Opinions on Gehl 5635sx

[MX45]

Good Decision on a toothed bucket. Don't buy three - get a 4/1 in the toothed version, it is like having a thumb on your hand - can't grip anything without it! My 5 cents worth. I have picked up logs and can hold them while going over rough ground. I can lift out of holes without strapping. I can pull stuff away from other stuff again without chains and ropes and time, etc, etc, you get the picture.

Regards, MX45

 

[bobatack]

flip up the cab and have a peak at the linkages you are refering to (they are done simple)

 

[Parts]

Awesome! The drive motors run off the hydraulic tank - nothing separate to service. You could drain and refill if you wanted - I just did this.

You can check chain tension by following the procedure in the book. Really easy to test and really easy to adjust.

You may want to try out the T-bars for like 15-20 minutes before you make any changes. The reason they are not super stiff is so you dont have impact on your wrists. At first I found I was slightly curving but adapted quickly to keep her straight. Of course make sure tires are all the same height using a tape measure and air pressures equalized to make them the same size - otherwise you will have to fight the shorter tire(s).

If you have any questions let me know - I just what I would say was a minor restoration of a 6635 so I should be able to at least get you started on anything your 5635 needs.

 

[Tinman204]

Awesome! The drive motors run off the hydraulic tank - nothing separate to service. You could drain and refill if you wanted - I just did this.

You can check chain tension by following the procedure in the book. Really easy to test and really easy to adjust.

You may want to try out the T-bars for like 15-20 minutes before you make any changes. The reason they are not super stiff is so you dont have impact on your wrists. At first I found I was slightly curving but adapted quickly to keep her straight. Of course make sure tires are all the same height using a tape measure and air pressures equalized to make them the same size - otherwise you will have to fight the shorter tire(s).

If you have any questions let me know - I just what I would say was a minor restoration of a 6635 so I should be able to at least get you started on anything your 5635 needs.

Right on thanks for the info. I will try the t bars for a while and see what they do. I prefer the bars stay light as I'm a sheet metal worker so of course I have tennis elbow and carpal tunnel in both hands!

I find I adapt pretty quickly to most controls. We have a Volvo L90E at the company I push snow for part time. The loader controls are very touchy compared to the Cat 950g I usually run. After an hour I was just as good with the Volvo as I am with the cat. I'll play with the machine a bit until I decide if anything needs adjusent.

As for tires my good friend has a set of 4 matching tires that were used for a season of snow clearing on a new machine but we're swapped out for snow tires. He said I can have them as he's had then for several years and he said he'll never live long enough to wear out the tires on his new Holland.

I used to be a tire buster years ago so I'll swap them out this spring once it warms up.

 

[Tinman204]

Well my new toy I mean tool got dropped off this morning.

I put an hour on it before work and I will say that I am impressed.

The engine runs like a Swiss watch, hydraulics are smoth and very quiet.

And yep those t bars are super easy to get used to. Took me about 20 mins to get decent with them.

Glad I got a big machine cause it moved all the piles that my old tractor would just bouce off of.

The machine has no issues lifting the 82" snow bucket that's mounted to it. The second bucket is a 72" toothed low profile cat bucket and I'm very glad I got it.

Everything seems to work so I only have a couple small things to sort out. The door needs new weather stripping around it which will help the cab stay warmer as the right side has some missing spots and the cold air was blowing right through there.

The heater blows lots of air but the heat was just so so. I'll have to make sure the valve for the oil flow is all the way open. It may just be that it's super cold out like -38 Celsius which is as cold as cold gets.

I'm not complaining though as I ran the machine with bare hands the whole time and I was quite comfy.

Once again thanks to all who chimed in here. You guys all helped me finally pull the trigger on a skid steer purchase after 2 years are pondering it.

 

[MX45]

Enjoy,

happy it was help and not hinder for my 5c worth a few times over. Having dug with smooth edge bucket and toothed you will not regret the toothed bucket as soon as you want to 'dig'! Only weekend warrior over here in Oz with old model toys. Sounds like it is a shoe that really fits - always a good feeling when you get home from the shoe store!

Regards MX45.

 

[Jeepwalker]

Hey, glad it runs out great for you. On the heater, a couple things: 1) might be worth removing the hoses and back-flushing the heater core during the summer when it's not too cold out. A lot of crud can get in there and often back-flushing with just a garden hose can 'blow' it clean if there's stuff in it ...improve heat transfer. 2) Make sure all the interior insulation is in place. You're basically sitting in a steel box that sucks the heat out except for the little insulation that lines the cab. If some of it's missing or peeled back, that can have a big negative effect on keeping it warm inside.

