Backhoe Thread???

[bmwstudent]

So we've made a little progress on the hoe. This is a pic of the old battery tray, it sits directly on top of the engine on a swing out pivot. There really isn't too much of it left.

[bmwstudent]

I still haven't been able to figure out how to post multiple pics in one post so you'll have to suffer through this with me. I know it's easy to do, 1 2 3, bing bang boom, go fuck yourself, I can't figure it out.
So this is a shot of the battery tray partially swung out of the engine compartment. Pic is taken from the right side of the vehicle and you can see the valve cover just behind it and the fuel filters just under it.

[bmwstudent]

Same pic as before with the tray swung out of position and valve cover in full view. Note the wiring going to the alt, it's getting replaced. Also getting the pressure washer out.

[bmwstudent]

So this is what I had to start with, I built another tray and reused the pivot point as you will see in the next few pics.

[bmwstudent]

Basic rectangle frame. Made it out of 2x2x3/16" angle, a little beefy but that's what I had. You can see what I made and then what I reused. The pivot bracket was removed from the old tray and prepped for reinstallation. I also had some perforated sheet stock I used for the bottom to provide a nice flat surface for the battery.

[bmwstudent]

I forgot to take a pic of it the next day after I painted it, here is a shot of it installed. Those are valve cover bolts in the tray, I'm doing a valve adjustment. Makes a nice tool tray.

[bmwstudent]

About to do a valve adjustment, I checked them before I adjusted them. The were all out quite a bit. Engine looks pretty clean inside. It does not have locks on the adjuster screws, the adjusters are simply friction fit. They adjust like any other rocker but as you can see there is no lock on the threaded adjuster. They are very difficult to turn and once set the will not move unless you really give it some effort. Lash was .018" and .015". After the adjustment it started faster and smoked a lot less at startup.

[bmwstudent]

A little paint and a new gasket, we are good to go. Also note the wiring, I completely stripped the entire vehicle off it's cobbled together wiring harness. There really isn't much to speak of in terms of a harness anyway. It's a pull cable shutdown and there aren't any electrical devices on it. The only wiring I had to do was a charging circuit, starting circuit, and a couple gauges. I replaced the main battery cables with new 4/0 cable and new copper lugs, a little overkill but again that's what I have in stock and there is plenty of room for them. You can see one of them off to the left.

[bmwstudent]

I also had to replace some hydraulic lines on the bucket up front, thankfully we do hydraulic lines here on site. All I had to buy was some fittings and some 3/4" line. Aired the tires, changed the oil and filters, greased all pivots, and I cut off some piece someone attached to the boom on the hoe. I believe it used to hold a control valve for a clam attachment. The piece in the pic is now gone.

[bmwstudent]

Next up is the exhaust that broke off yesterday and a new engine belt. Also replacing the thermostat and gasket when I flush the cooling system out, coolant looks old and weak. All in all it's coming along pretty well.