Our New fuel tank location

New Tank Area

Nice cement pad with Ballard's to safe guard the tanks . Tanks are on order and should be here soon . We are going with electric pump system . 

One of the problems with poor tank placement is wrong fuel can get put into equipment . It has happen in the past a fair amount when the guys get tired or the heat starts getting to them .It can happen to the best of us . The old tanks I could see at a distance and have had to holler at them for picking up the wrong fuel handle (red / gas ...green /diesel ) when refueling . It sure can save you some additional work or losing a diesel engine do to wrong fuel .



Having some input from the mechanic may save you $$$$ in the future .

The tanks are place directly in my site line from where I spend most of my day ......at the lift adjusting and greasing equipment as they come off the course . Now when the guys are coming in to fuel I can keep an eye on them plus get some input on how their piece of equipment is working/cutting . I'll be able to direct them to where I want the gear put after their done mowing . Usually the mowing gear is washed off then fueled and left outside to dry off before adjustments , then go to cold storage .

With this tank placement it isn't 100% fool proof but more in the 95% range . 99% if you key tag your gear and paint the diesel caps to match the diesel handle color and signs made up to put in fueling area and lunchroom .
http://golfcoursemechanics.blogspot.ca/2011/11/wrong-fuel.html

I don't think I had any fuel related issue last season .

 



Start of a NEW season soon

Got the word today . Weather permitting will be open on Thursday April 25 2013 . Greens are looking good . We have a couple of cuts on them and approaches where cut once .Guys are getting the traps ready and reshaping a few of them . Yards all cleaned up and looking great . Fuel tanks should be here soon ....may be waiting for final inspections .  Been pretty busy . Our Smithco trap rake blew a rear seal and head gasket . Engines out and apart waiting on a seal kit . The gas pro - gator I managed to do some more bypass wiring on wire connections with new ones . I found a governor screw was broken and managed to get it out and made a similar shape one by cutting the head of the same metric bolt size and slicing a screw groove on the end with a hack saw . After looking at the front end I seen the left side main front leaf spring was broken . I'll outsource this job to a local business that can repair it cheaper and allow my time to be used more wisely .

 Briggs 18 hp vanguard . Not as bad as i thought it would be to get it out .

 Pulling the flywheel .Going to replace the front seal while it's out .

 All cleaned up and ready for parts when they arrive . I'll have more pictures later .

 Main leaf spring broken .

 Removed this mess of corroded connections that sit on the engine.

 Spliced in new connectors and zip tied them away from engine under the steel hydro lines . I'm going to do a few more by the front wheel . Running not to bad now . Will see how it does as a daily runner .

Busy , Busy Record keeping

Lots of gear this year . Busy running around getting serial #'s and recording all the equipment in files and computers .Doing some new check off sheets for the fleet rentals to keep track of service,damage,and rotation. Also we went with the no tow option this time . I am really impressed to see the batteries fills tied to one fill tube . The pro shop staff will be very happy to see this option .

 Look over the gear well and keep a good eye on them for the first 50 hrs.I'm also putting some painters tape( mark the hours ) near the hr. meters  for the very important first service intervals .  Our staff will usually mention if there seems to be a problem or have any questions . Had a few small issues corrected promptly by our dealer .  

 

Still cool out and most tarps are off the greens . Guys are out doing some tree work and cleaning up around the yard . Busy ...busy place for not being open . The city has poles going up behind the shop . Fuel company building a pad for the new fuel tanks . Seems like I'm going flat out in a few directions lately .  

 

 Our new pro-pass wireless control

Only a couple of manual settings . Chute and spinner position . I'll take it out tomorrow to figure out the wireless . The video that it came with it was well done and I should be able to figure out the rest so the operator can be trained . We usually have the assistant topdressing . We demoed the wired one this summer and we were pleased with the different spinner options on the 200 model . Now the super will be able to set the control while the operator drives by and get a good view of how the sand is spreading out ( hoppers never spread the sand the same every time... the moisture content affects how they throw the sand ) . The setting can be saved then the operator can go with the remote for the rest of the greens etc. Pretty cool technology .



New Toys starting to come in .

Just recieved are MD toro's today . We purchased 2 of them to start replacing our old Turf II 's. I had time to install the reverse buzzer kits in before the guys started using them . Took about 10 minutes each to install .



We had received our groomers for the fairway unit during the winter . Just waiting for the workman and automated spreader combo and another set of verticutters for the 3150 Q to come in . Changing out the fleet of electrics this year too .

And here are the fleet carts . April 8 -9 th 

Some Hopper Upgrades

Originally I was going to replace the plywood with metal . Much to my surprise the plywood still looked pretty good after 2 seasons and will last a few more.

http://golfcoursemechanics.blogspot.ca/2011/10/my-biggest-build.html

 

I'm going to make a couple of small changes to it while it's near the shop .

 

 The loader has to be fully extended to dump in hopper and requires some skill by the operators .

To make it easier for them I am going to drop the front section by 10 " . Cutting it out and re-leveling then weld back in place . 

 Now I can cut out the plywood .

The rear legs are going to get extended to make ot more stable .

 I'm recycling some old bed-knives by placing them on the top bar and tacking them in place . They will protect the lip of the plywood from getting damaged . Now when they load it will also hit the back wall hopefully keeping the load from spilling out and onto the seats of the equipment .

