What have you done with/to your GC Series 2300, 2400, 1700 Tractor TODAY

[cglaser104]

in the first pic what is that bar going across your lift arms?

Looks like he's just using the backhoe sub frame and some bungies to hold back his lift arms VS pinning them back with a black bungie cord like it comes from the factory

 

[Dmacleo]

Looks like he's just using the backhoe sub frame and some bungies to hold back his lift arms VS pinning them back with a black bungie cord like it comes from the factory

looked to me like a bar going across both and bungee attached to each to holds them up but....I am often wrong so... LOL

 

[cglaser104]

looked to me like a bar going across both and bungee attached to each to holds them up but....I am often wrong so... LOL

I think the bungies are to prevent rattling and to hold them tight to that pipe. The pipe has 2 pins in it to the inside of the sub frame that keep it from sliding out of the eyelets

 

[irvingj]

Yep, sounds like an "all of the above" deal... As I rarely use the 3-pt hitch but use the MMM all summer long, I slid a piece of EMT in the BH mounts so the 3PH arms could be held out of the way, but far enough back that the hydraulic lift arms would also have clearance to go up & down as the MMM is raised & lowered. (3PH top link is removed.) Note that each time the MMM is moved, those hydraulic lift arms on the 3PH also move.

With those arms in the "normal" bungeed-up holes in the fenders, I found that the 3PH hydraulic arms could sometimes either hit the arms or possibly pinch a BH hydraulic hose. Bungeed to that EMT, they're safe (& quiet) but still out of the way.

cool connection -- I keep mine registered (in NH, as "construction equipment") so I can, when needed, legally drive it on the road. I have 2 locations that I've driven to in the past, each about 2 miles away.

 

[Dmacleo]

gonna try something similar myself, no backhoe here but I use float on mid mower so need to keep them up yet not tight to body. was thinking pipe thru balls of 3PH then hold them up 1/2 way (course lift arm pulled of them) and hang by chain or something about there. will allow lift arms to move w/o binding if I figured it right. will be trial and error

 

[cglaser104]

Pulled out the GC fresh off my dual remote project and the forks to carry some pine boards up to my parents heated garage to get ripped to size, stained and sealed for a home improvement projects. Can't say enough how absolutely invaluable forks are as a tool to have. The race is on to have the rooms these boards are meant for finished since the wife volunteered us to host Thanksgiving in that space.

 

[lpakiz]

When I bought mine, I added the forks as kind of an accessory, just in case there might be a need for them, somehow.
But since I got them, they have been on the tractor more than the bucket.
Can not say enough about how useful they are. Could not be without them.
For example, throw a piece of plywood on them, drive the riding mower onto it, (or the push mower, or the 4 wheeler) then lift the whole thing up chest high to work on it.
I have a ball valve on the raise hose to lock it in position. Not 100% foolproof, but close! And I recently added a hook on each curl cylinder to chain the forks from dumping.

 

[GeneV]

Yep, sounds like an "all of the above" deal... As I rarely use the 3-pt hitch but use the MMM all summer long, I slid a piece of EMT in the BH mounts so the 3PH arms could be held out of the way, but far enough back that the hydraulic lift arms would also have clearance to go up & down as the MMM is raised & lowered. (3PH top link is removed.) Note that each time the MMM is moved, those hydraulic lift arms on the 3PH also move.

With those arms in the "normal" bungeed-up holes in the fenders, I found that the 3PH hydraulic arms could sometimes either hit the arms or possibly pinch a BH hydraulic hose. Bungeed to that EMT, they're safe (& quiet) but still out of the way.

cool connection -- I keep mine registered (in NH, as "construction equipment") so I can, when needed, legally drive it on the road. I have 2 locations that I've driven to in the past, each about 2 miles away.

Personally, I just removed all the 3 ph stuff on mine. I never use it, but even if I was too, it's literally a 5 min job to reinstall everything back on.

 

[MoMower]

Got my arse kicked to day by an extremely challenging (hilly) property for a customer.

Managed to create the path she wanted, moved about 3 tons of wall stone and 1 ton of modified. Did a bunch of small area grading and dug a few holes.



The area above the path (upper right) was supposed to be a small, flat flagstone patio and without being able to cut in a “road” to get to it that slope kicked my arse in circles.

 

[MoMower]

 

[MF RED in MT]

I just received my UHMW - 3/4" x 4" x 48", ordered 2 lengths at (Amazon) $31.60 each with about $11.00 shipping.

I have been thinking about using this product for quite a while, for my skid shoes on my MF 2340 Dozer Blade & MF 2360 Snowblower (driveway is gravel & roadmix material).

