Mowing mowing with the bucket on/off

   / mowing with the bucket on/off #1  

howie70

Bronze Member
Joined
May 7, 2013
Messages
52
Location
Shenandoah Valley, VA
Tractor
Kubota B2650
Just got my BX2370 with FEL & MMM. I have read a couple posts on here stating that it is best to remove the loader when mowing to make it more stable. I have a few grades that I will be mowing and in my feeble mind I was thinking the added weight of the FEL would help out. I know it can/will be an annoyance when navigating through my trees, but I am more concerned about stability. Can someone explain how removing it makes it more stable?
 
   / mowing with the bucket on/off #2  
Loaders usually make a tractor a little top heavy on hillsides. Your tractor carrying the extra loader weight while mowing also causes premature wear on your tractor front end. Ken Sweet
 
   / mowing with the bucket on/off
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I was thinking with the lbucket low to the ground it would help, but I guess the loader arms are still at or above the hood. I think I will remove it the first time I mow. Having a bucket is new to me. My old 9N and Massey Harris didn't have it.
 
   / mowing with the bucket on/off #4  
Howie, at what height from the ground would you consider to be the tractor's Center Of Gravity??? I'm gonna guess on the average SCUT it would be pretty near the engine crankshaft height. Would you think that's an accurate statement?? If not, then adjust the height to whatever you believe to be correct. Now look at the loader frame. Is the bulk of it's weight above or below the COG you determined??? If above, then the tractor is more prone to tip with it on. If below, then the tractor is more prone to not tip with it on. Let us know what you decide.

Beyond all that, with modern quick attach loaders, why would you not take it off?? I even take the loader off my M9540 to do any work where the loader isn't needed. Takes about 2 minutes to remove, 3 minutes to install. :)
 
   / mowing with the bucket on/off #5  
Putting the loader on or off is like tying your shoes. The first few times you tied your shoes as a kid it took forever and you figured "what a pain". Didn't take long and you could do it blindfolded in the dark. Practice it some and you'll never give it a second thought again.
 
   / mowing with the bucket on/off #6  
Just got my BX2370 with FEL & MMM. I have read a couple posts on here stating that it is best to remove the loader when mowing to make it more stable. I have a few grades that I will be mowing and in my feeble mind I was thinking the added weight of the FEL would help out. I know it can/will be an annoyance when navigating through my trees, but I am more concerned about stability. Can someone explain how removing it makes it more stable?

Take it off. I have a BX2230, so close to the same size. Any FEL you have mounted on any tractor will put the weight of the FEL out in front of your tippy front axle. Not only did you add weight to that axle, you transferred almost the same amount of weight from the stable rear wheels to the front wheels. Having it an inch off the ground still transfers the weight. The COG is only one aspect. The COG with respect to a rocking front axle is also important. You can (and should) ballast your tractor to counter this, but it's just a lot easier to remove the FEL. The FEL makes a dandy emergency brake if you are going down a hill and lose traction. But if you didn't have it on, you probably wouldn't have lost traction anyway.

From my personal experience, I drove my BX down on my hillside set to do loader work. That means the FEL on the front, 50 lbs of weight on each rear wheel hub, and a 275lb bar on the 3ph. I had the FEL and weight bar both about 2 inches off the ground. My tires are also loaded, but no spacers. I parked it in a place where I felt it was sort of tippy which turned out to be between 20 and 25 degrees. I got off and pushed on the uphill side rollbar with one hand and fairly easily lifted the rear wheel off the ground. I then drove to the garage and removed the FEL, weight bar, and wheel weights. I drove down and parked in the exact same place. I could NOT lift the wheel off the ground. And that's why I will never again mow with my FEL on.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet
 
   / mowing with the bucket on/off
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Ok guys, thanks for the helpful advice and not calling me a total idiot for even considering it (at least not out loud). As I said earlier, having a loader is new to me. I will definitely remove it when I mow.
 
   / mowing with the bucket on/off #9  
There is a sponsor on here that I purchased a rolling frame for my loader. It is worth every penny, it allows you to roll the loader back up to the tractor to reatatch, or to put it in a corner out of the way when you do not ned it. I thought it to be no big deal, but my wife ordered it from BXPANDED and it is wonderful for my BX1860 loader, and I take mine off to mow as well!
 
   / mowing with the bucket on/off #10  
My loader is always off for finish mowing. It's more manouverable and the front tires don't rip things up.

When I did some bush hogging it was always on and set low enough to hit hidden objects before the tractor and rotary mower ran into them. Most of the time it worked, but I did whack a few things anyway.
 
 
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