A loving home for a neglected MF1455v

1stDeuce · Oct 15, 2016

Thanks! Moved a giant brush pile today. Couple of rub marks on my guard, but no damage.

I also found a Backhoe that I'm probably going to get... It's a Bradco 609. It's been sitting out for years, and a bit rusty, but the price is very right, so even if I have to paint it and replace a few hoses, I think it's going to work. It's set up for a New Holland skidsteer, so I'll have to build it a subframe, but it'll definitely get the job done!

PatrickS2222 · Oct 16, 2016

1stDeuce said:
Thanks! Moved a giant brush pile today. Couple of rub marks on my guard, but no damage.

I also found a Backhoe that I'm probably going to get... It's a Bradco 609. It's been sitting out for years, and a bit rusty, but the price is very right, so even if I have to paint it and replace a few hoses, I think it's going to work. It's set up for a New Holland skidsteer, so I'll have to build it a subframe, but it'll definitely get the job done!

Great - sounds as though that military-spec guard you built is doing its job! :laughing:

You'll never regret grabbing that backhoe - do it while its still available. Hoses - especially those you got for your bucket - seem really cheap, and many are stock items anyway ... or if you're lucky, have re-usable ends. Someone with your capability can repair damage or "wear and tear" in the relevant areas. :thumbsup: I'm quite lucky my good neighbour has a good strong backhoe on a grand old David Brown 885 - I've done some work on it for him and borrow it whenever I need it. He loves using my MF135 and I'm happy for him to do likewise. A mate and I chased a MF50B Loader/BH in superb condition at an auction a few years ago ..... it went for around 2/3 of its value. :licking: I still remind him we should have bought it and had the "discussion" with the "Minister for Finance" when we each got home

Go for it! :drink:

Tompet · Oct 16, 2016

Great job on your purchase and your skill in altering and adapting the tractor to your needs. You done good!

PatrickS2222 · Oct 18, 2016

Have you pulled the trigger on that backhoe yet?

1stDeuce · Oct 18, 2016

Just approved the shipper on Uship. They are supposed to pick it up today. It's a little rusty from sitting in Florida for years, but the cyl's are solid, and hoses also supposed to be good. I'll just paint the rest red and it'll be fine.

I'll have to build it a subframe, and probably have to find a narrower bucket, since it's coming with a 24" scoop! In the end, I'd have been better off with the $3k local one, but I missed it, and haven't seen much else... This one cost me $2500 delivered, so I can spend $500 on a bucket, and $50 on paint, and I'll be right there. I'll probably keep the NH skid steer mount so I can sell it if I grow tired of it.

1stDeuce · Oct 18, 2016

I should add that I discovered yesterday that surplus center has good prices on hydraulic hose assemblies too. Would have been a tiny bit cheaper to order my loader hoses through them, and I could have retained the 3/8" factory hose size instead of bumping to 1/2" for the -6 fitting size. Oh well. I'll need more, since I'm going to re-locate the loader quick connectors to mid-tractor, and put at least one electric diverter in so I can use the loader control to run a hyd top link. Eventually...

Plus I'll be adding actual Power Beyond connections on the back for the BH. (I have the QC's already, but they're buried down on the way to the loader valve... I'll just move them to the ROPS, and add a line for the drain to "tank".)

PatrickS2222 · Oct 18, 2016

Cool, sounds great! :thumbsup: You're gonna be a bit busy for a while

but in the end you'll have exactly the set-up you want, and all for a great price.

1stDeuce · Oct 21, 2016

Well, using the loader more, I got to thinking... The 1533 I ran had a "float" feature on the boom, but mine does not seem to. What mine does have is a 2nd position on the boom raise direction (Pull back on the stick) which seems to do a fast raise... I was noodling on how it could be plumbed wrong if that was supposed to be float and realize that the fast function was probably supposed to be fast dump. (Regen?)

I started a thread to inquire, but it's just me talking to myself as I figured it out myself...

Just turned the control 90° and re-connected the hoses, and now I can quick dump. Very nice!!! Still no float function, but I can live without that!

For my next trick, I'll probably have to remove the cables from one end or the other and lube them so they operate a little easier, but it's getting there!!

Once my trailer build is done, I may spend a bit of time making a canopy... Either a golf cart roof if I can find one, or I'll use some old bedliner floor I've had laying around forever. The bedliner might be cool if I can run the ribs side to side so any rain drips off the sides rather than the front. Should keep me a bit drier if I can make it wide enough.

PatrickS2222 · Oct 26, 2016

Sounds like you're getting her into top shape rather quickly - you'll be enjoying the seat time a lot.

