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#3282 12/01/2022 12:42 AM
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Brand new to the forum and the FB group, this is my introductory post on a thread will hopefully be long lived. I have been pondering an articulated loader build for a few months now. I'm calling it the 'HammerStone Articulated Loader' because my wife and I call our little hobby farm 'HammerStone Farm'. I'm a full-time software engineer, and I have always loved to make things. Buildings, furniture, long bows, machines, beer, complicated electronic systems, messes, whatever. My wife and 2 kids and I raise chickens and breed dairy goats; tend a garden; keep dogs, horses, and donkeys; make hay; heat with wood, etc. A loader like this would be a perfect addition to our other farm gear, and would ease some of the things that make this lifestyle harder than it needs to be (I'm not getting any younger).

So, I thought I'd introduce myself, the basic idea, and how I'm going to go about documenting it. I'm am still very much in the planning phase, and have many preliminary decisions left to make, which will be based on several factors, some of which will be dictated by the availability of scrap and donor parts I haven't even started looking for yet. But I have begun some 3D modelling on things that shouldn't change much and gotten the project infrastructure set up for documenting the plan, tracking progress, recording the results. I'm going to keep the bulk of that stuff on my own site, and link to it from here.

So to kick things off, here is the first News Post related to the HammerStone Loader build. This links to a project on the project management site for my software company, parts of which I have opened up for read-only guest access (no login required). Feel free to browse around and see some of the preliminary plans. I will probably use the News Feed there for simple progress updates, and then double-post by linking from here, because that gives me a historical summary of progress without commentary mixed in. When I have questions, need inspiration, or a discussion, I'll include pictures and other needed things here. I know this will probably be often, especially when dealing with some of the drive train and hydraulic designs and I look forward to benefiting from the generosity I've already seen on this board.

At the risk of repeating some things already written elsewhere, my basic idea is heavily inspired by the GatorS build, though that machine is a little too big for my needs. Like him, I started looking at the CadTrac, but that is a little too SMALL for my needs. So I'm shooting for something right in the middle (maybe I should call this the Goldilocks Loader!): a 5 ft wide machine, ruggedly built but not so heavy as to require lots of HP. Built just right to handle the things I need it for, and not more. Like I said, I have several preliminary things to decide before even this aspect is finalized, and I'll be asking questions regarding some of that stuff here soon, hopefully before the holidays.

As you can guess from my first paragraph, there are many, many things that will threaten to derail this project (some unforeseen), money probably being the biggest danger, and free time being next in line. As an example, I spent 3 days last week inside our outdoor wood furnace fixing some leaks that developed in the firebox. It always seems like something needs fixing. Plus there are a number of things I should get done before I start actually building this machine that will make the build go better. This is a very ambitious project for me and I fully anticipate that it will take me a couple years to get to a useful state. But my dad didn't raise a quitter, so if I can get started on it in earnest in the next 6 or 8 months without some major catastrophe hitting, I'll get it done eventually.

Thanks for being an open group of builders/makers. I look forward to learning whatever you're willing to share. And maybe I can reciprocate somehow, some day.


Danny

edit: PS. I forgot to mention that when you visit that site you'll get an HTTPS warning about the certificate. I just happen to have a self-generated cert, but you can safely ignore that and navigate through. I've been using that thing for a decade.

Last edited by uberintj; 12/01/2022 12:46 AM.

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship...take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone...program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
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yup been there done that ask away..about the same time frame Gator built his I made one from IH Scout II Dana44 axles, a Suzuki Samurai transfer case and 25hp Kohler engine driving a 2-section gear pump..machine runs open center hydraulics,one pump section is for drive and the other pump section is for steering via a power-beyond valve downstream feeding a 3-section valve for loader functions,will lift 1700lbs tested..steer is a 2"x12"cylider on one side of the artic hinge,works fine..drive is made with a Charlynn hyd motor driving a CV shaft directly into the transfer case. The one pic here is a preliminary idea of driving the transfer case with morse chain but it kept stretching with use and was a maintenance headache,so I went to the direct drive thru a shaft and has worked out great since I made that mod.Axles are Dana 44,with 4.11 gears,open differentials,cut down width wise to 48"flange to flange.Im headed out the door on a field job but can get you more pics,ask away..
built this 15yrs ago and it still works great.had some mods along the way, i can tell you anything you want to know..just use full-float axles from a 3/4 or 1T pickup,not semifloats like these.
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]