Let us know after several months after you've had a chance to use it and do some things, give us your comparison feedback what it's like coming from a compact utility tractor to a skid loader. Let us know what the pros and cons are of owning each ....for hobby farm duties. A lot of guys who have the tractors probably wonder what they might gain/lose by going to a skid loader ....and the other way around for skid-only operators. Ive often wondered that when I see these nice, shiny compact tractors. Cheers.

 

[Tinman204]

Just spent an hour puttering with the 5635 and 2 hours moving snow.

I blew out the heater and that seemed to help it heat a little better. I'll clean it out better in spring.

I put new weather stripping around the door which really helped with keeping the windows clean and the drafts away.

After about an hour of clearing snow I dropped my glove down on the right side of the seat and I felt the wind blowing into the cab when I put my hand down to pick it up. Both sides have a big draft coming from where the cab meets the frame of the skid steer. I'm guessing there's a gap there that is letting the wind blow right through the cab.

I plan to raise the cab on the weekend and see if I can install some weather stripping under the bottom as that's 100% why I'm finding it a bit cold in therror cab.

As for compact tractor vs skid I will do an update after some time. At this point on the snow clearing test, I give the nod to the skid steer by a fair amount.

My tractor went faster in a straight line BUT I could never push anywhere near the amount of snow that the gehl can. With 8" of snow on the ground today I pushed the 900 foot portion of my driveway in 4 passes with the gehl. It would take like 12 passes with my tractor even if I had my 7 foot blade in the back.

Then there's the ability to move in and out of tight places. Again the Gehl smokes the tractor on speed.

So far I'm thinking I should have done this 5 years ago and not even bothered with a tractor.

I think a tractor is perfect if a person wants a single machine that does everything OK but doesn't Excell at any one job.

Just my opinion.

 

[62oliver]

Skid steer over compact tractor X10, unless you really need the 3pt hitch or pto, I think a skid steer is a far more versatile and efficient. JMHO

 

[check]

Farm tractors are easier to get in and out of. Since they are gear driven, theoretically they should last longer than hydraulic drive. Rear visibility is better. They are harder to get stuck and easier to get unstuck. I have both and honestly I seldom use the tractor for anything but the back blade since I got my skid steer. I like both.
Another thing good about farm tractors is you can buy one that's old as dirt for $3K and they are easy and cheap to maintain. A $3K skid steer would probably be a nightmare to own for anything but parts.
Farm tractors with front loaders are generally too delicate for any kind of excavation. They just don't build modern ag tractors anywhere near as rugged as construction equipment.

 

[StumpyWally]

Let us know after several months after you've had a chance to use it and do some things, give us your comparison feedback what it's like coming from a compact utility tractor to a skid loader. Let us know what the pros and cons are of owning each ....for hobby farm duties. A lot of guys who have the tractors probably wonder what they might gain/lose by going to a skid loader ....and the other way around for skid-only operators. Ive often wondered that when I see these nice, shiny compact tractors. Cheers.

I have owned a compact utility tractor with FEL since 1990 (mowed, plowed snow & worked in the woods with it). In 2012 I finally bought a skid steer, a 2012 NH L220 with cab/heat/ac & a bunch of extras & added rubber OTT that I leave on all the time. So, here's my opinion:

For plowing snow (with my hydraulically angled blade), the skiddy wins hands down. I'm warm (even have a heated seat!), & the skiddy is way more maneuverable than the tractor. And I don't have to get in & out much.

For just about everything else (in warm weather), the tractor still wins. It's easy to get on/off, even with loader part way up, the visibility is unmatched, & the ground clearance is greater. Of course I don't need it or the skiddy to dig, since I also have a mid-size excavator.

Since I almost always work by myself, the biggest problem with the skiddy is that it is such a PIA to get in & out of, & virtually impossible...not to mention unsafe...to get & out of with the loader arms part way up. If you work alone, don't underestimate your need to do this!!!

The only skiddy solution for this access problem is the unique side-entry JCB machines with the single arm. I would not consider them a production dirt machine by any means, but for ease of access they can't be beat. They excel for visibility also. But they have some short comings (can't put OTT on wheeled machine, tracked machines are very heavy, no rear hitch/drawbar/winch hookup or any provision for such).

