Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

In the effort of equally patronizing both forums, and for anyone who isn't also active on the CCI forum, here's a quick summary / update on the LQA conversion for my 6018 that I mentioned in my intro thread here.

Started with purchasing an early 6018


Picked up a 644 with a Bradco QA setup (and immediately transferred the parts and sold the 644)
Side note, having the quick attach is fantastic. Being able to switch between my two buckets and my pallet forks in a couple of seconds does wonders for versatility, would highly recommend.




Knew I wanted to dig some holes to plant trees, so I started gathering info on adding the LQA hydraulics to the tractor. Got a lot of good info from a variety of 7020 owners, but primarily the gentleman who previously owned "Ingrid".


Brian from Salem Power Equipment was a huge help, he provided the OEM Bill Of Materials and install instructions for the HPAPF6-7, which allowed me to methodically check each part off of a list as opposed to guessing wildly about all the components necessary. The kit came together quite nicely, with the Attachment Lift Circuit side of things being the easiest to achieve.


The PTO Circuit side of things was more challenging, with the hydraulics being routed through the lift arm in custom bent hardlines, hoses not fitting due to the diameter being too large. Here Brian was another large help, reaching out to Ingersoll who sourced the steel hardlines for production! Still currently waiting on them to arrive, so the hoses down the arms are a temporary solution.




Successfully ran the auger this weekend, and it worked even better than I thought it would! The tractor had no issues with a 12" dingo / mini-skid auger (245cc motor with a planetary reduction of ~4.5:1) in my clay and root rich soil.

Video Here

I'm already thinking of other fun hydraulic applications to set up for the front of the tractor, and I'm also considering rebuilding the H25AA2A14A with the H31 section from an All Hydraulic tractor to increase the total HP available to be transmitted through the hydraulic PTO by ~25%. That would give ~10.96gpm at 3600rpm, not far off of the 12gpm a SK800 Ditch Witch is rated for. The wide availability of mini-skid steer implements means there's plenty of cool things to run with front hydraulics! We'll see how far I let this scope creep hahaha.

Overall it was awesome, everyone with a loader should add front hydraulics. I'm hoping to build a grapple for my pallet forks or a bucket as well sometime soon... lots of newfound potential!



If anyone wants to read the original thread on the CCI forum, which goes into a bit more detail at each step including hose routings, etc. you can find that here.

Thanks for sharing your project here too! I've seen bits and pieces on the other site, but now I can read it more carefully, so please patronize us to your heart's content!

The quick attach is definitely worth doing, and coupled with front hydraulic connections, as you say, Bob's your uncle! Very cool! By the looks of it all the mods you did are nicely done!


I don't know how you lifted that truck David Copperfield you! What did you fill your rear tires with, black holes? I'm pretty sure my 644 won't do it even with the fresh seals in all cylinders. I'm not going to try it.

Wow that brings the versatility of these machines to whole new level .

Eugen wrote: ↑Tue Apr 25, 2023 4:56 pm Thanks for sharing your project here too! I've seen bits and pieces on the other site, but now I can read it more carefully, so please patronize us to your heart's content!

The quick attach is definitely worth doing, and coupled with front hydraulic connections, as you say, Bob's your uncle! Very cool! By the looks of it all the mods you did are nicely done!

Thanks! I will continue to double post when possible haha.

Eugen wrote: ↑Tue Apr 25, 2023 4:56 pm I don't know how you lifted that truck David Copperfield you! What did you fill your rear tires with, black holes? I'm pretty sure my 644 won't do it even with the fresh seals in all cylinders. I'm not going to try it.

FWIW that truck has an awful lot of Michigan weight reduction... As they say
In that photo the 6018 just has wheel weights on, 150lbs per side. Now I have tires loaded with beet juice, the 150lb wheel weights, and also a ~400lb weight box on the 3pt! It can pick up a whole lot more nowadays, that's for sure. I bet your 644 can pick up more than you think!

I really want a quick attach for my 6018. Part of the reason I have not purchased is that I'm afraid I'd twist it. I've already adapted kubota forks to it and use the forks quite a bit. I'm scared if I pick up a 8-10ft heavy log that the quick attach will twist if not balanced well. What's your thoughts on it? I've repeatedly lifted objects in the 1200lb range and it does it every time.

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Never heard of Michigan weight reduction before.

Yeah, my 644 did not lift the 4000+ lbs trencher. Oh well...

