• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

My first track loader!

boone

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
AL
Thanks for the nice pics boone. Is the tree behind your machine in the first pic part of the pond area?

The pictures of the pond turned our blurry for some reason so I didn't post them. In the first pic, the pond is actually straight ahead up over the rise as you look at the picture. The pond is "uphill" from where I took the pic...no wonder it's dry :) Actually, it was fed by run off from the hills around it and believe it or not use to hold quite a bit of water.

In the second pic, the loader is in the same spot as the first. The pond is just to right of the picture frame. You can see in the foreground where we've been pulling the banks down and weeds are growing back up. The fresh dirt is where we did some clearing of trees and is the remainder of the bank.

In the third and fourth pic, the loader is pointed straight for the pond.
 

sealark37

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2012
Messages
120
Location
Davidson, NC
Occupation
Retired pilot, old equipment mechanic
Help!!! Hey boone- I love your pictures. Would you clue me in on how the get from "My Pictures" to posting them like your shots? I tried, but it appears that my photo size is WAY too big for the forum. I am not computer illiterate, but I'm not the sharpest bye in the bin. Thanks, and Regards, Clark
 

sealark37

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2012
Messages
120
Location
Davidson, NC
Occupation
Retired pilot, old equipment mechanic
Hello Boone- Just a word of thanks for your help on posting pics. I am now operating on a new level in the digital world. Regards, Clark
 

wannabe

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2012
Messages
14
Location
Missouri
hello Boone , thank you for your thread, having just recently joined H E F , and just bought my first loader, your thread has been a great story from beginning to now, you are an amazing story teller.
 

boone

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
AL
Thanks wannabe! Congrats on your loader. What kind did you get and what are you going to do with it?
 

stequipment

New Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
1
Location
miami
hello, new to the forum i have a cat 303cr excavator and need help replacing a new ignition can anyone tell me how to properly post this? thanks!
 

wannabe

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2012
Messages
14
Location
Missouri
thank you, After a month and a half of kicking tracks and haggeling over price I became the not so proud owner of a john deere 450 c . It was an older machine but seemed fairly tight and ran out nicely . the thing will start by barely turning the engine over. After having it delivered to the farm , I ran it for a bit to see what the beast would do. pushed down a tree or two and buried a few rocks that were always in my way . I then set to work on breaking the dam to our pond ( the real reason for the purchase ) I felt a pop that felt like I had crunched a rock in the tracks. on close inspection I found a fresh cut grooove in the counter weight on the left sprocket . it was caused by the lower track rail rubbing against it.I moved her back to the shop and power washed it down , jacked it up and began my journey into despair. I was quick to learn that JD stands for just dumb . I think in that time period , john deere was hiring engineers from kindergarden. it seemed as if they were to take a bad idea and see how much worse it could be made. all in all, If I didn't love that kind of work , I could have a time bashing John Deere
 

boone

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
AL
hello, new to the forum i have a cat 303cr excavator and need help replacing a new ignition can anyone tell me how to properly post this? thanks!

Hello stequipment. After three posts you can create your own thread in the excavator section. I'm sure someone can help you out.

thank you, After a month and a half of kicking tracks and haggeling over price I became the not so proud owner of a john deere 450 c . It was an older machine but seemed fairly tight and ran out nicely . the thing will start by barely turning the engine over. After having it delivered to the farm , I ran it for a bit to see what the beast would do. pushed down a tree or two and buried a few rocks that were always in my way . I then set to work on breaking the dam to our pond ( the real reason for the purchase ) I felt a pop that felt like I had crunched a rock in the tracks. on close inspection I found a fresh cut grooove in the counter weight on the left sprocket . it was caused by the lower track rail rubbing against it.I moved her back to the shop and power washed it down , jacked it up and began my journey into despair. I was quick to learn that JD stands for just dumb . I think in that time period , john deere was hiring engineers from kindergarden. it seemed as if they were to take a bad idea and see how much worse it could be made. all in all, If I didn't love that kind of work , I could have a time bashing John Deere

Bummer - don't you love buying something, hoping to get some good use out of it and then you end up working on it more than the jobs you lined up for it. Been there. I guess they can all have problems especially the older ones. Your not the only one I've heard who had less than flattering things to say about those models. I'm sure you'll get some good work on it once all the bugs are worked out and you'll get even more satisfaction out of using it. Plus you'll know what you've got and can keep or sell it. Best of luck with it!
 

boone

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
AL
Lots of dirt work this weekend. We put some finishing touches on one side of knoll that was covered in trees and rock. The loader has proven it's worth in this area. We've pushed out rocks as big as cows and dug holes to bury it all. The pictures you'll see were once covered in trees. Under the trees were rocks, ledges and steep dips. The before pictures I'll show are after the trees and brush were taken out. Our goal was to make this bushhogable. We used two 8' box blades and a 6' rock rake. I went and bought myself a tractor earlier this summer. It's had it's fair share of issues which I documented here on a TBN brand specific forum.