The next best skiddy solution would be one with a slide-up door (not hinged), which would make entry easier (the opening is wider & you can leave the door up when operating). Granted, the hinged door on my NH (& most other swing-door skiddies) can easily be removed, but I've never done it, since it is somewhat of a pain & even with the door off the door opening is not full width for the full height. Only skiddies that have slide-up doors are Tak, Kubota, & maybe ASV, as far as I know.

 

[Tinman204]

Well we got a storm yesterday and my driveway drifted in pretty good. The kind of drifts that would of made me grit my teeth trying to move them with my tractor.

Had to go jump in a loader last night and clear several big parking lots so I didn't have time to clear y driveway. Normally this would be a bad move to leave the drifts as they get very hard.

Woke up this afternoon after getting home at 7 am and decided to clear the driveway.

Now that I've put a good 8 hours on the 5635sx I will say these few things.

First off, the deutz engine starts easy in super cold weather. It only smokes a little for 30 seconds or so and then smooths out to a purr. It's quiet and smooth, I really like it.

Fuel consumption seems low compared to other newer machines I've run. It uses fuel but not a ton.

Man does this thing have power, I'm glad I didn't hold out for an 80hp turbo model cause honestly I don't feel I need more power. With the 84" snow bucket that I have on it I can push a full bucket of snow to the pile, bite in and then roll the whole pile up and stack it. The motor barely slows while doing that. Reminds me of the Cat 950g I push snow with at work. I'm used to that size machine so often I find small equipment like skid steers underpowered but that isn't the case with the Gehl.

Visibility is very good from the cab, it still is a skid steer but the Gehl boom design really makes it easy to see on both sides.

The Tbar controls are so easy to use. I'd put them right up there with modern pilot controls. My only complaint with the tbars is being a big guy it makes it tough for me to get in and out without catching the left stick with the back of my left thigh. I've adapted to them being there by sliding in sideways but it's not the easiest thing to work around.

I lifted the cab today to install the cab bottom weather stripping which took a large pry bar to get it up the first 8" but after that I lifted it with ease. It is heavy but not terrible. I see why guys say its easy to work on it with the cab up. The cab layout is bare bones but everything is easy to see and straight forward. I find the cab to be roomy once inside and very comfy. I've run a brand new deere 333e ctl and I wouldn't say it's any more comfy.

At this point I will say that I'm 100% happy with my Gehl and I see why some guys swear by them.

 

[Jeepwalker]

Yeah, I always thought they were a great design. I would definitely consider owning one if I were in the market. It's been fun and educational following this thread and your purchasing process.

 

[Swannny]

the cab to chassis weatherstripping disintegrates super quickly...they used junk from the factory. I've replaced miles of that stuff it seems.

Your heater lines may be kinked going to your heater, or the valve not opened all the way by the heater. Usually they work very well. Is your oil temp gauge working? it's possible your thermostat (left front of engine I believe) is stuck open and not allowing the oil to heat all the way. Rare though.

They redesigned the lower rear edges on the 35 to 40 series. Over time the lower outer edges on the 35 series where the fuel and hydro tanks are get worn down from rubbing up against debris/dirt/gravel and start leaking. The 40 series have skirts to avoid this.

The non turbos do use less fuel, but not much less than the 80 hp versions. They sound different when running.

 

[Tinman204]

My heater hoses aren't kinked and there's no valve on either if them.

My oil gauge works great and the engine runs at I think 180f or so. I'll have to check extra time I run it.

The heater isn't factory I don't think. It's a clean factor install but it doesn't match the diagrams in the parts book I have. It worked good as long as the Temps aren't too cold. I'm going to insulate the lines and I bet that will solve the issues. I live in one of the coldest places on earth so we have a special set of problems from our level of cold.

I've spent the last week's worth of evenings tinkering with the 5635. I've cleaned and adjusted this and that. Vacuumed the interior which made it nice inside.

I'm making a list of thinks that I want to repair during the summer.

I had a leaky hose for one of the tilt cylinders which was loose but I tightened it and it seems to not be leaking now..

I'd like to replace several hoses as some of them are 20 years old and they are due for replacement. Many hoses are new so I might as well do the last couple.

The pins and bushings where the quick tach mounts to the booms have some play so I'm going to replace those as that's a good thing to do before they get too bad.

Other then that everything works as it should. I also am going to look at the drive chains as I hear a slight rattle in the drive line which sounds like a sloopy chain. I know the chains have been serviced but I'd like to have a peek in there .

Anyhow I will keep updating this thread as I go. I think I am going to paint her this summer. I've painted motorcycles and a few cars so painting a skid shouldn't be a big deal as long as I do proper prep.

