Treadle to hand control conversion on 1430

[joshlee]

Haha! Yeah, maybe having the front of it canna levered isn't such a good idea. You may have just saved me from a big mess, lol. I will say, that seems like a slick storage system you have there. Those quick attachments are SO nice. Its one of the dynamics that interested me in the Power Tracs.

Do you know what type of spring is inside of that little bellow/boot above the foot treadle? I'm wondering if its a gas damper/spring or itif its just a steel spring?

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:

 

[MossRoad]

Haha! Yeah, maybe having the front of it canna levered isn't such a good idea. You may have just saved me from a big mess, lol. I will say, that seems like a slick storage system you have there. Those quick attachments are SO nice. Its one of the dynamics that interested me in the Power Tracs.

Do you know what type of spring is inside of that little bellow/boot above the foot treadle? I'm wondering if its a gas damper/spring or itif its just a steel spring?

I'm thinking you have a hydraulic treadle and that's some sort of dampener, but I'm not familiar with it. I have a cable (called the hydroback cable) from my treadle through the tunnel all the way to the hydraulic pump and the cable is spring loaded.

 

[jfischer]

M R, I think 3 of my 5 attachments I have right now can be hooked up. I have the plow on now, but it will soon not be used until this next Winter, as I think we are through all we are going to get this year, and the 4 in 1, or Material bucket will get more use for plans I have in the near future.

I do want to get the Mini Hoe out and get good at using it, as I have a few places on my road that need to be cleaned out, as they have been filled in for years, and why the culverts don't work well, and it ends up making more work with all the water that stands on the road.

I think if I put the buckets inside each other like you have, and then just put them on moving dollies, then I could move them around in the shed. Hate to put metal buckets, or things with metal edges on the concrete in that shed, seems it likes to draw moisture, and ends up rusting them. When I used to put the buckets down on the machine, I just threw a 2x4 under it to keep it off the ground and that always worked. 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.

 

[SpringHollow]

The pallet racks are fine, just be careful. An easy way to get around the down pressure when disconnecting is to put things on pallets and use the pallet forks.

Ken

 

[joshlee]

Thats interesting. I don't think I ever seen one of those before. I'm going to look into what they are like just because I'm curious.

I'm thinking you have a hydraulic treadle and that's some sort of dampener, but I'm not familiar with it. I have a cable (called the hydroback cable) from my treadle through the tunnel all the way to the hydraulic pump and the cable is spring loaded.

 

[3238dpw]

The pallet racks are fine, just be careful. An easy way to get around the down pressure when disconnecting is to put things on pallets and use the pallet forks. Ken

Another option that I use in a situation like this, is to unlock the attachment before you get it above the shelf, then even if you put down pressure on the attachment it would start pull up and away just like when you are removing it. It's not impossible to put down pressure but it is a lot more difficult. Also much care needs to be taken as the attachment isn't locked in while you are moving it around and while it is high in the air.

 

[joshlee]

These guys talking about storing attachments on racks with pallets sounds like a really good idea, or, at least would be less likely to damage the rack or ourselves.

Oh okay. Living close to 250 miles south of me, you won't have as much of an issue with starting the PT as I do. Mine starts painfully hard in temperatures around 25 and below. It just won't start unless the heater has been plugged in for a while.

How are you making out with the arm rests?

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

 

[joshlee]

Yeah, that way would allow more resistance. Good idea Scott. Are you the one that made the leaf grapple? That video on Youtube was the first PT machine I ever seen. I was looking tips on making a grapple and that video came up. The PT definitely caught my eye!

Another option that I use in a situation like this, is to unlock the attachment before you get it above the shelf, then even if you put down pressure on the attachment it would start pull up and away just like when you are removing it. It's not impossible to put down pressure but it is a lot more difficult. Also much care needs to be taken as the attachment isn't locked in while you are moving it around and while it is high in the air.

 

[joshlee]

Josh and a few others, I think you wanted to see how they were going to make, or mount the hand control I had put on the 425.

They put a long skinny handle on it, (of which I didn't like) so I put some threads on it, and mounted a knob on the top of it, was a lot easier to use your palm of your hand to control it.

The "T" handle on the side of it lets you put more tension on it, and if you turn it all the way off it will let anyone use the treadle to drive the tractor. Came out pretty good, now to get some seat time in, and they are calling for nasty weather the next few days, but will let me learn more about things.

View attachment 417278 View attachment 417279 View attachment 417280

 

[joshlee]

Here are the hand controls I came up with.

 

[jfischer]

Nice job on making the hand controls, but I only have one right hand, and reaching across with the other hand when you are trying to go into something slow to fill a bucket or other things is going to be hard to work both controls on the right.

Also, what are you going to do if you want to sell the machine, that is why it is so hard to sell the older tractors, with the hand control for forward/reverse, as everyone wants the foot controls.

If the control was like the Ventrac and you could pull it to the side, while going back and forth I could see that being on the right side would be useful.

Just my 2 cents, and after 30 some odd hours on mine, I am glad I put it on the left.

