Hello, just wanted to post and update on my little Gehl 2500 and all the mods I have made to it. Re-powered with a Kohler CH730 25 hp V twin, works great. Replaced the hydraulic pump with a new one from www.surpluscenter.com Reinstalled the original loader valve. The previous owner put in a new one that did not have "float" when trying to fix the hydraulic problem (that ended up being a week pump). Installed new drive chains. Extended the cage up 4 inches and the control levers up 6 inched (because I am a giant). Made a new overhead control panel. Next will be some headlights and a strobe light. If it works well all winter next summer the plan is to tear it all down, replace all the axle seals and the bearing as needed, replace seals on the hydro units and gear boxes, replace the final drive sprocket with a smaller one to give it a little more low end power and slow down the top speed, it goes way to fast in my opinion. Probably strip it down and repaint it. I also plan on building a rock bucket / grapple for it. I just got in from a 2 hour test out in my grove. Cleaned up some brush, dug out and moved a few rocks and cleaned up the old burn pile. I'm not sure how I lived with out a skid loader. LOL Jason from Iowa mid 70s Gehl HL2500 81 Chevy K-20 with a 35' bucket / man lift 02 Silverado with a Meyer snow plow and lots of other things I don't need
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They sure are great, the amount of time and effirt i used to spend moving dirt was insane. I can move a truck load of dirt in minutes with a skid steer, something that would have taken me days od back breaking work before. You will find more things that you can do with it to make life easier too. Some of which i'm sure you shouldn't technically do.....
I have used mine as a platform to do welding on my shed that is 3m tall, it held the MIG while i stood on it and zapped away. Not workplace health and safety approved, but it got the job done.
I have used mine as a platform to do welding on my shed that is 3m tall, it held the MIG while i stood on it and zapped away. Not workplace health and safety approved, but it got the job done.
SkidRoe
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Does your machine have aux hydraulics? If not, this is something that you seriously need to consider adding. Mine didn't have them from the factory, and were a bit expensive to add, but well worth the money in hind sight.
SkidRoe, no, I do not have aux. hydraulics, but I will be adding them. If I can convert my spare ( nearly new ) 2 spool valve to float I will install it with the power beyond plug and then put in another single spool valve for the Aux. If I am not able to convert it to float then I will probably buy a new 3 spool valve. I am going to contact the manufacturer on Monday to see if it can be converted. I saw the pics of your home made grapple, very nice. Mine is going to be made from and old bucket and some spare parts I have around the place. I bought a spare skidloader for parts last week, complete except for the engine and final drive idlers. Came with 2 nice buckets. The one I had on my machine was to big for the machine. It was converted from a different attach style with the back of an old bucket welded into it. I am going to use it as a base for my grapple.
SkidRoe
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Grapples are awesome. I was using mine today to dig and move some tree stumps. You will grow to love it! Good luck on the aux build. The three spool control solution is what my BC uses. I think it is a cleaner and more robust solution than what the 2500 used from the factory.