What do you think of this idea for a bit of shade and protection from rain?
I'm toying with the idea of using an old car bonnet for a shade canopy, attached to a frame. The shape should be advantageous as well as naturally drain water off. I thought a pair of U-shaped pieces of steel tube - one 2" dia welded to plates mounted to the tractor's rear axle - probably where the fenders mount, with another U-shaped piece about 1" or 1&1/4" dia welded to it half-way or two-thirds up and angled forward. Then position the bonnet in the optimum location and attach with some self-threading screws to the bonnet's "skeleton" - its strength, or alternatively self-threading roofing screws (they come already with rubber sealing washers) from the top, into each piece of tubing. That should be strong enough, no protruding sharp points, and allow easy access on and off the tractor. I don't expect ROPS strength, nor do I want to be "framed" in - I just want some shade on hot days. Removing it should be as easy as undoing 4 bolts and lifting it off.:thumbsup:

Turbys_1700 · Oct 26, 2016

Nice job on the modifications. You are getting her in good shape. That is a good unit that will give you great service.

1stDeuce · Oct 26, 2016

PatrickS2222 said:
Sounds like you're getting her into top shape rather quickly - you'll be enjoying the seat time a lot.

What do you think of this idea for a bit of shade and protection from rain?
I'm toying with the idea of using an old car bonnet for a shade canopy, attached to a frame.

Hmm. I had recently heard of using a golf cart roof, but a car bonnet (hood here) might work too... I think the downside would be the weight... they're usually not terribly light. I don't think cantilevering the roof off 2" round or square tube at the back only will support the weight for long before it fatigues and breaks off at the mounting point.

Whatever you do, post up some pics so we can see your Aussie Ingenuity!

You may be better off doing a four point mount for it, like a Kubota TLB... L47.

TractorGuy · Oct 26, 2016

Re: The good and the not so good...

1stDeuce said:
The good:

Now that I'm looking, it appears there's ISO Global/Euro, as well as SAE Global, and possibly even different "categories" of Global... Who knows. I'll make this work, and be done with it.

Sounds like the metric system America got duped into. As it turned out every country has their own idea of bolt size, thread pitch, and wrench sizes to do it differently. Of course the good old US of A had to invent their own bassakwards sizes so you never know what size wrench you need for a ??mm bolt.

PatrickS2222 · Oct 28, 2016

1stDeuce said:
Hmm. I had recently heard of using a golf cart roof, but a car bonnet (hood here) might work too... I think the downside would be the weight... they're usually not terribly light. I don't think cantilevering the roof off 2" round or square tube at the back only will support the weight for long before it fatigues and breaks off at the mounting point.

Whatever you do, post up some pics so we can see your Aussie Ingenuity!

You may be better off doing a four point mount for it, like a Kubota TLB... L47.

Lighter is better - fibreglass or plastic (providing it's UV tolerant and doesn't become brittle) would be ideal, but cost, shape and resistance to being "inadvertently reshaped"

by tree limbs etc are also factors. A golf cart roof is indeed a great idea - would certainly be light, and look neat and tidy too. A lot of bonnets, especially from the smaller Asian cars, are quite light. Of course you are correct in that a 2-point mounting
will need to be sturdy - especially if it gets tangled up in a tree limb!

But one distinct advantage of using a bonnet is being able to bend it back into shape again. :laughing: If at all possible, I will avoid a second pair of posts. I will work it out somehow and I will post a thread so others can utilise the idea - if it works well.

1stDeuce · Nov 10, 2016

Well, look what showed up Tuesday!!

I kicked the bucket off and chained it to the QA and the tractor will BARELY lift it... Actually, the loader lift got it really light, but not off the ground. I could curl from there though, and the loader didn't settle and the BH lifted... So I was able to move it up to the shop with the tractor from where we unloaded it with a forklift.

It's in workable shape, but it does need some TLC... And I can see a couple of repairs already, including one of the bucket pins being welded in, and some plating at the top where the cylinder attaches to the dipperstick. It could also use a new seat, as the one that's on it is pretty rusty underneath.

I'm about to order some hydraulics to get it to work, and I'll get to building it a subframe as soon as I get my trailer done.

Speaking of the trailer, it turns out the devil is in the details on that project... Lots of little things to do before the weekend, but hoping to be painting it this saturday or sunday!!

1stDeuce · Dec 6, 2016

It's been a while since I posted much about the tractor. That's because I was building a trailer.

This past weekend we used the new trailer to haul the tractor up to our property in CO and start the process of putting in a driveway.

There was about 6" of snow on the ground when we got there, and I was quite impressed with the tractor's ability to get around, and get things done. R4's are not known for their snow performance, but they seemed to get around fine. It probably helps that I'm a firm believer in running the "correct" tire pressure for the job, which in this case is much lower than "recommended". (I think I'm at ~20 front and 6 rear, and get decent tire flex, and hence good traction.)

I had a great time pushing over trees with the FEL!! The smaller ones turn up roots and all, but some of the bigger ones, especially those with double or triple trunks, just break off, leaving me with stumps to remove with the backhoe later.