Jancoe wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 10:04 am I really want a quick attach for my 6018. Part of the reason I have not purchased is that I'm afraid I'd twist it. I've already adapted kubota forks to it and use the forks quite a bit. I'm scared if I pick up a 8-10ft heavy log that the quick attach will twist if not balanced well. What's your thoughts on it?

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "twist it". Like mechanically fail the quick attach adapter plate? The plate is very beefy, I don't think that'd be likely.


For reference, the adapter plate by itself is called out at 85lbs on its data plate!


If your concern is that the "universal mini-skid" attachment style is just not robust, I'm not sure I'd be worried about that. The Ditch Witch SK3000 mini-skid steer uses the same attachment style and it's rated to lift over 3000lbs! Not something a Case/Ingersoll probably ever needs to be concerned about lifting hahaha. That tells me the attachment style itself is probably quite robust.

Jancoe wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 10:04 am I've repeatedly lifted objects in the 1200lb range and it does it every time.

Man that's impressive! I think ~900lbs is the most I've lifted with mine (not counting the weight of the forks)!

I'm afraid I'd twist either the quick attach adapter or the attachment plate on say my forks once adapted. Just get the feeling the mini quick attach is too narrow? Is it wider than the loader framework? Could you post up some other angles of the paladin unit? How much further out does it extend the bucket from the front of the tractor? Since you are this far into the additions you have made I would add the LL21 check valve kit. I added it to mine. It has made a huge difference in load control with a heavy load. Most noticeable when I have my forks on. It's a piloted operated check valve. Installed up front to control bucket tilt. If you have a heavy load up high and make adjustments with the loader control you may see the the loader drop or tilt before it catches itself back up. This valve completely stops that. That way you don't lose your load.

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The QA adapter is a tank. It's likely the heaviest built part of the 646 that it's on... There is absolutly ZERO chance that adapter would fail before something else. If you don't twist the loader boom now, you wouldn't as a result of the QA unit.

It does push forward a bit compared to the normal pin on option. I'm 100 miles away, but I'd guess somewhere in the 3-5 inch range.

I've been telling myself I'm going to convert the bucket over to the QA plate for a few years now... I've just been leaving the QA forks on it first because I have the second 646 when I was in NJ, and now because I have two additional full size loaders, and the 646's are kinda outscaled by the property now... I really should let one go...

Jancoe wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 8:02 pm I'm afraid I'd twist either the quick attach adapter or the attachment plate on say my forks once adapted. Just get the feeling the mini quick attach is too narrow? Is it wider than the loader framework?

The quick attach itself is narrower than the width of the loader arms. I really wouldn't be concerned about it or the attachment-side plate twisting if Ditch Witch's engineering team has validated a machine rated to lift over 3000lbs with this quick attach setup. Based on info from friends I have who work at Bobcat (who competes with Ditch Witch in the mini-skid segment), part of the engineering "operator misuse" validation involves trying to lift the entire lift capacity asymmetrically, skewed to the left or right sides of the bucket/forks/etc. If a mini-skid style QA can pass those sorts of development tests on a machine with 2-3x the lift capacity of a Case / Ingersoll then I feel pretty confident I can't damage it..

Jancoe wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 8:02 pm Could you post up some other angles of the paladin unit? How much further out does it extend the bucket from the front of the tractor?

I can take some more photos for you. I don't have my original bucket anymore, but I'd guess it moves it out ~3-4". It's not substantial enough to make a difference in my opinion. I still have no issues curling my 52" bucket full of soil, and this allows my forks to be much closer than they could be if I had mounted them inside the bucket somehow. You can see the most significant difference is at the hinge pin of the bucket.



One thing worth noting is that the style of bucket that the stock bucket is not possible with a quick-attach setup. You'd have to have the quick attach plate "inside" the bucket to have the lower mounts that close to it.

Jancoe wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 8:02 pm Since you are this far into the additions you have made I would add the LL21 check valve kit. I added it to mine. It has made a huge difference in load control with a heavy load. Most noticeable when I have my forks on.

Thanks for the recommendation. I have the LL21 kit (it came with the 644), but I haven't installed it yet. I've heard that it takes some getting used to once installed so it hasn't been at the top of my list. I'm also interested in getting ahold of the hardlines that Ingersoll used with the 7020 LQAs that came with the LL21 installed. It really looks good installed that way (these aren't my photos).