redhead 10 #1 Posted February 4, 2015 would it be beneficial to install a foot pedal (for speed) and do away with hand control on a c-141 wheel horse? What would it cost to do this and where would a person get the parts to do it. Would it be hard to do ? Please let me know the answers. THANKS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 14,951 #2 Posted February 4, 2015 (edited) Do a search in the vendors section for Matt's Custom Hydro Pedals. About $200.00. Edited February 4, 2015 by rmaynard Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustinW.73 224 #3 Posted February 4, 2015 What are you making a racing tractor? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zieg72 209 #4 Posted February 4, 2015 Matts pedals are great... unless you have short legs and a big belly, I blame mine on the insulated layers to keep me warm. If this is the case try and find a 8-3900 wheel horse foot control. Vertically challenged portly individuals fit well with those 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,897 #5 Posted February 4, 2015 I thought about it briefly when I first got my Electro 12' but after using it for a while I personally like the hand control. I think it's quicker and more precise to use than a foot pedal and when using snow plow I found that plow rises a little faster if one does a little " dance" with the hand control by switching from foward to reverse quickly while activating the lift. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,116 #6 Posted February 5, 2015 I agree with you on that Cas. The console mounted DCL is nice and very easy to get used to. BUT... the location of the DCL on the steering column is something I haven't been able to fall in love with or even get used to, even after working my 314 H thru several storms. I have considered Matt's foot control, I'm just not sure I'm in love with this tractor that much to do the conversion. I much prefer a Kohler twin cylinder tractor over the single lungers.. Might be a nice 314 H up on the trade block soon! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 36,092 #7 Posted February 5, 2015 Luv my home made foot control on my 520H for snow blowing. It leaves the right hand available to steer and the left hand on the lift. The hand forward/reverse hand control is also still available for fine control when backing into a tight space. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,059 #8 Posted February 5, 2015 Ed- Love the engineering on that set up. Looks very basic and woks well I am sure. You may want to look at a centering spring like I have on my Terramite. It will return the foot pedal back to neutral. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 36,092 #9 Posted February 5, 2015 Thanks Steve, I actually designed it with the goal of having complete full forward to full reverse control in one foot pedal. I did keep the thought of a notched plate and spring to auto return to neutral if the control was not good, but that would have required a second reverse pedal or a toe / heel type control pedal. I have replaced the coil spring with a pneumatic cylinder that effectively dampens and slows the speed of the motion control pedal. The new motion control pedal will go to reverse if you remove all pressure, and many will say this is unsafe, but the original left brake pedal is still fully functional and returns the motion control to neutral as the brake is applied. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,059 #10 Posted February 5, 2015 Ed, I do not have a pic of the spring I am talking about however my buddy has used it on various machines and it works perfect !! The Terramite has the same set up too. Basically there are two posts welded a few inches apart and the spring goes in between the posts. When you push pedal forward pressure is applied to the spring and when you let off the pedal the spring pushes back against the pedal to return to center or neutral. Same in reverse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 36,092 #11 Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) Would like to see a pic or sketch of this sometime Steve. I am having trouble understanding how a auto neutral system works w/o two pedals or a toe/heel rocker type pedal. BTW, building the 520 for snow blowing, I did consider adding a foot control to the hydro lift to free up the left hand for steering. I may still do that at some point to free a hand for chute control. Edited February 5, 2015 by ekennell Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Forest Road 594 #12 Posted February 5, 2015 Matt's foot pedal kit is priceless! I left the factory control lever on and often use it for reverse. For anyone who plans on keeping a tractor for the long haul this is money well spent. I believe it was a 1-2 hour install. Excellent directions and just very well thought out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PaulC 341 #13 Posted February 5, 2015 I also have one of matts kits on my 312-h and I agree with forest its down right awesome, I was actually just bragging about it at work today. I myself was skeptical because of the price, its almost half what I paid for