odd mods

[Ginormous]

How many strange modifications have you folks found on your tractors?

I just found one. Someone modified the hydraulic lift control. They added a cut-off piece of brake pad so that the spring that provides pressure again the track pushes the piece of brake pad against the track instead of a metal washer. Maybe it worked better at some point, but now brake pad just slides over the metal and the hydraulic lift won't stay at the height I want it -- which is critical when I'm running my rotary mower. I took it apart last night and using the Hoye parts diagram for the YM1700, I put back to the original confiuration. Now I think it will hold, although I didn't try it out yet.

 

[stormpetrel]

Not much of a mod, but someone duct taped the entire inside of the front rim! I just changed the tube today & found that. Must have been an anti-roughness modification?

 

[284 International]

In the dirt bike world, it's standard to run duct tape around the inside of the rim to keep the spokes from puncturing the tube (They also make rim strips for the purpose, but duct tape is much cheaper). I wonder if the previous owner was worried about debris putting a hole into the tube. Or, maybe he was hoping to provide a protective layer to run a corrosive liquid ballast? Did it go up onto the beads of the rim too?

 

[deepNdirt]

I don't recall finding anything out the ordinary when I first bought my 1700,
although I've personally made what I think to be several improvements to it :thumbsup:
If you ever bought mine after I got hold to it you really would think things were not factory I'm rather tall person with big feet, these tractors were designed by and for little people to use need i say more

 

[California]

Only one I can think of is I found an automotive fuel filter like this in place of the Yanmar one on my YM240. This photo was after I replaced it (immediately) with similar and then bought a 'Yanmar Fuel Filter Assembly' (that wasn't) off Ebay.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...448015-ym2000-air-filter-419214-dscn4309r.jpg

Later I bought the correct assembly from a VN import house then discovered I needed a correct bowl also before it would take Yanmar filters. So finally I have it back to authentic.

Oh and also the giant ovesize rear tires. Previous owner must have gotten a heck of a deal on them.

I can't think of anything else. This YM240 is pretty much all original - dents and all.

 

[Car Doc]

I made a fuel gage for mine out of aluminum rod and ground rings at the various levels.

Its not pretty but it is functional beats trying to look in the tank and guess.

I will take a pic of it some day and post it probably lots of guys have them out of sticks and wire etc but I like to be different.

 

[Ginormous]

car doc -- I'd like to see your fuel gauge...

 

[deepNdirt]

I made a fuel gage for mine out of aluminum rod and ground rings at the various levels.

Its not pretty but it is functional beats trying to look in the tank and guess.

I will take a pic of it some day and post it probably lots of guys have them out of sticks and wire etc but I like to be different.

I'd be interested in this fabrication as I been looking around for one of them caps that have the gage built into it and the corkscrew looking float, so far haven't found one that fits, even if i did it most likely wouldn't reach to the bottom of the tank, which wouldn't really a big deal,

 

[guyd]

I added a long handle to the clutch pedal, to make a hand clutch, so my disabled wife can drive it. I shortened the powershift lever to make getting on and off easier. I changed the seat for a sprung one, with sides as the original was both knackered and too small for my fat backside.
Added loads of hydraulics - loader, plus two aux on the front, hydraulic top link, plus aux return on the right, plus 'lock off the 3ph' output on the left.

 

[deepNdirt]

the hydraulic lift won't stay at the height I want it -- which is critical when I'm running my rotary mower. I took it apart last night and using the Hoye parts diagram for the YM1700, I put back to the original confiuration. Now I think it will hold, although I didn't try it out yet.

let us know if this made any difference? I had same issue with my cutter dropping too low, I racked my brains ... yeah ( in both little toes )trying to figure this out, I was even ready to modify the cutter's A-frame mount in effort to keep the cutter from dropping so low, I stumbled onto something I never knew about and found it to be the issue

 

[wdchyd]

Had a customer that bought a new chinese tractor from Northern Tool and he couldn't find a new engine oil filter to fit locally.....This happened years and now I believe there is a stud you can replace on the engine now....

But I machined an aluminum adapter on the CNC that screwed into his tractor to accept a standard GM oil filter so he could buy one from Wally World....It came out nice...

It seemed odd he couldn't find one but that was before I new of TBN.....

I'm sure you guys would've know in about 16 seconds.....:laughing:

 

[284 International]

Wdchyd, that's a neat fix. There probably would be/is a market for those things if they were reasonably economical for you to make.

Guyd, I'd like to see pictures of your hand clutch, that's a nice modification.

This is my field expedient repair to a broken range shifter.

 

[ch47dpilot]

I'd be interested in this fabrication as I been looking around for one of them caps that have the gage built into it and the corkscrew looking float, so far haven't found one that fits, even if i did it most likely wouldn't reach to the bottom of the tank, which wouldn't really a big deal,

Have you looked at DennisKirk.com - Motorcycle, Harley-Davidson, ATV, Dirt Bike, Snowmobile, PWC / Watercraft Parts, Apparel, and Accessories, they have this fuel gauge: http://www.denniskirk.com/denniskirk/b2c/product_images/0/7/0/600pix/07030349.jpg, it's 12.5" long. They may have something else that will fit your application as these fuel gauges were common on most snowmobiles.

 

[guyd]

Wdchyd, that's a neat fix. There probably would be/is a market for those things if they were reasonably economical for you to make.

Guyd, I'd like to see pictures of your hand clutch, that's a nice modification.

This is my field expedient repair to a broken range shifter.

sadly its just a pipe welded to the foot plate - Im too ashamed to posta pic - and its been chopped off, as she relies on the powershift now, and doesnt do 'fine' work requireing the manual clutch.

 

[deepNdirt]

Have you looked at DennisKirk.com - Motorcycle, Harley-Davidson, ATV, Dirt Bike, Snowmobile, PWC / Watercraft Parts, Apparel, and Accessories, they have this fuel gage: http://www.denniskirk.com/denniskirk/b2c/product_images/0/7/0/600pix/07030349.jpg, it's 12.5" long. They may have something else that will fit your application as these fuel gauges were common on most snowmobiles.

actually I tried a friends Polaris 4 wheeler fuel cap and was not large enough,
I could explore the option of gutting a unit like this and cutting the center out of the tractors fuel cap and installing the float and gages into it,

 

[Ginormous]

Hoye has a fule tank cap with a built in gauge that will fit most Yanmars, but it's pricy. $55... yikes! :shocked:
Yanmar Tractor Parts: FUEL TANK CAP WITH GAUGE

 

[Ginormous]

let us know if this made any difference? I had same issue with my cutter dropping too low, I racked my brains ... yeah ( in both little toes )trying to figure this out, I was even ready to modify the cutter's A-frame mount in effort to keep the cutter from dropping so low, I stumbled onto something I never knew about and found it to be the issue

So, are you going to leave us hanging or are you going to let us in on the secret that turned out to be the issue?? :confused3:

Yes, I just tested my hydraulic lift with my rotary cutter... and... Success! It didn't move even a bit. I can move it up and down when I want to, but it doesn't slip at all once I let go of it. Perfecto! When I was making the change last night, I also installed some insurance (which BTW looks like the original Yanmar design too) by adding an adjustable lower stop using a wing nut on a bolt. I didn't bother with changing the lower stop since the normal adjuster wasn't moving, but if it ever does, I can change the stop and it ain't gonna move. :thumbsup: Here are a couple pictures of the completed height adjuster. As I said before, I didn't do anything clever, I just restored it to close to the original design.

 

[deepNdirt]

Well this is the reason I held off on explaining any further fixes, I didn't know if yours had done as mine did,
looks like we both have been working on the same things, this being one of them no point adding the other pictures if you have the problem resolved,

 

[shawnjvl]

Well this is the reason I held off on explaining any further fixes, I didn't know if yours had done as mine did,
looks like we both have been working on the same things, this being one of them no point adding the other pictures if you have the problem resolved,

I took an old leather belt and made a couple friction washers. Its worked great.

 

[Car Doc]

Here is my solution to no factory fuel gage hey it works and its un breakable!

You may also notice my water bottle holder on my loader control more use of space in an efficient way. :thumbsup: