Techniques to picking up gravel w/ FEL ?

[john_bud]

Well, If memory serves - you are screwed on a couple fronts.

1) you need a firm yet gentle touch with the controls and it sounds like you are more into hitting 'er hard and fast.
2) I don't think your control lever allows lift and curl at the same time. It requires an parallel plumbed control valve (internal).
3) Creeping into the pile while lifting (or while curling) works - but without HST it is hard to creep slow enough.


My suggestion;
Load up the 3pt with the biggest attachment (brush cutter fully raised).
Get into the lowest gear you have.
Start with the bucket level and at the level of the bottom of the pile.
Creep into the pile and curl the bucket back at the same time.
When you hit full curl, IMEDIATLY stop curling and raise the bucket but Continue to creep into the pile.

Issues you will face - Not enough traction. Back drag the area flat and curl faster while creeping slower (real hard with a light gear tractor). Or start higher on the pile. Or drag some material from the pile down to the front.


As others have said, don't drive the machine - operate it with finesse. That comes from practice and while tips help, only practice will give you the skills.

jb

 

[JerryG]

but without HST it is hard to creep slow enough.
jb

It's doesn't have to do with HST. It just has to do with the tranny design. My standard is maxed out at .25 MPH in low gear and it isn't HST. For most things, I run about 2000 RPM and that is about .16 MPH in the lowest gear.

 

[john_bud]

It's doesn't have to do with HST. It just has to do with the tranny design. My standard is maxed out at .25 MPH in low gear and it isn't HST. For most things, I run about 2000 RPM and that is about .16 MPH in the lowest gear.

Well now, that is slow!

I'm used to my older tractor that even in underdrive, 1st is pretty much too fast for more exacting loader work like loading gravel or shale. And I need to have the throttle jacked up to PTO speed and above to get the hydraulic response. A creeper low like yours would be the hot ticket.

jb

 

[LBrown59]

My gravel scooping technique requires much skill and finesse. I only put gravel I am going to use later on a gravel pad against a tough excavated bank (same for the mulch pile). Scoop and go. Always pile your stuff where you can easily get at it with the tractor later.

Steve

I've used my Bolens front blade for a bank.
Just push the stuff into the BX fel with it.
Ya might look at the Bolens & blade as a small portable bank.

 

[tommu56]

I use the plane aproach run bucket up face of the pile about 3-4" in to pile (this takes some good ground control and buclet timing).
or back drag some in front of pile for 3-4 ' only a couple of inches deep and set bucket level with ground and just above it and plane (like a wood plane) that up while I am in pile I raise bucket drive in and lower bucket on pile and back drag some for next fill.

tommu56

 

[Glowplug]

. . .2) I don't think your control lever allows lift and curl at the same time. It requires an parallel plumbed control valve (internal). . .

I'm not sure I understand that statement. If you had a parallel linkage wouldn't you actually be lifting and DUMPING and the same time? That would be the motion of the hydraulic cylinders to keep the bucket level, which is what a parallel linkage does. And that seems like what you would NOT want to do. You would want to change the angle of the bucket in relation to the ground instead of keeping it level. Of course, I could be confused.

 

[john_bud]

I'm not sure I understand that statement. If you had a parallel linkage wouldn't you actually be lifting and DUMPING and the same time? That would be the motion of the hydraulic cylinders to keep the bucket level, which is what a parallel linkage does. And that seems like what you would NOT want to do. You would want to change the angle of the bucket in relation to the ground instead of keeping it level. Of course, I could be confused.

No. Not talking about linkages, but about the way the fluid passages are machined into the body of the spool valve. Sorry if I was not clear - it's old tech but not being an expert it's hard to explain clearly.

The spool valves are normally series in operation. That is the cheapest to make. They operate by routing all fluid to the spool that is moved. The other spools don't get any fluid at all. So, if you move 2 functions - only the upstream-ist spool will operate.

Higher quality spools are parallel plumbed (all inside the valve) so that if you move 2 spools, both will be provided with fluid. The one with the least resistance will move the most and fastest, but normally both will operate.

jb

 

[HomeBrew2]

JB, that was a VERY good explaination. Example: with empty bucket, I can lift and curl simultaneously, no prob. When scooping any material, even at near WOT, I get one OR the other functions only.

 

[gladehound]

I have a gear trany. 2000 rpm is 0.5 mph in 1st.

I don't have a tooth bar.

My loader won't curl and lift at the same time either.

I have no problems moving piles of up to 3" stone.

I like to have 100 pounds for each inch of bucket width but often get away with 80 pound/inch.

 

[Glowplug]

No. Not talking about linkages, but about the way the fluid passages are machined into the body of the spool valve. Sorry if I was not clear - it's old tech but not being an expert it's hard to explain clearly.

The spool valves are normally series in operation. That is the cheapest to make. They operate by routing all fluid to the spool that is moved. The other spools don't get any fluid at all. So, if you move 2 functions - only the upstream-ist spool will operate.

Higher quality spools are parallel plumbed (all inside the valve) so that if you move 2 spools, both will be provided with fluid. The one with the least resistance will move the most and fastest, but normally both will operate.

jb

Oh, I see. I was completely off on what you were referring to. That makes sense. On my loader I can use both simultaneously (eg lower boom and curl bucket) but the RATE at which they move is slower when running both together due to decreased hydraulic flow. Thanks for the explanation.