LGP Eddie

This is a good, example and a lot of ideas here I'll be building into the one for my own Kesla 20sh. This has obviously got an extender, plus a stay with rubber block that rests against the inside face of the dipper to stabilise the extra leverage of the extender. You can see the round portion that the grippers will grab for transport, and this could be as simple as a piece of large plastic gas or water main. Plenty off offcuts if you see a gang working by the road! My own will have the walking leg and a geometry that gives a little extra reach, plus allows me to easily grip the leg for transport. It should really make it a better bit of kit all round. Eddie.

Always good to get a bit more info on your application, and to be honest I'd go for a 'Walking Leg' setup for your stroke head over any Track Grip device. The transformation on my Mulcher was unbelievable when I had the 'Leg' fitted, and it allows me to get the machine everywhere I could with the bucket, and has plenty of other uses for moving obstructions around, pulling stumps etc. Done nicely you can make the head grip the 'Leg' to make travel a lot easier too. There is a very basic version here, but as I say, very easy to make the head grip the leg or a bracket to remove any swing for transport. Eddie.

I keep trying to justify a set, and to be honest unless the client is prepared to pay for them I really can't unless something exceptional came in on a price job where it would allow me to win the job or up production. Great idea and I actually knew of them way before they got imported over here. Biggest drawback, they will make a horrid mess of a site, and on a lot of my work the clients wouldn't be impressed with that, preferring to keep the machines off until better conditions. The alternative is simply a number of pads either single grouser dozer type, double grouser track shovel type, or spare pads with an extra grouser welded on. A pain to change over though. Eddie.

I like these a lot John, but have a TDCi and they don't do them for it yet. [ame] [/ame] I've just got a Disklock for the Steering Wheel, which is visible to idiots, but the professionals will take it no matter what. I actually foiled the theft of my current 90, when we came out of a cafe to see our travelling friends reverse a 7.5 tonne hook loader within inches of the front bumper with the hook poised, just as the Tree Surgeon branded transit came around the corner to act as the vehicle behind when they simply hooked the front bumper and dragged it off! To say there was a bit of a stand off was an underestimate, as everyone knew what was going on, and both sides were looking for the touch paper to get lit! They simply drove off, but that is how easy it is if you have the face to simply drag someones vehicle off at high speed until you get it out of sight and sort it out. Eddie.

I was told that my next machine is getting Nordic lights fitted, so googled them and they do a pretty fair range! I don't know which model exactly, but they do look quality products. LED - Products - NORDIC LIGHTS® - Herrmans Oy Ab Eddie.

Sorry I've been waiting for a friend to return from Holiday and the main activity of this site to close, before he can bring his drone up etc and do a video. I got this one today though from Gregor McArthur of the Mulcher being picked up via the Engcon Ec-Oil system. This setup works brilliantly, connecting the flow, return, case drain and the proportional electric controls via an SVAB system to control the doors all from the cab. All done slowly to try and make it clearer, but the rotor kicking in and out is only oil flowing to open/close the doors as it's leaked off the rotor circuit not the machine actually kicking in fully. Eddie.

I'd take this myself! This latest FAE Head with the new motor has seriously impressed me so far, and as for Brambles it would literally hoover them up! Eddie.

Nice one mate, you won't regret them, my Defender was totally transformed once fitted. Eddie.

They do both types but the spots are more powerful, I'd personally do a mix for maximum spread, and at the price you can have plenty of them! There is loads under their other items if you need more/less or square/round. 8X 27W Square LED Work Light Flood Beam Offroad Lamp Truck SUV ATV12V 24V IP67 | eBay Eddie.

These have just got a top review on the BCE Forum and at the price unbelievable value. 8X 48W 16LED CREE Spot Work Lamp Light OffRoad Boat Truck SUV Jeep Tailer 12/24V | eBay Eddie.

Totally agree on Landrover seals, but I'm not having that a Hi Lux could even drive onto a Wedding Dress, let alone get itself off!:thumb up: Eddie.

Far from done it all Stephen, every day is a school day in my book, I just happen to be lucky enough to have my hobby as my day job! I think you should take a look at one of these Winches I've had an eye on Stephen? Very trick setup with two hydraulic motors, which you can select for speed or power. There are some decent load ratings to be had, and most importantly a fast speed that still retains a pull capable of shifting a decent lump of timber. Shouldn't be difficult to make a very tidy mount for in the back of the blade that won't get in the way? You could get a decent length of plasma rope on too which will be easy to handle and safe. Trydent Twin Motor Winch Eddie.

Bought my current Defender and had it over 3 years unit a guy said, I bet you'd never let that plate go? I've never got around to changing it on the back of the Defender as it will look better on the square plate, but not bad for a fluke! DU6 0WLE Eddie.

