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Eli Hernandez 11-08-2009 22:20:23 75.80.246.36 456504 Report to Moderator	Please excuse my initial process of learning about tractors. We just bought a FORD 4500 of which we will own for a long time. We have two 2.7 lots that we will be working over the next several years. This machine is Diesel and has a backhoe. That much I know. It runs smooth and I had an expert go with me to buy it. That's as far as we got and I have been researching it ever since. I downloaded a manual that I purchased and have been starting my reading on that. It's 894 pages or so! MY QUESTION IS ... where and how to I read the usage of use on this tractor. The owner really didn't know much about it and just used it for one house project and let it sit for about 15 years! WOW! Anyway, please help me figure out how much usage it has. Another question would be on how to go about changing most of the hydraulic hoses. I am not afraid of trying just about anything. Thanks for all the help and I realize I am a newbie so go easy on me! :) Eli [Reply]   [Send Email]
kyplowboy 11-09-2009 01:24:59 63.146.226.90 456506 Report to Moderator	Re: Reading hours of use in reply to Eli Hernandez, 11-08-2009 22:20:23   You will get a good bit of info here from folks who know much more than I do but I will get started and try to help some. For the hours there should be a dial on the dash that looks like the odometer of a car. It keeps track of hours on the engine just like the odometer keeps track of miles on a car. If it is not working your manual should tell you how to fix it. Most of the time when they stop it's the cable. After setting you might want to change all the fluids, every thing from the antifreeze to the rear end oil. Once you get them change you will know what you have and if your proofmeter (fancy name for hour meter) is working you will know when they all need change again. A few tops on the hoses, first only take one off at a time. With a back hoe you have several lines and just like spark plug wires take'n only one loose at a time will keep down on head scratch'n and cuss'n. I love my local New Holland (new name for blue tractors and where you will need to go for some parts) dealer and you will get to know yours aswell and I hope you like them. With that said unless you have more money than Davy Crockett don't go in there with a list of all the hoses you need, you won't like them when they get to adding that up. I am lucky here in coal country every town with a stop light has a good hydrolic shop. Any good industrial shop can make you hoses the size, lenght, and with the tips you need for a fraction of the cost of one at the NH dealer. If you look down the list of talk forums here and click on the ford forum you will find some great guys who know a great deal about most every ford tractor ever made. Some of them don't read this forum much and they will be of great help if you have any more more specific questions. Good luck. Dave   [Reply]   [Send Email]
kyplowboy 11-09-2009 01:28:56 63.146.226.90 456507 Report to Moderator	Re: Reading hours of use in reply to kyplowboy, 11-09-2009 01:24:59   Sorry, I was the one in the wrong forum. Been a long night here at work and I thought I was on the Tractor Talk page and was on the ford one. Sorry bout that!!!! Dave   [Reply]   [Send Email]