2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Discuss non-crawler related issues here (keep it sane, please)
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CuttingEdge
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2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by CuttingEdge » Tue Jan 02, 2018 7:40 am

So my bulldozer will not start no matter what I do at these obnoxious low temperatures! I am not even sure it would even be worth it anyway, as will be identified if everyone keeps reading.

So then my farm tractor, as dependable as can be decides its starter is going to go out on it. This is not a cold weather starting issue, but rather it just will not engage the starter issue. So I need to get that rebuilt, and might now that the parts stores are open.I am just waiting for a return email to confirm they can rebuild/buy an aftermarket one (Kubota parts are like my ex-wife...obnoxious in terms of price).

That is alright, I got a skidder, so after jumping the machine twice with my truck...because the cold caused the battery cables on my batter booster to literally snap in half the wires were so brittle, I get it to start. BARELY! It is sputtering like a politician running for reelection, so I dump some 911 down the tank, and while it took about an hour, it works its way through and starts running again. But running i mean before it did not even have power enough in low range to push snow! So I head in the woods, but in going over a stump I hear a loud bang, get off and check everything out: the cold temperatures had caused the main carrier bearing for the drive shaft going to the rear end to snap the bolts off. It still works, but not well, but hey I am back a half mile in the woods. If I am driving back out, I minds well tow some trees on the way out.

So I fell some trees, naturally one goes backwards and pinches my chainsaw bar. Of course with my 2018 luck in kinks the chain so hard my saw is now busted too.

I primarily work with 4 machines and within the first 12 hours of 2018 every thing was broke! So my question is; is this a VERY bad omen, or did I get all my bad luck out of the way all at once? (LOL)
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

dtoots1
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by dtoots1 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:58 am

Well i had a 30 year family friend call yesterday a.m., said she had a leak in her bathroom vanity drain....this is all new from previous summer which i had just put in for her.....so after having a cup a java with her and a smoke i go and take a peek at the problem....so it is leaking from the drain straight pipe around the rubber seal....hmmm tighten her up a bit and leak worse...check the water line and it is wet...look further and turn water on again and water coming out under the sink from the spout underneath the cabinet......wonderful chinese faucet....so not only is the drain leaking the dang faucet aint a worth two dead frogs....

She says well aint that a fine howdy do to the new year..i aint got money for the dang stuff....Well i says if...if we go and get it you will at least have a new non leaking system....!!!! I get a new delta faucet...and that works....along with new downspout and which also leaks....so i have to silicone the rubber gasket to keep that from leaking...i don't like doing that but it works.

Hey it keeps us busy!! and certainly warmer than outside!!

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77 Ford
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by 77 Ford » Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:59 pm

I rang in the new year with the stomache flu .... I was evacuating both ends from about 9pm 12/31 to 4am on 1/1... It wont cost the money your broke machines will but I would of paid alot of money to not start the new year off that way.

I sure hope it's not signs of what's to come in 2018.....
JD- 450C track loader
Serial #208336T

JWB Contracting
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by JWB Contracting » Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:02 pm

We found that 350's even with a tank style coolant heater, good batteries, ATF in the reverser and lots of either only started down to about -30 degrees Celsius. Where as a 450C will start without either plugged in at any temperature due to the dry clutch. I have a 450C at home that starts at minus 20 Celsius without plugging it in with a single battery and quick shot of either.

The old 540 skidder also had a disconnect clutch that my dad logged / pulled seismic drills no matter the temperature. He used the pickup to pre-heat the coolant when needed, but I guess if was used daily it started fine. We have had this skidder since 78 and is sporting real good forestry special rubber and ripper. These skidders have their weak points (frames, driveshafts, hydraulic leaks) but we pulled the stump pans, washed, inspected and fixed it every spring. For the past 30 years it only was summer time clearing, ripping and winching duties and got worked hard. It was until the last 5 years that we worked that we built a second 540B ripper skidder. We have now been retired from construction work for the past 2 years.

I may bring the 440 skidder home to thin out some trees on the back 20 acres. Got a trail mostly built with a 450C Dozer over the past few months but the trees are too thick to push them aside without making a mess.

Tis the season of starters and batteries. We seen a fair bit of minus 30 degree weather over the holiday season and I put a new battery in my 2010 6.0L Chevy as I could hear it was not spinning over fast as I would like / used to. Cheap fix instead of a starter and battery down the road and went with the best battery napa sells (but get a great company discount) I expect this truck to start down to -40 not plugged in and I have confidence it will. I do however keep it inside the attached garage most of the time.

We haven't had much for snow and haven't even got to try out my new (used) snow blower in the front of a Kubota 3680 with heated cab. Works great with the sweeper and is nice and warm with a T-shirt on. I could find a reasonably priced Deere but real happy with this 3,000 hour machine so far. Cuts gras fairly nice as well.

Snowmobiles haven't left the shop. Etec skidoo always starts first pull, but the old 99 thunder cat will need the plugs pulled and primed. Cranking over the 1000 triple 2 stroke gets old after 20 pulls so I cheat with priming all plugs and then prime one every second pull till it starts.