The frame is 2x4 3/16 rectangular tubing,some of it is 2x3 rectangular tubing behind the rear axle..the rear axle swings side to side pivoting and the front axle is fixed,welded to the frame..the rear axle has a 1"thick plate cross section welded to it,the machine pivots on a 1-1/4 custom bolt and nut..dont ask where that came from(i know but can't tell) hydraulic drive is super strong and will spin all 4tires under load.I built the machine with a lot of 1"plate,I had access to scrap and used it to build in strength and weight which gives the machine traction and strength like in the articulating hinge and rear sections.
One thing I cna tell you is to DEFINITELY go with a 3-spool valve for your loader so you can have a grapple or clam bucket,it adds so much more usability to the loader,even if you dont use it initially.
Happy to help you design and answer questions,thats what we are here for..best of luck with your build.

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Wow bunkclimber, what a welcome! Thanks for all the great info and pics. Gives me lots to think about. I have been considering basing the machine off of a Samurai's running gear, axles and all. The stance is about perfect for my design parameters, but I have doubts about their ability to handle to job. Based on your comments about using 3/4 or 1 ton axles, I'm guessing you think those would not be up to the rigors of a loader.

I was hoping to not have to mod the axles, not because I don't want to do the work, but because I'd rather be able to replace stock parts than custom if something goes sideways. But if I can source a couple 1 ton rears, that probably would never be a concern, if I do the mods properly. I'll have some specific metallurgical questions regarding stress relieving welds after shortening axles when the time comes.

I definitely will be designing a multi-function front end for this machine, with the mechanical self-angling feature (they call it self-leveling, MSL, but it really maintains the angle the operator sets at the wrist). I've modeled some of the linkage for that already, but need to build a mini-prototype to test that design for range of motion and binding. I'll need to incorporate a second hydraulic motor and associated controls that can power rotary-based attachments at some point, so will want to choose and size my pump(s) to accommodate that.

Also, I notice that your machine has two joy-stick controls. I was thinking of exactly that setup - left side for movement, right side for boom. Is that how yours is? If so, is there anything special about that valve setup used to control speed and steering?

Thanks again for a great first reply.


"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship...take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone...program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
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This mini-articulated was built in a 20x30 shop with a bandsaw,MIG welder,big Pratt Whitney lathe and a couple cases of beer,no real design just looked at lot of machines and took mental notes.
I WOULD NOT use the Samurai axles, even if you have them,you'd be better off to sell them and use the Chevy/GM 3/4T '14bolt Corporate' rear axles. they are bulletproof.easy to find axle shafts for..the Dana 44 ScoutII axles I have broken the axle shafts multiple times when I had a locker in the rear axle..the articulating action of the frame steer drags the back axle around and the torque on the axle was too great for the shafts..When I broke the axle shafts then the outboard wheel bearing quickly gets destroyed along with the seals..after repairing it multiple times I took the locker out of the back axle and went back to limited slip. not as effective tractionwise but still gets it done. My only regret was not using the full floater GM 14bolt axles.
The Scout axle shafts themselves I started welding with MIG ER70-S6 wire(70KPSI) and then went to using old 100KPSI stick rods with the flux scraped off,used DC TIG process at around 220amps to weld them and finally got them to hold up..no post weld stress relief either..weld it up and run it LOL..least to say I bought a pile of the axle shafts when I could find them so I still have 4-5 in stock in storage for a rainy day..old stuff gets harder and harder to find..as you'll see the Samurai transfer cases are fetching about $750 now from what I see, i got mine for $75 along with the driveshafts too back in 2015. Most of the Suzuki transfer cases need a shifter bushing upgrade,the stock ones go bad and lock up the transfer case then..easy to find and install that.
The joysticks are hand fabbed,using some 1/4"rod end joints..I think they are profiled on the MBN pages somewhere..the steer valve is a Prince 1/2flow standard 4way open center valve, but has a power beyond plug fitted to allow flow to the loader valve downstream of it..stops flow to the loader when steering but once you get the hang of running the machine its negligable..left joystick is steer/propel-for/rev and the right valve is a 3-spool valve for the loader. The propel valve is a standard Prince monoblock 4-way cylinder valve,it stops the hydraulic motor pretty abruptly when you let off of it,but once you get the hang of running the machine you learn to let off slow..I didnt build in brakes as the valve holds the hyd motor in place without them..risky yes,kinda ghetto but its worked well for about 15yrs now

