Treadle to hand control conversion on 1430

[joshlee]

I know its a nice pedal they have on the treadle and its nice to have it on there for others to use, but maybe it would just be easier for others to get use to the hand control. Replacing that pedal with a custom one would probably save us both allot of frustration. As you probably already know it is fastened with only two bolts, which is super simple to take off and I'm thinking of using a piece of 2 1/2"x 5" tube steel would work great for a different pedal. Just leave the 2 1/2" part of the tube ( a piece of flat stock after cutting everything around the 2 1/2" part off thing off) to fit under the treadle, then cut out the rest of the 2 1/2" part and leave the vertical 5" part of the tube steel to connect to the spherical rod end mount (ball end.) This way there would be nothing interfering with the feet. I'm even going to notch out on the 5 1/2" vertical part so my toes will fit in underneath it.
I only have 1 day a week to work on things in my shop, so this won't happen for a while. I haven't even had a chance to start on the hand controls , although, I do have all the pieces I need. Thank you for the pictures, because that does give me some better idea's.
Josh

I figured try keep it as simple as I can. Only thing with the seat I am having an issue with is, I have to put it all the way back right now to get on it, and then pull it forward. Seems my legs are longer then I thought, and then when I pull it forward, my big feet want to get in the way of the treadle, since we lowered the seat about 2 1/2", so going to try a stock mount for the seat, and see if that brings me back up and lets my feet stay further back.

It is a all a learning experience, but how it has been for the last 35 years being in a wheelchair. It takes me a little time, but I end up getting things so they work out well. Then at the end of the day a person sees me in the chair and they can't believe I just ran the machine.

I have found a few other things I want to change, like the lights. Seems when you bring the arms all the way up, they end up hitting the lights, and turning them around, and really wanted to have them mounted up under the ROPS anyway, to see a bit better over the blade and other things. So now to move the original ones, or get some nice LED ones and have someone help me put them up under the ROPS, as that is one thing, I am height limited at reaching things.

 

[jfischer]

Josh, I can understand where you are coming from. I just found this was easy, and seems to work well, and I know when, or if I have to get someone just to move it around would be easier for them to understand, or be able to control things. I know my zero turn mower is hard for someone to move around in tight places if they have not driven such before.

Also when, or if I ever want to sell it, I could take it off, or leave it the way it is without any problems, most people seem to like original
Jeff

I know its a nice pedal they have on the treadle and its nice to have it on there for others to use, but maybe it would just be easier for others to get use to the hand control. Replacing that pedal with a custom one would probably save us both allot of frustration. As you probably already know it is fastened with only two bolts, which is super simple to take off and I'm thinking of using a piece of 2 1/2"x 5" tube steel would work great for a different pedal. Just leave the 2 1/2" part of the tube ( a piece of flat stock after cutting everything around the 2 1/2" part off thing off) to fit under the treadle, then cut out the rest of the 2 1/2" part and leave the vertical 5" part of the tube steel to connect to the spherical rod end mount (ball end.) This way there would be nothing interfering with the feet. I'm even going to notch out on the 5 1/2" vertical part so my toes will fit in underneath it.
I only have 1 day a week to work on things in my shop, so this won't happen for a while. I haven't even had a chance to start on the hand controls , although, I do have all the pieces I need. Thank you for the pictures, because that does give me some better idea's.
Josh

 

[joshlee]

Jeff, do you know if there is a bearing inside the piece where the lever is? Also, is there a spring inside that barrel where the T-handle is? I see there are compression washers in between.

So push goes forwards and pull goes backward? Pretty slick! :thumbsup:

 

[joshlee]

So, did you get to plow snow with it?
I don't have much of an issue getting my feet in, but I'm trying think of what may help you out. Right away I thought about removing material to make the opening wider, but that would just weaken things too much. Maybe, if something were reinforced to make up for taking other material away? That's all I can think of. Maybe the other guys on here would have some good advise about that.
With your 4 in one bucket, do you think it would be good for lightly scattering stone when you open it up? I have never seen one work before.

