Kater
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2014
- Messages
- 93
- Location
- Northern IL
- Occupation
- Retired (computer teacher and marketing/advertisin
That is so totally BEAUTIFUL. 
-
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!
User Improvements to New Holland L220 SSL & Attachments
- Thread starter StumpyWally
- Start date
Georgia Iron
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2012
- Messages
- 875
- Location
- USA - Georgia
- Occupation
- Concrete building slab and grading contractor
Quote: Not to be contentious, but I would add the words "could be" to your statement to be a little more accurate of reality, imho. I've lost track of how many skid steers/compact loaders I've owned/operated (well over a 100, no junkie pieces either) and have climbed out of them with the boom up with no safety lock. Of course, I don't hang out and dilly dally underneath it either, but I think the risk of getting severely injured or killed in a car accident is much higher. We all take varying degrees of risks each day. Life is one of them.*
A word of caution. I have done the same thing, it is probably ok if your safetys all work and the joysticks do not move if you leave the seat. I of course bypassed all safetys on one of my machines and jumped up to get out. The boom was down which is lucky for me cause my pant pocket caught the joystick and holy **** it was all I could do to get back up right and stop the merry go round. I try to get out slower now and always try to throttle down.
A word of caution. I have done the same thing, it is probably ok if your safetys all work and the joysticks do not move if you leave the seat. I of course bypassed all safetys on one of my machines and jumped up to get out. The boom was down which is lucky for me cause my pant pocket caught the joystick and holy **** it was all I could do to get back up right and stop the merry go round. I try to get out slower now and always try to throttle down.
Last edited:
RCTech9
Well-Known Member
Any new mods to share? How is the skidsteer holding up? How many hours do you have on it?
StumpyWally
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2011
- Messages
- 516
- Occupation
- PE Civil Eng'r, Computer Sys. Mgr., Retired
This summer I made a minor mod - added boom guides to help center the boom when it is in its full down position. Haven't photoed or written it up yet.
It currently has only 62 hrs on it...just a baby...it turns out I use it mainly in the winter to plow my snow. Warm cab & all, you know...The rest of the year I find I still use my 1990 Ford 1320 fwd diesel tractor/loader much more. Probably because it's SO much easier to mount/dismount & the visibility (no cab) is unequaled. It's still the handiest piece of equipment I ever bought!!
Except for some battery/starting/electrical problems I'm currently having with the SSL, it's fine. You can read about my current issue here: https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/showthread.php?55481-Battery-for-Skid-Steer
I figured I would post this over here, rather than over in my wiring thread. Stumpy had inquired as to my opinion of the NH l220.
We bought the 2012 220 this summer with about 500 hours on it from the great craigslist.
In the past we had a lx465 (1997) that we ran from 900 hours to 6000 hours(~?) where the screen stopped. It has been rock solid and still is. Just small and cab-less. We also have a LS160 that we bought new and is now pushing 5600 hours. Also has been a rock. One cracked weld on the arms and minor repairs (hoses, etc). Thus my fathers desire to stick to NH. I drove a few JD, and a lot of gehls, just liked the NH.
So far, and we have only put about 100 hours on it, its been fine. The hydraulic quick attach is the best improvement over the LS160 and as usually the ride is nice. The cab is much nicer than anything else I've been in, larger, taller, better visual and a better seat. I'm looking forward to snow removal this year in that cozy cab, but I'll let you know when we get some serious hours on it.
Also, I stopped at a dealer in norther WI for something else, they had a massive collection of 220s on the lot and said they have been there best seller. So, must be somewhat popular.
Here is a very random pic I took after mixing feed last night:
I promise that photo is right side up when I uploaded. Perhaps my computer drank my drink?
Really perhaps I should just get a 'brief history of my poor farm skid steers' thread.....
We bought the 2012 220 this summer with about 500 hours on it from the great craigslist.
In the past we had a lx465 (1997) that we ran from 900 hours to 6000 hours(~?) where the screen stopped. It has been rock solid and still is. Just small and cab-less. We also have a LS160 that we bought new and is now pushing 5600 hours. Also has been a rock. One cracked weld on the arms and minor repairs (hoses, etc). Thus my fathers desire to stick to NH. I drove a few JD, and a lot of gehls, just liked the NH.