I believe I will use the existing pipe sleeve on the Dozer Blade with a new rod and steel plate (on the bottom) and bolt the UHMW to the plate, maybe able to get a 6" x 12" shoe.

I will drill and pin the new shoe through the pipe sleeve to eliminate any swiveling movement with drilled holes 1/2" apart vertically to allow for height adjustments.

On the snowblower I'm not a fan of putting the shoes on the outside edge of the snowblower because of the hazard of smacking the shoes while snowblowing, but I think this might be the best choice.

My other option is to replace the existing shoe with a larger and longer piece of angle iron and bolt the UHMW to the bottom.

I'm finding it difficult to get started in the unheated garage as it was about 18F in there today, froze my fingers assembling a 4 wheel "Gorilla Cart" today.

I am open to ideas regarding my fabrication of these skid shoes, and I know there are going to be good ideas from all of you.

Here's a couple of pictures of the UHMW leaning against the Dozer Blade and the existing MF skid shoe.

KC

(this is my next little project: for update see post #672)

 

[MF RED in MT]

Update on my Dozer Blade UHMW skid shoes:

Well it warmed up to 20F today so working in the garage I believed I have figured out how I'm going to fabricate my new skid shoes using materials I have in my small metal rack.

By removing the 2 outer nuts for the scraper blade, the existing shoe brackets can be removed completely from the back of the Dozer Blade.

I'm going to cut a piece of square tubing 1..25" x 1.25" x 1/8" wall about 4.5" long, clean up the inside so the new square tubing 1" x 1" x 1//8" skid shoe will slip up/down when inserted.

I will weld this new 4.5" long tubing to the existing skid shoe bracket next to the existing round tube on the bracket.

Then I will cut a new piece of square tubing 1" x 1" x 1/8" wall about 9" long and weld one end to a new piece of 1/4" x 4" flat bar that's 10" long.

This new piece of flat bar will have the UHMW cut piece, 4" x 10" which will be counter sunk and fastened to the bottom of the flat bar.

This existing skid shoe spacers/washers will slip over this new square tubing and will function with the same vertical adjustments as the existing skid shoe.

By using square tubing instead of round tubing the new skid shoe will be fixed in place with no rotation of the shoe.

And by being able to use the existing spacers/washers makes all of the vertical adjustments just as easy as before.

The existing 6" diameter skid shoe has a 28 square inch surface area, and the new skid shoe has a 40 square inch surface area, which I think will make a difference.

So far this is "Plan B" and during my fabrication I just might be going to "Plan C", might increase the surface area to 6" x 12" (72 square inch surface area), or somewhere in between.

Here's a little sketch that may help others visualize my new skid shoe better:

KC

(for this project update see post #675)

 

[GeneV]

KC, looks like a legit plan, looking forward to seeing the fabrication.

 

[Cat385B]

Picked my tractor up yesterday. Got the tail lights flipped around to the inside of the rops this morning after a trip to the hardware store.

 

[MF RED in MT]

Gene, here's a look at my progress with the UHMW skid shoes for the MF 2340 Dozer Blade (previous post #671 & #672).

I cut all of my pieces yesterday and plan on welding/assembly the parts today.

Pictures of the parts:

KC

(for this project update see post #681)

 

[cglaser104]

Looks like fun!

 

[GeneV]

Gene, here's a look at my progress with the UHMW skid shoes for the MF 2340 Dozer Blade (previous post #671 & #672).

I cut all of my pieces yesterday and plan on welding/assembly the parts today.

Pictures of the parts:

KC

View attachment 679097 View attachment 679098 View attachment 679099

I got ya KC, looks like you're more done than not done with this!

 

[MoMower]

Gene, here's a look at my progress with the UHMW skid shoes for the MF 2340 Dozer Blade (previous post #671 & #672).

I cut all of my pieces yesterday and plan on welding/assembly the parts today.

Pictures of the parts:

KC

View attachment 679097 View attachment 679098 View attachment 679099

I’m just gonna drive from PA to MT and collect blowers and plows from members along the way for you to modify! Drop them all of in the spring and pick them up on the fall.

(Nice work)

 

[MF RED in MT]

Thanks, but you'd be wise to wait and see if it's going to make a difference and an improvement for my gravel driveway every year just before the winter freeze.

Been thinking about this modification for quite a while and I never know when the light bulb "idea" helps me out, good and bad I'm afraid...

For a update, the parts sit like in the pictures and maybe tomorrow I'll get to this project again.

KC

Oh, B.T.W., can you really afford the $$$$ ransom I will require for you to take possession of your snowblower, ha...

 

[MoMower]

Busy two days, last jobs of the year.



Bunch of small area grading and moved a bunch of rubble for one customer.

Driveway surface for another.