Josh, I can understand where you are coming from. I just found this was easy, and seems to work well, and I know when, or if I have to get someone just to move it around would be easier for them to understand, or be able to control things. I know my zero turn mower is hard for someone to move around in tight places if they have not driven such before.

Also when, or if I ever want to sell it, I could take it off, or leave it the way it is without any problems, most people seem to like original
Jeff

 

[jfischer]

No Bearing, or spring in there. It has a few concave washers in there, and it has a pad, or what ever they use behind the brake lever behind it. Thought about making a shim of delron, or something else that might be slick to put behind it, but time will tell on that. I put some Locktite between a Blue and Red on the T handle, so it won't unscrew when you have it loose, and that seems to work ok.

Jeff, do you know if there is a bearing inside the piece where the lever is? Also, is there a spring inside that barrel where the T-handle is? I see there are compression washers in between.

 

[jfischer]

Haven't had any snow, and I really only took a ride down the road to check things out and see how it felt. I did hook the lines up tonight for the Swivel on the blade, and made sure it worked, and will mark them so I know which way to hook them each time.

I went back to the stock height bracket, which makes me 2" higher, and the feet fit in a LOT better, and is easier to get them in and out. Will just take some time to get used to it I am sure.

I have not put any other attachments, other then the snow blade on it. After I hook the others up I will be able to tell you more about them, and how they work, or don't work. I have seen pictures of people using the 4 in 1, and they just barely open it, and it looks like it would let it come out light enough, if you just barely open it. Kind of like the back on a dump truck when you adjust the chains on them for the gate to only open a little when you try to spread and dump.

So, did you get to plow snow with it?
I don't have much of an issue getting my feet in, but I'm trying think of what may help you out. Right away I thought about removing material to make the opening wider, but that would just weaken things too much. Maybe, if something were reinforced to make up for taking other material away? That's all I can think of. Maybe the other guys on here would have some good advise about that.
With your 4 in one bucket, do you think it would be good for lightly scattering stone when you open it up? I have never seen one work before.

 

[joshlee]

It sounds like that 4 in 1 would be really nice for gently scattering stones then, awesome. Its so much work trying to rake out stones and what not these days, so that 4 in 1 bucket sounds like a dynamic me.

Thats great that your feet are fitting in there better. Its amazing how you can make things work out fine through trial and error. I will say that I'm amazed at how many thing someone can do out of a wheelchair if initiative is put forth.

Have you ever thought about making a rack to store the attachments vertically? That one of the many nice things about the lifting height on these machines. I'm sort of limited with space and getting around attachments in a wheelchair that are stored at home are a pain. So probably, in the future I'll make a rack using something like 3"x 5" tube steel columns, or I-beam to make a nice open face shelving rack. b

Haven't had any snow, and I really only took a ride down the road to check things out and see how it felt. I did hook the lines up tonight for the Swivel on the blade, and made sure it worked, and will mark them so I know which way to hook them each time.

I went back to the stock height bracket, which makes me 2" higher, and the feet fit in a LOT better, and is easier to get them in and out. Will just take some time to get used to it I am sure.

I have not put any other attachments, other then the snow blade on it. After I hook the others up I will be able to tell you more about them, and how they work, or don't work. I have seen pictures of people using the 4 in 1, and they just barely open it, and it looks like it would let it come out light enough, if you just barely open it. Kind of like the back on a dump truck when you adjust the chains on them for the gate to only open a little when you try to spread and dump.

 

[jfischer]

Josh, I think the 4 in 1 bucket is going to work out for doing a few things around here, that before I had to have someone else help me do. I try to think things out anymore, and see what will help me out, or just sit in the way.

I have thought a LOT about making a rack to store all of my attachments on. Biggest thing for me is I am like you and take a lot more floor space up to get around. I have an area in my other concrete floor shed that I put my Johnny Bucket, or Snow Blade off the tractor when not in use, I hope the area is big enough for me to turn in, and be able to store them. I have a friend that got a bunch of the shelves from Home Depot use in their stores and think they might be able to cut down to size to work for such. See what he has, and how much he wants for such.

Just waiting for the warm weather to get here, so I can get a few things done.
Jeff

 

[joshlee]

Those racks at Home Depot would work very well. They are around the right width for a common attachment. Yeah, this weather will be allowing us to get more done here pretty soon.

