What have you done with/to your GC Series 2300, 2400, 1700 Tractor TODAY

[hube2]

I guess mine idles around 10 min overall. I normally hand shovel the walkway while she's warming up.

Warming up is for the HST fluid, not for the engine. I generally warm mine for the times listed in the chart above.

I do the same thing. I start it up and then I shovel off the decks and walks and other places.

 

[Dmacleo]

as mentioned all depends on temps. mine outside and in weather.
I let it run until I can back throttle lever off fully and if idle rpm is 1000 rpm AND I can turn steering wheel lock to lock (hydro pump used for steering, no sep pump) w/o dragging eng down I run with it.

 

[GeneV]

Warming up is for the HST fluid, not for the engine. I generally warm mine for the times listed in the chart above.

I do the same thing. I start it up and then I shovel off the decks and walks and other places.

I figure both get warmed up in that time, but I will say 20 min as listed in the manual seems way excessive.

Dmacleo, what do you mean by steering wheel not dragging end down?

 

[MF RED in MT]

Well, "Winter Storm Olive" seems to have run out of gas.

Instead of another 18" of snow they are now forecasting 8".

Starting tonight we should have temperatures of -15F - -20F for the next 3 days.

I almost installed the MF snowblower, but cleared yesterdays snow with the MF Dozer Blade.

My tires are more than half worn out so without tire chains this year (didn't install them due to surgery last November), the tractor does a lot of slipping around.

Here's a few pictures of the last snowfall.

KC

 

[Dmacleo]

I figure both get warmed up in that time, but I will say 20 min as listed in the manual seems way excessive.

Dmacleo, what do you mean by steering wheel not dragging end down?

steering wheel can drag engine down when hyd fluid cold. I tend to come close to the times listed in chart from manual also but if it don't idle at 1k rpm and if wheel turn drops rpm more than 100rpm I let it run more.
mines outside in cold/snow/rain/wind/etc

 

[GeneV]

steering wheel can drag engine down when hyd fluid cold. I tend to come close to the times listed in chart from manual also but if it don't idle at 1k rpm and if wheel turn drops rpm more than 100rpm I let it run more.
mines outside in cold/snow/rain/wind/etc

Ok, I'll keep that in mind, thx!

 

[Dmacleo]

Ok, I'll keep that in mind, thx!

basically....its a secondary check. maybe overkill but....if its that cold out I am more than happy to walk inside and let it warm up more.
I am a lazy lazy man.

 

[Dmacleo]

between wednesday night and friday morning supposed (yeah...supposed....no service can ACTUALLY agree on an amount) 15" on ground.
54" blizzard 3pt blower serviced (well...except for the ONE grease fitting I forgot...meh 2 min job) chain idler adjusted and chain lube applied, whole tractor (bucket too) only has 5hrs machine time since last grease.
so in few I'll go out do the one damned fitting I forgot and then put the cover (this is cover I got, LINK) on it call it good.
battery tender plugged in, full of fuel, good to go.
serious....gonna take me longer to pull the dewalt grease gun out of its case than it will to actually finish greasing.
oh well

edit:
30 seconds to remove grease gun from case and walk outside of shed. 90 seconds to walk back into shed, clean the lock-n-lube tip off and put back into case.
10 seconds to grease the fitting I forgot.
whatever, all serviced, full fuel, battery tender plugged in, cover on, block heater plug accessible if needed. I'll fire it up thursday do some cleanouts then friday nail it all.

 

[Huntinguy]

Warming up is for the HST fluid, not for the engine. I generally warm mine for the times listed in the chart above.

I do the same thing. I start it up and then I shovel off the decks and walks and other places.

Okay, that makes sense. I know the hydro is the weak spot in these small tractors, as far as power goes.
Thanks

 

[ray66v]

You guys must be getting all our snow? So far this year, I think we've gotten like a total of 18". It's been great!

Don't forget the silicone pad heater option for warming the transmission and oil. I plug it in about two days before a storm, and leave it plugged in as long as the threat is there.

At 140 watts, the oil doesn't get hot, just slightly warm. I only have to warm up the engine for 5 minutes, and I'm ready to go. Amazon doesn't have the exact same one right now. This one is only 50 watts, but this is similar overall size as mine. https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Silicone-Heating-Weather-Protector/dp/B0BC1DCB6P?th=1 Perhaps E-bay has the 140 watt one?

