Stihl MS290 Farm Boss

Well this weekend the trees better be scared! Not because of Halloween coming but a brand new Stihl MS290 Farm-boss is waiting at the house. 

My Dad quickly returned the Ryiobi saw he had purchased when the oiler quit during cutting the first tree. 

In the future we also hope to use it witha Granberg Alaskan Sawmill. 

Kioti CK20HST Transmission repair

Well the tractor broke down in the woods back on August 29th and was finally back to work Saturday October 12th. Just 44 days :)  The splitting of the clutch housing and transmission did not take that long to identify the problem as the splines on the HDT input were stripped. 

The major parts replace we're the HST Shaft, coupling and main shaft. A few bearings including a new clutch bearing were replaced as matter of convenience. The clutch plate had excessive spline wear and was replaced. This was also a good time to access the steering hoses. All in all parts were about $1400, I did end up with some extra orings and replaced some hardware that was rusted.  

The first time the tractor was put back together an started, we had issues the the gerotor pump was not pumping oil. This was caused by two issues, not priming and the housing being installed 180* out of position. I recommend that once you have the HST installed, prime the system by positioning the small pipe from the hydraulic filter (lower large vertical filter) in a vertical position and turning the shaft of the HST clockwise as viewed from the front. Oil should pump out from the left side of the midcase. 

I will try to post some tips and pictures on priming the HST hydraulics, but if you need help on this project or priming contact me.

I also highly recommend checking the torque on the 16 engine mount bolts. 2 had already fallen out and several more were loose. 

I also want to thank Jared at Harbor Saw  and Supply in Hoquiam WA, he is my local dealer that i chose to order my parts through. He supported me after hours and on weekends to get the parts order correct. 

http://harborsaw.com/ 

Haul Master Winch from Harbor Freight Tools

Picked up this portable 12 volt winch today hoping to have an easier time pulling some sections of a fallen tree up from a low and angled spot the tractor has trouble getting to.

Hope to get out in the morning and try it out.

Some "Before" pictures

Here are a few of the before pictures showing the thick vegetation and limited view through the trees.

Back in the woods again

Well I finally got back on the tractor and working on clearing the woods up. This lasted a couple afternoons until a alder tree attacked. I got hung up on the stump while pushing the tree over. The result was the suction line for the hydraulic pump being bent and ripped off coupling hoses along with 2.5 gallons of hydraulic fluid.

The best part was finding a new very reliable parts supply with excellent customer service. The Guys at Medina Tractor Sales have a great website with the Illustrated Parts book loaded and the best prices i have found. Check out their link.

I have just received my second order of all the water hoses and filters to get my 2006 CK20H 400 hr/2year services completed.

I hope to post some more pictures soon so you can start seeing the before and after look of the property.

Well finally back home after almost four weeks traveling south of Argentina. My first morning home I awoke to smoke rising from the trees on the back of the property. My wonderful neighbor Dan had gone ahead and applied for burn permits. We burned branch piles for three days this past week until the tractor broke. The loader joystick went limp and floppy after one of the pivot pins broke. I have ordered parts from East Tractor, I will see how quick they arrive or if I need to try a new dealer. They did reply to my email and advise that the design has changed, eliminating the plastic balls and replacing them with stainless pins and balls.

I am looking for recommendations or reviews of a small disc harrow, thinking this might be a cheaper easier alternative to a PTO tiller.

Next update after the tractor is fixed and burning some diesel at $3.80 a gallon!

Back to the daily grind

Well the Christmas break is definitely over as the first week of work for the new year is almost done. I did order the shop and owner manuals for my Kioti Ck20 from eBay today. Saturday I won't get anything done around the property as I will be going to the Seahawks vs Saints play off game, go Hawks!