Its Home! Its Home! Its Home! Its Home!

Post by **Oscar** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:56 pm

One day I'll be knocking on your door for a ploughing lesson - on Dotty

. I'll be in Birmingham next Thursday for work, but it's a quick hop-in and hop-out affair. No chance to come to Norfolk I'm afraid

.

Post by **Brian** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 5:56 pm

I have been spending a bit of time with Dotty fitting two new front tyres, a new fan belt, sorting out the electrics, new light switch and temperature gauge, new plugs and set the tappets. Then I removed New Zealand from the air cleaner filled it with new oil and changed the engine oil and filter.

Welded the seat pan and then took her for a couple of mile run.

She is an absolute beauty. A bit like driving a racing car, she is so light and nimble after the others, and pretty fast too.

Now I have just the check chains to sort before The Great Petrol Dexta Plough Show at Brimfield near Ludlow on the 7th of September.

She will still be rough as I have not sorted the dents in the front and that is so bent the grills won't fit. There is still welding to do on the footplates and a battery box to make but she runs like a watch.

Post by **Oscar** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:54 pm

Brian wrote:I removed New Zealand from the air cleaner

JC · Post by JC » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:25 am

I'm glad that your new Dexta is turning out so well, Brian. I'm a little bit jealous, though. You have time to work on your new toy, and my Super 6 is still sitting on the trailer while I hammer nails in the house.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:28 am

Brian,
Can you tell me what the access point to the sump pan on the right hand side is for.

I noticed the plate in the photo taken from the right hand side of you sitting on Dotty.

Post by **Brian** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:27 pm

Its nearly a TE20 engine and that plate allows you to remove and clean the oil pump suction filter just as you can with the little grey Fergy.

Been giving her a workout on the 5' chopper this afternoon. The weeds after the crops, were fairly easy work but when I took her onto the meadow the grass was wet and nearly 2' high. She just purred along! She really is a beauty. Found a few small problems like the PTO jumps out of gear but I will sort that out later. As of now I am happy to take her across England next week to the Brimfield Plough Match and the meeting with Mark's Dexta.

Wonder if it would be worth turning them both into a "Triple D"

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:25 pm

Brian,
I believed you slipped up just a little bit, "I am happy to take her across England next week to the Brimfield Plough Match and the meeting with Mark's Dexta." it was our understanding that you had confiscated Mark's petrol dexta.

What is the orange stick on the back of the bush hog for?
Nice looking tractor. "Triple D," has that ever been done with a petrol, that would be something awesome to own. You would have to get Ann to go to town with you for protection from the ladies then.

Post by **Brian** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:32 am

Mark,

I have cancelled my offer for Mark's Dexta, I offered him£25.00 for it many years ago and he did not take me up so I now have my own. And I just can't express how delighted I am with Dotty.

I mowed all yesterday afternoon until 6pm and I don't think I used a British gallon of petrol! The level in the tank did not seem to drop hardly at all. I will have to do a fuel usage test when I am ploughing next week, I knew they were frugal from Marks machine but this is a real eye opener. Don't understand why Ford did not make a bigger song and dance about these tractors. Looks like a "Major" missed opportunity.

The yellow handle on the back of the topper is a hand cultivator that I was using to cultivate between still growing plants. There is a fork on there as well somewhere. These decks make handy tool transporteres and you always have them with you

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:10 pm

Brian,
What gear did you bush hog in, and what gear do you think you will use in the ploughing competitions? Compared to the diesel dexta, on a scale of 1 to 10 how, close are they equal in power, pto speed, and handling. If ever I run into one over here I will bring her home. It's hard to believe the fuel mileage is so good, and they didn't maximize on that in there sales brochures. You and Ann need to make some sort of buggy and drive this around England to the market or out to a good restaurant. LOLOL Just kidding.

Post by **Brian** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:17 pm

I did not want to over work her so I used second and third at(judged as the rev counter is one of those little jobs), around 13/1400.

