Front Bucket Cam, Gauges and Central Vacuum system installed on my Grand L 3240

[WaxMan]

You mean this girl? She hasn't been topless since she came over to help me wax my B3030

 

[TomSeller]

You mean this girl? She hasn't been topless since she came over to help me wax my B3030

Well now you show us the top half. Before, there was no top half (topless) Nice pictures

 

[WaxMan]

Waxman... awesome job! It is inspiring me to mount a backup cam and monitor. I also would use to be sure I know where/what my BH is doing since I am working on steep slopes and sometimes the BH is not in an optimal position.

I think you should do it. It's nice to see what is going on, after all this is 2013 not 1950. At first one would say I don't need no stinking camera I go by feel.

Well if you wanted to just pick up this rock without getting any dirt I wonder what that feels like

My answer is first, I would lift the bucket up so I could see the rock, then curl the bucket down to catch the top of the rock and back drag it onto the grass then pick it up with the bucket.
A good operator does not need a monitor, but it sure is fun to have one.

Now in this next picture I have no idea how a good operator gets the forks in the pallet without seeing the slot. Granted the forks should be adjusted closer together, but they weren't.

 

[jb62901]

Wax Man; You had asked if the Lev-O-Gage will light up?

 

[WaxMan]

It looks like it lights up, do you have a web link? or do you have your own light shinning on it?

 

[jb62901]

It looks like it lights up, do you have a web link? or do you have your own light shinning on it?

Wow been a long time ago. It came from a boat supply type in (Lev-O-Gage) think $10 or $12.. I supply the light

 

[dragoneggs]

I think you should do it. It's nice to see what is going on, after all this is 2013 not 1950. At first one would say I don't need no stinking camera I go by feel.

Well if you wanted to just pick up this rock without getting any dirt I wonder what that feels like

My answer is first, I would lift the bucket up so I could see the rock, then curl the bucket down to catch the top of the rock and back drag it onto the grass then pick it up with the bucket.
A good operator does not need a monitor, but it sure is fun to have one.

Okay now because of you... I think I need FEL and BH cameras. What is the make/model of the camera and monitor used (did I miss that)? I watched the video on the bat and camera and that was an impressive sales pitch. I think my little BX will command a smaller display as it is already bordering on fanatical but I definitely see the benefit as well as the cool factor.

 

[PapaPerk]

Very nice work! Good to see others making tractor mods!

 

[WaxMan]

Very nice work! Good to see others making tractor mods!

Thanks PapaPerk

Yesterday I used the front bucket for the first time with the camera on it, for three hours. Filling in a low spot on my lawn with five bucket loads of top soil and leveling out my dump down in the woods. It works really well, l I don't think I would ever use the tractor without the camera now, you always know what your bucket is doing. With the monitor right in front of you it's hard not to look at it. No problems at all with anything hitting the camera, not even a close call. I'm not going to waste my time hooking up some sort of spring mechanism. If I was going to hit it, I would have hit it today. In the woods, grass and brush no problems.

What the camera really comes in handy for is cleaning up the rocks after finish grinding. Now when I float the bucket down to get the rocks and debris off the grass I can see if I'm digging up some turf before it happens, I caught myself a number of times yesterday starting to peal the turf, the monitor lets me stop and correct the bucket to fine tune what I'm doing. I know this could be done without a monitor but if the ground is uneven like mine most times is, the bucket could be digging in on one side and not the other. I'm really impressed with it, I can't believe this hasn't been done before. You guys remember where you saw the first front bucket cam. Basically the monitor lets you double check what you're doing as you're doing it. To me this is going to get a lot more use then my back up camera is. It's an expensive mod I know, but so is my tractor.

The first picture is on my lawn. I should have taken more pictures. I have never been able to grade and clean up all the rocks before without getting out of the tractor at some point and pick up the rocks by hand. I could just skim that bucket along the grass watching for any problems in the monitor. I just wish I had a better way to show what I'm talking about. I have a video line out on the monitor but not a video line in on my HD camcorder. Otherwise I could show you one unbelievable video. I guess I'll try holding the video camera and see how that comes out. Sorry about the pictures they were an after thought. I wish I had 4shorts car cam that would show how well it works.

