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Pilot controls to H pattern

Canuck Digger

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Just thinking here. If one is used to and already has a machine with H pattern, and another brand machine only has pilot controls, can it be switched to H pattern by switching the hoses around or is there more to it. Thx.
 

KSSS

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Skid steers are not like excavators. What brand of pilot machine is it?
 

heymccall

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White Oak, Pa
Most machines can be configured differently. The answer varies by brand and model.

Personally, I find the H pattern to be more fatiguing. You'll learn fast.
 

mg2361

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All I see is in your profile... "Fishing Guide".......I'm on the next plane out with my fishing gear......LOL:D!
 

phil314

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I've had an 1845c with H pattern for 20+ years. I recently got an S650 with pilot controls. It took me a bit to learn, but now I really prefer the pilot controls more. It's funny, I can actually jump in either machine now and it's no problem, kind of muscle memory and my brain automatically switches when I switch machines.
 

Canuck Digger

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All I see is in your profile... "Fishing Guide".......I'm on the next plane out with my fishing gear......LOL:D!
C'mon up. Your dollar is real good. It'll cost you next to nothing... lol. A 6ft. fresh water fish tail walking never gets old.

Back to the original post.. Let's say a TK/Gehl machine. I'm sure I'd learn fast but my Case 445 only has H pattern, not sure I'd want to run 2 sets of controls, especially having guys jump in that don't operate much. I've run pilot as well in a Kubota, just want to keep things the same.
 

John C.

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I've seen one older Cat machine changed to an H pattern. Most people who had gotten in it to move it around weren't thrilled with the controls.
 

KSSS

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Perhaps I can clear some confusion. Pilot controls refers not to a pattern but a method of control. Pilot controls can be had in H pattern or ISO. Bobcat controls are E/H not pilot. CASE offers/offered a hyd. conversion kit to change the pilot controls back and forth from ISO to H and H and ISO on 400 Series 3 machines. CAT I believe had a similar kit on their A and B series machines. CAT makes you buy additional software for the H conversion on their EH controls which is their C and D machines, which is BS CASE, DEERE, BC and I think everyone else as well all offer it as standard equipment. Komatsu had a selector switch like a mini ex, which as of a couple years ago still had it under patent. It did not work very well, not nearly as well as they do on a mini ex. Taki put one on their recent machines, it doesn't work that great either.
 

KSSS

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I should clarify Komatsu and Taki used/use a selector switch on pilot controlled machines. The switch on both isn't the issue but rather the performance of the controls isn't as good as it is when it is a dedicated pattern.

I am not sure how anyone can have two machines with different controls. If you are able to jump in a machine and your brain can automatically know that and compensate, you are truly one of kind. Only if your not really experienced in either can I see how that can work. Not trying to judge, just stating that the more proficient you are in one pattern, the more difficult it is to go back and forth. Not to over use a term "muscle memory" but it applies here. A lot of what you do in a SSL is repetition, often without conscious thought your doing it. (you need to raise the bucket, your brain goes into auto mode and makes it happen by sending the message to the appropriate muscle groups). It would be no different running a backhoe and changing between ISO and SAE (Cat vs Deere). Pretty hard to do and maintain a high level of production.
 

62oliver

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Nov 25, 2016
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A couple years ago a friend rented a new Gehl R175 and a brushing head to clear bush roads on his trapline, and asked me to run it for him. It had E/H controls in I guess what you call ISO? (All travel functions on left, boom and bucket on right)
The first day on that machine was a nightmare for me, as you had to run wide open throttle for the brushing head and I found the controls way too sensitive, it made for some pretty rough looking operating, as I had only ever run an old bobcat for many years and now have a Case 90xt.
After the first day I went into the menu on the dash and found that I could change it to H pattern (like my Case), and it also had a sensitivity setting and it was cranked right up to max.
So I changed it to H-pattern and knocked the sensitivity down a couple notches and it was great!!
Good features to have in a rental machine, I wish they would have showed me that when we picked the machine up!
 

Nige

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G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
........Good features to have in a rental machine, I wish they would have showed me that when we picked the machine up!
That's why everyone should RTFB (Read the F**king Book) before operating a machine. I'd expect even a rental to have an Operator Manual in the cab, and if it didn't I wouldn't accept delivery until it had unless it was a model I was already familiar with. YMMV.
 

John C.

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Actually it's a law in the state I live in. All heavy equipment is required to have an O & M manual in the machine at all times. Problem is that there is no way to enforce that and like "everyone knows how to run any machine" right.
 
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