I was wondering if you got a 250watt heater for your hydraulic tank?
Josh

Josh, I think the 4 in 1 bucket is going to work out for doing a few things around here, that before I had to have someone else help me do. I try to think things out anymore, and see what will help me out, or just sit in the way.

I have thought a LOT about making a rack to store all of my attachments on. Biggest thing for me is I am like you and take a lot more floor space up to get around. I have an area in my other concrete floor shed that I put my Johnny Bucket, or Snow Blade off the tractor when not in use, I hope the area is big enough for me to turn in, and be able to store them. I have a friend that got a bunch of the shelves from Home Depot use in their stores and think they might be able to cut down to size to work for such. See what he has, and how much he wants for such.

Just waiting for the warm weather to get here, so I can get a few things done.
Jeff

 

[MossRoad]

Just remember with rack storage.... these things put incredible down-pressure on things... like all the weight of the tractor. Make sure the shelving is extremely stout! (ask me how I know!) :laughing:

I have a shed at my house that is about 16-17' deep. In summer, I put my snowblade in the back. Then my brush hog. Then my large, light material bucket with the small rock bucket nested inside of that and the pallet forks inside of that. Then I put the 60" finish mower on the FEL arms and lift that up and drive in until my front tires touch the buckets, then lower the mower on top of them. It all fits in a surprisingly small space.

If I need something, its a two minute job to unpack the entire shed and pick the tool I want. The quick attach makes the whole machine.

With my buckets nested and the forks, its just a matter of picking up the big bucket, driving to a spot in my yard, dump out the small bucket, drop the big bucket, pick up the small bucket, dump out the forks, pick up the forks and do what I need to do. I can put the forks back in the small bucket when I'm done and scoop up the small bucket with the big bucket by bumping the dump/curl motion of the joystick and vibrating it in. No need to push against anything. Very little, if any, damage to the lawn. :thumbsup:

 

[jfischer]

Josh, I will have to do more measurements, but hope they will fit in the space I have them planned now. I could put them on some moving pallets like i do now to store my tractor stuff, but takes up more useable floor space.

I have not bought one of the 250 watt heaters yet, think they were suggesting the KAT ones, and I have seen Wolverine and others at about the same price, I wonder if one is any better then the other. I think most on here have used the KAT one.
Jeff

 

[jfischer]

M R, I think the shelves I have planned would be strong enough, they are what they use inside the Home Depot, and they stack things about 4 high with forklifts 18 or so foot high. Just cut them down to 5 foot or so or a little shorter hight, and put a few pieces so they won't fall through the middle.

I do have the 4 in 1 bucket that would fit in the material bucket, but the Snow blade is pretty long, and think it would have to go on the top. Also have the Mini Hoe, which is not very wide but kind of long, and would have to be fed into something from the end, or put it on something to roll it around to mount it.

Remember that Josh and myself have to get back off the PT to hook hoses up, (unless you have someone else to help you) and that evolves in having to jump back over to the chair to unhook hoses from the Quick Attach Plate. Also my chair takes up a path of at least 25" to get through places, so it does take some area up to roll around things.

I am going to try to keep the forks so I can get to them pretty easy, as I always have things I need to move from one place to another, and will just leave a pallet out so I can stack things.

As soon as the weather wants to work with us and get warm enough to play around, I will move some stuff around in my shed, and take my Zero Turn mower out of it that is stored there in the Winter.
Jeff

 

[SpringHollow]

I store some implements on pallet racks ( I assume these are the Home Depot racks being referred to). I have put the 8' bush hog, the mini hoes, plows, buckets, etc on there. The mini hoes work best by putting crosswise on a pallet first. But MR is correct, you can easily get into a world of hurt if you put down pressure on them. The limited lift height means I can realistically put things on the first two shelves with the PT.

You can buy pallet racks used on Craigslist.

Ken

 

[jfischer]

Yes Ken, those are the types of shelves I am talking about. I think they are really wider then I need, so might have to cut them down, but know they stack a LOT of stuff on them at the stores, so think they should take the weight fine.

