Cold MI and TC18

[JimBinMI]

Just got in from cleaning up the driveway from some recent snowfall and drifting. It's somewhere between 0-8 degrees F out, pretty cold +wind chill factor. I preheated the TC18 for about 30 seconds then decided I better fuel up, then I preheated for another 30 seconds and it didn't want to start, then I preheated for another 20-30 seconds and it fired up. I keep it in the pole barn which is a windblock only, no heat, not attached to house. I plowed for about 25-30 minutes and the temp gauge never got above 1/3 of the way to the normal operating temp which would be about half way up the temp gauge. No noise from hydro and 3 pt. worked fine too. The TC18 now with filled rear turfs and 4x4 continues to impress me with its pushing pulling power of snow. Still thinking about the FEL, one guy posted that he got a Great Bend FEL for $1,950 not attached...my closest dealer said it would be $2,800 attached if I transport my tractor to and from. My dealer will install a New Holland loader for $3,000 + $1.50 per mile transportation if I can't get it there. If we continue to get the snow that we've gotten, I'll NEED it soon! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Here in the Battle Creek, MI area we have already got the record for the most snowfall in December, since they kept records, and we've still got about 9 days left! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all of you great board members!

JimBinMI

 

[tinner]

It has been cold here in NW VT. Scooped up 7" of the white stuff 2 days ago.

You don't mention using a block heater. They installed one on my rig for free, said they never let a machine leave the place without one. I am happy to have it as machine starts very well after a 20-30min. preheat.

As for the low operating temp, I use a winter front. The guage comes up to normal temp and stays there while I plow.

Yes the TC18 has found a good home here.

Bob

 

[Thomas]

Jim,
Your back../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
With all the snow your getting and the plowing time,I thought for sure it wouldn't be until spring before we heard from you. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Now if you need a hand keeping those banks push back and the driveway open,we can send a King Kong Kubota or two your way. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Not really much price differents,and I would go w/ the NH loader myself.

Stay warm and please be safe!!

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[JimBinMI]

tinner,

Don't have a block heater. If I would have done a 60 second preheat it probably would have fired up the first time.

I see you have a FEL, do you have power steering? If not, how do you like using the loader without power steering?

Thanks, JimBinMI

 

[JimBinMI]

Thomas,

Remember when you posted that you had a winter blanket of snow and I was jealous! Well, I'm not jealous anymore! I think we have over 40" of snow this month and it continues!

Thanks for the offer to help, but the TC18 is moving the snow just fine...it would be nice to have a FEL, but right now $3,000 is a lot of $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Have a Great Holiday, JimBinMI

 

[Rowski]

Tinner

Were abouts are you in Franklin county are you?

Derek

 

[JATO_RaT]

Jim getting pretty cold here in Northern California too. Has yet to get into the 70's, low 60's (with wind chill)is about all we can muster during the day. The lows are low though, might even see some frost on the grass soon. If we keep going at the curent pace, I may be scrapping frost off the windshield before going to work. My old International starts right up with no preheat, block heater etc. Hope all works out well there in Michigan, Rat...

 

[gerard]

Jim,
I'd consider the block heater. It's cheap (about $50 for a plug heater that replaces a freeze out plug and heats the coolant), cheap to run (400 watts), and gives you a warm start. While I have no problem starting with the glow plugs I just thinks it's better for the engine for a pre warmed start. I garage mine like you do in a detached garage but really like plugging it in an hour or two before going to use it. With two hours and 10-15 deg ambient temps the temp guage goes about a third of the way up before even starting. I'd also consider the magnetic heaters that attach to the oil pan and pre heat the oil although I've never used one.

 

[RobertN]

I saw a TC18 yesterday that you would have liked... It had no loader, but had a cool Gannon box scraper with hydraulic controlled rippers. It also had tipntilt. It was interesting, because the "tip" used cylinders on bothe sides, as compared to the typical cylinder on one side with a fixed link on the other.

It was odd though, that the guys had the TC18 and a Deere 210e on the trailer, facing each other. The huge loader for that Deere was right over the top of the TC18, with no restraints. Man, if something happened on the Deere hydraulics, it would drop right on top of the TC18. I would not leave it like that...

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[Thomas]

That sure would have spoild the day if the loader had drop on TC18, /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gifand how would you explain that to the boss. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Jim,

I was awakened today by my buddy that lives about 2 miles from me with a call for help! Here in N.E. Ohio, it has been pretty cold lately. The last week we haven't seen 10°F on the thermometer. I haven't started My TC29D since the beginning of December (no winter toys yet!) He needed me to come over right away with the boomer to tow his Kabota out from in front of a ravine. His fuel line was frozen and he needed the orange guy in for service due to what sounded like a transmission problem. I wasn't sure Big Blue would start, as it was only 6°F this AM. I had to drop the mid-mount mower due to the terrian I was about to endure. (cold steel is tough!) I keep Big Blue in an attached garage,(not heated), but I do have a chain hoist installed for jobs such as this. The deck was off in just about 5 minutes. I preheated for 10 seconds, expecting my lines to be just as bad as my buddy's. But NO! She came to life with a roar as always! I let her run at idle for 30 minutes prior to my visit to Kabotaville. I have no chains, no filled tires, only turf tires, yet the all powerful Boomer pulled that ailing orange beast out and on up to his barn, about 1/4 mile away. I'm planning to get lots of mileage in bragging rights this summer out of this one, but oh how I wish I had a picture!

 

[RobertN]

Ya, I just can't understand that. The loader should at least have a brace or something. It was only a foot or so above the TC18, so it would not drop far. But, still, it would damage the smaller tractor.

I thought too, maybe the guy was the boss

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[Bird]

RobertN, are you sure they weren't just using that TC18 as a wheel chock for the John Deere?/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[RobertN]

Honestly, it looked like it till I took a closer look /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[dieselpwr]

Bob.

I live in Wisconsin & am interested in where to find a winter front for my Boomer. Is that a New Holland accessory or something you picked up elswhere? I have a TC45D & don't have the best luck with keeping temp. gauge up when its cold out & I have to plow snow for a couple hours. I am using cardboard now & it is just not the hot ticket.

Troy

 

[tinner]

Troy, The winter front is something I made out of sheetmetal. Slides into the track used by the chaff screen in the front of the radiator. Nothing fancy but it's easy to install/remove and it keeps my engine in the normal temp zone.

Bob