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Welcome to the forum and yes do ask questions! We will be happy to make suggestions and give advice! The final decision is up to you.
I too would recommend the 3/4 ton axles due to the side drag when you turn. The articulating action puts a HIGH torque on the axles and drive joints.
Also talk to Gator on the u-joints! He had to make some heavy stuff on his so keep that in mind.
If you design in heavier parts to start with you will end up with a much more trouble free machine the first time around.
I would like to make a very light one using 2 sunstar 20 mower rear ends. I even kicked the idea around of going with just 1 and have small 2-wd model.
You will have to look around and compare designs and take the parts you like/want/need and design them into your build.
Keep us posted on your build! Thanks,


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Wonderful. Just this short time and these few responses have narrowed things down for me. I'll be looking for some GM 14-bolt 'corporate' full floaters. I'm in the rust belt of southern MI, seems like there should be some around here being this close to Motown. That will be my first goal: find and cut down two of these.

In the mean time I'll be on the lookout for some scrap tubing, a suitable transfer case, and some drive shafts to mangle as well - need to visit a couple scappers I've been to before and see if they're still operating. I have a steel shop close by that is fairly inexpensive, but new steel is still costly. If nothing turns up I might just price out a couple sticks for the frame and bite the bullet there to get things going - would rather not though. Which reminds me of side project #1: must get the farm truck running so I can collect some of this stuff, and mow a spot behind the stop to store it before the snow flies.

So to carry the discussion on a little further about the axles taking high forces from the articulating action, I was thinking this wouldn't be the case and they would just roll a little to accommodate the new angle. So I modeled a quick-n-dirty analysis of it and you guys are dead on - it's really more of a angular side load on the hub/flange. I'm sure because it's at an angle that there is some wheel rotation as well (it's not perfectly perpendicular to the axle). Watching some video of the GatorS machine in slow-mo, you can see both forces - the wheels counter-rotate when articulating at a stand-still, the outer one more, obviously. But you can also see the inside tire flexing under the side load. With a locked diff, especially with the hydraulics holding the drive train in place, this would surely tend to break things if the wheel couldn't slide sideways easily enough. And that is kind of born out by bunkclimber telling of snapping axles when stationary while articulating with the locker installed (I believe I read that on the GatorS build thread - must have read through that 2 full times and skimmed other parts many more times). Probably not an issue at all when rolling though, even with locked diffs.

So, axle criteria sorted: Will be cutting down HD axles (full floating), and non-locking differentials. Good stuff.

Anyway, that angular scrubbing motion is traced out in light blue below. The two triangles represent the two halves of the chassis and the two end lines represent the axles. Notice the side loads exerted on the the ends of the axles, ie: the wheel hubs and axle flanges (you have to imaging they are there, I didn't draw them in), shown by the blue arcs at the ends of the blue line as it goes through a 45 degree sweep. It looks like that angular force is about at a 45 degree angle to the wheel face (135 degrees from the axle axis).

[Linked Image from projects.absolutepowerandcontrol.com]

That's enough late nites for this week. This weekend I have to cut my last cord or so of wood for the year before it gets nasty out there, and I need to get my truck running. Then I'll start in on the shop cleanup and scrounging over the coming weeks.

Thanks again everyone. I'm starting to get a solidified vision in my thick skull.

PS. sonny, I noticed you're in central IL. My company is based in Sullivan, maybe only a couple hours south of you. I've taken many a trip through those endless fields of corn on my way there. smile

PPS. bunkclimber, my shop is a modest 24x36 divided by woodworking and fab/machining: atlas lathe, gorton mill, 4x6 bandsaw, chinese welder (stick/TIG), and various other doodads. It looks like the Russians came through there now though. Partially built sand muller parts everywhere, broken backup generator in the middle of the work area, and the remnants of things scattered about from the boiler repair marathon. Good times.


"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship...take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone...program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
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When you come by,---let me know and maybe we can meet somewhere and talk in person! I am by Arrowsmith, Il. so you can check the map and see how close your route is from here.