 

 Going to repaint it and make something so the loader can pick it up and move it around . The old way it tends to tip forward and fall down .

I'll post a few picks of the loader picking it up ....when I figure it out .

 

 

2011 Toro 1250 sprayer flow meter cleaning

Almost done servicing the new sprayer . Changed out the hydraulic oil and filter this year and cleaned the transmission screen . Checking hoses and cleaned nozzles and screens .etc. It was also time to check and clean the flow meter . ( every 200hrs. depending on what is being sprayed )

 

 I remove the nuts holding the valve on the left so it can allow a little more movement to get the flow meter out .



 

 

Loosen the 2 clamps that hold it in place . The directional arrow points to the right side when standing at the rear of the sprayer. Disconnect the wire to it to . Now that you have it out don't loose the rubber grommets that seal it on either end .

 

 

Remove the clip on the right side .

 

You can use a pair of needle nose pliers to carefully remove the end cap that the rotor runs in . Notice the notch for when it gets reassembled .

 

 

 

 

 

The rotor falls out easlily when you tap the part on your hand .



 

 Clean all the parts again ( old toothbrush works great ) and check them for cracks or worn rotor fins or missing fins . Mine where good but there was a piece of rusty looking material wedged between one set of fins . Reassemble carefully in reverse order . Once the clip is back in you can blow ( 5 lbs. max ) on the rotor and it should spin easily . If for some reason it doesn't there is an adjustment on the other end . Back it of 1/16th of a turn at a time untill it does move freely .  

 

I installed it on the right side first and remember the rubber bushings that seal the unit up .

 

The wiring also has a notch for it to go back together properly .

 

The rotor is moved by flow in the system . There are 2 small magnets inside the rotor and as it spins the sensor on top must pick up the pulse sending the information through the wiring to the receiving end .

 

A few more pic's

 

When greasing the machine I didn't notice Toro added a hole to be able to grease the inner steering ram tie rod .Great idea but the grease nipple on the tie rod was facing 180 degrees the other way ....so I had to take this one all apart one more time .  On our old sprayer I have to remove some parts in front of the engine to be able to grease this spot . Next year I'll drill the hole in the old one to speed up greasing . It's a good 15 + minute job doing it the old way for one grease nipple .

I have it facing the right way for next time .

About 2 + seasons ago I had put grease nipple here in the A frame and have not had issues with the nylon bushings wearing out every season  .

All four are done on the new one now .

 

 

244 hrs . and the fluid in the gear box is looking pretty murky . It should be changed every season . The instructions are different between each model but the one that made sence to me is to remove the upper gear case plug and fill gearcase up till it starts to run out . A little over .500 litre not 1 litre as stated in the newer model's operators manual .

New addition to the Shop

Picked this up today for the shop . Bench top 10 ton hydraulic press.

Going to be nice to have and I'm sure I will be many uses for it .

 



 

I may try cold pressing the rotary blades that are a little bent .

I may ( most likely ) drill a 4" hole in the bench directly under the ram area so I can press bearings off shafts etc . when needed . You get lots of bent parts at the course this will give me a little better control in straighting out a few things with less hammering or heating .

 

Some of the crew will be starting tomorrow and they will be cleanup up around the course and getting ice shields off the greens ( weather permitting ) . With today's rain the snow is pretty much gone .

 

New gear should be arriving soon and our fleet of electric Club Cars are being replaced with new ones  from  http://www.veseysequipment.com/

 

One sprayer left to do and and few more heavy haulers . Then rework the narrowing hopper to make it more sturdy and movable with the loader . After that small engines .....tractors . Switching gear around for summer set up/clean up and put winter gear away then back to the summer routine .



MDX (MD) Reverse buzzer install

Just received the reverse buzzer kits this morning for my MDX and the MD's that we are getting soon .

 The kit has a buzzer / switch and a couple of zip ties . The instructions where missing/wrong instructions ( all kits ) and I notified the dealer of the mix up so they can contact Toro . Hey it happens , this way it can get corrected . The parts manual where there that I could go by .



The reverse buzzer goes behind this cover under the dump bed on the right rear .





 The cover just pops off . Solenoid and regulator are also under here .

The hole is already there .



 Also the wiring is already in place and tagged , clean up connection  before installing on buzzer .

Pop it in the hole and use the retainer nut to hold it in place and reinstall the cover .

Remove the 8 bolts on the forward / reverse plate .

 After the bolts are out ... I wondered how to put the switch in . Didn't seem to be any room . ( no instructions ) .

I followed the cables back and figured out what the zip ties in the kit were for . Cutting the zip ties under the primary clutch allows the forward / reverse mechanism to come out enough for the rest of the install .

You can slide the choke cable out if you need more room . The slot in the side is where the switch goes .



I just slid the reverse buzzer wiring harness up .It was also well labeled .



I cleaned the connection up and used lots of die electric grease

 on it .

The switch goes on the inside of the plate and just pushes through the hole till the clips hold it in place .

Had a little problem  getting my chunky fingers in there but was not to bad using a flat screw driver to maneuver it in place .



Bolt the plate back in .



The zip ties go here to hold the cables down and out of the way . Also a good shot of what I was talking about with the starter / generator . Working on the ground . My lift is tied up with the windfoil sprayer .

A little video of the life /( head ) saving in our case  annoying noise .

Over all about 30 minutes with out instructions . My next 2 will take under 10 minutes each .

 Safety wise will be money well spent .