Laying low voltage conduit all afternoon long.

Somehow my version of the song just doesn't have the same emphasis as David Wilcox's.

No matter.


I needed something to connect the positive cable end to. The threaded battery terminal was too big, so I had to improvise.


Deliciously dangerous wiring near the driveshaft. This is the solenoid that allows the winch to operate in the up and down directions.


Ass-ugly wiring everywhere. The chain and hooks are temporary until I can get some proper lifting chain and threaded links, or something like that.


The control switch was designed to work on an ATV handlebar, so it doesn't really match up all that well with my steering column. I may change this later, but this works for the time being. Zip-tie apocalypse behind the dash.


It actually works, the lift arms go up.


Can that be translated into something useful though?


Turns out it can.


I need shorter chains to connect to the arms.


Just to try it out a little, I made a short potato furrow in the snow in the middle of the driveway.

Someone give me a lift.

After discussing matters with my neighbour, I've decided to try using a winch for the hitch lift system instead of the cylinder. At least for now.


ATV model, got a good price on it. Came with everything I need.


Going to mount it on the top of the case. There were factory options for a geared lift system for this model of tractor, and this is where it mounted. This spot should be strong enough to take the force, I hope.


Need to put the guide somewhere, maybe here.


After considering things, this is what I came up with.


I had the winch backwards in the second picture there, it has to be underwound, not top wound.


I had to take the cap off the differential. The gear oil is much rustier than I was expecting, when I put it in there a few months ago it was blue. I've always planned to use it for a while and replace the oil again after it's cleaned the case a bit, I may have to do it a lot sooner than I thought though. Still, the gears look good from what I can see.


All together. The mounting bolts are an absolute bitch to get at, I may need to make some changes.


Tomorrow I hope to get it all wired up and start testing it.

Winter wonderland? More like winter hellscape.

Winter had finally hit Alberta.



Given that there's all of 3 hours of sunlight these days, and there's so much other stuff to do, I don't have a great deal of time to spend with my tractor.

Took it for a ride in the snow. Can't handle much more than a 16-18" snowdrift without bogging down. Going to have to make some chains.


Drilled and cut the bar that's going to hold the lift arms.


Re-used the pulleys from the old drive system, they make a good spacer to keep the lift arm out of the way of those bolt heads on the side of the hitch frame.


And called it a day.