So far, and we have only put about 100 hours on it, its been fine. The hydraulic quick attach is the best improvement over the LS160 and as usually the ride is nice. The cab is much nicer than anything else I've been in, larger, taller, better visual and a better seat. I'm looking forward to snow removal this year in that cozy cab, but I'll let you know when we get some serious hours on it.
Also, I stopped at a dealer in norther WI for something else, they had a massive collection of 220s on the lot and said they have been there best seller. So, must be somewhat popular.
Here is a very random pic I took after mixing feed last night:
I promise that photo is right side up when I uploaded. Perhaps my computer drank my drink?
Really perhaps I should just get a 'brief history of my poor farm skid steers' thread.....
Last edited:
StumpyWally
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2011
- Messages
- 516
- Occupation
- PE Civil Eng'r, Computer Sys. Mgr., Retired
Improvement # 26 - Boom Guides
I noticed that the boom was not exactly centered on the boom stop brackets as the boom is lowered all the way.
So, I got 2 metal plates, put a slight bend on the top 1/3rd, & bolted them to the outside of the boom stop brackets. Total cost was less than $10, & they work great. Here are photos of the guide on each side.
I noticed that the boom was not exactly centered on the boom stop brackets as the boom is lowered all the way.
So, I got 2 metal plates, put a slight bend on the top 1/3rd, & bolted them to the outside of the boom stop brackets. Total cost was less than $10, & they work great. Here are photos of the guide on each side.
pafarmer
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2010
- Messages
- 883
- Location
- Somewhere in the woods !
- Occupation
- Land clearing, demo, site prep etc. Ex Pro Motocro
Nice work stumpster ! Getting some mileage and alternate usage out of your winch. I like the tractor drawbar mount best..
May have to steal that one from you for my Johnny deere...well done, quality workmanship...
May have to steal that one from you for my Johnny deere...well done, quality workmanship...
StumpyWally
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2011
- Messages
- 516
- Occupation
- PE Civil Eng'r, Computer Sys. Mgr., Retired
"Stumpster"...I like it!!
By all means, feel free to copy. Since my original posting of the drawbar mount, I've added to it to carry counterweights, since I've drained the brine out of the loaded tires of my tractor. Here are some pics I just took today...
It turns out I've used the winch almost exclusively on my tractor, "cleaning the woods" as I call it...I should call it "swamp logging" because of the wetness & mud...I'm sick of mud!! The winch allows me to pull out deadfall that I can't get close to because of the mud. I'm enjoying this unusually warm December weather, but if the mud would freeze hard it would be a lot easier & I'd stay a lot cleaner!!
StumpyWally
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2011
- Messages
- 516
- Occupation
- PE Civil Eng'r, Computer Sys. Mgr., Retired
LyonsFarm - I agree...I've picked up & moved a full pallet of used bricks I stacked, which must have been well over a ton...keep in mind that the tipping load of a L220 is 4,000 pounds, so I'm not surprised, but glad to hear that you just about proved it!!
garry w
Member
I have a L 250 Its now just over one year old with aprox 600 hours Its been trouble free and I really like it Mainly use it fo snow removal an some landscaping I traded in my 2012 L250 cause of elec issues that could not be resolved before my warranty ran out Ican see that im going to have to have some of these improvements Thanks for these ideas
StumpyWally
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2011
- Messages
- 516
- Occupation
- PE Civil Eng'r, Computer Sys. Mgr., Retired
Could you be more specific about the "elec issues" you had with your 2012 L250?? Some detailed info from you could maybe save me some headaches with my Q4 2012 NH L220, as well as maybe shed some light on an intermittent cranking problem I've experienced (https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/showthread.php?55481-Starter-Cranking-Problems-for-NH-L220&p=603428#post603428)
garry w
Member
in cold weather it would set fault codes you would lose boom and bucket control would have shut off eng an restart to continue Dealer then reprogramed computer it worked ok for a day or two then it came back NH then installed new elec control valve for aprox 4500 on warranty no more issues warranty dies at one year but seems ok In November we get acold snap an its back drive it out of heated shop works for while then starts all over It would sometimes every time you touched the boom or bucket controls set the fault codes We put in ultra thin arctic synthetic oils which helped but did not totally cure it Ended up trading it in to original dealer New one has three year warranty but no issues at all
StumpyWally
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2011
- Messages
- 516
- Occupation
- PE Civil Eng'r, Computer Sys. Mgr., Retired
Gary - Thanks for the info...boy, sounds like you really got a "lemon"....I haven't gotten a single fault code yet. Given your bad experience, I'm surprised you stayed with NH & traded for a newer model, rather than go to another brand. Any reason??
