Randy,
Every year I would have my Son help me switch over from the blower sub-frame to the FEL sub-frame. So this year after I took the cab off and the blower and sub-frame I checked the mounting holes on both the sub-frames. My Son kept telling me it would not work, so we mounted the Fel sub-frame and then I told my Son okay let's see if the hitch assembly mounts up to the sub-frame and it did and everything mounted up.
If you look up the sub-frame assembly pt#1725002 you will see the only difference is the square tubes from the FEL which come out on both sides. I have the hardside cab for the Legacy that I had and had to buy the service kit to make it fit on my XL. So the only thing I will have to do when I switch it over and put the cab on is take off the sub-frame tubes on both sides. I hope this answers your question, if not let me know.

 

X 2 - The first thing I did when I bought my loader was to check and see if I could use the orange subframe for my 2-stage blower in the winter. Those things are a bear to deal with by yourself and I'd rather never have to touch a subframe again. The dealer said it wouldn't work. The dealer was wrong! The front quick hitch fits perfectly with the loader subframe - you just have to remove the front loader bracket to make room for the quick hitch. The same orange subframe will work for the loader, blowers, snow plow, rotary broom, etc. Like Andy, I also remove the two main quick attach brackets from the square tubes - mostly so they don't rust from the snow/water. Two bolts each side and they're out (unfortunately not the same size as the bolts on the front bracket).

 

Wow, that's good news. I did a cursory look online for blowers and I'm reading that it's discontinued. Or at least the dual stage. I would've gotten the blower years ago if I wasn't concerned about switching over that subframe. Oh well.

I'll look for a used one at some point but for now I bought an ariens 24" platinum SHO walk behind. I figured narrow for the 355 storage days of the year, while getting the SHO should allow faster walking which should equal the output of a 28 or 30".

 

Any interest in a single stage? There is one locally that is very reasonable, but all I want is the quick hitch/driveshaft. Do you already have those components for another attachment?

Thats my issue....I have the 2stage and sweepster that I use with my older ACO2025, and each is the quick hitch type. I have the loader/subframe, so Im in need of the hitch and driveshaft for the XL.

 

Randy, you can still buy a 2 stage. They just change the mfg number every year.

 

If anyone is still watching this old thread, I am wondering if any of you might direct me to a two stage blower that would fit an older LegacyXL with a FEL? I have been noodling a rear 3 point blower, but up front would be nice.

 

You are more likely to get help on this over at Simpletractors.com ...also...I believe there is a Massey Ferguson equivalent for that...and I think you have to take the FEL off to mount the blower

 

Thanks Mark, love the sig! I might bother you again with Legacy questions…. I previously thought I had to fully remove the FEL subframe, but the prospect that I could use the sub frame with a blower is rather appealing. I have a few Gravely’s that do snow duty, but I might adopt a diesel Legacy XL with from around 2006 or so and am pondering the possibilities.

 

Yeah I think there was just a misconception at some point about the loader subframe. It’s completely compatible with the front implement hitch as well as other implements like the backhoe and hard cab. Once the loader subframe is mounted on the tractor, nothing requires it to come off, and in fact, everything except the mower deck and 3 point attachments, rely on it.

 

Good to know. Thanks for the reply. Let’s see if I can land this 2003 diesel legacy xl. If I do I will then begin to look for a blower, which might be tricky on the mid Atlantic from what I understand.

 

You can mount a mower deck on with the F.E.L sub-frame in place, you can also mount the push frame for the plow and snow blower with the F.E.L sub-frame mounted in place.
You only have to remove the mower deck to install the push-frame for the plow and snow blower.

 

Do you have any pictures of the Legacy you're looking at? An ‘03 wouldn't be an XL.

 

Thanks ST1100A.

I will try and get some pics. Funny you should question the year and model. I had it my mind that it was an 06 or 07. It is a 27hp Briggs diesel for sure With Kwikway FEL and Back hoe.

