New toy

[hair bear]

I think I need to re-caption that picture as "Rachel Reeves vision for British agriculture".

[essexpete]

I think I need to re-caption that picture as "Rachel Reeves vision for British agriculture".

And small business as well.

[Jeremy Rowland]

I think I need to re-caption that picture as "Rachel Reeves vision for British agriculture".

More like any politicians view of the ordinary hard working man 'walking cash cow' not to worry though they haven't fully throttled the 'goose that laid the golden egg' well not yet anyway, although the British goose is just about well and truly done!

Jeremy

[hair bear]

Moving on...
This was annoying my ocd - unused bolt holes.

These are where the step would bolt on for the rh door. So I could just put a nut and bolt in each one, but where's the fun in that? It's about now that I really should be supervised.

Cat 1 implement pin

Turned down to 1/2" unc.

x3 and



Hey presto - somewhere to put the spare link balls and the drawpin collar!

More room in the tool box.

[Billy26F5]

I like this sort of idea, not something I think any of our vehicles will see but that's mainly because we don't have removable balls. The toolboxes tend to be empty if there isn't a need for them to carry something as the tools are always fairly close anyway. When they do get stuff in them it's always what we think we're likely to need, and we've often saved a fair bit of time with that but not always, but that is usually because something unexpexted happens or the stuff is too big for the toolboxes.
Sandy

[hair bear]

For me, there is a rule for toolbox contents, it comes from other members of the family who own boats. Never do work on a boat or engine using anything other than what you have in the boat's toolbox. If there is something extra you need then consider adding it to the kit. That way, you should be able to deal with most issues when on the water and less chance of not knowing the adjustable has rusted up and unuseable.
Sort of sad I do the same with the car - if a wheel needs changing then I use the car jack, then at least I know it'll work when I need it.
A couple more for you.
There are two holes in the lh wing. On the rh side they are for the plough light bracket, they didn't make a lh bracket so why the holes I have no idea.
rh


A couple of cheap eyebolts from ebay

Somewhere to put the lynch pins

[hair bear]

Then there are toolclips.
Using bolts already in place

Somewhere for my 'shoo-ing' stick.


And the dash cowl bolts were needing a little something

Stops the torch rolling around and falling out as soon as you open the door. (never happened of course).


And if the next owner wants to remove it all then it'll be back to original.

[essexpete]

What is the little 550 like to drive?

[hair bear]

An interesting question. In short, oodles of fun!
Coming from a Major, B275, grey or 35 it's like a Rolls - warm comfortable and quiet. I'd be quite happy spending full days in it. If your used to a T7 NH you'd wonder where you went wrong in life.
Long time since I drove a Bubble cab but I think this has more room inside and is easier to get in and out. The huge windows are great but they do catch reflections. Not easiest to clean inside as no rh door and a hump in the floor. Pendant pedals are nice.
Mechanically it goes well, plenty of power and torque for a 2.5l n/a engine (AD3-152.S). On the road it is slow, painfully slow. 16mph is all it's got. If you're not in a rush it skips along quite happily. Weighs just over 2 tons so not as bouncy as a 135 or grey but obviously nowhere near as smooth as modern kit. It's not refined by modern standards but at least you're not watching the field go by under your feet. The brakes leave a bit to be desired (a job on the 'to do' list) but having recently had my mitts on a friend's Dexta they're much the same.
Hydraulics will lift 1400kg at the link ends, cat1 or 2 with top link sensing. One part of the hydraulic control quadrant works backwards to how you'd expect it to work but it's designed that way and once you're used to it it's fine.
The one thing I didn't consider when I got it was the steering. Sounds an odd statement but bear with me. I'd always had machines with no power or power assisted steering. This critter is hydrostatic. Cushy eh, so what's the problem?
The greys and 35s I'd always used for ploughing, and the Ford 6600 I used for hedging for several years all had a 'third hand' ball on the steering wheel. It was always fitted at the 10 o'clock position. Once used to it, it meant without looking you had a good idea where the front wheels were pointing. Not so with this one. I think it's 3 turns lock to lock one way and 2 1/2 turns going back. The result is that after a couple of shunts the ball could easily have done a full 360 around the wheel! Add to that absolutely no feed back so you can't feel the furrow wall and you're suddenly learning to look where you're going all over again.
Gets lots of looks and pointing going up the high street to Sainsburys on a Saturday morning, but that could well be pity- who cares? Not much room in the cab for shopping though so take the link box! With the box on it will fit in a car park space but too high for a multi storey.
I think it's great, wifey has suggested several names but only because it's been left outside the back door and she can't get the wheelie bin past it. 1st world problems.
Nearly 2 years in now and there is still something satisfyingly childish about driving it.

[Billy26F5]

I still feel the same with Billy! Not a fan of hydrostatic steering for similar reasons but Mr MacGregor doesn't have the 'third hand' ball nor do I think we'll ever want one for any of our vehicles. I have had brief shots of newer things but find they're not right, but being so used to Billy probably doesn't help. Super Billy was a fair struggle to get used to when we first got him going again, not hepled by issues with the lubrication of the spindles due to repro bushes being badly wrong, he's better now but still find I need two hands more than with Billy. Davie is ok when not turming too sharply, but to get full lock is a bit of a workout as being narrow the spindle arms get very short. When the intercep is on Davie getting on is much more difficult and often ends in bruises off hitting the intercep with the knee, it blocks off the RH side so quite inconvenient. On some cold days I was amazed just how much heat I was getting off the rear axle when ploughing with Billy, When I finished I got cold after a bit because I no longer had that heat! All the more noticeable with a cab.
Sandy