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broken backup generator? hmmmm what can we do with that?..anyway just thought Id add in when you cut your loader axle shafts to length,make them a little long so if and when you break them you can trim them to remove carnage and still have enuf length to work with..usually the shaft spline has about 2"of room on it where it fits into the differential spider gear itself..make sure its bottomed out first when you make your length measurements before you cut..if it has less contact area due to cutting and welding it will still be OK

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sonny, it would add about 30 minutes to my drive and take me through Chicago rather than Indy. Very doable. I usually make a trip down there in July. That hasn't happened in a couple years with all the craziness. I'll be sure to plan some extra time this coming year to swing through your neck of the woods.

bunkclimber, thanks for the advice on the driveshafts. That little tidbit is noted and stashed away for when the time comes. That generator works fine when the engine runs. I've been thinking about maybe making it a 3-pt hitch genny and powering it from one of the tractors. Would be a nice way to power tools in the more remote areas of the property - it will power my welder as well, which would make that very handy. So many possible projects, so little time.


"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship...take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone...program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
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if you use a small gas engine to propel your loader, or use hydraulic drive(recommended) the Suzuki transfer case should be fine..if you go with anything else higher in HP then I'd use a NP205 gear drive transfer case,they do come in direct transmission mount and divorced(separate isolated)mount versions and are virtually bombproof as far as torque and power..the Suzuki transfer cases are getting very hard to find, now days if I was to start a build of a new machine I wouldnt use one just for the fact if something breaks it it would be a hard to find and expensive thing to replace. My first 24c/rev hydraulic motor ripped the Suzuki transfer right off the stock mounts,it ripped the bolts right out of it..I had to make a cradle from aluminum welded to the Suzuki case to hold it into the loader chassis with Grade 8 3/8" bolts..it seems to be fine now. I went backwards to a 18c/rev motor to increase speed and lessen torque..you'll do some experimenting for sure with that. You could fab a transfer case from #50 morse chain and sprockets inside a metal case (or box if you will) which would be serviceable..that way you could also change your gear ratios via changing sprocket tooth counts to tune your speed/power..just some thoughts..Welcome to the site.

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Well this is the kind of thread we need. A few things I have learned about my machine that might help.

Mine has 12 bolt axles from a 1978 Chevy 2500 trans is a smc465 hooked to a np205 transfer case. I started out with truck mud grips and open axles. Got stuck easy. Put lockers in front and back. That puts a lot of stress on axles. I've broken the front several times and one rear. I really started breaking stuff when I out sxs mud grips on, this is the type withn2" lugs that look like tractor tires.

Not wanting to buy more tires I took the blockers out of the front and later the back. With the extreme tires I have good enough traction with open diffs.

I also took the front axles and welded in a spool between the inner and outer shaft. The steering of the front axle is welded solid so the knuckles don't turn.

Now in this configuration im breaking drive shaft ujoints. I had the stock size 1310 joints in. I'm changing now to 1350s all around. We will see what breaks next. I'm looking for cheap heavier axles to install long term.

Honestly would have been better off to buy a 10k skid steer, but saying that I'd still do it again. When I started I had a harbor freight portaband, a couple grinders, and a Lincoln buzz box. By the time I was done I had a mill, lathe, 25ton press, band saw, multiple welders and a bunch of other tools. My machine would be more refined if I had all that to begin with but it works fine as is. I finished mine over 10 years ago, and still tinker in it some.

I later on bought a compact tractor, so it gets most of the harder work and the loader gets used when I need to use my skid steer attachments I built.

I'm kind of bad about getting on here as much as I should, but if you have questions ask away and ill try to help.

I agree with what bunk said about going heavy duty on the running gear. Best of luck.


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Gator, how has the red articulated loader been holding up to use? any major failure points or just mods that you have made after using it?

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Thanks Gator, I'm glad you showed up. Your current usage is pretty much how I intend to use mine - things for which a standard tractor isn't great. Research on it has slowed some because it's busy time at work - lots of late nights when releases are due/overdue. But with the feedback from here I have the basics sorted so I can start scrounging for my running gear parts this winter - specifically the 'corporate' full float axles so I can start mod'ing them. I'll definitely be going heavy on the carriage and drive components, and using some form of ag tire. Those I'll have to get new, but I have a contact at a full-feature tire shop that does everything from lawn mowers to huge farm equipment. They are close by and usually do right by me - they do all my tractor and auto wheels and tires. So absolutely: open diffs, high traction rubber, HD axles. My machine should end up a bit lighter than yours, so I'm hoping this approach will minimize overburden on those parts.

