Skid Steer + CTL Pictures!

[durallymax]

Added some LED side lights to the 262D. One of the things I stressed when the engineers were out awhile back was better lights. No options for better lights so I made my own. Theres more to come, this is just the beginning. I like bright white lights. With all of our other equipment either full of HIDs from the factory or upgraded with newer LEDs that outperform HIDs, the halogens on the 262 seem poor. They are decent for a halogen though.

 

[Desertwheeler]

Very nice!! I have a light addiction myself and like bright lights.

 

[durallymax]

Very nice!! I have a light addiction myself and like bright lights.

Starts with one or two and then you have to do every piece of equipment you own because they seem so much worse afterwards. The LED tech has finally gotten good enough for a low enough price that they are worth putting on. I don't like HID's, factory ones are fine but aftermarket ballasts that are affordable have a lot of interference and take more work to install than LED's. LED's that perform good dont "look" factory though so some people don't like them. I have had some interference issues with LED's using PWM but ferrite chokes can help with it somewhat. As long as you dont listen to AM radio its not too bad. FM radio still gets some interference on some stations sometimes. I always use an iPod, or my phone on pandora, spotify, etc. Radio sucks these days.

I tried mounting some 40w (4x10w emitters) in place of the front 70mm halogens but there wasn't enough room. The 10w emitters are very nice and bright but most of the lights they are in do not flood very well. I don't want to spend the money, but may put some 70mm HID's from the same company that supplies the Halogen 70mm for Cat. Cat offers them in 24v but not 12v. Cat prices are actually cheaper. I could try their LED too but its very pricey. I'm used to the prices buying direct from China, so once things get over $100 per light I start getting hesitant.

 

[durallymax]

Door kit for the hydro fill showed up, so I put that on today quick. Less than 100, not too bad, takes 10 minutes to install but should be standard IMO. Maybe some people don't want it or its just considered an added cost thats easily installed later if someone wants it. I was going to padlock it but then quick checked the parts book and found the kit. Part number for kit is 345-5504. The handle simply turns 90* to unlatch it and can be locked with a key or left unlocked if desired.

Before (I put a tamper tag on it to keep people out)



After

 

[murphy777]

Its really a shame these days that it has come to the point where we have to padlock the hydro fill cap….I get locking your 500 gallon shop fuel tank, and locking your tool shed etc….. but it is already hard enough for the honest guys to keep up with cost of business. All the same I hope the lock keeps the riff raff out.
My problem is the local hoodlums taking my small equipment gas cans out of the back of the truck, I want to fill them with water and sugar to teach them a lesson.

 

[durallymax]

Our machines don't sit on jobsites, the reason for the lock is simply to prevent fuel from being put in the hydro tank. Sure it says no fuel, but I can understand why someone would make the mistake when you consider the fact that the B series machines fuel fill is basically in the same location as the hydro on the D. The C series fuel fill is in the rear like the D, but not every person is that observant. They see the hydro fill cap on the outside before opening the rear door. It has little to do with laziness or a language barrier or dishonest people. Honestly our guys all know by now where to fill it up, the concern I had was the person who figured they would be nice and quick top it off after they used it or something. Someone unfamiliar with the machine.

 

[murphy777]

Ahhh I see, some one stealing a little hydro oil would be small potatoes compared to someone adding a few gallons of diesel to the hydro tank….hahha Im glad its not a theft issue for you.

 

[CRAFT]

Our machines don't sit on jobsites, the reason for the lock is simply to prevent fuel from being put in the hydro tank. Sure it says no fuel, but I can understand why someone would make the mistake when you consider the fact that the B series machines fuel fill is basically in the same location as the hydro on the D. The C series fuel fill is in the rear like the D, but not every person is that observant. They see the hydro fill cap on the outside before opening the rear door. It has little to do with laziness or a language barrier or dishonest people. Honestly our guys all know by now where to fill it up, the concern I had was the person who figured they would be nice and quick top it off after they used it or something. Someone unfamiliar with the machine.