Ploughing with two furrows, 12" furrows about 8" to 9" deep, I would think third at around 1200. Probably go slow as we get a lot of people coming for a look. I will pick up the plough around Tuesday or Wednesday so will give it a try here first. Get a better feel for it here rather than on the show site.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:28 pm

Brian,
I never thought to ask, do petrol's have the low and high range like the Dexta?
I plough in high range and first on the main, and sometimes second on the main if the ground isn't to hard.
I bush hog in the same gears, I wish mine bushed a little better. I currently have a 4 foot bush hog, but have traded for a 5, I just need to go bring it home. I also bought a post hole auger off a man that moved from Michigan to here, and in the trip the movers lost half the drive shaft, I got it for a $100.00, when I went the NH dealer to ask about the shaft, it was $180.00, don't know if I got such a good deal now.

Post by **Brian** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 6:01 pm

The only difference is the engine and bell housing, gearbox and rear axle is the same. Of course the bonnet is longer and there should be an extra petrol tank where the battery normally goes. The battery is on the clutch side foot plate.

They are very quiet and pull well. Never had one up against a diesel Dexta but that will come.

Post by **Brian** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:53 pm

Bitter disapointment

!! Mark has just rung to tell me that the Great Petrol Dexta Show this weekend is off due to the rain. Crops are still in the field and the ground is waterlogged. And I was so looking forward to it

Had bought a new seat for Dotty today and a new point for the Ferguson single furrow plough that I had borrowed. Still I will try her out on some of the land I have got cleared but it won't be the same.

But Hey! Thats farming for you and there is always next year. Perhaps I should come over and bring back the drainage plough that Oscar used to pull behind his Dexta and drain some of the water away for them! We will be in Holland next weekend

BarryT · Post by **BarryT** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:45 am

Brian,

Thats a shame and you were looking forward so much, but as you say there's always next year. I was also planning on going to the Malpas show this coming Sunday, usualy a good show, but disapointed following a phone call yesterday to say that it has also been cancelled due to the weather, I believe the field's in a bit of a mess.

Regards,

Barry

Post by **Brian** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:29 am

Barry,
Have you seen the Ransomes Robin at Henmans on the back of T and M. Its in Hereford. I am looking for one now too.

Post by **Brian** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 8:44 am

Though that I would not let the rain put me off trying Dotty on the plough.

I have a Ferguson single furrow deep digger that I borrowed, so I started to adjust the wheels to the correct width. It was then that I got my first surprise! These wheels are 100% water loaded, I got quite a shock when it came off the wheel studs and I struggled to move it.

Eventually I got it safely leaned agains Nuffy and changed the disc position. All the rim bolts came out nicely and there was even an antipodean mouses nest between the brake drum and the wheel dish. Got the other side removed and this one back in its place. So far so good.

I got the next one leaning against Nuffy and I struggled a bit to get the rim bolts undone and out but managed it eventually. Then found I could not remove the dish from the rim as some kind person had welded them together at every lug!

At this point it started to rain hard too!

Luckily I have the same sized wheels on Harriet Ferguson and she really needs more weight on the back for loader work so I have fitted the welded up wheel to her and the Ferguson wheel which can be adjusted is to be fitted on Dotty. Now I will have to find a Dexta wheel dish for it otherwise it will look strange. better still, find two and the Harriet will not look odd too!

Once I have got her back on four wheels it will be down to the field and we will see how she goes on the plough.

henk · Post by **henk** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 9:09 am

Brian,

There's something about you and rear wheel discs.

Every time it's a surprise.

jambug123 · Post by **jambug123** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 6:51 pm

using a ferguson plough behind your Dexta Brian, dear oh dear

, in my owners manual it states 48 front and back when using a single or two furrow plough. but i have the back set at 52.

Regards
James

Post by **Brian** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 5:27 pm

A little bit of fun and pleasure this afternoon.

I had borrowed a Ferguson single furrow plough from my friends at the dealers where Dotty came from. I had cleaned it all up and polished the body but the event was flooded off so I did some work on the field. Today I took the plough back, all greased up and on the back of Dotty.

This was the first time anyone there had heard her running and really got a chance to look at her out of the container! They were amazed at how well she runs and the difference a little tidying up makes. One confessed that he thought she was very rough and that I would have to spend lots of money to get her working. But they are all pleased that she is so good and runs so well

Think she would have been another few hundred pounds if they had realised. Still you win some and lose some. This time I won, but its all in good fun. I managed to buy a complete 12.4 11/28 wheel to replace the welded one and two newish rear tyres for £50.00.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 12:44 am

Good score on the rim and tyres there Brian. Given how good a deal Dotty has turned out to be and the luck she seems to have brought with her, Me thinks the old girl is charmed