LeeGray

The clutch has been dreadful on my 90 for ages and reverse and first particularly difficult to select to the point where it became pretty much impossible so I left it and assumed it was clutch as its been screaming for a long time. Its been parked up for ages until i got round to putting a new clutch in last weekend. Engine in/out went successful and plastic on release bearing completely knackered and almost through metal on the fork hollow, however on completion the reverse situation hasn't changed. All forward gears select correctly and positively but nothing for reverse. I have taken the top off to check usual suspects..plunger, stops, guides etc and all looks fine. With the motor running and the top off i can select forward gears direct on the selector and what feels like reverse clicks in but no drive. (no grinding or other noises either though). I'm at a loss...so before i chuck another £700 into for a recon box and the time to fit it any other ideas of possible problem or remedy??

Did a little job about 2 hours flailing overgrown paddock corner for a ‘freind’ a few weeks ago and picked up some ht wire, thought I’d got it all cleared but must have pulled some into rotor bearing. Knackered both bearing and hub, 3 hours to replace and £65. Still not running right as pulled a weight of the rotor but there all different sizes and I don’t know whether to go bigger or smaller than I’ve welded on. Have to get it balanced again. They probably thought the £50 I charged was expensive too!

£10/hr old labourer on the books

Fair enough, shame there’s no on local and more sensibly priced

Anytime I sell on eBay now I say dont ask any questions. It is what it is, come and have a look if you’re genuine or bid and take a chance.

+1 for a quad or dumper. Sold my old 4wd Suzuki on eBay for £500, £150 more than I paid for it and dumper went for £300 more than I bought it for. plenty cheap ones about that will do that job if you are handy and don’t mind rough looking! Trailer kit £150 if you’ve got a welder or new lambing style trailer £500. Keep forever for pennies per year or sell when done and get you’re money back.

The only persons income I’m concerned about is my own, if I’m happy with what I’m invoicing that’s great. If everyone else is getting plenty, great too. That way they’ll be around to give me more work in the future.

Probably a bit too far from ponteland Harry but happy to take chip here, NE65 8DA if your working closer to me in future

I got a kelfri bucket for my Schaffer, cheap but does the job. The other stuff I looked at when I picked it up seemed reasonable given prices....But I’d be be tempted to hire a loader or digger and a processor for the day and have it all done.

Been running a L322 v8 Range Rover for work for past 20 months, got sick of losing masses of depreciation on modern new stuff.. navara/rodeo/trafic etc. Which were bad enough when they were £20,000 but even worse now some are £30,000. Now got cheap modern little van for most miles and the Rover for towing. Done nearly 17,000 miles in it, could sell it tomorrow for what paid for it. £150 oil, filters and mot + £150 brakes. Masses of power, comfy as hell, better off road and towing than my 90 or any other vehicle I’ve had. Massive boot/rear seat area with great security rather than pick up canopy. I’d recommend them to anyone. And £5000 cash will get you a half decent one!

Ah, they always seem daft online. You think they’d just put the cheapest price online and then try build up policy when you ring to pay rather than other way round. When I got some quotes for the old 90 last time round looked about a grand on internet. £116 from Adrian Flux! Even NFU wanted £600. On limited mileage though so probably not much use to you. my only other thought is where’s the mattress going on the ranger ?

That’s mental. Try Nfu or Adrian flux, they’ve always been good for me on price and service. My 18 year olds insurance doesn’t even cost that much.

First rained off day today so finally got crossmember fitted on the 90, shocked to see it wasn’t the first time round and was a hell of a lot worse than rest of the chassis. Only been laid up 6 months or so! Went for 3mm one but imagine it’ll be rusty in no time so probably lather it in underseal. If it’s persisting it down tomorrow ill get tow bar painted and back on and have the engine out and have a bash at fitting HD clutch kit. Can’t see me getting it finished but forecast more rain Monday too...the grass may well grow yet this year!

If your jobs are £10,000 in materials I’d definitely get vat registered

Has it got a 3 point link and pto matty?

At the opposite end of the spectrum...must try harder!

Harvest looks like it’ll be rubbish this year so could have reasonable value as bedding if you’ve got farmers nearby

Hi James, thanks for this. Spoke to Andy today, very professional and helpful. Hopefully get something sorted shortly. Lee

Got a call from Andy today, very helpful and apologetic for not getting back to me. Easy to deal with, quote is in £4k dearer than same spec yanmar but a years less warranty which Andy said is built in same factory in France. I really wanted to stick with yanmar as my current one hasn’t let me down ever but the dealer support doesn’t sound good and at least we have a Kobelco dealer local. The thing is I’ve never even seen one in the flesh, let alone used one. I’m assuming pumps, track motors are same or better than yanmar and parts will be similar cost but would appreciate any feedback from someone running a little Kobelco

I read as average about £750 week? So £20/hr approx

Leasing definitely the cheapest way to own a vehicle like this, as your only paying interest on the (massive) depreciation, never liked the idea of borrowing for depreciation myself though so buy older stuff or ex demo etc where possible. Think the tax man may get suspicious if you’ve got a £30000-£40000 vehicle on the books but declared less turnover than vat threshold

Still nothing from steelwrist today so thought bugger it I’ll just get the off the shelf and move on, rang dealer to organise picking up sv26 this week he says can’t do it Aand Y no longer importers for yanmar and don’t know who is going to get it. If you like the machine ring Molson about Kobelco SK26 it’s the same near enough. Had a look and yep looks good, ring Molson yeah,yeah someone from sales will call you straight back. Nothing. Is it me?thought buying new would save me time, must have put 40 hours in already..that’s over a grand of time spent and no happy customer to pay the bill!

https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/market-data/subcontractors-pay-trends/ makes for interesting reading for earning comparisons

I looked at what they went for second hand and decided to just sell old for £250 and then buy another new one for £350 but they’re a bit dearer now. tilty set up looks like £8k so more like £10 if I add factory pipes although I’m waiting for prices from steelwrist for two pipe and control system. I’ll look into tilt hitch today though, if I could get hydraulic hitch, extra aftermarket line and tilt for £4k I’d probably just go for that for ease and use my grab the same way Ive done for years on the offset and hammer... Feet going like a Irish dancer!

Looks great, thanks for posting. How much was the hitch if you don’t mind me asking? I priced up a hydraulic hitch as had two semi hitches both had quite a bit of play after 1000hrs and was thinking the hydraulic would stay tight forever and £1000 fitted seams alright but the I could put the cash towards a full tilt/rotate set up instead. Looking at all the different options has got me paralysed for choice, half the time thinking I’ll just go standard off the shelf and it’ll be grand, I could pick up machine straight away and be working with it this week but other half thinking well if I’m getting new might as well go for four pipes and Engcon or steelwrist it’ll be a huge step forward and make my work quicker/easier/more interesting and profitable but there’s a shitload of options in between and the dealers aren’t exactly helpfull when they would prefer to just sell the stock they have on the books or in the yard and get the easy money.