Almost as SMART as Ford putting the DEF filler in the same location as the Fuel Fill cap on an F-450 …… A Buddy of mine, a Master Tech at a Ford Dealer had a Dumb A** Apprentice put 2 Gallons of DEF into the fuel tank of a 6.7L (the Truck was in for an Oil change and service under Warranty)……. END RESULT !!! ….. cost the Dealership over $37,000 to fix …. they had to replace the COMPLETE fuel system ….. Tank, Fuel lines, injector pumps, injectors, Turbo etc. ….

 

[durallymax]

Not the first time I've heard of that issue, or the 10th time either.....

 

[pafarmer]

Added some LED side lights to the 262D. One of the things I stressed when the engineers were out awhile back was better lights. No options for better lights so I made my own. Theres more to come, this is just the beginning. I like bright white lights. With all of our other equipment either full of HIDs from the factory or upgraded with newer LEDs that outperform HIDs, the halogens on the 262 seem poor. They are decent for a halogen though.

View attachment 122357

Cool light package durallymax ! Did you change the bulbs in the factory lights on the front of the machine ? If so, what did you go with ? And can I come and hunt deer on your farm ? It's looks like an awesome farm...I have a small farm here in Pa. A little more than 400 acres, used to be a working dairy but nothing like your working dairy farm...

 

[durallymax]

Cool light package durallymax ! Did you change the bulbs in the factory lights on the front of the machine ? If so, what did you go with ? And can I come and hunt deer on your farm ? It's looks like an awesome farm...I have a small farm here in Pa. A little more than 400 acres, used to be a working dairy but nothing like your working dairy farm...

Haven't swapped the front lights yet. Wont be a bulb swap though, entire assembly. I'd prefer to stay LED but Cat doesn't leave a lot of room up there without having lights sticking out way past the roof. In the rear I'll have to make new brackets that allow the light to sit in deeper if I put some back there.

Theres a few people that hunt here, never seem to get anything too exciting though.

 

[pafarmer]

Haven't swapped the front lights yet. Wont be a bulb swap though, entire assembly. I'd prefer to stay LED but Cat doesn't leave a lot of room up there without having lights sticking out way past the roof. In the rear I'll have to make new brackets that allow the light to sit in deeper if I put some back there.

Theres a few people that hunt here, never seem to get anything too exciting though.

Very interested to see what you end up with on the lights. I need a better lighting system on a few on my machines. We will be running in the dark here before long with fall bearing down on us...

 

[Desertwheeler]

Check out visionx lights I think they have some about the same size but not too deep so they stick out.

 

[durallymax]

Ha, no thanks. No way I'm paying those prices. The stuff I buy is nearly identical to their stuff just 10 times cheaper. I

 

[DirtCrawler]

Durallymax do you still have your 262c or did you trade it in for the 262d?
Can you offer your opinions on the fuel usage for the new 'D' vs the old 'C'. Good/Bad, Worse/Better?

 

[Desertwheeler]

Ya they aren't cheap. But I have the cheap China lights and some more expensive ones and the difference is amazing. Granted they aren't a lot more but 150 a pair versus 90, not like rigids at 200-350 a pair. I'd have to compare them to the ones on my 226 for size but they sure don't seem much bigger. Check out a company called motoalliance their lights are very bright and reasonable. I run them on my rzr.

 

[durallymax]

Durallymax do you still have your 262c or did you trade it in for the 262d?
Can you offer your opinions on the fuel usage for the new 'D' vs the old 'C'. Good/Bad, Worse/Better?

Traded the 262C2 for 262D, can't really comment on the fuel usage part but there are some very nice improvements over the C/C2. Still some things I don't agree with, but overall a huge improvement.

Ya they aren't cheap. But I have the cheap China lights and some more expensive ones and the difference is amazing. Granted they aren't a lot more but 150 a pair versus 90, not like rigids at 200-350 a pair. I'd have to compare them to the ones on my 226 for size but they sure don't seem much bigger. Check out a company called motoalliance their lights are very bright and reasonable. I run them on my rzr.

The difference isn't that amazing if you are comparing the same lights. I don't pay anywhere near that for a pair, buy three pairs for that. Thanks though.

226 and any other B series light setup is a lot different on the front than on the D series, a lot more room to work with, I've upgraded our B's as well.

 

[hmearth]

Another day at the office

 

[JNB]

Nice setup there Hock, You didn't take much time off to let that digit heal!

 

[hmearth]

Yeh and I'm suffering for it to