 

If it has the 27hp decal, then it would be an XL, however they used the same diesel as the early Legacy, with slight changes (previously rated 24.5hp), and the early Legacy also had a Kwikway loader and hoe available.

 

Found a picture dated January 2006. It says Legacy XL and 27hp on the fender.

 

Some of the early Legacy's and Sunstars used the Lombardini Diesel engine, then they switched to the Briggs Diesel engine that was made for Briggs by Diahtsu.
After Simplicity was taken over by Briggs, Simplicity let their contracts run out/expire with the other engine manufacturers like Kawasaki and Kohler and only equipped their machines with Briggs engines.
The Briggs Diesel engine was made by Diahtsu.
Kwikway made the front end loaders and backhoes under contract for Simplicity and other manufacturers that the manufacturer put their names on and painted them the manufacturers colors of their equipment and put their names on.

 

Simplicity never used a Lombardini diesel in the sunstar or Legacy… SunStar never had a diesel option at all. The Daihatsu has been the only diesel used In Legacy and Legacy XL.

 

We have worked on quite a few Sunstars and early Legacys with the Lombardini engine in them, it was not a very good engine, quite troublesome.
Simplicity did away with the diesel models a few years ago due to the cost in the Legacy, now they are thinking of doing away with the Legacy or making changes to it, nobody knows yet since the new company took them over after Briggs filed bankruptcy. They are keeping everything a secret.

 

You must be mistaken for the '84/85 Sovereign's (7790/920). Those were the only Simplicity's to ever use a Lombardini. There was no diesel Sunstar model, ever. Simplicity's last run of Legacy XL's was last February. At that point they filled some orders, and calncelled the rest. All of the last machines were 4x4/540 pto units.

Great information, thank you both. I am not near the machine, but I did get the engine spec some time ago and it is showing as a Briggs 27hp Diesel. It also is equipped with kwikway FEL and Back hoe. It has been a great machine for my father, but has not done any real mowing that I know of. The mowing was originally done with a Gravely 816 and the later with a few zero turns. So far as I can tell the Legacy has operated with the FEL and BH in place All the time. I would like to try and simplify my use to include snow removal. I am interested in both the blower and the broom as I have about 200 feet of sidewalk I have to maintain. I am an old school gravely guy with a 20G and a 5660. I am looking for a home for my 5660 and all its implements so I can make room for the legacy should it actually become available to me.

I really enjoy the loaders, and it is a real quick swap to use front attachments, however, the backhoe does add a bit more time, if you choose to remove that. I had the backhoe for a couple years, and it worked phenomenally well. I wish I had kept it, and would like another.

The broom is my go-to, 80% of the winter. I am in west MI, and we get pretty regular lake effect snowfalls. It is increasingly rare to get enough to warrant using my 2 stage though, and even when I do, I followup with the broom. The broom is good for up to 6-8", depending on how dense the snow is and how many passes you need to take, since you will keep moving the same snow, similar to using a blade. I have 1100' of driveway, and clear the neighbors to both sides of me as well. The broom just does such a nice job of cleaning away all of the snow and even much of the snowpack from traffic. Have my most fun with the blade though. I like high speed snow duty and playing bulldozer games. Here is a video I attempted a few years back of the switcharoo between implements.

 

Great information, thank you both. I am not near the machine, but I did get the engine spec some time ago and it is showing as a Briggs 27hp Diesel. It also is equipped with kwikway FEL and Back hoe. It has been a great machine for my father, but has not done any real mowing that I know of. The mowing was originally done with a Gravely 816 and the later with a few zero turns. So far as I can tell the Legacy has operated with the FEL and BH in place All the time. I would like to try and simplify my use to include snow removal. I am interested in both the blower and the broom as I have about 200 feet of sidewalk I have to maintain. I am an old school gravely guy with a 20G and a 5660. I am looking for a home for my 5660 and all its implements so I can make room for the legacy should it actually become available to me.

