Loader Who removes their FEL?

[AndyG]

Andy, what kind of mower do you have on your 40? Is it a finish mower? What size? What quality cut do you get? (lawn quality?)

Sorry for not answering sooner. I have a 72" Befco rear finish mower (RFM) I would like to have a slightly wider mower but I got a good deal on this one. I leaves an OK looking job. The biggest problem is the big R4 tires roll down the grass ahead of the mower. Sometimes all of the grass does not stand back up to get cut leaving some stripes in the lawn. I'm not particular about this so it does not bother me much.

 

[kc5sii]

I finally removed the 770b FEL. Piece of cake. It lifts itself off the rear mounts when the pegs are removed. Insert the kickstands, pull the front pins and back out. Same process in reverse gets you back in there.

I had to remove it to rework the bolts that connect the front frame horns to the motor. They were all stripped. I'm not sure what was holding the tractor together... A wing and a prayer I guess.

I'm still not clear about the best way to relieve hyd pressure off the rams when they sit in the heat and pressurize.

It takes such little time to install and remove the entire loader, that I only have it on the tractor when I am going to use it. Mowing, tilling without the loader is must more stable and convenient in tight spaces. I do have the loader installed all winter long with a rear mounted snow blower.

 

[MikefromMI]

Normally I disconnect the fel then shut the tractor off and go bak n forth and up and down on the fel valve before disc the hyd. But have noticed over time that the fel will still sag and pressure up again after disconnecting. I keep a rag in the toolbox so I can cover the male and press the pin to relieve. Don't like doing that. But seems the nature of the beast.

 

[jinman]

Buy one extra female QC adapter for each axis (lift and curl/dump). Put one on just one hose for each axis and you'll not build up pressure. A few drops of hyd fluid may drip out, but you won't have to fight the connectors to get them reconnected.

 

[brewdog]

Very seldom on my old tractor and not at all on my new tractor. I drop the bucket quite often when I'm mowing.

 

[The Haymaker]

I think I've removed the loader just once in the 5 years I've had my tractor. That was to do a lot of mowing. Since then, I've just dropped the bucket if need the extra turning room. If I'm not using the bucket to move stuff, I use it to hold tools.

Someone posted a great set of instructions for easy removal/install of the my loader. It isn't hard to do and only takes a few minutes. But I guess I've been lazy or just never saw the need.

Man, wish I had that option. Mine gets removed every weekend. Seems I always have some project to do requiring forks or bucket, yet I can't mow with the boom on. I hate to think of the excess wear and tear from all the rattling and banging, nor can I fit into the spaces I mow with it hanging out there.

 

[MiserableOldFart]

Tractor now five years old and I've never had the loader off, never had the bucket off. Probably would be a good idea to lighten the load a little when mowing, but my RFM is like 500 pounds + and I'd likely have to hang weights off the front anyway.

I use the loader pretty much constantly. Even when just mowing the grass there is usually something lying around, a newly popped up rock or a piece of a tree or something that needs to be picked up and tossed in there.

 

[creekbend]

I have a Kubota L4400. I have never taken the FEL off. Even when I am bush hogging, I use it for added weight on the front. Besides that I usally find some use for the FEL on my way back to the shed. This works for me. Happy Tractoring.:tractor:

 

[irvingj]

On my 2310, I remove the backhoe and FEL for mowing, so they're off most of the summer. Using a metal 4-wheel dolly, I've gotten FEL removal or install down to 2.5 minutes.

Backhoe's another story, but I'm getting better. Also learned the hard way (front wheels in the air after going over a bump) to put the FEL on FIRST, then the backhoe!:laughing: