Picking up the PT from Overnite

[Barryh]

Thanks Doc,

for making that clear. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Yes the Hydraulic hose is for bleeding the system after a filter change at the 50 hour mark per your manual. The manual states only change fluid, if your fliud becomes contaminated. Some members like to change their fluid at the 100 hour mark. I plan to change mine out with synthetic oil at that time.

My tank says use only 5W-30. My manual says use only 10W-40. I plan to go to a 15W-40 using Amsoil in place of Dino. Some members who have changed to a 15W-40 or higher multi grade have reported better wheel motor torque during Hot weather, once the hydraulic fluid heats up. Not to get off topic here though... congrats on the new machine. Nice setup and place you have there.

 

[MossRoad]

Congratulations! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The blue sleeve is on our 2001 model. Helps protect the hoses and keeps some dirt out, but not much.

The forks are one of the most usefull tools. Besides lifting stuff, we also use ours to pop out bushes and rocks. They spear right into the ground and have pretty good leverage for small root balls.

SAVE THAT HYDRAULIC HOSE!!! As others have mentioned, you will need it at the 50 hour service interval to bleed the variable volume pump. The key is to get the air bled out of the system using the starter motor with the spark plugs disconnected. The proceedure sounds complex, but is easy once you do it. Ask more questions about that as you get nearer to 50 hours.

That group shot is what I'm talking about! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif The proudest day for any PT owner. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

So, the first time you got on it, did everything feel and look like you thought it would? I remember hopping on and driving down the long dock at Overnight, then out to the parking lot and loading everything up. Felt great. I remember all the research and the folks here at TBN that really helped me make my decision. Great bunch of folks, here! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Enjoy your new machine. Take your time and really have fun with it while you get use to it. Go out back somewhere and dig a hole, just for fun. Buy two cans of spraypaint. One black and one JD Green. It is a pretty close match. You will probably find that you will start getting scratches around the wheels, first. Once a year I remove my wheels and touch up the area behind them. But really, that thick plate steel isn't going to rust much as compared to sheet metal.

Oh, one more thing... as a new PT owner, you MUST post the first time you bonk your head on the ROPS. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[ClintBlake]

After you use it a while, yours won't look blue either. The machine is way too clean. Correcting this should be your top priority.

 

[toolz_not_toyz]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So, the first time you got on it, did everything feel and look like you thought it would? I remember hopping on and driving down the long dock at Overnight, then out to the parking lot and loading everything up. Felt great. I remember all the research and the folks here at TBN that really helped me make my decision. Great bunch of folks, here! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

)</font>

Couldn't have done it without having spent all the time here. It's a big purchase and I don't like to buy things twice. About a week after I bought the lawn tractor at the old place (my first lawn tractor) I was pretty disappointed. Those things are pretty useless except for cutting grass and pushing a little snow. And the grass cutting wasn't that great, at least not for that property as it kept on getting stuck going up the hill at the back of our house unless I put weights on and then it was just slow as molasses. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Like I said in a previous post, the PT is a lot bigger than I thought it would be. Those wheels look pretty big when you're driving too. And all of the attachments...well, let me put it this way: had I known the 4n1 bucket was so big I would have reconsidered buying the LM as well, but then maybe I'll find out later that that thinking would not have been correct.

The number one thing I've started thinking about is adding a diverter valve or doing something so that the QA cylinder can remain attached to the aux pto even when using the mini-hoe or 4n1. I think it's kind of weird they haven't changed that setup. Seems kind of unintuitive that you'd have to reach down to the QA leaver each time you wanted to curl the mini-hoe, for instance. There needs to be another large lever next to the existing one. I started looking through this forum for discussions about the subject.

Without this forum I wouldn't have a clue how to hookup the 4n1 or minihoe. I had remembered reading something about needing to use the QA lever to control curl. PT doesn't document any of this stuff. I spotted the main PTO hoses right away. But it didn't make sense to me that you would have to disconnect the QA for some implements. Just seems to defeat the purpose of the whole quick attach system if you have to step on/off the machine a few times to just hookup one attachment. But enough about that.

One more thing. I can now see why some folks are willing to give up top end speed for greater torque. Even at half throttle this thing feels pretty fast.

 

[KentT]

Here's my modification to add a lever on the left side of the steering wheel for the Aux PTO/Quick Attach...

IMO, it makes a BIG difference in ease of use for the Aux PTO...
Aux PTO Mod

 

[toolz_not_toyz]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Some of those hour meters also indicate engine rpm. Check and see if there is a selection button. )</font>

Unfortunately, no there isn't a selection button.

 

[pajoube]

Love that group shot. Your home is beautiful.
A clean machine ????? who ever can keep one clean except fourteen!
PJ

 

[toolz_not_toyz]

Thanks for the comments about the house and the machine all. Doesn't it all look so nice and green and pretty everything? The house is new and the weather isn't typically as pretty as it was that day; well, not counting the gorgeous summer we had with practically zero rain or cloud. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

For the PTO situation I'm thinking what's needed here is either just a diverter valve with a solenoid or maybe an additional aux pto circuit. Really, if you put a switch in the dash to select between aux pto 1 and aux pto 2, you could add another joystick. When it comes time to use the QA, just flip the aux pto switch back to aux 1, thereby disabling the 2nd joystick and re-enabling the QA lever. I think the QA lever is in a good place when you think if it was on top, you could end up accidentally disengaging the quick attach.

I think it was davesisk that had a mod. that used such a diverter valve.

 

[stray]

Nice very nice. O for the joys of a first time PT owner. Just learning is much of the fun. I assume you already have a leaf blower and a pressure washer. They are what it takes to keep it clean easily. Now get out there and get to work I mean well you know what I mean. Keep us posted and let us know how well it does on climbing steep hills?

 

[toolz_not_toyz]

Got the leaf blower. Have always wanted a pressure washer! That's on my Christmas list now. Doh. Guess I just got my Christmas present.... Shucks.

 

[toy]

Glad to hear that everything went well with your picking up your pt from overnite trucking. I think everyone on the forum can relate to the sheer excitement of the day of the delivery of the machine and the days preparing to go get it. Hope you really enjoy using the pt. I have a ten foot trailer and a sixteen foot trailer and I believe it is easier to back up the longer trailer because you can see it better, however I do a lot of hauling with my ten footer. I have hauled a ton and a half on it without any problems but I wouldn't want to haul my pt on it because it sits too high. Now go put some dirt on that machine it makes mine look bad.

 

[Rip]

Glad to see that nice new shiney machine and good looking attachments got home safely.

The first thing you need to do now is get a steering wheel spinner knob. These machines operate best when you can turn the wheel in a continous fluid motion rather than like a regular vehicle. I do not know why they do not come standard, but you will never want to operate an articulated machine without one.

Good Luck and have fun!!

 

[Barryh]

A few other items you might want to think about. A good fire extinguisher, and a battery cut off switch.
Yesterday at the suggestion of Bill, and some other members here, I took off the gas tank and changed out the fuel filter.

I found all kinds of dirt particles, and beads of silicon in my filter. I also flushed out the tank/pump and cleaned the carburetor. I was having trouble with rough idle and vibration through out the various throttle settings.

What a difference it made. One thing I didn't like at the bottom of the gas tank outlet they had it tied off with some cheap pull ties instead of a good hose clamp. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[RegL]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Glad to see that nice new shiney machine and good looking attachments got home safely.

The first thing you need to do now is get a steering wheel spinner knob. These machines operate best when you can turn the wheel in a continous fluid motion rather than like a regular vehicle. I do not know why they do not come standard, but you will never want to operate an articulated machine without one.

Good Luck and have fun!! )</font>



I had a spinner until I installed a suspension seat from tsc. You sit a little higher and it's more comfortable to steer without the spinner. Does put your head a little closer to the canopy however. Have to scrunch down a bit when you see a big bump coming.

 

[toolz_not_toyz]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

The first thing you need to do now is get a steering wheel spinner knob. )</font>

Absolutely. It's on the list. Spent a few hours on the machine yesterday. Love this thing! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif And boy do those wheel motors have power. Reverse can get kind of crazy. I installed the treadle springs since I had them. I don't know why they just don't install them on all of the machines, they make pedal operation much smoother since you can keep one foot off of the pedal if you want. I also think the springs could be stronger though.

 

[Phils]

After using my PT to help move mulch at a project our service club is doing, the president bought a spinner knob for me at a JD store. He had looked at more than 4 auto parts stores which had none, but one lad told him to try a tractor store. Pretty cool in that the color matches. I have to ignore the yellow JD emblem on top only until I find a better thing to glue over it.

Everybody was correct: it makes a world of difference having the spinner knob. It should come standard (same color but with a PT logo). Just as the treadle springs should come standard. Just as the stump grinder should fling chips AWAY from you, standard.

Phil

 

[pajoube]

I bought the same one from a JD dealer. The emblem will wear off in a very short time.
PJ

 

[MossRoad]

TSC has green ones with no emblems. Less than 10 bucks.

 

[toolz_not_toyz]

Got to get used to the fact that there ain't no TSC stores out here...... Northern Tool has spinner knobs too.