What did you do with your tractor today?

[Cvans]

I'm running a Club Car and it has Trojan batteries. I have no idea how old they are though. They don't look very old but looks don't mean much except they have been cared for. Hopefully I will get another year out of them. The solar charger is doing a good job and I've only had to add water once in the last year. Inexpensive and effective.
The cool weather does seem to make quite a difference in the speed of the cart. At 40 degrees I would say the top speed is probably down 3 or 4 mph from 80 degrees.
I wish you guys could see these dogs when I ask if they want to ride in the golf cart. They literally come unglued. They just love that thing. I smile everytime I seem them go tearing for the cart. The little Havanese looks like a black bullet going across the yard because she wants to sit next to me and she knows if Daisy beats her there she will have to ride shotgun. You can see them in the photo posted earlier. Nothing gets their attention like that thing does.

 

[Grumpy]

Sat and looked at it and wished they hadn't cancelled plow day.

 

[Toomanytoys84]

I got the Deere out today and pressure washed it, took the battery out and put in the basement on a tender, and stuffed it into the shed. She can slumber until spring! This year is the least I’ve ever had to cut grass. I think I’ve cut 3 times since July 4th.

 

[1967Craftsman's]

Did a little reorganizing in the shed and the 6 horse rearend was in the way of the stuff I was trying to reorganize, so I moved it out of the way and decided to drain the gear lube oil out of it while I was it….

 

[1967Craftsman's]

I actually got the 10 horse yellow Craftsman for the first time since May of this year to also have room to do my reorganizing, and I also drained the the gear lube oil out of it too since I was at it. I owned it for 4 years now, and never did it since I bought it….

 

[SimplyRad]

I had 1 of my DA 916 out the other day moving leaves away from the fence and it started bucking so had to alter the speed to get it to stop, thought it might be low on fluid so took the cap off oil shot out and it had a rank smell so it need a change.

Tried to start the other 916 and was deader than a door nail and the battery has a full charge.

I go see my eye Dr on the 19th so will see if she can help me.

 

[MFDAC]

I had 1 of my DA 916 out the other day moving leaves away from the fence and it started bucking so had to alter the speed to get it to stop, thought it might be low on fluid so took the cap off oil shot out and it had a rank smell so it need a change.

Tried to start the other 916 and was deader than a door nail and the battery has a full charge.

I go see my eye Dr on the 19th so will see if she can help me.

Hope you get the tractor issues figured out soon, Rad! Good luck with the Eye doctor appointment!

DAC

 

[CRF6179]

I put the snow blades on two garden tractors today.
It’s a little early but I didn’t want to do it later in the cold and in a hurry.
Since I have two gravel drives and a gravel alley I use a piece of PVC over the bottom edge and push very little gravel.
Don’t have to rake gravel out of the yard in the spring.

 

[MFDAC]

I put the snow blades on two garden tractors today.
It’s a little early but I didn’t want to do it later in the cold and in a hurry.
Since I have two gravel drives and a gravel alley I use a piece of PVC over the bottom edge and push very little gravel.
Don’t have to rake gravel out of the yard in the spring.

Those tractors are too pristine for winter duties, Rick!

We are past due for s-word here! MF8E is ready though. That's pretty much all it does to earn it's keep. I probably asked you before, but do you have a blade angle adjuster from the seat? Think I see the lift rod but not sure about angle adjustment. As you probably remember there is a Cub Cadet blade on my MF8E.

DAC

 

[Grumpy]

I put the snow blades on two garden tractors today.
It’s a little early but I didn’t want to do it later in the cold and in a hurry.
Since I have two gravel drives and a gravel alley I use a piece of PVC over the bottom edge and push very little gravel.
Don’t have to rake gravel out of the yard in the spring.

I have been looking for a snowplow for my JD GT235 but they are to far away.

 

[4getgto]

I put the snow blades on two garden tractors today.
It’s a little early but I didn’t want to do it later in the cold and in a hurry.
Since I have two gravel drives and a gravel alley I use a piece of PVC over the bottom edge and push very little gravel.
Don’t have to rake gravel out of the yard in the spring.

I have a stone driveway too and yea you have careful with pushing stones. But I got to the point that trying to rake stones out of grass is nearly impossible so come springtime if they're not totally horrible I just close my eyes and let the grass grow over them...never see them after a couple weeks..and I don't look either..

And by the way...if you have a stone , gravel driveway never ever let a friend or neighbor plow for you as a favor. They don't have come back and rake stones... unless my legs are broken I'll do my own...

 

[CRF6179]

Those tractors are too pristine for winter duties, Rick!

We are past due for s-word here! MF8E is ready though. That's pretty much all it does to earn it's keep. I probably asked you before, but do you have a blade angle adjuster from the seat? Think I see the lift rod but not sure about angle adjustment. As you probably remember there is a Cub Cadet blade on my MF8E.