 

[4shorts]

Well Wax your off to a good start. I know your enjoying every minute of it to and you should. It's a ball. You got some unique mods done there. The last time I saw that many gauges was when my brother in law let me sit in the jump seat of a 737 he was piloting lol.
You could offer prostrate exams with that FEL camera :laughing:
Looks great. Enjoyed seeing it :thumbsup:

 

[WaxMan]

Here is a fun mod crazy people do on a Sunday. On my 3240 its a long drop to the ground when getting out of the cab and I'm only going to get older. I always wanted to add another step. I was going to order another one but why wait for one to come in. I took both steps off which are both the same. I cut the first step off the frame cut it down 1 inch and welded it back on the mount before cutting the next step off the frame. This way I can have a pattern for the same angle.
So it's five inches lower then the original step and 13 inches off the ground (was 18 inches) but Oh so much more comfortable getting in and out. The subframe is 12 inches off the ground so it's not the lowest thing hanging down.
Will I bent it , knock it off? Who knows? I don't worry about hitting telephone poles with the fender of my car and I'm not going to worry about hitting the step.
18 inches is a big jump down the extra step just makes it easer. I still have to paint it.

 

[4shorts]

Here is a fun mod crazy people do on a Sunday. On my 3240 its a long drop to the ground when getting out of the cab and I'm only going to get older. I always wanted to add another step. I was going to order another one but why wait for one to come in. I took both steps off which are both the same. I cut the first step off the frame cut it down 1 inch and welded it back on the mount before cutting the next step off the frame. This way I can have a pattern for the same angle.
So it's five inches lower then the original step and 13 inches off the ground (was 18 inches) but Oh so much more comfortable getting in and out. The subframe is 12 inches off the ground so it's not the lowest thing hanging down.
Will I bent it , knock it off? Who knows? I don't worry about hitting telephone poles with the fender of my car and I'm not going to worry about hitting the step.
18 inches is a big jump down the extra step just makes it easer. I still have to paint it.

Nice job but I've never had any trouble with the step on the 4240 or the 5740. You a short feller? You could do what they do with the Cat equipment. Hang the step from a cable so it won't bend if hit.

 

[WaxMan]

Nice job but I've never had any trouble with the step on the 4240 or the 5740. You a short feller? You could do what they do with the Cat equipment. Hang the step from a cable so it won't bend if hit.

6 ft 230lb with bad knees, sometimes. I guess thats short compared to my son. No swinging cable for Waxman
It works pretty good you should try it. I want it to be like the big boys tractor.

 

[wmonroe]

Good idea. is the mounting point sturdy enough to handle the extra leverage of the longer step?

 

[WaxMan]

Good idea. is the mounting point sturdy enough to handle the extra leverage of the longer step?

Seems to be, looks like 1/4 plate steel If I can bounce on it , its pretty strong

 

[4shorts]

6 ft 230lb with bad knees, sometimes. I guess thats short compared to my son. No swinging cable for Waxman
It works pretty good you should try it. I want it to be like the big boys tractor.

Like I say. I've never had a step issue other than the fact you can't keep the paint on it. I did ponder at one point having a electric fold down step like you see on the large motor homes but never got to doing it. I might spray some box liner stuff on the step to see if it holds up better than the paint.

 

[stuckmotor]

I like those gauges. My Massey has idiot lights and I'm too much of an idiot to remember what they all mean.

 

[WaxMan]

Like I say. I've never had a step issue other than the fact you can't keep the paint on it. I did ponder at one point having a electric fold down step like you see on the large motor homes but never got to doing it. I might spray some box liner stuff on the step to see if it holds up better than the paint.

Ha, so you did think you wanted to do something with the step Two words Powder Coat.
No primer sandblast and bake:thumbsup: I just said that cause I know you hate powder coat.
I'm just going to use Kubota spray can this time around.

 

[CobyRupert]

If you take off the filter bag on the vacuum won't the back of the tractor get dirty?

 

[WaxMan]

If you take off the filter bag on the vacuum won't the back of the tractor get dirty?

I'm not taking the filter bag out. That was just posting out loud.