JLG LJ500 Little John stand-on mini skid steer

[GeeVee]

Thats a cool little machine for a few pennies.... very handy for small stuff and like you said, low ground pressure

 

[shaeff]

Thats a cool little machine for a few pennies.... very handy for small stuff and like you said, low ground pressure

Thanks! Right on, I've got hardly anything into it right now except some time. Kind of feeling out if it's worth it for me to keep or flip it. Each time I use it, I find something that it's quite good at, and the four wheel drive is pretty nice, too. It will probably have a permanent place in my stable. Besides, I would love to build a small trencher attachment for it or modify one to fit, as well as a post hole auger.

 

[fidowanttobe]

Me?
I would not let it off the place. That little guy would earn his keep, especially since you have very little in it. We rented a MT80? Bobcat to spread rock under decks in established yards in town. They could've tripled the rental fee after the first deck and we would've gladly paid it! Awesome tiny machine.
I too had issues with the wrong oil in hydraulics. I drained and flushed it, filled with ISO #32 and they are now much, much faster in all weather conditions. Just my experience.
Good luck.

 

[shaeff]

Me?
I would not let it off the place. That little guy would earn his keep, especially since you have very little in it. We rented a MT80? Bobcat to spread rock under decks in established yards in town. They could've tripled the rental fee after the first deck and we would've gladly paid it! Awesome tiny machine.
I too had issues with the wrong oil in hydraulics. I drained and flushed it, filled with ISO #32 and they are now much, much faster in all weather conditions. Just my experience.
Good luck.

I'm finding it to be more and more useful, as stated earlier simply due to the lower ground pressure and four wheel drive. I can fit it right in my basement doors with ease. I was originally put off by the speed, but after having it sit in the sun for a while the speed drastically increased. I'm sure a good fluid flush will help a ton! Once I replace that seized loader pin I'll really start putting it to work, probably even rebuild the curl cylinder, as it's a bit floppy. I can move the bucket up and down and the cylinder moves in and out over and inch by hand. That needs attention.

But yes, I'm 99% sure I'm keeping it. Every time I find something it's good at, it gets more points in it's favor. The tiny size of it makes it quite versatile. It' even has hydraulic remotes on it and if I put a hydraulic auger on it, I can even reverse the flow with the lever on the right side of it. Pretty neat!

 

[shaeff]

Finally got that cylinder pin out. Had to cut it, then beat it. Glad I made the effort, as mentioned above it was seized half in the rod end and damaging the structure of the machine as the lift was used.

 

[shaeff]

In order to get that upper pin out, I had to remove one of the hydraulic spool valves. Not terribly difficult, but tight spaces to work in. I've been thinking: once I find my mic and measure the pin diameter, I may try to find a pin like the one attached. I don't like how the current pin has nothing that stops it from rotating in the frame supports that the pin passes through. If that wears out, that's a whole lot more work. I'd rather be sure the pin is stationary and the cylinder end rotates on the pin.

Also planning to drill and tap the rod/cylinder ends for zerk fittings if it doesn't have any already. The old pins have no way to grease them. Unless I find grease-able pins.

Anyway, I think this pin is what I'll go with, should be easy enough. I'll still have to pull a spool to get it out if I ever need to, but with grease fittings and regular maintenance I doubt I'll have to.

 

[shaeff]

Minor update, I was able to search original part numbers from the .pdf manual that Gordoninvt sent me, I just received new packings for the lift and tilt cylinders, along with new bronze "thrust bearings" which are really just washers to prevent the cylinder end from wearing down the mount.

Still on the hunt for a good greasable .99" (25ish mm) 10.25" pin.

 

[shaeff]

New pin is on the way. Not greaseable, but I think I’ll drill the rod ends for grease zerks. Maybe...