DAC

Have to get off and manually change angle.

 

[MFDAC]

I have a stone driveway too and yea you have careful with pushing stones. But I got to the point that trying to rake stones out of grass is nearly impossible so come springtime if they're not totally horrible I just close my eyes and let the grass grow over them...never see them after a couple weeks..and I don't look either..

And by the way...if you have a stone , gravel driveway never ever let a friend or neighbor plow for you as a favor. They don't have come back and rake stones... unless my legs are broken I'll do my own...

I get a little gravel in the grass but not much. Most of the time it isn't enough to try to scoop up. I use a flat blade shovel rather than a rake when it's needed. I kinda went with Rick's pvc idea but built a full length round steel skid replacing the two disc skids on the outer edges of the blade. Leave it on year round as those small skids would gouge the gravel anyway. You are 100% correct Bill, I move my s-word, no one else. There have been a couple of blizzards where outside help was needed and what a mess afterward!

Have to get off and manually change angle.

Yeah, me too. I generally don't bother with angle because I'm too lazy to get off and change it. Just push kind of diagonal across the driveway.

I used 3 tractors today. First the MF1450 with the crane attachment on it got to move that junk Craftsman LT that the plumber needs. He's buried with work so don't know when he will get it yet. If he has a winch on his trailer he should be able to back into the driveway and load it easily. Then the 1450 hauled the gravel drag around behind the shop for the winter. That tractor retired to the lift for the winter after that.

Then there was a pretty big hole in the driveway a crane outrigger had made when the driveway was wet last spring. Was out of the driving area so it got put off. They were stocking the house roof with shingles. Used the MTD/Bolens mobility scooter and the garden trailer to scoop some high spots of gravel up from other places to fill that hole. Listed the other garden trailer for sale on local sales FB pages too.


I need to have a small gravel pile somewhere for things like this.

Put them where they will be stored for the winter, then got on the Craftsman GT5000 and mowed some areas that have been needing it like along the gravel, sidewalks and septic tank drain field. Parked it where it will probably winter at but didn't bag them yet.

I'm dirty and tired! Nope no pics of the 1450 at work or the huge dust cloud the GT5000 was making mowing due to the leaves that never got raked up.

DAC

 

[CRF6179]

Since I was in the mood to mount snow plows. I tried mounting one to my custom 1277 Wheel Horse. The rear axle has fender mounting brackets that interfered with the mounting brackets for the snow plow. After re-engineering that the plow hooked right up.
Problem is the tall front tires will rub when you angle the blade. Will leave it as is for now. May eventually mount to a different Wheel Horse when I get it running.

 

[jhn9840]

Very Nice looking Wheel Horse

jhn9840
John

 

[esbbent]

I used the MF7 and cart to load up all the tractor batteries. Brought all the batteries into the garage and will put the battery chargers on them during the winter.

 

[chieffan]

I wonder how many batteries one of those battery maintainers would handle through the winter. Starting out with full charge on all of them.

Have 3 more weeks of weight restriction, gallon of milk. After that I can start doing more lifting like GT batteries, etc. Did get cleared to use my new deer stand. Rut is just starting.

 

[chieffan]

Might use the tractor and loader tomorrow morning for the first time in over 3 weeks. Picking up a 12-unit gun cabinet this morning. Could back the truck to the basement door but the ground falls asway from the door fast, which would leave the tailgate about 3' off the ground. Can strap the cabinet in the loader bucket and set it down on the ground right at the door. Be much easier. Have my usual helper coming out to help get it in the basement on a 2 wheel dolly.

 

[BMaverick]

About a week ago, we talked about tire liquid ballast. I happen to be in Menards recently,

Washer fluid that does corrode metal was there, and yes, the same stuff I posted the formula for too.



And the Pet Safe winterize coolant and no corrosion, saves you 30-cents more per gallon than washer fluid. So for about $40 to $50 per rear tire on an 8N size machine to fill. This is way cheaper than the Rimgard beet juice. And just in time prior to the snow coming.



Also got a snap of the Multi-Seal Flat-Out with liquid Kevlar to stop flats up to 1/2 inch punctures.


AND for Diesel SCUT and CUT tractors under 45Hp, the Rotella T4 10W30. Normally $21, now $16.

 

[esbbent]

I wonder how many batteries one of those battery maintainers would handle through the winter. Starting out with full charge on all of them.

Have 3 more weeks of weight restriction, gallon of milk. After that I can start doing more lifting like GT batteries, etc. Did get cleared to use my new deer stand. Rut is just starting.

I have 3 of the automatic battery chargers, I rotate thru all the batteries.