the tractor, but if you plan to keep the machine like me its money well spent. I dropped the motion control lever mine was between the legs. The only other thing I will mention is it may not suit people with really big feet. My brother is tall and has much bigger feet then me and he said how the foot control was awkward for him, but he has not been on my machines much so maybe he just wasn't used to it. I would think you could compare by your brake pedal on the left side. Also my motion control was very jerky compared to my 312a with the eaton 700 and matts foot pedal made all of that go away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 616 #14 Posted February 5, 2015 I just purchased a factory wheel horse foot control from a member who removed it because he preferred to use the direction control lever on the floor of a 88/89 500 series tractor. Those years (and 1990) had the floor mounted direction control. I do not care for the column mounted levers after using the floor mounted levers. I have both flavors of foot controls (Matt's and WH) that I will be trying, if I ever get around to installing them. The factory unit requires cutting a slot in the belt cover and widening a groove on an interior side panel. Matt's looks like a better design and easier to install (Thanks Matt). I may use Matt's on one of my 500 series units with a bucket loader and I may try to adapt the WH unit for one of my D-160s. Then again, I may never get around to it but good to know I have them in case I do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shallowwatersailor 3,213 #15 Posted February 5, 2015 I also have one of matts kits on my 312-h and I agree with forest its down right awesome, I was actually just bragging about it at work today. I myself was skeptical because of the price, its almost half what I paid for the tractor, but if you plan to keep the machine like me its money well spent. I dropped the motion control lever mine was between the legs. The only other thing I will mention is it may not suit people with really big feet. My brother is tall and has much bigger feet then me and he said how the foot control was awkward for him, but he has not been on my machines much so maybe he just wasn't used to it. I would think you could compare by your brake pedal on the left side. Also my motion control was very jerky compared to my 312a with the eaton 700 and matts foot pedal made all of that go away. Paul, you mentioned something that I had not thought of. I have a 312A as well and for all the bad rap that the Eaton 700 gets, it is a smoother transmission to operate using the motion control between the legs than my '89 520-H. One of the reasons could be the lower horsepower/torque of the two engines in comparison. I know I like the straight shot on the 312A compared to the notch pattern on the 520-H. I had a 520-H with the column shifter and felt it left a lot to be desired. Count me as having Matt's kit on the shelf for quite a while as well. I really should install it on the 520-H as my three 5xi use a foot pedal and it would make it easier operating between the different tractors. Maybe this Spring! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,897 #16 Posted February 5, 2015 I agree with you on that Cas. The console mounted DCL is nice and very easy to get used to. BUT... the location of the DCL on the steering column is something I haven't been able to fall in love with or even get used to, even after working my 314 H thru several storms. I have considered Matt's foot control, I'm just not sure I'm in love with this tractor that much to do the conversion. I much prefer a Kohler twin cylinder tractor over the single lungers.. Might be a nice 314 H up on the trade block soon! I am going to wait for the bling bling one! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PaulC 341 #17 Posted February 5, 2015 Paul, you mentioned something that I had not thought of. I have a 312A as well and for all the bad rap that the Eaton 700 gets, it is a smoother transmission to operate using the motion control between the legs than my '89 520-H. One of the reasons could be the lower horsepower/torque of the two engines in comparison. I know I like the straight shot on the 312A compared to the notch pattern on the 520-H. I had a 520-H with the column shifter and felt it left a lot to be desired. Count me as having Matt's kit on the shelf for quite a while as well. I really should install it on the 520-H as my three 5xi use a foot pedal and it would make it easier operating between the different tractors. Maybe this Spring! John I have also saw a lot of negative regarding the 700 and that is not my feeling at all mine works great and has almost 1200 hrs on it. And if I didn't install the foot pedal kit I may prefer it due to how much smoother it was. The hydraulic lift is huge with the 1100 though. I hated the jog with the 312h so I made a plate with the straight slot and it did not help the jerkiness at all . I was really happy that it went away after installing the foot pedal. You'll be very happy whenever u get around to installing yours Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