Here are some before shots after most of the undergrowth was cleared last year. Rocks were jettin' up out of the ground all over this area.


before1-640.jpg


Same shot, just down the hill a little. This was the first of about 6 holes on this side of the knoll...back when I was carrying the dirt out.


before4-640.jpg


After. There are approximately 6 holes in this area, including the big one's in my recent posts. The darker spots are where we got a bucket of rich dirt and used the loader to fill in some depressions.


after4-640.jpg
 

boone

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
AL
Just below the cabin rocks were everywhere. I hated working in this.

before2-640.jpg

After.

after2-640.jpg

after2a-640.jpg

Another before shot looking left in front of the cabin.

before3-640.jpg

We added some dirt in this area to fill in some steep spots.

after3-640.jpg
 

boone

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
AL
One of the big holes

before-hole.JPG

After. There were at least 4 holes dug in this spot before we filled in.

after-hole-640.jpg

DSC04927-640.jpg

I used the loader to cut a world of dirt off the top of this little hill. I'm finally learning to take a crown out and grade somewhat with it without making a washboard. I pushed it down the side to take the steepness out of this area. This area was bush hogable but it was rough and steep. Our 4x4 tractors would spin in some spots going up because of some depressions in this hill. Now the little Kubota can go side ways over the whole thing.

DSC04918-640.jpg

This ending of this section has a been a long time coming. We sowed 60 lbs of Kentucy 31 fescue and hopefully we get a good crop.
 

robin yates uk

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2011
Messages
643
Location
philippines
One of the big holes

View attachment 94541

After. There were at least 4 holes dug in this spot before we filled in.

View attachment 94540

View attachment 94543

I used the loader to cut a world of dirt off the top of this little hill. I'm finally learning to take a crown out and grade somewhat with it without making a washboard. I pushed it down the side to take the steepness out of this area. This area was bush hogable but it was rough and steep. Our 4x4 tractors would spin in some spots going up because of some depressions in this hill. Now the little Kubota can go side ways over the whole thing.

View attachment 94542

This ending of this section has a been a long time coming. We sowed 60 lbs of Kentucy 31 fescue and hopefully we get a good crop.

the topsoil looks perfect for your fescue,good harvest guaranteed!
 

boone

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
AL
Thanks O&W. I sure hope we have good harvest robin. All we need is a little shower.
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,248
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
All we need is a little shower.

How has the rain been farther north? We have been soaked over the last month. One day a couple of weeks ago it rained 4" in one day.:rolleyes: The rain has caused some serious delays on the project I am working on however we missed most of the soaking rains from Issac in Central AL. I was praying that Issac would take a straight turn towards the midwest and give those folks some water.;)
 

boone

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
AL
How has the rain been farther north? We have been soaked over the last month. One day a couple of weeks ago it rained 4" in one day.:rolleyes: The rain has caused some serious delays on the project I am working on however we missed most of the soaking rains from Issac in Central AL. I was praying that Issac would take a straight turn towards the midwest and give those folks some water.;)

Mostly the same as you. We've had about 12-13" this month but most of was in the first couple of weeks of the month. Hasn't rain much to mention of in the last couple of weeks. We're getting some showers today. I was praying the same thing about Issac taking some rain out west. Sounds like it's dumping plenty on southern MS and LA. :eek:
 

Georgia Iron

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
871
Location
USA - Georgia
Occupation
Concrete building slab and grading contractor
Hey Boone. How much does your machine weight in at? I looked around and see it somewhere at 30k to 35k? Also I was wondering if you have used a Cat 953? Just wondering how a front engine machine compares to a rear engine machine. I was looking at your pictures and noticed that it seems like you guys are using the tractor to finish out your grading which looks nice. I currently have not figured out how to do my final grading with just my 53. Getting close but just not there yet.
 

boone

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
AL
Georgia Iron, it weighs about 32k lbs. I've never worked any loader except this one so can't say how it would compare to a rear engine machine. All I can say is visibility on this machine is not that great. The tractors have been great as we can kinda rough grade and loosen the dirt with the loader and the tractors can finish it out and fix any boo-boos.

We had some pretty big storms yesterday. I rode over today and didn't wash out too bad. Just hope it didn't wash all our seed away :rolleyes:
 
Top