just Dave

Darn-it Mike now I want one for my firewood yard. Making wood burning easier is my main job these days. Take care Dave

The backhoe attachment and the rack of weights will severely limit the handy maneuverability you get from a skid steer. How you deal with that will depend on what the main job for this tractor will be. Hydraulic shop can help with the seals. I don’t recommend buying a new old stock seal kit due to age deterioration. Good luck !

Good point

ATF is some seriously tortured hydraulic fluid. I would not be afraid to run that in any old hydraulic system in good condition. As for your coupling issue welding a coupling on sounds like temporary at best.

Making a hand made tool for a friend pays you all the while and ever after. Doing it for money is work. Toolmaking is fun , work ahh.

That is an unusual cab . Was that custom or production? @mike newman

That’s interesting, do you know if that was a fire protection concern? I saw fire retardant hy oil in coal handling eq, but it was an ester based fluid, so everything required vioton seals $$. It seems like after 2000 before I started seeing aerosol solvents and such go non flammable . I like treating exterior wood with oil . I don’t find the trailer decks slick but you will get black carbon boot soles for a few weeks. If you absolutely never forget to take off your boots before going in the house no problem.

Nick built a new muffler out of some light gauge sq tube He also had to change the head gaskets after a short run. The little tractor is running well now hauling dirt up a steep drive and rocks down for construction . The spot he’s working on was home to a beautiful old oak that was in a bad spot, too bad, but a winter’s worth of fire wood for 2025.

@hardtail is like an index for this site. Thank you Sir

I use dab on grease in many places during reassembly, oring connectors are a good candidate for it . From a manufacturing standpoint an oring grove is one quick plunge to cut …. threads take more time$$$ I doubt most of us could afford a well made truck these days…

If I had the open country around me like you do Mike, I would ride around most days at a moderate speed in something open air style, maybe 2 wheels maybe four, as long as it’s open air . I have neighbors and rules on all sides so I don’t dig as much as I would like. If I run across the right little excavator with an amazing, quiet, muffler I would be in it several days a week so I could get this plot looking the way. I see it in my mind ….you know, before it’s too late. Good to hear from you Mike when things are going down the drain, remember to “Enjoy the Swirl” Dave

I’m not sure if the ones Nick bought were but yes , all fittings can be had in SS. I like the SS tube because it seems to move better than carbon steel tube.

He been getting down to the hydraulic tubes, one leaker and a couple of suspects need to be replaced. OMC used JIC so I’m going to make a 37 degree tube flaring tool. I have several parallel clamps that I made out of key stock, many different sizes. I made them years ago when I was bored at work. I am going to make a small modification to one made from 3/4” stock. I clamped a shim between the bars, and tacked stub of round stock on it to make it easy to throw it in a lathe. A min cleanup face cut then a 64th undersized drill then 1/2” drill with a very brisk feed rate to create some gripping texture. Finally , plunge the 37 degree JIC taper. Cut tacks and debur. I had this little arch and screw in my puller cabinet from another rig. After a little grinding it could slide onto the tube clamp. The screw is very hard and has a cup point like a set screw, so I got the idea to use ball bearings to expand the flair, and with a 3 ball progression it worked great. We are using 316 SS because they did not have 304 SS at the pipe house where I get the good guy deal. So half inch 316 .049 wall. The original tubes were carbon steel, which would be fine is I could find it in the correct size……….the state of metal availability in the middle of the country is dismal but our Yankee ingenuity is keeping us afloat. When things are going down the drain….remember to enjoy the swirl .

I installed underground 1000 gal about 23 years ago. Self owner. Competition worked for 10-12 years until Ferrellgas bought all their competitors. Paid 1.89 this year, late summer They did a conductivity test of some kind a couple years ago, first and only. The old feller that did the test said that they were supposed to be inspected more often then they do, but did not elaborate?

Congratulations on the fire n the stove and the fire down below. Hope for a good helper. I can’t wait to burn , we’re still near 90 some days.