I have a couple questions related specifically to the differences between your drivetrain and bunkclimber's. How much does having the transmission help with different use conditions? I know I definitely want the hi/low capability, so transfer case is in. Just wondering if including the tranny is worth the cost/effort/space. My initial thoughts were to use a full tranny and transfer case, but I also don't want this to be too big. Also, IIRC you're running closed center and he's running open center hydraulics. Have you had any problems with that system related to extending it for different implements?

Have you identified what is breaking ujoints? Is it just plain machine weight combined with torque, or is it that combined with articulation (ie: some binding at extreme ujoint limits)? That's one part of this I haven't got a complete vision on yet - the driveshaft setup. Also, is 45 degrees enough articulation, or maybe too much? If I can narrow down those articulation limits, and the gear train, I might be able to start to get some measurements for roughing out angles the driveshafts will have to handle.

Cheers everyone. Hope you have a Merry Christmas. I most likely won't be around until after the New Year passes, and then only a little, with a big yearly work product due in late January. Say a prayer that my scrapper has a huge chuck of steel for my power hammer anvil and a bead on some axles, if I can track him down over the holidays.


"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship...take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone...program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
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Oh, on a side note, I got the farm truck (Chevy 3500 454, dually) running - sort of. Needed a new ignition control module. Fired right up after new plugs, wires, rotor, cap, coil, and (finally) ICM. Took it out for a spin and it would start missing at around 1500-2000 RPM. It's geared really low - you can shift through 2nd w/o even touching the gas peddle, so you only notice this behavior when trying to get up to driving speeds. Tooling around the yard, fine. Will sit and idle all day. Try to rev, starts missing.

Anyway, took it out for a drive and found it is missing like that, so ease it back to the barn at 10 MPH, open the hood and #5 plug wire boot is ON FIRE. Again, brand new plugs and wires - mid-grade. Never seen that one before. Hope I never see it again.

At the time, I happened to have the air filter off of it, thinking maybe it was interfering with the choke or something, because that's what it acts like - it's choking out. So here I am, with the hood open, two huge TBI injectors atomizing fuel about 2 feet away from a small but quickly growing rubber fire. Took 5 minutes and ruined a good pair of leather gloves putting it out and keeping the whole thing from going up. Good times.


"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship...take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone...program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
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Originally Posted by uberintj
open the hood and #5 plug wire boot is ON FIRE. Again, brand new plugs and wires - mid-grade.

your truck probably has 4.11 or 4.56 gears.I have 4.11s in my F350,not too bad out on the road..my Chevy K30 has 4.56 gears, maxed out will do 60 on the highway,but it will pull a house down.
go with some 7mm MSD wires, they will set you back some $80 or so from Summit Racing..best wire set Ive ever used..anyway all said, have you checked the fuel pump pressure?
maybe your in-tank pump is failing and not giving the EFI the pressure it needs

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Yeah, Clyde (we call the truck Clyde, as in Clydesdale) is geared for pulling. Manual tranny with creeper and OD. The mess started with a maintenance session where I tried to replace the fuel filter, a couple of sensors (IIRC oil sensor was broken), and the air filter. Predictably, the fuel filter was rust-locked in place. I made the decision to replace the fuel lines rather than just patch near the filter. Doing that requires dropping the tank, so while that was out I replaced the pump, cleaned the tank, coated the top of it, etc. When that was done I moved to the ignition system.

So I haven't checked the fuel pressure, but that system is all new, and it sure looks like it's pumping fuel all right.

I'm wondering if that plug wire was just a bad wire, and that's what caused it to ignite. Definitely going to go with a good set of wires next and see if things change. Then start troubleshooting. This is a southern truck, very little rust, rough interior, but very solid and worth the effort to keep it up to snuff. For the money I have into it it's a gem. Coupled with my buddy's 24' dovetail trailer there isn't much we can't move around.