 

[Swannny]

It's funny you mentioned the rattle in the drive line. I've had the 5635 and 4835 models with two digits on the hour meter only to have that rattle in the drive chains. So did my friend. We both found out it was the slack adjuster (on the right side) slapping laterally on it's pivot point. Chain tensions were well within specs too.

Would be interesting to see what is causing yours to rattle. If you going to keep yours a long time, take and make sure your chain case covers are sealed all the way across at the top so that no water can sit down in a crack....I've seen so many of these rust out just enough to dump gallons of water into the chain cases. If only they would have sealed them at the very top from the factory it would have prevented the intrusion and subsequent costly repairs.

 

[Tinman204]

It's funny you mentioned the rattle in the drive line. I've had the 5635 and 4835 models with two digits on the hour meter only to have that rattle in the drive chains. So did my friend. We both found out it was the slack adjuster (on the right side) slapping laterally on it's pivot point. Chain tensions were well within specs too.

Would be interesting to see what is causing yours to rattle. If you going to keep yours a long time, take and make sure your chain case covers are sealed all the way across at the top so that no water can sit down in a crack....I've seen so many of these rust out just enough to dump gallons of water into the chain cases. If only they would have sealed them at the very top from the factory it would have prevented the intrusion and subsequent costly repairs.

My noise sounds like its coming from the right side chain case. It's a "rattle rattle rattle" kind of sound it's not there all the time either. It comes and goes. The dealer said they went through this machine and I can see rtv sealant on the tops of both chain case covers. They apear to be well sealed.

The dealer put 150 hours on this machine since last year so I'm guessing the rattle is common. They used it for moving pallets and snow clearing so I'm sure they heard the noise.

Still though I'm the kind of guy who must lay eyes on things for myself so I bet in the near future I'll be pulling both covers to look at the chains and tensioners to make sure all is well.

Where your chain tensioners faulty or is the noise just something to get used to?

 

[Swannny]

Where your chain tensioners faulty or is the noise just something to get used to?

I've simply welded a couple shims in between the tensioner arm base and the sides of the chain case w/ bolt that holds it in place to minimize lateral movement. The 5640 (with 600 hrs.) I have currently has the same noise at times in the right chain case, but have not opened the cover at this point. Never have had to correct the problem in the left chain case for some odd reason.

 

[Tinman204]

I've simply welded a couple shims in between the tensioner arm base and the sides of the chain case w/ bolt that holds it in place to minimize lateral movement. The 5640 (with 600 hrs.) I have currently has the same noise at times in the right chain case, but have not opened the cover at this point. Never have had to correct the problem in the left chain case for some odd reason.

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it.

I'll keep you posted on what I find in there once I open it up.

I'm guessing I'll find the exact problem you described.

 

[Tinman204]

Another update for those interested.

I've put about 60 or 70 hours on the 5635 so far. I'm very very happy with it still. It starts and runs like a champ.

I've had the cab up several times and have spent some time cleaning and tidying up the engine bay.

I pulled the floor and foot rests and found a lifetime of junk under there. On top of mud and grass there was 4 wrenches, 2 screwdrivers and an 1 1/4" socket!!

My next project was to seal up all the gaps in the cab as the drafts were out of control. I stripped the entire interior out and all the front panels and sealed up everything..I made proper foam insulation for under the cab sides. The foam strip under the seat wasn't touching so I made a new one which really gets rid of engine sounds as there was a 1" gap under the whole seat right into the engine bay.

I installed a product like dynamat under the seat, behind the seat and anywhere I could get at. I then put 2 layers of bubble foil insulation over that and finished up with some nice black carpet. Total cost was about $65 and the difference in the sound level in the cab is quite drastic..



I'm really happy with how it turned out. I have quite a bit of hearing damage from years of construction and riding motorcycles so I like a quinter cab. I do wear eye defenders but I found the noise was still pretty bad..

Next up was sorting out the heater in here. I removed it and found that the outlet pipe coming out of the heater was very kinked so my brother is going to remove the 90s and solder new ones on. The heater gets hots but once you turn the fan on the heat seems to die down like it wasn't getting enough oil.

Other then that I've just been using and enjoying it. It's a great machine and can lift way more then it should!!

The gehl controls are great and I find I can use them for hours without getting tired..

I'll keep updating my progress as I go. I have a couple of cylinders to rebuild and I still haven't opened up the right chain case to find my rattle. There's not much on gelhs on the internet so I figure if I post as a go on here it should maybe help others out.