Aside from losing a few pins, which I already replaced, there was no carnage, and I'm very happy with the tractor.
BUT it's time to take care of a few things...

First, the loader makes a horrible screeching noise when it's most of the way up. Makes it on the up, and then on the down too... It was pretty dry when I bought it, but I've greased it plenty now, and it still squawks... Last night I took to inspecting it a bit more. Turns out the back of the loader frame was pressing into the uprights as it pivoted up!!

I pulled the pins and fixed it...
Before:

Scrape marks on the frame:

And witness marks on the loader arms:

And after I used my trusty HF Porta-Band to 45 the lower corners:

I rounded the corners and painted it with some red Rustoleum red that was sitting around. Scraped the rust and loose powder coat off the uprights and painted that too. No more squawking!!

Second, I finally got the fittings I needed to hook up all the Power Beyond hoses for the backhoe, and I took the tire back off and plumbed all the lines.

I used larger hose and fittings where it made sense, hoping to get better flow to the BH. The hydraulics now run the loader via larger 1/2" hose, then out the Power Beyond on the loader valve to the BH quick connect, again in 1/2" hose. If the BH is plugged in, it dumps right to tank through 1/2" hose, and the 3PH is disabled. If the BH isn't there, I plug the quick connect back into the 3/8" hose that feeds the 3PH, and everything works as it always did.

The added bonus of having it this way is that the 3PH is disabled when the BH is mounted, so even if I move the lever, it won't do anything.

I still want to add brackets to each side to hold the female quick connects to the ROPS uprights. I used fittings with double acting sleeves, so if mounted by the sleeve, you can connect/disconnect one handed, and if you forget to disconnect and drive off, it just releases. Genius!!

Now to build a 4pt subframe to actually mount the backhoe to the tractor...

1stDeuce · Dec 22, 2016

Some maintenance

Just using this thread as my maintenance log...
Gave the tractor what I assume was its 3rd oil change ever last night. New filter (Wix 51348XP), one gallon of Rotella T5 (10W30!?) and one gallon of T6 (5W40).

I always have a few gallons of Rotella T4/T6 around (I dump a gallon of each in the truck at oil changes and run T6 in our motorcycles) but I was out of T4, and T5 was on sale for almost the price of T4, so I figured what the heck...

Didn't see that T5 was 10W30 till I got home, but it is diesel oil, and my tractor doesn't get worked that hard, so I'm not going to worry that I'm 5pts off on the avg weight when warm.

Priced out trans fluid today... Going to wait to change it till I run the BH some, since I think it's probably full of straight hydraulic oil instead of trans/hyd. (It was formerly on a NH skidsteer.) This way I'll have that oil mixed well with what's in the tractor now, and after changing all 10 gallons in the tractor, there will only be the tiny bit of straight Hyd that's mixed with trans/hyd in the BH. Not going to worry about that tiny amount.

I did find a WIX P/N for the hyd filter too... WIX 57403. It's not listed as a cross reference, but I'm hopeful it'll work, as it's half the price of the Agco filter, and flows better due to more filter area. (It's taller by ~3")

Now back to making a BH mount...

1stDeuce · Jan 4, 2017

Backhoe mount finished!!

Well, I got the BH mount all finished, and even used it this weekend. It worked great, aside from a badly leaking bucket cylinder. I have seals on order, and will re-seal it myself next week when they arrive.

For those interested in the mount, I did a writeup here on TBN: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/373738-4pt-mount-bradco-609-mf.html

A few glamor shots of it here at the shop today:

It's a pretty powerful backhoe... I was thinking the 24" bucket would be too wide to be any good, but it powers right through stuff. I removed three stumps, and dug a sizeable hole before the cylinder started leaking so bad that I had to stop. If I build another bucket, it'll be 12", for trenching, or digging out stumps, but for digging holes, the 24" bucket seems fine.

I also made up a set of front tire chains from some chains I had laying around. They were originally for a semi-truck, and I cut them down and shortened the crossbars so they would fit 235/85R16's. I don't have that tire size on anything anymore, so I pulled one cross bar and they were a perfect fit on the tractor!! Helped greatly with driving around on frozen ground and in mud this weekend!

I picked up 15 gallons of Traveller universal tractor/hydraulic fluid today too. Figure it's already low, so I'll drain the 13 year old fluid out and replace it with new. They had some "for older tractors" stuff that's supposed to recondition seals too, so I got one bucket of that and two of the normal. And a WIX filter, which I hope fits...

TSO · Jan 4, 2017

Looks great! Nice job on the mount

Venturabass · Jan 20, 2017

I like it a lot, and think you did alright price wise. I love the ingenuity to fix everything you're finding. If your handy with painting, you can make that machine look great. Same for the backhoe.