 

[GeneV]

You guys must be getting all our snow? So far this year, I think we've gotten like a total of 18". It's been great!

Don't forget the silicone pad heater option for warming the transmission and oil. I plug it in about two days before a storm, and leave it plugged in as long as the threat is there.

At 140 watts, the oil doesn't get hot, just slightly warm. I only have to warm up the engine for 5 minutes, and I'm ready to go. Amazon doesn't have the exact same one right now. This one is only 50 watts, but this is similar overall size as mine. https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Silicone-Heating-Weather-Protector/dp/B0BC1DCB6P?th=1 Perhaps E-bay has the 140 watt one?


View attachment 785026

Oh wow cool, yeh I hear people use those, but had no idea they're only like 17 bux! 2 of them for $23, stick one on your oil pan, the other on the hydro oil pan...seems like a no brainer to get that if you store your tractor outdoors in the winter!

 

[hube2]

You guys must be getting all our snow? So far this year, I think we've gotten like a total of 18". It's been great!

Don't forget the silicone pad heater option for warming the transmission and oil. I plug it in about two days before a storm, and leave it plugged in as long as the threat is there.

At 140 watts, the oil doesn't get hot, just slightly warm. I only have to warm up the engine for 5 minutes, and I'm ready to go. Amazon doesn't have the exact same one right now. This one is only 50 watts, but this is similar overall size as mine. https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Silicone-Heating-Weather-Protector/dp/B0BC1DCB6P?th=1 Perhaps E-bay has the 140 watt one?

Snow here is less than 50% of average as well, but I'm ok with that.

I also have a pad heater glued to the bottom of my HST, I put it in a different location and I fished the wire though the tractor so that the plug is right next to my block heater plug. I have the 250W model that includes an adhesive pad, just clean, peal and stick. I turn it on the same time I turn on my block heater. Not sure if it's really doing me any good with that amount of time, but I figure it can't hurt.

Amazon.com

 

[hube2]

Out early this morning to move the crap we got last night. What an effing mess. 4 inches of snow covered with a a quarter inch of ice. It's been warm for 2 weeks so everythng under the snow was soft. Tried to use the blower and I blew a ton of mud and stone along with the snow. Had to do everything with the bucket very carefully.

 

[Dmacleo]

Out early this morning to move the crap we got last night. What an effing mess. 4 inches of snow covered with a a quarter inch of ice. It's been warm for 2 weeks so everythng under the snow was soft. Tried to use the blower and I blew a ton of mud and stone along with the snow. Had to do everything with the bucket very carefully.

only got 1/4 inch here so far as of last night was supposed to be 6 on ground bt 3pm.
not happening.
another front moving in tonight, we'll see.

 

[Dmacleo]

hmm if I stay at only 1/4" snow the next few days gonna be warmer (its 10.5 F now at 1420 hrs) I may be able to mount that retailrems protector shield. time will tell.
but it WILL be mounted before tilling season which is where my chance of damage REALLY comes up. fresh garden plots in grass/hay 2 feet tall great way to ruin input shaft seal.

 

[irvingj]

"Chinesium." Guess that's what I had. I've never seen this happen before, but one of the carriage bolts that hold the scraper blade on my 2360 blower actually popped its head off!

I know, Home Depot stuff... but this is a first.

Blade then flexed up, got some ice & snow build-up plus some small rocks under it ("What's that clicking noise??"), eventually lifted enough to STOP the auger, which then took out a shear bolt of course.

All fixed now. Oh well, at least it wasn't -20F.... Now, back to more snow removal.....

 

[ray66v]

You are right about Chinese bolts irvingj.

You can go to a 100 year old piece of farm equipment sitting in the woods, and often be able to turn any bolt on it. But, try to do that with anything built in the last 30 years, and it is hopeless.

With the nice weather this winter, I have finally got around to finishing the inside of my shop, and organizing everything.

My tractor has gotten more running time moving it in out of the building, than it has had actual use.

 

[Dmacleo]

6" light fluffy crap last night. got home from dr appt this morning and dealt with that.
due for 14" wet crap saturday.
whatever, least its a weekend.

 

[PJRAM]

My homemade bucket level indicator. I used a 36" x 1/4" aluminum rod from Lowes and assorted hardware. I did have to make a bracket out of some scrap aluminum for the rod to pivot on at the bottom connection point.

 

[Dmacleo]

I really got to do something like that