of my mind.
 
 
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