"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship...take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone...program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
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That is the kind of truck I was looking for when I ended up with my 97 F-350 flatbed jobber. Still not fond of the 7.3 in it but been drivin the shit out of it this fall and after my neighbors buddys KID got done with it, it does run now, course I park it for the winter since you cant get decent tires for it. and without some meat eaters in it I aint takin it out on bad roads! lol! --- To make matters worse it has that stupid automatic trans. which dont shift right and sometimes not at all depending on how cold it is. Takes 3 to 5 miles driving before it even starts shifting into the mid and upper gears. shifts right up 2 times then hangs up.
Did I mention that I DESPISE automatic trans??? The one in the 98 Explorer does the same thing! I grew up on having a clutch peddle under my left foot and a gear shift in my right hand!!
I get buy with what I have. Sure cant buy anything else at the prices they want.
Next thing on the F-350 is to find the right rear spring hangers for it, --- gotta put new ones on it in the spring OR in better weather. Having trouble finding 2 1/4" wide hangers, --- they all want to sell me 3" wide ones and that wont work! The 3" is only for single tire F-350 pickup models and not F-350 cab-chassic dual wheel models!


"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands."
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JIM Offline
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I had problems with the plug wires burning off in my motor home. Turned out it was from a very small exhaust leak from the manifold. Once I got that solved, I stopped having the problem. Just throwing that out there because it took a Lot of wires before I figured it out. got a 454 in the RV and the rusted-out manifolds were custom made and I couldn't find replacements. I ended up putting low profile headers for a corvette on it. the only thing I could find that kept the exhaust from sticking way below the frame. I also had to relocate my oil filter. Wouldn't be able to change it without dropping the header otherwise.


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
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Not to steal this thread away from the loader discussion, but Sonny if you can't find a 2-1/4"spring hanger(I see your plight-'cause I looked for 'em too)-why cant you use a 3"wide hanger and make washers for each side of the spring eye to take up the difference in width of spring? the washers on each side of the spring would center the spring in the hanger..or so Im thinking?
the 3"wide ones for the F350 are all over eBay as replacement parts..have you tried (https://parts.ford.com) and entered in your VIN number they have a LOT of replacement suspension parts for Ford trucks

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I'll answer later this weekend been on vacation for a few days and hadn't checked on here in a while.


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My keyboard quit on my surface so I'm typing this on the screen keyboard. Too lazy to get the laptop out. Ill try to answer the questions above.

I change gears all the time to speed up to get somewhere or to really push hard on something. If i was stuck at the four low speed all the time if would be too slow. If I was all hydraulic direct drive then I'd get a motor that gives a balance if speed and power. The amount of torque I can put to the wheels is much more than any of the components are designed for. Thats the root of the issue too much torque. When the lockers were in the turn angle contributed to breaking stuff. Now with open diffs it lets the inside tire turn slower and also relieve the stress on the parts.

All my hydraulics are open center. My pump is a two section, with one flow going to the lift valve, and the other to the drive valve.
I have two auxillary hydraulic circuits running to the front, and one to the rear.

My rear drive shaft uses a heavy duty tractor pto on the transfer case side and I just upgraded to 1350s on the rear axle. the front has been broken since about February, so I need to fix that. The tractor pto ujoint gives a lot more articulation than a normal joint.


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I didnt design mine with a transmission,just the hydraulic motor driving the transfer case..I went thru three motors looking for the right torque/speed ratio..still has plenty of torque to push and dig with, I mainly use it for moving small generators around and snow removal if we get enuf piled up here..The place I want to upgrade on this little machine is the pump, I had a 2-section ancient BorgWarner pump on it originally with just the right gpm for drive and lift/loader functions,it cracked+exploded when doing dirt work around here after about a month..it was too old to reference numbers or size,easier to use gear width/size to tell..so I found a new surplus dual pump on SurplusCenter for pennies($79) and its been working great ever since but needs more flow in the loader section,its OK but still a little slow..I think next time I work on it I'll order a brand new pump three section and custom spec it out so the flow rates are improved..only one pump mount is doable on this machine,no other way to practically mount and drive another pump except with a drive-thru pump(mounts one pump on the back of another)-got one as well havent doen anything with it due to other work right now..I think would add too much to the length of the pump sticking down under the machine as I have a vertical pump drive. Its always a work in progress but has stabilized now with little breakage..just a little slow FWIW

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JIM Offline
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I have an 11 GPM two-stage pump for a wood splitter on my mini hoe. works great for moving things without load quick and slows down with the torque you need for heavier stuff. Definitely don't have a problem with flow second stages only two GPM but it gives me all the breaking power I need once I get a good load on it. Kind of the best of both worlds the drive on the mini hose it's own self-contained hydrostatic system so it doesn't affect mobility either


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.

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