gehl opinion
This is a late response to the thread but I wanted to let you know that there are good models of Gehl's out there. I have a 2001 5635 that is very long on hours and is still running strong with very few problems until this year.
the starter went out last week and a oil leak on one of the hoses on the drive motor.The starter I attribute to too many cold weather starts this last winter and the oil leak was a loose hose and worn o-ring. Every other fitting has stayed tight. I run hy-flow hydralics and have not had any heating problems or broken hoses.
When I bought the machine I had reservations about the oil cooled Deutz, but this engine has been amazing.no oil leaks and when I got it in 2001 I felt it had the most power in it's class.This machine is very nimble and visibility is great,it's a series II so it has 2-speed, lowered side booms for visibility and a great heater,It has t-bar controls so all my feet do is run the throttle with my right foot and the aux controls with my left. The t-bar controls are not pilot controled but I don't find them all that
tiring.
I do like the ability to adjust wear out of the linkage easily and with the tip up cab access to engine and hydralics and linkage makes life a lot easier. The machine has always run smooth and the balance is very good.
It has adjustable hinge pins where the bucket attaches to the boom,where you can adjust out the wear.I think this is a good idea but I have a hard time keeping the adjustment bolts from backing out.Also Gehl could work on pin seals for all the hinge pins as they will puke out the grease all over the machine.Instead of sunrise yellow I when it was bought it's more a sundown yellow depending which color of grease I'm using at the time.
I'm sure now that I've bragged about the machine,I will have a catastrophic component failure tommorrow and I'm preparing to buy a new machine soon. I'm going to try out the newer models to compare how they stand up to my old technology with 4000+ hrs. I'm looking for a machine that is powerful,stable with good balance,good visibility and dependable. and if it breaks don't make me stand on my head to fix it or have parts so rare or brand specific the dealer has to wait in line to get them.
I am shying away from the 7800 series Gehl because of comment on this site and others. I would have no problem buying another 5635 though I did want a 7800 series, going to Mustang is buying basicly the same machine,wondering if they have same problems or is it quality control at the plant? I'm wondering if there are some Mustang owners with an opinion?