Good news is I found packings for the lift and tilt cylinders and they’re actually correct. Not many pics because of time constraints and being covered in oil, but here are a few pics of the lift cylinder repack. This cylinder seemed to work fine and I *almost* skipped rebuilding it. But considering this poor machine’s past I figured I’d give it a good life. Some of the seals and o-rings were SHOT:

 

[shaeff]

Got the cylinder mounted, used a 10.25” long x 1” pin to secure the top of the cylinder. Made a neat little captured setup out of it. It’s not 100% square but I *needed* the machine today so it is what it is. First time I’ve fired up my plasma in a while. Hand cut and smoothed with a flap wheel.




Welded to the pin, the original had a circlip on each side, but that method failed and caused damage. This way prevents the pin from wearing out the mounting flanges on the machine because it’s captured.


I installed grease fittings so I can keep the pins lubed easily instead of removing them to grease:


Aaaand didn’t pay close enough attention to the clearance I had between this cylinder end and a hydraulic fitting. Sheared it off five minutes after I installed the cylinder. D’oh! I’ll back it out and put a plug in or lower profile fitting. If plug, at least I can unscrew it to grease...


The test, I just wanted to see what it would lift with the newly rebuilt lift cylinder. My father (in the pic) had heel injections for plantar fasciitis on Friday, his feet hurt. I can’t lift the radiators myself, they’re probably 150-200lb/ea. Very heavy.


It lifted them, but I needed a younger cousin to help me balance the machine haha. I won’t push it that hard again, just wanted to know it’s limits. Me and my cousin total 300lbs and the rear tires were still bouncing a bit, so with a tipping load of 650lbs w/ a 175lb operator, I had to have nearly 1000lbs on the forks. Struggled a touch but lifted no problem on a medium idle!

This sucker paid for itself today!

 

[shaeff]

Haven't fixed the broken zerk yet, nor have I rebuilt the curl cylinder (though the more I use this the more it's very obvious I have to get on that!!) I did, however, use it to move a dead deer found in my back yard. It was nasty, I'll spare you the details. Scooped it up, covered it in lime, laid it to rest in the back corner of the field laying on a bed of lime and covered in more, then dirt. I'll let it do it's thing for a year before I scoop it all out of the way, unless I decide to fill that section as it's low anyhow. No pics of that because, gross. Had to wear a respirator the stench was so bad.

In other news, a few weeks ago I noticed that I actually had a 40' or so tall maple tree that was mostly covered in vines and obscured by some other tree species that's more of a pest than anything. I cut down the other tree, but my MF35 with the loader is currently disassembled for me to repair some things on it. (splitting it to replace rear main seal) So I used the LJ500 to pull the tree from where I cut it down.

 

[fidowanttobe]

I am very envious of that machine! I'm thinking you're using it enough now to warrant an action video!

 

[shaeff]

I am very envious of that machine! I'm thinking you're using it enough now to warrant an action video!

I’ll have to figure out a way to mount my cell phone and get some action shots next time I run it.

 

[shaeff]

Excuse the gym shorts, I wasn't planning on making this video at this point in time, and I was just doing something quick but the opportunity presented itself so here's a very short video of me dragging out a Snapper LT16 that I'm going to get running again to either be sold or give to my father to use at another property he helps maintain. It was his mower years ago, then we built our house and we dragged it out and I got it going again, used it for two years, then got a zero turn. It's been sitting in the bushes under a tarp for probably three years and needs a new pulley for the mule drive. Once I replace that pulley, I'll get it fired up and loaded on the trailer.

Anyway, here's the (very) short video, as embarrassing as it may be! I'll post more now that I realized how easy the youtube app makes it to upload.

Edit: yes that's basically a scrap pile that I started next to the mower. It's amazing how quickly one can accumulate junk haha.