But, I'm glad your newer one is working OK.
But, I'm glad your newer one is working OK.
Jeepwalker
Senior Member
Nice write up! Couple things I thought of:
1) Is there a fire extinguisher bracket inside your loader? That might be a good mod if there isn't, and keep an exstinguisher with you (that leads to my next point)
2) I would be VERY concerned about installing a cheap plastic fuel filter, maybe I'm just overly cautious. Please don't take this as disrespect, but IMO, I think it could be a 'weak link' in your system and a potential 'future' fire. Diesel's vibrate, skids get knocked around, and should the filter crack and leak due to age or poor mfgr, which I think is a very real possibility, all your hard work would go up in smoke before you could do anything about it. With the cab and all, you wouldn't even know if there was a fire back there until the unit quit working and by the time you saw it and got out of the cab, it would be too late, probably even with a fire extinguisher. I don't even know if a regular homeowner's insurance policy would cover a burnt skid loader, unless it is specifically added?? Anyway, that would be a shame given all the work you've put into it. Maybe it's just me but I've seen more than a couple fairly new NH skids that were burned up for sale on the internet (for parts), maybe that plastic filter was the cause?? I even looked at a burnt NH in person as a possible rebuild, priced up the parts, etc. The one I looked at didn't look too badly burnt, but given the cost of parts, and the amount of electronics, major re wring, and all the half-melted aluminum engine parts, even if I did all the work myself, it was plain to see a small fire renders a modern skid cost prohibitive to repair. I would consider hard-piping a separate remote diesel-rated canister filter in an easy to get to location away from the top of the engine, and ensure all your new electrical work is secure and well protected. Hard-piping projects are fun too, to get all the lines bent and looking nice. After seeing that burnt skid loader I looked at, I keep a fire extinguisher in mine all the time.
3) Rear Door Hinge Mod - I don't recall what the rear door hinges look like on your NH model, but for most skid loaders, the rear door hinges seem to be poorly engineered and due to the weight of the door, they wear funny and sag after time and look like crap. Is that a possible future problem with the NH 220?
Other than that, great work. I like the Mirrors idea. Something I'm going to replicate on mine. I don't work around trees too much.
1) Is there a fire extinguisher bracket inside your loader? That might be a good mod if there isn't, and keep an exstinguisher with you (that leads to my next point)
2) I would be VERY concerned about installing a cheap plastic fuel filter, maybe I'm just overly cautious. Please don't take this as disrespect, but IMO, I think it could be a 'weak link' in your system and a potential 'future' fire. Diesel's vibrate, skids get knocked around, and should the filter crack and leak due to age or poor mfgr, which I think is a very real possibility, all your hard work would go up in smoke before you could do anything about it. With the cab and all, you wouldn't even know if there was a fire back there until the unit quit working and by the time you saw it and got out of the cab, it would be too late, probably even with a fire extinguisher. I don't even know if a regular homeowner's insurance policy would cover a burnt skid loader, unless it is specifically added?? Anyway, that would be a shame given all the work you've put into it. Maybe it's just me but I've seen more than a couple fairly new NH skids that were burned up for sale on the internet (for parts), maybe that plastic filter was the cause?? I even looked at a burnt NH in person as a possible rebuild, priced up the parts, etc. The one I looked at didn't look too badly burnt, but given the cost of parts, and the amount of electronics, major re wring, and all the half-melted aluminum engine parts, even if I did all the work myself, it was plain to see a small fire renders a modern skid cost prohibitive to repair. I would consider hard-piping a separate remote diesel-rated canister filter in an easy to get to location away from the top of the engine, and ensure all your new electrical work is secure and well protected. Hard-piping projects are fun too, to get all the lines bent and looking nice. After seeing that burnt skid loader I looked at, I keep a fire extinguisher in mine all the time.