I have looked around Cragslist, and seems most want new prices, or they want you to buy a bunch of them at a time, and I only need a rack big enough to store my main stuff.

Yet another project, but that is good I guess, keeps the mind busy
Jeff

 

[SpringHollow]

This was from about 8 years ago - like new from a very large warehouse that closed down. They had thousands of pallet racks and shelves. We picked up 3 loads and distributed them among us. I have a few outside and some in my barn. I cut some down in height.

They hold a lot of evenly distributed weight (thousands of pounds) but if I were to push down on a shelf with my tractor, i would crumple it and possibly have the shelves come crashing down. If you are careful, they work fine.

Ken

 

[jfischer]

Ken, those look about like the types I was talking about. I wonder if it would hurt to put them together, then tack weld them, so if you did happen to catch them you would be lifting the weight of all the shelves.
I think the front pieces are 2x5 or some where in that sized boxed steel, so I would think they have some weight to them. The ceiling is not tall, only 8 foot walls in my shed, but don't have to worry since the 425 won't lift but a tops of 5 foot.
I just want to try to get as much as I can off the floor, and up in the air, and out of the way.
Jeff

 

[SpringHollow]

Hi Jeff,

They stay together quite well. The biggest problem is not lifting but when you are setting things down on them. It is possible, especially with the longer beams (12' or more), to bend a beam.

Ken

 

[ponytug]

Like MR, speaking from experience, the issue with shelving isn't the large dead weight of a number of attachments, it is the incidental/accidental down force as you drop off implements. With the PTs, it is easy to transfer a significant fraction of the tractor weight to the shelf as you release the Q/A lock, and pivot the QA plate out of the attachment plate.

I installed a shelving that is rated about 1/2 the green/orange locking racks (there are lock pins available, no need to tack weld), and bent a shelf on the second or third use. I would also encourage you to have the verticals fastened to something to prevent you from tipping the shelves forward on to you by accident. Knowing what I know now, I shouldn't have gotten the non-green/orange racks. They are too light weight.

All the best,

Peter

 

[jfischer]

Thanks Ken and Peter, this will give me something to think about before I do spend the time to make, or put something up to hold my attachments. The heaviest of attachments I would be putting on it right now is the 4 in 1 bucket. Don't have any planes on getting any mowers. as I do that with my Zero turn here, much faster.

In the next week or so I will move a few things around out in my shed, and see if I can make that much of an angle for a turn to stack things. I am going to try to keep the shelves just as short as possible, to put the attachments on, so don't think any would be over 5 foot long, and would put the snow blade on the top where it can hang over if needed.
Jeff

 

[MossRoad]

M R, I think the shelves I have planned would be strong enough, they are what they use inside the Home Depot, and they stack things about 4 high with forklifts 18 or so foot high. Just cut them down to 5 foot or so or a little shorter hight, and put a few pieces so they won't fall through the middle.

I do have the 4 in 1 bucket that would fit in the material bucket, but the Snow blade is pretty long, and think it would have to go on the top. Also have the Mini Hoe, which is not very wide but kind of long, and would have to be fed into something from the end, or put it on something to roll it around to mount it.

Remember that Josh and myself have to get back off the PT to hook hoses up, (unless you have someone else to help you) and that evolves in having to jump back over to the chair to unhook hoses from the Quick Attach Plate. Also my chair takes up a path of at least 25" to get through places, so it does take some area up to roll around things.

I am going to try to keep the forks so I can get to them pretty easy, as I always have things I need to move from one place to another, and will just leave a pallet out so I can stack things.

As soon as the weather wants to work with us and get warm enough to play around, I will move some stuff around in my shed, and take my Zero Turn mower out of it that is stored there in the Winter.
Jeff

You don't have to hook up hoses to move attachments around. Only when you want to use a powered implement, will you have to get off and back on again.

Not trying to discourage you from shelving... wish we were face-to-face as I have trouble conveying my conversation through type! :laughing:


I put my snow plow in up against the wall and it only takes up about a foot of floor space. Then my buckets go against the back of the plow. That's only about 3-4' of floor space out from the wall.