Just picked up a winter project. Need to put new head on and get Kubota V2203 back in. It has the old style block and head with 6 water holes and I have read where people put the new 10 hole style head with the old 6 hole style head gasket but a little Leary of that. The original head has small cracks at the injection chambers. Need to get the cab off the machine and get it in the garage. Unfortunately, there is very little information on these little workhorses. I do have the online manual from a Thomas 1700 and some of the information crosses over but not all. Thinking of maybe trying to pressurize the hydraulic brakes to get it moving and will try and see if that information works.
Tell your wife you may have that out of her driveway by September.
Puh-leeeease, it’s already lined up to go into the garage. Right now, trying to figure out how to lift the cab off to A- fit it into the garage and B- make it easier to work on but looking at it, may be easier to leave cab on as it’s got all the electrical and stuff to operate. Anyone know what the 2 spring loaded knobs are that go into a hold open slot? If I remember, they are the lock pins for the drives but it’s been a few years since I’ve been in the cab of one, like 30 years. Lol The Kubota V2203 is on my stand and the cylinders look good. #2 cylinder had a half millimeter of galled aluminum up top. Oil is drained and going to flip and pop the connector rods and check the bearings. Biggest problem is going to figure out all the Mickey Mouse stuff people have been doing it to for decades. Not sure how to get it into the garage. The Thomas manual is not accurate to pressure the hydraulic locks on the drive. That means I’m left with 2 options. Bull it in with the backhoe and a post, or get it up on skates and try and roll it in, knowing I have to take some weight on the front for the apron or the wheels will cave in. Had to use the SxS and a little rubber to get it off the ramp truck. lol Fun times Those spring loaded knobs are cables and for the life of me, can’t figure out how they fished them up through the ROPS and how to disconnect them, one is screwed up and won’t move.
Awww come on! Let's have some fun with the wifey!
You could slide it in on half sheets of plywood under the tires on each side. You could use dish soap on top of the plywood to get the wheels to slide easier.
Wifey is not in the mood after seeing that clam in front of the garage and knowing her Jeep has to stay outside in the cold New England weather. LOL I will try the back rub and maybe foot rub later. Maybe she will try and help me get it in the garage because I’m about to try and stuff it in there like a pillow, with the backhoe.
We have a sloping acreage with 3 levels; I just put ‘new’ machines on the lowermost bench and she usually doesn’t even notice the new addition!
We had a Kubota V2203 in a Bobcat 773; really liked that engine. Decent power & a good cold starter (unlike the Bobcat 743…) Good luck; machine looks in good shape.
Where are the spring loaded knobs? I see there's holes in the top corner of the ROPS. Those are for pins to come out to support the boom when it's raised. However at that height it's easy to bang your head on the boom getting out of the cab. The spring loaded pins could be for parking brakes. Some Thomas loaders had cables for park brakes that were known to break. I think your machine is before that though. If you Google Thomas Equipment in Canada they have a web page that lists Scat Trak. They may have a manual and some parts. Parts will be pricey though. It's possible there's a manual you can download. All the Thomas manuals can be downloaded for free. If your machine was built by Thomas it could be closer to a different model than a 1700.
I have downloaded the Thomas manuals and while they help with some stuff, a large part is different. The 2 knobs are in the top of the ROPS as you sit in it and are about a foot apart. They slide into lock positions and to release you push up and they spring to the center about 2””. One works the other looks as though it was pulled out of place and doesn’t move. They go to a 6”x2” cylinder right next to each drive motor. I suspect and somewhat remember that to park the machine you let those knobs go and try and move a little and they snap into place. I have not been able to verify though. It looks like they are available and the only way I can see them being replaced, is to have the cab tipped forward and to fish them through the ROPS and into the cylinders. I have an idea to cut two 5 gallon pails and to put them around the rear wheels and lift up on the front and stuff it in the garage. My fear is, if I get it into the garage and get it mostly back together, I may not be able to drive it out. I need to get it in so I can work on it as it’s a little chilly out. I do have steel dollies that can handle the weight but know they will rip off on the apron, push it in. Once in the garage, I can put it on the dollies, to move around with a winch. Should be fun times. Still questioning the heads on the V2203 with the 10 hole vs the 6 hole differences.