3) Rear Door Hinge Mod - I don't recall what the rear door hinges look like on your NH model, but for most skid loaders, the rear door hinges seem to be poorly engineered and due to the weight of the door, they wear funny and sag after time and look like crap. Is that a possible future problem with the NH 220?
Other than that, great work. I like the Mirrors idea. Something I'm going to replicate on mine. I don't work around trees too much.
Last edited:
StumpyWally
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2011
- Messages
- 516
- Occupation
- PE Civil Eng'r, Computer Sys. Mgr., Retired
Jeepwalker: Thanks for the write up compliment...
No, it doesn't have a fire extinguisher bracket anywhere. Having never had a piece of equipment have a fire, that wasn't on my mind, but your suggestion is good. I'll think about it.
As to the plastic fuel filter on top of the engine, I never gave that a thought either. I guess I felt that it was so visible that I would see any problem it had. Also, it's the most often replaced filter on the whole machine, so it stays in good condition (except for getting dirty). But I just checked inside the box of the last spare in-line fuel filter I bought & discovered that they are now all metal, no plastic. So, I guess NH shared some of your concern.
As to the rear door hinges, I don't think they are going to be a problem.
No, it doesn't have a fire extinguisher bracket anywhere. Having never had a piece of equipment have a fire, that wasn't on my mind, but your suggestion is good. I'll think about it.
As to the plastic fuel filter on top of the engine, I never gave that a thought either. I guess I felt that it was so visible that I would see any problem it had. Also, it's the most often replaced filter on the whole machine, so it stays in good condition (except for getting dirty). But I just checked inside the box of the last spare in-line fuel filter I bought & discovered that they are now all metal, no plastic. So, I guess NH shared some of your concern.
As to the rear door hinges, I don't think they are going to be a problem.
garry w
Member
stayed with NH cause they only local dealer
StumpyWally
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2011
- Messages
- 516
- Occupation
- PE Civil Eng'r, Computer Sys. Mgr., Retired
Improvement #27 - Front Step v3.0
In post #68 I describe my 2nd attempt at a front step using stronger plastic pipe. Unfortunately, last year I broke the plastic pipe when I carelessly ran it into a large stick stuck in frozen ground! So, I finally decided to come up with a better design & one that was made out of steel so it couldn't break so easily. This is what I came up with...
It's made from 1/8"x1-1/2' steel flat, 1/8"x1-1/2"X1-1/2"S steel angle, & a piece of scrap steel grating, all held together with bolts. Total cost was about $30. The step is about 11" wide x 9" front-to-back. And this design doesn't block the holes in the tie-down/lift brackets. I should have done it this way to begin with!
In post #68 I describe my 2nd attempt at a front step using stronger plastic pipe. Unfortunately, last year I broke the plastic pipe when I carelessly ran it into a large stick stuck in frozen ground! So, I finally decided to come up with a better design & one that was made out of steel so it couldn't break so easily. This is what I came up with...
It's made from 1/8"x1-1/2' steel flat, 1/8"x1-1/2"X1-1/2"S steel angle, & a piece of scrap steel grating, all held together with bolts. Total cost was about $30. The step is about 11" wide x 9" front-to-back. And this design doesn't block the holes in the tie-down/lift brackets. I should have done it this way to begin with!
There have been a lot of updates to the machines since inception. I have a very early 2012 TR320, which has some electrical problems with the handles and some other things. I have a 2014 SV300 and it has been very solid (only the AC lines have been replaced under warranty). That machine has 800 hours on it now. It has been one of the most solid machines to 800 hours I have had. The first couple years had some issues that they should not have had, but I think they have been good about updating and fixing the issues that the first machines had.