 

You have a pretty good machine with your Legacy and its attachments.
Most of the front end loaders weren't that hard to remove and park them so you could put the other attachments on it that you want.
The Gravely snowblowers were actually better and built a lot more rugged than the Simplicity units. The Gravely used a driveshaft to drive it, the Simplicity used a belt drive on their snowblower.
Those older Gravely's are tough machines built to outlast most other manufacturers machines. Good to know you are a 'Old School Gravely' person, you know a good tractor.
Your Legacy was built from 2004 to 2015 with the Briggs 27hp diesel. 2015 was the last year they made the diesel powered Legacy.
The best way to tell the year of your tractor would be to get the engine model,type and code numbers to get the build date of it and figure that is the year the tractor was built as long as it is the original engine, it will get you very close to the manufacture year of it.
The best gas powered Legacy was the Kawasaki engine back then, a lot better motor than the Kohlers of that time, plus being liquid cooled you could put a hot water cab heater on the tractor, same with the liquid cooled diesel engine units which worked out well for winter use with a cab installed.
One of the problems we had with the Legacy snowblower was it didn't raise up that high for transport so we made some adjustments to the lift linkage so it would go up higher.
They did use a belt from the engine mounted PTO clutch used for front mounted accessories to the stub shaft on the front axle on some of them, then to a driveshaft to the blower assembly instead of the long driveshaft from the transmission used on the mower deck like the Gravely did. Some think of it was because they had a driveshaft already leading up to the front for the 4 wheel drive units and they wouldn't have enough room for it.
The diesel was the longer lasting engine that usually started easier in cold weather than the gas engine did in the older models before they came out with the fuel injected gas motors, which can be trouble prone and expensive to fix.
You would like the Legacy if you do get it, it was a well built machine.

 

Thanks for the nod to the Gravely's; I have that disease for sure. I want to adopt too many old tractors. I need to thin out my garage to make room for a 72ish Gravely 816 (that sadly is no longer Onan powered) and possibly that Legacy. And really if that happens I should choose between the 816 and the '87 Gravely 20G, but I am not sure I can do it. I am fortunate to have such problems.....

 

Hi, I am new to the forum and just purchased a 2004 Legacy XL with FEL 27hp Kawasaki LC. I have been following this thread to figure out what I need for a snowblower since I am in central Wisconsin and have a long driveway. From this thread I found out that I can use the existing FEL subframe which is great to hear. I am now in the search for a used blower. From the research I have done it looks like the 1694404, and 1692942 snowblowers will fit the lecay XL without a problem but I can't find one. I have found a few legacy blowers (pre XL) but i can't seem to figure out if they will mount to a Legacy XL. I found someone mention that they can fit with some modification. What model numbers are those that fit and what type of modification is needed? Single stage or 2 stage should work. Any guidance is appreciated. Thank you.

 

You could try calling Nathan Persha @ Persha Equipment sales in Mayville, Wisconsin. (920-387-5320 they are a Simplicity Dealer and have been in business for more than 50 years and he really knows his stuff. Great people.

 

@Andy thank you for that information and sounds like an excellent resource. I tried a few simplicity dealers locally and didn't get real far but someone who has been in business for 50 years will know their stuff.

 

Please be sure to post what you find out. I too have some questions about Legacy vs Legacy XL attachment compatibility, even if modifications are necessary.

 

Unfortunately, due to a poor choice of brand name, people that collect Simplicity machines are known as Simpleton's....

 

Unfortunately, due to a poor choice of brand name, people that collect Simplicity machines are known as Simpleton's.... the most informed collectors

 

We had the 7790's, and the 9518's-23's-28's with the Lombardini, that was when they were with Allis Chalmers, a few Sunstars and an early Legacy.
Maybe someone else put that engine in it before we got it?, possible?.
I asked our Simplicity Rep about it and said 'Why didn't they put a Yanmar' in it?' He replied that he didn't know, and that they had problems with the Lombardini's used in them so they switched over to the Diahtsu.
Good video of the Front End Loader install/removal, they aren't that hard to do. The back-hoe is a bit more involved, once they are on, they usually stay on.
The Simplicity's seemed to hold up better than the green colored machines did with a better build and more reliable.