We are now expecting close to or above freezing weather for the next week. So much for winter and the fun that can be had.
Jason Benesch

John Deere 420, 430, 440 & 350C With 3 Point Hitch
John Deere 400G With Winch
John Deere 2010 Crawler Dozer
John Deere 420, 430, 435 & 440 Wheel Tractors

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amos
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by amos » Wed Jan 03, 2018 7:27 am

Wow! After reading these posts my little tale of whoa seems trivial. at 12:10 AM of new years day power went off when it was 17 degrees outside(in TEXAS!). Gas heat but no blower means no heat. Gas fireplace helped as long as you stayed within 2 feet of it. Wife cold,cats cold and at 5:15 I decided to shave and shower with a $1.00 flashlight (gas H/W heater) before water tower went dry.By then house was at 50 degrees and wife was under 3 blankets and cats were both on fireplace hearth. I'm clean, wide awake, and trying to remember where I put the Coleman stove and coffee peculator when power came back on at 5:45.Was going to go to farm and do some holiday dirt work but wife thought shopping sales was more important:she can't,and I do mean CAN'T drive so I do the driving.She's an immigrant from a non car culture country and after 3 driving schools I gave up.
Being an eternal optimist I look at problems as hiccups and see 2018 as a fresh new year with new opportunities and new horizons to be found.
Amos
Pushin hard or diggin deep life is good.
What's ahead is what matters. What's behind is already done.
A fool of a man is he who doesn't ask questions...
God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason...

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Lavoy
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by Lavoy » Wed Jan 03, 2018 9:55 am

We were walking around a salvage yard (square body GM pickup parts search) at 5 above yesterday afternoon. Going back out this morning at -10, and trying to pull parts in the cold! We hit -29 this weekend, some parts of the state showed -44, northern MN as well I'm sure. Sat high was -18 I think, just kind of sucks the heat right out of you. At least no power failures here, so we were good there. I don't have the PTO shaft done for the generator, so either I need to get on the stick, or hope the power does not go out for any extended period.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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amos
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by amos » Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:15 pm

To Lavoy,
Went to Chicago once in January for a trade show. I'm from Texas and don't own a coat:have many jackets but no coat. Walked out of the hotel by the lake one evening and it was -5 with a 40 mph blowing off the lake. Turned around and walked back into hotel....
Too cold for this Texan :D
Amos
Pushin hard or diggin deep life is good.
What's ahead is what matters. What's behind is already done.
A fool of a man is he who doesn't ask questions...
God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason...

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Lavoy
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by Lavoy » Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:26 am

We just got back from Texas last night. Was in Frisco for national FCS football championship game. Whirlwind tour, no time to do any sightseeing, kids had to get back to school. Wife goes down frequently for work, might tag along some time.
29 above when we got back home, heat wave!
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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amos
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by amos » Tue Jan 09, 2018 7:11 am

Morning Lavoy,
Frisco is about 150 miles from me. I'm in Longview(120 miles east of dallas off of I-20).Like any other state our metroplexes( Dallas,Houston,San Antonio,Austin,Brownsville,El Paso,etc) really don't represent my beloved Texas. Get away from these areas and into more rural parts and you can see real Texans.Go to any small town and raise your hood and you'll have a half dozen people stop to help in under 30 minutes.
One day I was locking the farm gate and a young women was just down the road with a flat tire. Went to see what i could do and she had a flat spare,no jack,no lug wrench. I had a jack,another neighbor came over and he had a tire and rim that would fit,another neighbor came by with a 4 way lug wench. In no time she was on her way.
Amos
Pushin hard or diggin deep life is good.
What's ahead is what matters. What's behind is already done.
A fool of a man is he who doesn't ask questions...
God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason...

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Lavoy
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by Lavoy » Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:22 am

Yeah, as soon as we got to the edge of town, my blood pressure goes up about 40 points. I have no real use for any big city, but can spend a lot of time in the country pretty much anywhere.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

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amos
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Re: 2018 Is Off to a Good Start (Sarcasm)

Post by amos » Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:44 am

What saddens me terribly is the drug cartel activity along the Texas southern border. Money flowing worse than Miami in the coke infused 80's. People selling their soul for dirty money and it's just sad.
Here's a story you might find funny: Texas still takes cattle and horse rustling seriously. We don't hang them from the nearest tree anymore but it's close to that. Some meth-head ranch hands just got caught after stealing some saddles from their rancher employer. Bond for 1 at $100,000.00 and bond for the other at $150,000.00. Both are looking at 20+ years in one of our prisons:for saddle theft.
Cattle and horse rustling typically has a 25+ year sentence:about the same for 2nd degree murder.
We are down right funny about rustlin...
Amos
Pushin hard or diggin deep life is good.
What's ahead is what matters. What's behind is already done.
A fool of a man is he who doesn't ask questions...
God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason...

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