 

[ddbackhoe]

If the speed isn't improved as much as I'd like, I will research using gearing changes to speed it up. I know I'll lose a bit of torque to the ground with taller gears, but for REAL loader work, I'll just use my actual loader. This little sucker isn't going to work that hard because there's no need for it. So, to get a jump on the situation, should I decide to go that route with gearing, here's a picture of how the drive setup runs. Green is the drive motor (there's one per side), uses #60 .75 pitch chain. I believe the drive gears are splined but cannot confirm that yet. So, my question to you guys that are smarter than me:

Would it be better to go undersized on the yellow gears, or oversized on the green gear. (assuming I can find something that works) Going undersized on the yellow gears may retain some torque since they'll be easier to spin, and undersized means the'll rotate more for every revolution of the drive gear meaning higher travel speed, right?

or

If I oversize the drive gear (green), I'll definitely lose torque but should gain some drive speed assuming the motor (11hp Wisconsin Robin) has the power to sustain the hydraulic (gear) pump pushing fluid through it.

I am open to all suggestions. This may never happen, but if it doesn't I may end up having to sell it because of it's wildly slow speed. The two speeds are selected by diverting hydraulic flow and they are as follows:

Low speed currently: 1.7mph
High speed currently: 2.25 blazing mph

Heres a quick calculator that my help. Chain and Sprocket Calculator | RPM and Chain Speeds. If you want to go a little more in-depth and break out the pocket calculator.... http://gearseds.com/documentation/deb holmes/2.5_Chain_drive_systems.pdf

 

[shaeff]

Heres a quick calculator that my help. Chain and Sprocket Calculator | RPM and Chain Speeds. If you want to go a little more in-depth and break out the pocket calculator.... http://gearseds.com/documentation/deb holmes/2.5_Chain_drive_systems.pdf

I'll check it out, thanks!

 

[shaeff]

Put the LJ to work a bit this weekend, not much, but it sure is better than a wheelbarrow!

Random piece of concrete (apparently with an embedded pipe!) that has bothered me since we bought the property. Makes a nasty bump with the zero turn:


Pried it up with a railroad bar after a good soaking rain:


Interesting, wonder what the pipe was for? Maybe the tiny dwelling that used to be about 50' away? No idea! (The chimney and remnants of dwelling still there)


Makin' it work:


Temporary dumping area until I get my MF35 maintenance done, field is pretty bumpy for this little skid steer:

 

[shaeff]

Snagged a cheap doghouse to modify for my generator (seen in background)


Also sold my old (junk) pickup. Sad to see it go, but it was long dead, parts only, sold for more than twice scrap value so I’m happy.

The brakes were all locked up, the LJ500 lifted the front corner one side at a time up on the trailer, then the whole rear, then straightened it out. Not many pics, I was kinda busy.




Still need more time to work on it, but I’m focused on building a lean-to off my shed to store it under. If I get time for it...

 

[shaeff]

Pulled this old sled out to sell it. No problems at all... pushed it right onto the new owner’s trailer.


Really loving the light weight and four wheel drive on this thing. It’s handy. Slow or not, it’s staying with me! It marks up the lawn but doesn’t make ruts like the MF35 does. Also much easier to see what I’m doing!

 

[shaeff]

Not sure if anyone is actually following this, but it’s nice at least for me to keep a timeline of what I’ve done with and to the LJ500.

Last night, in lieu of a Nor’easter, I decided that it’s been left out in the cold for long enough. The tarp was getting tattered and I figured that if I’m to do any extra work on it over winter, I’d rather be warm and dry with lots of overhead light available.

So, I brought it into my (cluttered! ) basement for winter. I should have removed the bucket (d’oh!), it would take up less space. Oh well, I’ll take it off (two pins) and stand it up in a corner.

 

[fidowanttobe]

Yes! I am following and enjoy the updates. (I love resurrected iron and am quite envious.) :laughing:
I imagine it has been a while since he has parked in a heated spot for the winter! Little fart looks comfy.
So, . . . complete concours correct restoration is in the works???
I too have a workshop basement and tuck-under garage. Love it as far as same temp summer and winter as the house and can zip downstairs in my slippers to do whatever. Downside is that everything household has to go UP the stairs.