Is there a way NOT to float the 3ph

[tallyho8]

Just use your FEL in curled down mode with the teeth down. Raise the front wheels off the ground and steer with your brakes to break up the hard soil. Then smooth it with your rear blade.Ralph

This should be done with the FEL curled less than all the way. When it is curled all the way it will frequently damage your hydraulic cylinders.

 

[Spiveyman]

Makes sense, I've also heard to release the pressure on the bucket frquently to prevent damage. That was on another thread here at TBN.

 

[Z-Michigan]

This should be done with the FEL curled less than all the way. When it is curled all the way it will frequently damage your hydraulic cylinders.

+1

Read up on the threads here on that topic, and if you have an FEL owner's manual, read that. The current JD FEL owner's manuals indicate that you must use float and tilt the bucket no more than 40 degrees from horizontal. Of course using float eliminates what you were hoping for. Best bet is to get a bunch of weights for your rear blade, or that box blade you were thinking about.

 

[DavesTractor]

Just use your FEL in curled down mode with the teeth down. Raise the front wheels off the ground and steer with your brakes to break up the hard soil. Then smooth it with your rear blade.

Ralph

A certain recipe to damage the bucket rams. Been there, done that.

 

[Spiveyman]

So, does that mean that using a FEL even with cutting teeth is not the best option for digging out compacted dirt like this? Is it better to use 3ph implements for serious ground engaging activities and just use the FEL to clean up the mess so-to-speak with the loose dirt and rocks?

(Maybe it's a good thing my FEL is late getting here.)

 

[DavesTractor]

So, does that mean that using a FEL even with cutting teeth is not the best option for digging out compacted dirt like this? Is it better to use 3ph implements for serious ground engaging activities and just use the FEL to clean up the mess so-to-speak with the loose dirt and rocks?

(Maybe it's a good thing my FEL is late getting here.)

It's a front end loader, not a front end digger. It is meant to scoop up stuff, not to be a bulldozer. That being said, you can dig and push with them, but with a good dose of common sense. I bent a set of rams on an International 574 with a front loader. I dumped the bucket way down, lifted the front axle in the air and scraped. It did a remarkable job...until i saw oil leaking from a ram, then saw the rams were bent. That was a $600 lesson. Most loader manuals state a small degree of angle for which it is safe to back drag.

 

[flusher]

So, does that mean that using a FEL even with cutting teeth is not the best option for digging out compacted dirt like this? Is it better to use 3ph implements for serious ground engaging activities and just use the FEL to clean up the mess so-to-speak with the loose dirt and rocks?

(Maybe it's a good thing my FEL is late getting here.)

I have teeth on the 4-ft bucket on my B7510HST but rarely use them to dig in undisturbed soil. Much better to use a plow, rototiller, middle buster or box blade to loosen the soil and then use the FEL to scoop it out. Here's a few shots of the excavation for a paver block walkway in front of my house done that way.

 

[RoyJackson]

Nice screening on your ROPS, Flusher

 

[3RRL]

My question, is there a way to get downward force out of my 3ph?

Spivey,
Yes, there is a way but it takes some hydraulic modification. Not only that, but the upper lift arms may not be able to take the stress...although I'm not 100% sure about that.

The upper arms are what do the lifting of your 3pt. They are attached to the lower arms or "drag links" via a side link turnbuckle or hydraulic cylinder of some sort. So when the upper arms raise up, they bring the lower ones with them. On some tractors, the upper arms are on a spline and their position on the spline can be changed. I don't know about yours, but mine can do that.

Now, you could rotate the upper arms up by lifting the 3 pt all the way up. Then reposition the upper lift arms on that spline so they are lower or at the lowest point. Then if you had hydraulic side links, you extend the side links so they force the lower arms down to the ground, and the upper arms up. When the upper arms have gone all the way up, or the spline has come to it's end rotation, then the hydraulic cylinders will continue to push the lower arms down to the ground, depending on the length of their stroke.

When I installed my hydraulic side links I had that partially in mind. I got extra long hydraulic cylinders to be able to do that. Right now I can shove my boxblade down pretty close to the ground with the upper lift arms way up, but the boxblade is still a couple inches off the ground. I would have to relocate the upper arms on the spline to have it actually dig in, put I am very close to being able to do that as it is.

I did a thread on installing my side links and discuss the possibilities in it. It's an interesting idea.
You can visit it by clicking HERE to read more about it.

 

[Spiveyman]

Wow, that is awesome, but way out of my league. I am very impressed. Thanks for sharing that.