I've been chipping frozen, packed dirt out from under my tilt rams again, once or twice per day, just like last year, and I hate it. (This is down at the backing plate; packs like concrete.) I also clean/chip out around the pivot knuckle (I guess you'd call it), which REALLY stinks. Last night I got an epiphany; why not drop the implement, extend the rams till that pocket of frozen dirt is level, and pour antifreeze on them? Ha. This morning I was hauling out muck; piece of cake. Why didn't I think of that last year? Any, FWIW. j
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Nice. I get dirt stick between the bobtach plate and the arms all the time, especially when the dirt is wet, it goes like concrete and you need to chip it away with a screw driver, its a pain in the butt too. Thankfully i don't need to deal with it freezing though.
mistersweeper
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- Oct 6, 2008
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Would WD-40 work if you sprayed it when it was cleaned off like every time you greased the boom? Just wondering if anyone has tried this since I too just spent my evening chipping the same sh#$ from my machine. OH and Tazza, I hate you (just kidding) for not having to deal with this frozen stuff.
I'd be surprised if WD would do much. I think the first bit of dirt would absorb it, and that would be that. I've thought about greasing the heck out of that area, but I suspect that that, too, would just get absorbed. Maybe one of those ideas would make the chipping off easier, once you break your way down. Dunno, but it was sure nice to just muck out gunk instead of using a long chisel and taking LOTS of time; major PITA when you have to do it twice a day. I've got an even better solution now, though; quitting until next May! You folks w/ the warm garage and running water have it sacked.
LOL its nice not getting below freezing, but our summer sure can be nasty! long and oh so very HOT
skidsteer.ca
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In our climate I find a heated shop almost a necessity to maintain equipment, Nov til April is a long time to let ice and snow accumulate. I really feel for the guys way north.
Ken
keep the antifreeze in the machine in a squirt bottle, I wonder if rv antifreeze wouldn't work as well, it is a lot cheaper.
Jerry: I poured on RV antifreeze when it was about 0, and now, at -10, I dug the mud out easily. Good idea, a lot safer for pets. My damn dogs eat any little tidbit of anything they can find, and chunks of mud w/ antifreeze in them would likely kill them. RV antifreeze is apparently much safer. The problem today was, I could not pour it out of the jug I bought it in; too slushed up, so I poured in a little windshield washer fluid to finish the last little bit of frozen dirt. Now I am working on extending my bucket higher for a snow bucket; I really ought to hook up some kind of heat in there.....
