Goodbye Kubota, hello EarthForce

[MChalkley]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

Harv - I guess you saw the post to Jimmy I was writing while you were posting your message, which explained that your eyes did not deceive you - the cup is stuck on the 4-in-1 bucket. You never can tell where one of those cups will turn up, you know. I didn't intentionally put it on there to drive around with it, but once I saw it was there after I started off, I had to pretend I did to save face... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

MarkC

 

[Muhammad]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

Whew! As if you already didn't have the tractor everybody else wanted... now look! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif It really looks fantastic Mark... congratulations on finally getting it!

 

[Bird]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

Mark, you don't have as long a hot season as we do, so maybe you won't need the a/c, but I remember once seeing 94 degrees and 94% humidity one day in June in your area./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif I did not stay out in it very long.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

Mark,

It’s party time… congrats on getting that bodacious earth mover finally…

A report on last nights news about someone keeping the neighbors up all night partying inside some TLB… /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Now, I understand what all those extra mounting brackets with holes were for… not for extra lights, but those multiple Bose stereo speakers…/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Congrats again Mark…! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[MChalkley]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

Muhammad & John - Thanks! Now that today is behind me, I hope to at least get it off the trailer tomorrow and start painting the brackets, chain eyes, and other new metal. Who knows, maybe I'll even get to play with it a little. The one thing I'm not sure it'll exceed the L4310HST in is tractive force. That's something I definitely want to test as soon as I can. I've already learned that it's going to take a little getting used to - it's very different from either gear or HST tractors; it's more like a commercial TLB. I never really liked the way they operate as far as moving the machine around is concerned, at least when compared to the L tractors. With the EarthForce, you have Rexroth's "automotive" control, which I've described earlier in this thread, but what it basically amounts to is that you push down on the accelerator, and the hydraulic pump and motor automatically determine speed (and/or acceleration rate) based on engine speed, load, etc. Also, when using the loader hydraulics, you can't set the hand throttle control, because it resets as soon as you touch the accelerator. So, to get engine speed to raise the loader with a heavy load, you either switch the shuttle lever to neutral and depress the accelerator, or push a little button on the loader lift/dump joystick while depressing the accelerator, which has the same effect as switching to neutral: it disengages the HST pump. As I say, it's going to take some getting used to, but as with everything else, I can see both advantages and disadvantages to this approach.

MarkC

 

[MChalkley]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

Bird - You're right: 90-plus temperature and humidity is something we see far too often around here. The first day like that we have, I'm going to be questioning my decision to get the cab model...

MarkC

 

[Harv]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

<font color=blue>90-plus temperature and humidity is something we see far too often around here</font color=blue>

I seem to recollect an episode of heat stroke a while back, leading to the birth of the Chalkley Cup. Sounds to me like A/C would be totally justifiable. The cab is not absolutely necessary, but it sure would make it easier to hold onto that cold air. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[MChalkley]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

You guys sure are anxious to help me spend money! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

MarkC

 

[Bird]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

Aw heck, Mark, after what you've spent, air-conditioning is just a drop in the bucket./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Harv]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

<font color=blue>You guys sure are anxious to help me spend money!</font color=blue>

Yeah, so what's your point? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[MChalkley]

Re: Chalkley 4-in-one buckets

Uh, well, ahem, I guess it was just that... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkC

 

[MChalkley]

Re: More EF-5 info, pictures

Well, I got the EF-5 unloaded today. I had intended to paint the bare metal additions but it was too cold. So, instead, I just rode around on it a little, checked out a few things I was curious about, and took some pictures for the TBN gang.

I no longer have any doubts about the tractive force of the EF-5. I pushed into a small pile of gravel (about 2 cu. yds.) I have stockpiled for road maintenance, and it filled the 2/3 yd 4-in-1 bucket, then started shoving the rest of the pile without difficulty. When I put the bucket against a bank, it dug 4 holes in the ground easily. The differential locks seemed to work pretty well, too, but I'll need some mud or snow to test them properly. It snatched the heaped 4-in-1 bucket full of gravel up off the ground easily, even with engine speed only at a fast idle. I wanted to try filling the 1.5 yd bucket with stone and try the same thing, but I didn't have time.

