Haystack

McMurdo work sounds like a whole different world! Bet the stories are worth the commute.

Curt doesn't waste any time, does he. Dropped off one day, torn down the next! I need a buddy like that. Mine would've been sitting under a tarp till March. And $60 for a set for the 806? That's the kind of deal that keeps the project pile growing instead of shrinking.

OMG congrats!! She is very beautiful!!

Cold weather ain’t even fully here yet and somehow my winter repair list is already longer than I wanted. Got a couple hydraulic leaks to chase, one battery cable that looks questionable, and an old suspension seat that needs rebuilt before it finishes beating my back up. Also need to go through some lights before I’m trying to use the thing after dark and remembering I never fixed them. Seems like every time I walk past a machine I add one more thing to the list. Guess that’s better than finding it in the middle of a job. Anybody else already stacking up winter projects?

honestly this thread made me feel a lot better. i was half worried i was just throwing money at old iron, but sounds like most of this stuff costs next to nothing. a roll of welding cable, some chain lube, a cheap lever off ebay... and the thing runs like it's 20 yrs younger. way cheaper than chasing a big repair later or trading up imo. guess i'll quit feeling guilty about my parts pile lol

Been messing with a few little odds and ends lately and it got me thinking. Sometimes the small fixes make more difference than the big ones. New seat bushings, decent battery cables, cleaning up sticky linkages, fixing a sloppy throttle, stuff like that. None of it is exciting, but it sure makes an old tractor or machine feel less wore out when you actually go use it. I used to put those jobs off because they didn’t stop anything from running. I've been finding a lot of these random small replacement parts on FridayParts for cheap, and it beats driving to the dealer every time. Anybody else have small fixes that made a machine way nicer to run?

Dont just slap another can in, those cans throw your readings off and you aint puttin any PAG oil back either. Best bet is pull it, vac it down, and weigh in the full 6.75 lb charge on a scale. Before tearin into the TXV, pull a vacuum to 29 in and let it sit 30 min, if the needle creeps up you got a leak confirmed. Also check them schrader valves in the service ports, dirt cheap and a known slow leak spot. And if you open the system up, swap the drier while yer in there. Good luck

Yeah u can do this without pullin the whole top cover mate. Drain the oil, then take off that round cast plate on the rear where the con rod hooks to the rockshaft. Disconnect the rod, blow a lil air through the valve port and the piston slides out the back. Check the bore for scorin while ur in there or the new seal wont last long. Good luck!

Sounds like ya killed it hard enough it sucked air into the fuel system. Crack the bleeder on top of the filter housin and work the hand primer til ya get solid fuel no bubbles, then crack a line at an injector while somebody bumps the starter. Should fire right off.

Seem to recall the first 1206 turned up at a Red Power show few years back, cant remember who owns it now tho.

Oops, you're right. Looks like some glitched when I was quoting. Thanks for the heads-up.

That’s kinda what I was afraid of. Thanks for sharing.

Sounds great. Trying to clean all four acres in one shot is probably where I’m getting carried away.

Thanks guys. Sounds like the skeleton bucket would be money poorly spent for this job, especially with the clay. I'm going to check around on renting a properly sized rock hound or rotary rake, and may quit stirring up the whole field with the harrow in the meantime. For the bigger ones, a trailer and some hand picking may still be the simplest answer. Appreciate all the real-world input.

Got about 4 acres of old pasture I'm trying to prep for reseeding, and the top few inches are absolutely full of fist-sized rocks and limestone chunks. Every pass with the harrow turns up another wheelbarrow load. Feels like the ground is growing 'em overnight. Been running my CX55 out there and thinking about a skeleton bucket to sift the worst of it. Neighbor's also offered to loan me his mid-size skid steer if that'd be the better play — figured I could put a landscape rake or rock hound on it and windrow the mess. Ground's hard clay with limestone shelf underneath, so whatever I use has to take a beating without bending tines on the first pass. Question is which way actually saves time and money. Buy a decent skeleton bucket for the CX55, or run the skid with the right attachment? Don't feel like being out there til October. Anyone here actually picked rocks out of pasture this way before? Would rather learn from y'all than throw cash at attachments I don't need. TIA!

+1 on jimb2's polarity call. And before you hook the new batt up, pull the harness back and check for melted insulation. Light truck battery is plenty of CCA for a B414.

Fair point. Fluid history's unknown on this one, bought used. Doing a full drain and refill while I'm in there. Thanks!

Update — return filter was caked, no metal in strainer. Went with Wix locally for speed. FridayParts had it cheaper too, bookmarking for next round. Anyone running their hydraulic filters long-term?

Hey guys, Was clearing a ditch with my CX55 today and after about 30 mins, the boom and bucket went real sluggish. Pump started putting out a nasty high-pitched whine too, and controls got jerky once the oil warmed up. Shut her down before I cooked the pump. Hoping it's just a plugged hydraulic filter. I'm planning to pull the tank cover this weekend to check, but local dealer pricing on OEM filters is just brutal. Anyone run into this on a CX55? Any input is welcome!

Dogs are pretty amazing at recognizing the things and people that matter to them. I’d say that dog had Errol’s truck memorized.

Wow! I’m guessing you've seen plenty of machines develop their own personalities over the years.

Things like that are why old equipment and old trains stick around. They’re not just metal, they carry a lot of memories with them. Hope you get a good view tomorrow.

Try checking the side of the metal blower housing, the valve covers, or under the air cleaner base. They love to hide the decals in those spots.

Mine waits until I'm furthest from the shop before it decides something expensive needs attention. Coincidence? I don't think so.

That's awesome. Looking forward to seeing the restoration come together. I bet your dad is going to love it.