Oil & Fuel fuel consumption; with FEL & without

[geish]

Currently, I take off the FEL whenever I shred. My mentality is that it will save some fuel. I'm somewhat getting tired of doing this and am thinking of leaving it on when I shred. I'm sure it will also help with the turning even if the 4wd is off because of the added weight.

What do ya'll think. Am I saving some fuel, and if so, is it worth all the trouble?

Just want your opinion.

 

[Highbeam]

No, not for the fuel. Plus without the loader up there to find obstacles bfore the axle you may pick up some damage.

 

[RoyJackson]

I doubt if you'd see a measurable difference.

I agree with Highbeam...better to field cut with the loader. This applies if you're cutting brush that's more then a foot or so high, or is an area you're not familar with.

If it's an area you mow frequently, dropping the loader off will reduce wear on your front wheel bearings (my loader is normally off unless I have a job to do with it). I do have it on when I'm brush cutting to counter balance the weight (and mass) of the cutter.

There you go...

 

[RalphVa]

So far, I've never removed mine. Need it with my brush hog to offset the weight of the "hog" on the hills I run up and down. Otherwise, I might need front weights. My tractor only uses 0.45 gallons/hr anyway. Doubt I'd save much by removing the FEL. Think I'd only remove the bucket if I didn't want it sticking out front.

I often use my FEL to clear away overhead obstructions while brush hogging. Cedar limbs, I've found, just snap off if attacked with the FEL. I often uncurl it and use it as a dozer to push brush away to clear areas for brush hogging if the brush appears too big to drop the hog onto or to back over.

Ralph

 

[jbrumberg]

geish:
I agree with the current responses in this thread. All of us must "balance" the expenses be it wear and tear, material costs, fuel, equipment use, time, safety, etc. To me (IMHO) fuel and wear and tear are not significant factors as they are hard to determine and are a fact of life; time/effort- (attaching/detaching attachments) and safety are my priorities: Leaving your FEL on saves you time and effort as well as a FEL/blade will find unseen "obstacles" as you are cutting through thick vegetation as well as balance out the weight you are carrying off your rear links. The last thing you want to discover is an obstacle that will seriously damage you and/or your investment as well as an/or cause a rollover/flip due to balance instability with similar consequences. I usually leave my tractor in 4WD for traction in the field and make my turns relatively open (with HST I do not have the option of using turning brakes like I had with a geared tractor). As to fuel consumption total assembly FEL weights appear relatively inconsequential when factored into the total weight of your rig (15% +/-) when factored against your time and safety. Jay

 

[rockyridgefarm]

This mostly depends on the angle that the bucket is set at. Getting it into the airstream correctly. With the proper approach angle, there is a lift applied, placing more force on the rear wheels and thus increasing traction and reducing wheel slippage.

 

[geish]

Thanks for the quick response. Ya'll are always big help.

Like I said, I'm really getting tired of putting it on and off. I think it will also be useful in pushing over some of those giant ant hills. I'm sure it's better than using the brush hog to demolish them. I get some major vibration shredding those ant hills sometimes. Yup, I we got some big ant hills. LOL.

Thanks men. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[monkeymonk]

So all about Aerodynamics? keep her down at the proper angle to achieve maximum lift and enough juice to the capacitor and /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif....

I knew I wasn't doing something right. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RalphVa]

You wouldn't be running the brush hog over some of the ant hills I've seen in Oz. Those are 6 and 8' tall. Need an FEL to knock them over.

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( This mostly depends on the angle that the bucket is set at. Getting it into the airstream correctly. With the proper approach angle, there is a lift applied, placing more force on the rear wheels and thus increasing traction and reducing wheel slippage. )</font>
Yeah, the other day when I was tooling down the road on my tractor at 65 MPH, I had the bucket at the wrong angle and really used a lot of fuel!

Seriously, I leave mine on all the time. I doubt there is much savings in taking it off, and I always find something to use the loader on, even if it's just something someone has thrown in the path that needs to be picked up to proceed.
John