4 stick ford

[hyster41]

Have '75 Ford 4500 with a 4 stick hoe. Really want to convert to 2 stick!!
ANY info would be much appreciated! Is it even possible? Thanks:usa

 

[DGODGR]

Having the ability to convert control patterns, supplied from the factory, have only been around for about 20 years. That 4500 is much older than that so I would guess that you will have to custom make something. I learned on Sherman controls so I would recommend that you keep them as they are. They work fine, and IMO you have better control with your fingers than you do with your hands.

 

[Mikefromcny]

Its possible there was some sort of retrofit kit, the Ford 555 could be had with either and that came out in 1978. Check with a New Holland dealer that sold them new, if your lucky enough to have one. I drive about an hour to my dealer ( there are closer ones), but they have been around since the 50's or 60's and can tell me anything about my 555, also have alot of parts in stock. Good Luck.

 

[powerjoke]

totally doable. should be fairly simple too but you'll need to start out with such as a mechanism off of some other machine if you dont want to build it all from scratch, u may be able to find something complete and used such as a valve section that sets between your feet as like in a later model cat or deere or something, it may be easier to do a little plumbing than a lotta mechanical engineering/fabricating

Pj

 

[guss34]

you do have to change the valve bodies around.2 stick setup is difrent then 4 stick at the valve bodie.

 

[hyster41]

i think I did it

A friend and I fashioned some linkage from 1/4" rod and scrap iron and swapped hoses around where they entered the lower boom and I'll be dogone if it doesn't work! Not the prettiest thing but functions like other 2 sticks I've operated. Thanks for all of your responses:usa

 

[jimg984]

would like to see a pictures of that..........are you saying did that without changing valve bodies?

 

[hyster41]

NO changes to the valve body. Where the four hyd lines change to steel lines inside the boom is an access cover. Remove that and all four connections are right there.Following the lines from the valve bank We swapped the lines from #1 and #3, And swapped #2 and #4. The rest is just getting the valves to actuate in push or pull mode. I'll try to get pics of the homemade assembly:usa

 

[shopteacher 1]

I have a 4500 that is a two stick hoe. It was that way when I bought it. I don't know, but it looks like some type of conversion. It works great.

John

 

[dynahoescott]

2 or 4 stick hoe

I dont know if this helps you or not but it is reason for hope anyway. I ran a 160 dynahoe for 2 years before my boss got me a 190. the 190 was a 1986 with 2 lever controls, the first I ever saw on a dynahoe. and I ran this machine for 9 years. The 160 was standard 4 and I ran that rig for 2 years before and really liked the 4 stick version. Right up until the point that I started running the 2 stick 190. So they converted the old 160 to 2 levers also, my point is, it can be done on the bucyrus so it probably can be done on a ford. Although 4 lever dynahoe controls are much more simillar to case controls with one extra lever to the right for the swing. ford 4 levers, I believe ford controls are called sherman controls( what ever the hell a sherman is?):drinkup

 

[El Hombre]

An oldtimer told me about an advantage the Ford four lever has; if you get it stuck, you can grab the left two levers with one hand and the bucket control with the other. You're doing this standing up next to the seat, pulling back on the levers, work the boom to pull you backward and unroll the bucket to help. I got my 5550 stuck, put a crib of 6x6's four feet high into the muck with the outrigger. Just pushed them out of sight. Then I remembered the oldtimer, and did what he said. Got it out. Even a 4wd wouldn't have got out of there.