 

[jfischer]

Another thing you might want to think about is making a lever to come up off of your aux. hydraulics lever. It is a pain in the butt having to reach down and move it for things other then using it to release the attachments. When you are using a 4 in 1, or the mini hoe it really comes in handy to have that control right next to your main joystick for operating things, but you can take your hand off the main, and reach over to it, and still be able to steer with your left hand.

Just a thought, as I did this to mine and it helps a lot.

Here are some bad pics I took of it with the cell phone, need to take some others.

 

[Marks481]

It is a pain in the butt having to reach down and move it for things other then using it to release the attachments.

+++1. Sure wish PT had routed that handle to the top when they designed the thing. It is okay for quick attach, but when you are using the 4n1, plow, or mini hoe it starts to get annoying.

 

[joshlee]

Here is a better picture of me controlling both levers at the same time. We use to have a John Deere 540G log skidded and it had a lever for the blade, power shift, and the winch; after a while you just start working two levers at the same time once you get the feel for it. I spent maybe 2 hours on the PT with these hand controls and I'm already using the forward/reverse and the FEL levers at the same time. You know how it is, its what you like and what your used too.
The treadle peadle (hey, that rhymes! :laughing I took off by just simply removing two 5/16" bolts, and then I made another out of a piece of 3/8"x 1 1/2" flat stock. I recommend that for you because you and I are sort of in the same boat, and not having the stock treadle there is so much roomier.

Nice job on making the hand controls, but I only have one right hand, and reaching across with the other hand when you are trying to go into something slow to fill a bucket or other things is going to be hard to work both controls on the right.

Also, what are you going to do if you want to sell the machine, that is why it is so hard to sell the older tractors, with the hand control for forward/reverse, as everyone wants the foot controls.

If the control was like the Ventrac and you could pull it to the side, while going back and forth I could see that being on the right side would be useful.

Just my 2 cents, and after 30 some odd hours on mine, I am glad I put it on the left.

 

[joshlee]

I'll definitely add that project to the list. :thumbsup:

Now, I'm going to find that forum where you said about finding oil in the bottom of the PT tub, because I have the same problem and found where its coming from.

Another thing you might want to think about is making a lever to come up off of your aux. hydraulics lever. It is a pain in the butt having to reach down and move it for things other then using it to release the attachments. When you are using a 4 in 1, or the mini hoe it really comes in handy to have that control right next to your main joystick for operating things, but you can take your hand off the main, and reach over to it, and still be able to steer with your left hand.

Just a thought, as I did this to mine and it helps a lot.

Here are some bad pics I took of it with the cell phone, need to take some others.

View attachment 424393 View attachment 424394 View attachment 424395

 

[Marks481]

Josh- thanks for the picture of the bellcrank-pushrod arrangement inside the steering column. Genius. Seems like maybe that approach could be adapted to the aux hydraulics quick attach lever. Positioning it right next to the loader arm control would work out well.

 

[MossRoad]

Nice job! Plenty of room for your shoes/boots and they won't interfere with the factory treadle if they got under there. Easy enough to switch back to factory config if you ever sell it (my guess is you'll be playing with it for a few years, at least). I remember operating dual sticks on my IH loader with one hand. It becomes second nature rather quickly. However, I'd still opt for left hand drive. Anyhow, I ain't you! :laughing: Again, nice job!!
:thumbsup:

 

[jfischer]

Josh, I thought you had cut the stock pedal down. I know that I will have someone that I ask to move the machine around (when I am too tired or lazy to get on it, or to put it on a trailer to take it someplace) and think the treadle will be better for them to use, that is why I left mine on there.

I put my seat all the way back when I jump over to it, (long legs, and big feet) and then slide it up, and I have about 2 or so inches between my front of the shoe and it. Some times it might get in the way, but not that often, so I will just leave it on there.

 

[joshlee]

Thanks MR. This is the next project. The Subaru header and muffler was supposed to be shipped out to me, but then I notice the man refunded me for it and said they were not in stock. I looked all over for another one to buy, but came up empty. So, I bought a muffler 3 1/2" in diameter , and am going to have a man near by make me a custom header. Here is the muffler and the location where I'm thinking about putting it.

Nice job! Plenty of room for your shoes/boots and they won't interfere with the factory treadle if they got under there. Easy enough to switch back to factory config if you ever sell it (my guess is you'll be playing with it for a few years, at least). I remember operating dual sticks on my IH loader with one hand. It becomes second nature rather quickly. However, I'd still opt for left hand drive. Anyhow, I ain't you! :laughing: Again, nice job!!
:thumbsup:

 

[joshlee]

Thats good then. I like that maxim that says,"If something is working, theres no sense to change it."

Josh, I thought you had cut the stock pedal down. I know that I will have someone that I ask to move the machine around (when I am too tired or lazy to get on it, or to put it on a trailer to take it someplace) and think the treadle will be better for them to use, that is why I left mine on there.

I put my seat all the way back when I jump over to it, (long legs, and big feet) and then slide it up, and I have about 2 or so inches between my front of the shoe and it. Some times it might get in the way, but not that often, so I will just leave it on there.