Trivial Question Of The Day... For QA Owners Only!

[Dougster]

For those who own tractors with front end loaders equipped with skidsteer-type quick attach ("QA") provisions... When you are out mowing or bush-hogging or doing anything with your 3-point hitch that does not require the FEL in any possible way (including for ballast purposes)... or especially when doing any such work in especially tight areas... do you:

a) Remove your FEL entirely? ... or
b) Remove just the FEL bucket? ... or
c) Remove the FEL bucket but replace it with something else?

And especially for those selecting (c)... What do you replace it with and why?

Me personally... I am too old and lazy to remove the entire FEL... and I like it there for possible flat tire problems, etc... but my buckets are tall and wide, block my view and are a real hazard when working around trees and buildings. Removing the bucket is easy, but I wonder if it makes sense to place something else up front for tool carrier physical protection (at a minimum) or for any other odd purpose that would not restrict my view. I am thinking maybe a plain QA blank, blank with tow hitch receiver, a smallish bucket, pallet fork carrier (without the forks) or something similar.

Make sense? Or is the tool carrier itself rugged enough to take some occasional/accidental abuse without ill effects? What do you think?

Dougster

 

[1bush2hog]

I do not take my FEL off as I usually need to move limbs, rocks, etc. that appear on my property especially when I am ready to use the hog.

I do usually keep my grapple on more than my bucket as I can see thru it and it does a better job of picking things up that need to be moved and is a bit easier to manuver with. I have many trees to deal with so I still have to be careful not to skin them. so not sure if just changing your bucket out will allow you to gain anything significant in that respect.

My apprehension in taking the FEL off is related more to needing it and not having it. I also have to maximize my time utilization since I am a weekend warrior

 

[patrick_g]

Dougster, My Kubota's FEL is particularly easy to R&R and has safety stands built in for holding it up ready to reattach. When I first bought the tractor the dealer's guy demonstrated by having me help him take it off and put it back on. Later than month I took it off and put it back on a day later. That was maybe 6 years ago and it hasn't been off since and I have no need to remove it.

I have a QuickTach but not skidsteer type. I have pallet forks (which don't use the bucket), a HD bucket, and a hay spike. The hay spike is used for, well, moving hay when I need to get it from or to a high location (pallet forks are very dangerous for high lifting hay bales.) I typically have the pallet forks or the bucket on the FEL.

Real pallet forks (not using a bucket) lowered down close to the ground with the tips aimed up a tad make good feelers for when brush hogging and are not as wide or in the way as a bucket and the FEL can be lifted up to clear fences at the end of a pass as if it were not installed and with the pallet forks you don't have all that much weight up in the air. I find that lots of saplings get knocked down or broken off or uprooted by the bottom of the back board of the forks.(a good thing)

I find that if I have the box blade on the back the best choice in front is the bucket (of my 4 choices which includes no implement as a choice) This may change as I have some vague ideas I am waiting to coalesce into a firm thought. The idea is to build another FEL attachment with a very small backhoe style bucket to use digging trenches. I haven't worked out the details and haven;t decided whether or not to run one of my remote hydraulic lines to it to give it articulation. There are lots of details to work out but right now I'm thinking digging while going forward on the tractor using the two FEL motions (and maybe plus one other from a remote hydraulic connection.) You would dig a little and then push the dirt aside and dig a little more. Clumsy and inefficient and slow compared to a backhoe but for occasional use for simple trenches it could be way ahead of a guy with a shovel especially considering I have cab and A/C.

Pat

 

[mboulais]

Most of the time I leave FEL and Bucket on, In taller/bigger stuff the bucket helps protect the front and undercarriage by forcing brush down before it gets to the tractor.

I find the M112 loader a real pain to put back on if you leave anywhere expect pavement. It will settle just enough on even hard ground to make it interesting to re-engage. I have dropped the bucket for better visability when working in close proximity to horse fences though.

 

[Thomas]

I leave all attach,for you may come across something out mowing and you can place it in the bucket,also if you get hung up or stuck fel can come in handy getting out....I try and keep the bucket least foot from the ground at all times.

 

[ToadHill]

In 2 years I've never had mine off.

 

[n8wrl]

FEL always on, bucket usually on, mainly because it is my big orange wheel barrow - I never know what I'll come across that I have to carry, or what job will require me to carry something to it.

I am also starting to wonder if I would have been better off with a thumb on the bucket rather than a grapple.

-Brian

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

I agree with Thomas and Brian - I only take my bucket off when space is an issue or i need to trade it out for the pallet forks. Even though it takes less than 2 minutes to detach/reattach.
it's good ballast and also does a good job of knocking stuff down that would otherwise clog my radiator screen. (like the "occasional" red/brown cedar...)

 

[keving]

FEL Completely removed

 

[MadDogDriver]

Keeping the bucket on the FEL and low, helps knock down the mole hills when mowing/bush hogging.

I only plan on using the QA feature when I want to change out the bucket for another attachment.

The curved NH FELs do a nice job of giving decent forward vision. The only problem I see with them is blocking the front lights, but many install lights up on the ROPS or canopy to cure that problem.