GC Series Owner Upgrades And Modifications

[WANNABE1]

I'm here to help, in any way that I can.

I love that cab.......total visibility all the way around.

Did you do a 'build thread? outlining everything you did, with measurements, materials, tools? Would be helpful to lot's of GC owners.

Well, your help was and is appreciated
Yes the Visibility is great!
That is a great question to which I sadly must so I did not keep a "build thread" because I didn't even think of that at all, but I am fairly sure that the person who built it for me must have kept his notes or records so I will ask him if he did and I am sure he would let me have them.

 

[WANNABE1]

no more WannaBe1...... you are one! :thumbsup:

This is true! I am one

 

[Wacky]

Did you do a 'build thread? outlining everything you did, with measurements, materials, tools? Would be helpful to lot's of GC owners.

^^X2:thumbsup:

 

[WANNABE1]

Ok, I talked to my friend that built my cab and he did not keep any info on the "build" So, some day when I have time I will measure it all and get it together and rebuild a Build Thread!

 

[etcallhome]

Nice tractor and cab ,,,

 

[WANNABE1]

Nice tractor and cab ,,,

Thank you, I do enjoy the bug and weather free cab that is for sure!

 

[Chooglin]

Please post any upgrades or modifications you have done to your GC, which you think other GC owners would be interested in doing.

I will start with 2 I have done.

The first is the addition of a glow plug light for early models that do not have one.

When you energize the glow plugs, the metal strip, (bus bar), that runs between them has +12 Volts dc on it. If you get a 12 volt light, ground one end, and hook the other to the bus bar, you have a glow plug light.

Ideally, you use an instrument lamp that has the right socket to lock in one of the unused holes in the dash. You can get these where they sell aftermarket gauges. Or, even just buy a cheap gauge that comes with one, if they don't sell them separately.

There are also lots of bright led's now you could use. Keep in mind, unlike a light bulb, they do have polarities you need to observe.

If you cannot find a bulb that has the socket to fit securely in one of the empty holes in the dash, use aluminum foil tape to hold the lamp in the hole from the underside. You won't know the difference.

The lamp is not on long enough to get particularly hot, so there is not much need to worry about how well you connect it to the dash.

Just did this mod yesterday to my 2007 GC2310 ,nice little mod .........thx ray66v

 

[ray66v]

Your welcome Chooglin. :thumbsup: I also own a Bolens, mine is an antique (1964). It's retired, except for tilling the garden once every few years.

I hope to get photo's, and post some other GC mods I did, soon.

I continue to encourage others to post theirs.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Has anyone made a shield to protect the rubber boots on the rack and pinion ( front axle) ?

 

[rjmack]

Has anyone made a shield to protect rubber boots on the rack and pinion ( front axle) ?

Those are fairly easy to replace, not sure a shield is needed unless you have a specific application that poses a challenge?

Here are a few things I built for mine.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/175890-just-another-thumb-project.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/193825-easy-forks.html

Massey Ferguson GC2410 backhoe dolly - YouTube

Btw, I really like the look of that cab... will probably build one like it :thumbsup:

 

[Ed of all trades]

Those are fairly easy to replace, not sure a shield is needed unless you have a specific application that poses a challenge?

I have about 1+ ac of wooded land that I like to bush hog a couple times a year. Land is steep and ends up with small limbs laying around in tall weeds. Have only torn one so far but only bushhoged it for a couple years.

 

[Toddao]

Here is my glow plug light indicator , the hardest part was trying to get the picture . It is hard to turn the key and hold the iPad and take the picture at the set time
The light is a dash build from a international 4900

 

[massey driver]

Has anyone made a shield to protect the rubber boots on the rack and pinion ( front axle) ?

hope this will give you some idea as to how to make one for yourself.Mine have worked since putting them on and no more torn boots.Larry
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...3399-gc2300-tie-rod-dust-boot.html?highlight=

 

[ray66v]

hope this will give you some idea as to how to make one for yourself.Mine have worked since putting them on and no more torn boots.Larry
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...3399-gc2300-tie-rod-dust-boot.html?highlight=

Thanks Larry, I thought I remembered someone doing that.

