# Spring Maintainence



## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

Today and yesterday I played grease monkey. Changed the oil and filters, greased and did minor repairs on all my rolling stock.
The John Deere got a lot of attention. I changed all the fluids except the antifreeze. New fuel, hydro, and air filter elements, along with changing out a few Zerk fittings and a complete grease job. Tomorrow if the rain keeps up I am installing a light bar to my rops. I have two John Deere work lights now and would like more light. I also repaired my grille guard, it had a habit of pushing the hood release button it you touched anything with it. What I did was add a spot of weld to the stops. Poor workmanship on Deeres part.
On My GMC 3500 I had a broken front stabilizer link so I changed them both. The truck got new oil, greased, and new filters all around, plus a six tire rotation. I had a problem getting grease into one of the rear dump pins so I resolved the issue. Ended up disassembling it and welding the site for the grease fitting closed and drilling and tapping a new one. The reason for the problem was a bolt that keeps the pin from spinning in it's mount was broke off. It seems that the pin was never lubing the way it should have. I lifted the box and let it back down on a hard wood block to take the weight off the pin, scar-fired the shards of broken bolt that would interfere and drove it out. The problem is solved.
All the other tractors are current on maintenance, did the lawn stuff last fall. As I use my implements I check fluid and grease every time so they are not too time consuming.


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## Lou Braun (Apr 13, 2004)

I was busy doing the same sort of thing. Since this is mud season in Connecticut, the first step was to pressure wash the entire tractor. The amount of mud on that tractor was unbelievable! The tractor looked *much* better aftewards as shown.

Changed tractor engine oil and filter, fuel filter, front axle lube and greased all the zerks. I need to change the main hydraulic fluid and filter, but have held off since I don't know of an easy way to add the 12 gallons of oil through the small fill fitting. The front axle was easy since the fill plug was out in the open and a funnel fit right in. 

I'm looking at one of those hand pumps that install on top of a 5 gallon can to do the job. Is there an easier way?

Lou Braun


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

It snows about 2 inches of wet snow here today. I am waiting to do the same things on my Dodge and the Deere. The weather is crazy.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Nice Challenger Lou! :thumbsup:


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Do you have the hydro transmission on your or the manual Lou? That is the first Challenger up close picture I have seen. Very nice! :thumbsup:


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## leolav (Sep 16, 2003)

I rented that same machine from the rental place down the road from our house. Great machine. Seems to run really well, even with the turf tires.


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## Lou Braun (Apr 13, 2004)

I ended up getting the manual transmission model. It comes with a power shuttle so that you don't need to use the clutch unless changing gears. The hydro model would be easier to use for FEL work, but the manual works OK too. The geared transmission has the advantage of a very,very low creeper range. Very helpful when trying to move large rocks - we tend to have a few around here...

Choosing tires took some thought. Turf tires are certainly easier on grassy areas, Ag tires have the traction and R-4 tires are sort of a middle ground. I found that chains were needed for traction in snow and ice. The chains are still on because they work well in deep mud too!

Lou Braun


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Sounds like you had fun, slipshod..... 

Ahhhh yes, nice tractor there Lou!



:tractorsm


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

What brand of diesel engine is in it? I see that Cat makes them and they usually put the Perkins engines in there smaller equipment. Tried and proven engines!


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*Another Day More of The Same*

Today I spent the entire day working on my 1988 Chevy 1500 4x4. Oil and Filter change, grease job, new cap and rotor, and a K+N air filter wash and reoil. As I went over the truck I discovered that I have a torn boot on the left front half shaft. This was not like that this past fall. The boot has only 30,000 miles on it. I replaced them both when I redid my truck, the dealer only had one in stock at the time so I bought an aftermarket, bad move. The OEM boot still looks new, the aftermarket is toast. Going to take it apart tomorrow and check the CV joint and either replace just the boot or do the half shaft if it needs it. This is the price I pay to run a truck with 300,000 miles on it. Would not have it any other way, still beats spending $35,000 to replace it.


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

I do all the Maintainence on all of my lawn and garden stuff and on my trucks. 
Jody


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

*K & N Filters*

Are the K&N filters worth the money you pay for them?


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Well, you can reuse them and they are able to pass marginally better airflow --- so while I don't think they will turn your Escort wagon into a camaro, I don't think they can hurt you at all. You can clean them, and readd K+N cleaner oil and then you save the $$$$ of changing your traditional cloth filter so often and eventually it does pay for itself and offers slightly better performance --- now if you are using it in a carb driven situation -- you can see much better gains with the addition of the K&N Stubstack part ---- which evens out the rough flow of air intake and does offer legitimate performance gains. 

All-in-all, not too shabby. ;-)

Andy


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

Sorry I probably should have started a new thread, but it is kind of a spring tuneup question!! 
Thanks


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## Ernie (Mar 18, 2004)

*using it in a carb driven situation*

If you have electronic fuel injection, you may want to look into a larger throttle body. That with the K&N filter will increase air flow to the motor. Keep an ear open for the pre-detonation(spark knck) and may also need to put a chip in for the modeern way of creating more power, better throttle response. Only draw back is fuel milage becauase you will want to put your foot in it to here [email protected] sound.....Dude!!!:smiles: :smiles:


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## Ernie (Mar 18, 2004)

Tis the time. Since I've got a small Fla. lot all of my equipment is used regulary because of the weather. Looking to decarbonize the chainsaw. weedwacker and blower also new pluga and foam air filter elements. This all along with changing oil on my lawn mower along with a tune up and then we be ready for the grass.Bye


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

The 130 was done a couple of weeks ago. I had changed out the oil in the push mower this fall. I'm getting ready for the third mowing this spring. I have aready put almost five hours on the new weedwhip.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*At it again today*

Did a little welding on my equipment trailer, relocated and welded the support jacks. Took the motor off my winch and dropped it off at an electrical shop , I think it needs rewound.
As I was driving my dumptruck around in ignorent blissI noticed that my inspection had run out at the end of January so I had that done too. I figure two more days on my equipment I will be caught up.


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

slip i bet it nice to have that winch on the trailer that comes in handy.
Jody


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## Lou Braun (Apr 13, 2004)

A winch for the equipment trailer... Great idea. Have to add that one to the list of things that I just gotta have.

Lou Braun


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## farmallmaniac (Feb 16, 2004)

what capacity is that winch?
Ryan


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*winch*

The winch on my trailer is an 8,000 lbs Ramsey. It originally came out of a Holmes wrecker. One thing for sure is I miss it right now, the motor started getting hot so I took it off and took it into the shop for a rebuild. The winch has been a life saver many times, even got me a free tractor. I used it to get my Farmall A out of the trees where it was parked. 
I have a deep cycle battery and 10 amp charger mounted in the trailer tongue. The battery charges every time the trailer is plugged into my truck. System works well, and as soon as I get the motor back, I am adding a fair lead to it. I also have a snatch block to double the pulling power.
One duty it performs real well is stump freer. I dig the stump out with the back-hoe, then loop the cable under it and bring it back to the trailer to anchor. It slices the stump loose like a wire through cheese.


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