 

We had the 7790's, and the 9518's-23's-28's with the Lombardini, that was when they were with Allis Chalmers, a few Sunstars and an early Legacy.
Maybe someone else put that engine in it before we got it?, possible?.

The 9518 (as well as 9523, AC 5015/20, and later Deutz and Massey varieties) were rebadged Hinomoto tractors using Toyosha engines. These were Japanese, and never used the Italian engines.

The backhoe removal/install on legacy XL is very simple. You do have to get down on the ground to pin the subframe to the loader frame, and to attach the pump (it's a big bugger), but mounting the unit is a drive on/off type of application, which goes pretty quickly once you have the hang of how to use the hydraulics to align the upper mounting point at the toplink. I don't know that I have a video any longer of that process, but do for the earlier Powermax Brantly hoe. I had both, and really had a tough time deciding which was easier.

Now, for use purposes, the Kiwkway on the Legacy was MUCH more user friendly. Selling it made a lot of sense, but remains a major regret. I took a video for each of the 'first try' test runs of each backhoe.

Brantly

Kwikway

 

Good videos Taintedmrgreen.
You look at the older Brantly with all the extra control knobs, then the newer Kwikway that uses the 4-way joysticks like on the larger backhoes that makes it easier to use.
The Kwikway used on the latest Legacy XL used the 4-way joystick that came with the Simplicity built in to the dash for the front-end loader that used the tractors pump to make that easier to operate.
I remember some of the older models had the separate pump and 2 separate control levers built in with the front end loader assembly. The Back-hoe used a separate pump that ran off the PTO.
Both the front-end loader and back-hoe came in handy for different jobs but weren't for everyone, they were expensive add-on accessories.

 

Now I know you're just goofing with us. I have never seen or heard of a Kwikway for Simplicity with a single four-way joystick or one that uses the tractors hydraulics. I cannot imagine Legacy having the power needed for the backhoe. The auxiliary pump was much more powerful with higher psi and had much more flow for swifter operation. The backhoe with auxiliary pump moved 3X as fast as the loader, and with larger cylinders and manhandles the entire weight of the machine much moreso than the loader could. I don't know of a backhoe that would do much on 900psi and 6gpm.

 

The unit has the Simplicity name on it built by Kwikway, sold by Simplicity for the Legacy painted with Simplicity red color with the Simplicity name on it. Kwikway manufactured them for Simplicity to sell as a Simplicity attachment.
The Legacy was made with the 4-way joy-stick on the dash with the hydraulic hook-ups for the loader. The loader uses the hook-ups built in the tractor with the tractors hydraulic pump for the front-end loader.
I have replaced many hydraulic cylinders on both the back-hoe's and front end loaders and had to get the parts directly from Kwikway. When I tried to get them from Simplicity they directed me to Kwikway to get them because they were the manufacturer of the Simplicity attachments.
The Back-hoe uses its own separate auxiliary pump, not the tractor's pump. The tractor's pump is not powerful enough for the back-hoe. The back-hoe has its own set of controls. The front end loader used the tractors controls.
All of the newer Legacy's have the 4-way joy-stick on them, they started doing that a few years ago, a nice set-up. It can also be used for a plow with power angle. It is a better set-up than the twin lever 2-way set-up used on the older models.
The older models had the 2 levers mounted on the front end loader boom mount/oil storage tank with a separate PTO driven pump, the new models used the 4-way on the tractor with the tractor pump.

 

I think you guys are mostly in agreement really with the kwikway BH having an aux pump as part of the package. Perhaps there was an earlier version of the kwikway BH, perhaps with 2 way control sticks and no aux pump at some point? I do know that the one I am drooling over has the aux pump on the rear pto for the kwikway BH and the four way control sticks.