My thought was to use a lighter gauge stainless, make a few bends on one side so it would narrow, make some slots through the bends, roll it up, and install it with a hose clamp on the small end.

I never made mine because I don't hit anything in my lawn that could damage my boots. :thumbsup:

 

[Ed of all trades]

Thanks Massey Driver, I had some ideas but I like yours better. Hope to do this upgrade to my tractor soon

 

[not2old]

I've added some grab hooks. First I welded on a piece of 3/16" plate, around the perimeter and a large button weld. After cutting some hooks to fit, I welded them to the plate. I also welded in a receiver for a trailer hitch to move trailers around the yard. Unfortunately, this didn't go well as I bent the top of the bucket. It was easy to fix, and then I made the adapter to strengthen the bucket for this task and to lower the hitch. This has worked well to move my trailers around, including my 5th wheel camping trailer using the cup on the top of the adapter. Computers hate me. I spent about three hours making the adapter and over an hour to post these pics after taking them, on the 4th try. I've given up on trying to install the pics throughout the text where I wanted them.

 

[irvingj]

Nice stuff, guys! Even though my GC is one of the older ones, I still love it. I've done several mods over the years, beginning with bucket hooks, then a small receiver hitch on the bucket (light duty, just for moving stuff around), but the biggest, I suppose was FINALLY getting those #&^#*&$% ROPS lights moved to the inside of the frame.

I also added a temp gauge, but you guys with the 24XX and 26XX tractors got one for "free" when you bought your tractors....:drool:

I just posted on the "Customization" thread about the ROPS lights, but here's a couple pics:

 

[ray66v]

Nice stuff, guys! Even though my GC is one of the older ones, I still love it. I've done several mods over the years, beginning with bucket hooks, then a small receiver hitch on the bucket (light duty, just for moving stuff around), but the biggest, I suppose was FINALLY getting those #&^#*&$% ROPS lights moved to the inside of the frame.

I also added a temp gauge, but you guys with the 24XX and 26XX tractors got one for "free" when you bought your tractors....:drool:

I just posted on the "Customization" thread about the ROPS lights, but here's a couple pics:

View attachment 278810View attachment 278811View attachment 278808View attachment 278809

Yes, the temp gauge mod, that's one I never got around too.

I also wanted to do the other thing the later model owners got from the factory, move the stupid brake pedal to the left side, where it should have been in the first place. I would have done it, but MF wanted big money for a replacement brake pedal to experiment with, and I did not want to cut my original one up, until I was sure it I could make it work.

 

[massey driver]

Yeah I'd like to have modified mine to the newer style two pedal hydro,but after pricing out the stuff have also decided to leave it be due to $$.If the parts would be less $ I'd have done it.Larry

Guess one way would be to change the tractor with the mod already in place.:laughing:

 

[ray66v]

An easy way to protect your hydraulic pump from cold weather: This silicone pad heater, (orange color), is glued to the bottom of the rear axle housing. It uses 140 watts of 110 vac power. I plug it in when the forecast is for impending snow.

In 24 hours, it warms the oil considerably. In 48 hours, the entire housing is no longer cold anywhere. I have left it plugged in for as long as a week at a time, when we have had periods of continuous snow.

With this you really can shorten you warm up times, because your oil is not cold to begin with.

For those of you who insist on going all ATV with your GC, you will have to decide whether you want to mount it on the side of the housing. The housing does have a rib on each side at the bottom, which is going to give some protection to the pad against bottoming out.

Here is a similar item for sale: Kat's 150 Watt Silicone Pad Heater Model# 24150 | Engine Heaters Blankets| Northern Tool + Equipment Kit includes everything you need.

You can also get them on E-Bay.


Another easy add: Rubber floor mats for the B/H foot rests. They keep you from wearing all the paint off.
Buy a small cheap mat, and cut it to size.