The only things I've found so far that need to be worked on are:

1) The suspension seat definitely needs a shock absorber like the one I put on the Kubota had. It's got plenty of travel and the spring works well, but a shock is a huge improvement, so I've got to take the cover off the suspension and see where I can add one. The seat itself is made in Italy, but I haven't seen a name on it I can translate to something I could look up on the web.

2) The 4-in-1 linkage needs to be adjusted. It will just barely start to close before it slips into the detent (which is used to power things like hydraulic rotary cutters and tiller with the same circuit). But I think this is a simple linkage issue.

Overall, I still think it's a killer machine. As I mentioned before, the loader easily moves more weight at fast idle than the L4310 would even think about lifting.

The attached picture shows a close up of the back of the 18" backhoe bucket D&E made. You can see the pin for the D&E quick-attach that holds the attachment on. The 20-oz. soda bottle cap sitting on the chain lifting eye is for size comparison.

MarkC

 

[MChalkley]

Re: More EF-5 info, pictures

A side view of the same backhoe bucket. The chain eye is clearer here. Also, you can see the quick-attach plate better in the side view. The tube you see at the top of the bucket is what the quick-attach plate hooks under. Other than the fact that you have to get off the machine to take the pin out or put it back in, it's great. Still, it only takes a minute to change between buckets, ripper tooth, auger head, etc.

MarkC

 

[MChalkley]

Re: More EF-5 info, pictures

A picture of the loader linkage side of the cab interior. Obviously, you see the cup and cup holder. Below that is the heater. The tall lever on the left is the 4-in-1 jaw open/close control (push it forward to open, pull it back to close), but it's also linked to the roll back/dump lever so you can move it right or left to roll back/dump, respectively. The tall lever on the right is the standard loader control - the button disengages the transmission for loader work. The shorter gold-looking lever to the left of the loader levers is the parking brake, in the up & engaged position. Behind it and to the right a little, the lever with the red handle on it is the manual throttle control, which is only used for backhoe work - depressing the accelerator pedal resets the manual throttle control to idle. The silver right-angle lever on the lower right is the loader controls lock-out.

MarkC

 

[gerard]

Re: More EF-5 info, pictures

very heavy duty looking machine Mark. I assume that's an air seat?

 

[MChalkley]

Re: More EF-5 info, pictures

Gerard - Thanks! No, it's a spring suspension seat.

MarkC

 

[gerard]

Re: More EF-5 info, pictures

oops, just got done reading one of your previous posts where you mention the seat, travel etc. Any reason you made the chain loop circular instead of the "chain dog" style?

 

[MChalkley]

Re: More EF-5 info, pictures

Gerard - I thought about using chain dogs, and I like them better for lifting only, but for combining the purposes of lifting and towing, I like the loop better. The loop allows you to connect straps, and any kind or size of chain with either a slip or grab hook, etc. Plus, I think it's a little more secure with the loop, though you can make a chain dog very secure with a piece of pipe or rod with pins through it. But, you still can't use the chain dog with more than a couple different sizes of chain.

MarkC

 

[gerard]

Re: More EF-5 info, pictures

good points - I KNEW you had thought it through!!

 

[MChalkley]

Re: More EF-5 info, pictures

Here's a picture of the EF-5's spartan instrument panel. The left gauge is hydraulic oil temperature, the center one is engine temperature, the right one is the fuel level gauge. The gauge in the upper right is the hour meter.

The unmarked switch at the bottom right of the panel is the steering mode control - full right is 4-wheel steer, center is conventional 2-wheel steer, and full left is crab steer.

The big red button upper left is an emergency kill switch. Hidden by the left steering wheel spoke are switches for turn signals, road lights, and a two speed heater fan. Hidden by the right steering wheel spoke are switches for front work lights, rear work lights, and a spare, which I'm going to use for hazard lights.

The indicator lights, from left to right, are glow plug, low charge warning, low-speed high-torque HST mode, oil pressure warning, and hydraulic oil filter restricted.

The lever on the left side of the steering column is the travel direction shuttle shift selector. It also pushes in for a dual horn on front and rear.

The pedals on the floor are accelerator (right, of course) and brakes.

MarkC