Hard to describe here but basically you are building something like a mini Tiltrotator setup, hence once fitted it will actually control one of those as well. Easiest way for everyone reading to understand it is the digger is just the mother ship and gives life to a valve in whatever attachment you fit via a simple flow and return circuit. The SVAB controls that valve proportionally give exceptional control and the blood only flows from mother ship to baby attachment so to speak when demanded. This can then be anything from a tiny bit to rotate something or a straight full bore instantaneous hit for your saw cassette. The real beauty is you can then set your joystick pattern to whatever attachments you choose to fit and make it logical rather than loads of changeover buttons pedals and the like. That's the very basics of how my Kubota can go from Tiltrotator to Mulcher or Harvesting Head and I never get out of the cab! John Craig is a wizard with SVAB you would think it was plugged into him! Eddie.

I would speak to John Craig at Jcc Engcon Stirling and ask him about a basic SVAB control system for it. The basics of it is, you will have your single acting hammer circuit plugged into a valve on the grab unit. An electrical wire will then control that valve via SVAB to give you proportional control of each function you require, and then you can have this translated into any setup you like at the joysticks in terms of rollers or buttons. The beauty of it is you just need one set of hoses and the electric wire which keeps things super neat. Done properly by John this will be plug and play for an Engcon Tiltrotator unit should you decide to drop on one in future, plus is all transferable should you switch machines. John would offer you a whole range of piped solutions too, but the SVAB is great for such instances of using a single acting circuit to perform multiple functions with fantastic control. Eddie.

Got all that and sounds a good unit. Is this going to be your main attachment, used in anger daily type affair or just another string to your bow tool in the toybox? What I'm really trying to establish is do you want a very neat solution that may cost a bit more, or having dangling hoses and plenty of buttons to press/changeover isn't going to really matter for more occasional use? What sort year is the CAT? Eddie.

Dave, at Wheels n Tyres Cheadle for BFG's:thumbup:

How's your grapple saw mounted? Dangle mount with rotator? How many sets of auxiliary lines do you have? Button's or rockers on the joysticks to control them? I at this point see absolutely no need for anything along the lines of what you're describing, modern machines are designed for attachments and a grapple saw isn't going to test it anything like a mulcher would? Eddie.

Cooper SST were second on my list after BFG Mud terrains and I have never heard anything but positive about them. I did also consider the Cooper ST Maxx, I really liked the look of those as an all rounder? The Kumho however is some Mud Tyre, Natural England's Toyota Hi Lux would get around pretty well on them, and you know they are about as good off road as a Wacker Plate! Eddie.

As far as I know it may be still there, one to get if you can it has all the mods and never even had the teeth turned yet. Gregor McArthur 07976839462 Olly give me a bell as that thing we were talking about is still there exact spec. Thanks for the kind words everyone, and yes that is one thing with mulching you can see where you've been, even if sometimes you wish you could see where you're going!! Eddie.

Swapped my FAE Head in for the just released version and seriously impressed so far.:thumb up: This place is a total voyage of discovery, and a real challenge, but satisfying when you see where you've been. Eddie.

The only point to them is unfortunately should the worst happen and you are faced with proving competence. The card will do that immediately, as will any In House tickets also, then things move on to the Trainer having to prove his competence to train you. I am not against any of the safety aspect and think the Safety refresher should actually be more frequent? What I am against is having the card taken away after 5 years if I don't turn up with a book of lies and then sit and answer questions about machines that have no relevance to my ability to Operate it. What is required is a much harder skills test that would take a decent Operator 3 to 5 years to work towards. Pass this and you achieve a ticket that actually proves your worth a little more and adds value to the job. Employers and Clients would know you must be something like to start with, instead of the simple fact it's a complete lottery what skill lies behind that category on a card? Time the whole lot got tipped upside down in favour of the people paying out and get some of this need to carry a load of different schemes thrown out. Where the hell did stuff like this Rolo come from and why didn't companies simply get together and say No! There is more than enough out there to prove you've attended your box ticking and we should be removing these made up ones not adding to them. Eddie.

That and the fact some Insurance companies especially in Construction will insist on CPCS Operators, as again this is a very quick way of proving competence? The only thing they prove in real life is the guy has handed over his cash to the latest version of the money grabbing scheme, before the goalposts are moved and we all go around again at more expense!:thumb down: I don't know if it's ever been tested, but at what point would the Judge accept you were competent, assuming you could put a couple of bus loads of quality people in the dock to vouch for you? Eddie.

CPCS is acceptable as a basic excavator unit on FMOC I think, but most will look at you blank when you even mention FMOC? Too many schemes out there and not a one anything more than a box ticking money making racket. Back in the day the Foreman would know by breakfast if you could operate the machine or not! Eddie.

I am loathed to even type it, as I hate the whole stinking system with a passion, but it simply has to be a CPCS, until someone finds a way to break up the money grabbing cartel that provides us with nothing more than a carded workforce not skilled. Other schemes are available but in my opinion CPCS is instantly recognised everywhere without issue. Eddie.