FEL Rollback and Dump Angles

[Riddler]

If I had any experience with FELs I could easily answer this on my own, but I would like to factor the relevant information into my buying decision. On the bigger FELs, total bucket movement seems to be in the 85 to 88 degree range. How they're split between roll back and dump functions, however, varies noticeably. Kubota's 723 and 853 loaders provide 40 degree dump and 45 degree roll back angles. By contrast, NH's 16LA provides a 58 degree dump angle and a 30 degree roll back angle.

I have assumed for sometime that a higher roll back angle was desirable for those occasions when the loader and bucket might be cradling something long or oversized while traveling across uneven terrain. I haven't a clue regarding advantages or disadvantages of a 58 degree v. 45 degree dump angle. I have tested the 723 and 853 FELs and they seem to dump perfectly fine. Hence, I'm thinking that the Kubota's higher roll back angle may be a small plus over time. Does anyone's experience bear this out, or is this just another useless hair I've been splitting?

 

[mahlers]

Higher rollback angles are definitely better when you're trying to carry a mound of material. Also, if you're moving material like concrete mix, you want to be able to carry it in a loader bucket that's rolled back enough to keep from spilling it all over the place. It is also nice to have a good dump angle - not only for dumping material, but also for doing things like back-scraping and grading. A box-blade is the best thing for grading and scraping, but sometimes it just makes sense to use the loader. The more dump angle you have, the more flexibility you'll have in getting the scrape angle just right. My loader has a rollback of 40 degrees and a dump of 60 degrees, and I definitely make use of it.

 

[755inNY]

The best roll back and dump angles would vary, I would think, depending on the geometry of the loader arms and bucket attach points. For instance, a 40 degree dump on one loader might have the bucket "face" at the same point as a 58 degree dump on another. If a loader can lift higher, it may need more dump angle to fully dump the bucket at the highest point.

It is better to try them out rather than to rely on spec numbers.

Be careful. High roll back angles also mean materials (rocks) can roll out of the bucket and on to your shiney new hood if you don't dump a little as you raise the bucket to full height.

Jeff

 

[frank_f15]

never really measured the angles on my loader, but it appears the roll back is a bout 40 deg. and the dump also somewhere about 40. never felt like i needed more than that especially on the roll back, then i would lose material off the back end.

 

[John_Mc]

One other advantage of a larger dump angle: in an area with a lot of clay in the soil, it tends to stick in the bucket. the larger teh dump angle, the greater the chance you can get it all to dump out without getting off and scraping it out. If you're in sandy soils, there is probably no need for the extra dump angle (at least as far as clearing the bucket is concerned).

John Mc

 

[pekabu]

Something I haven't seen brought up is that rollback and dump angles on hilly property can be more important. If you are digging going down hill, then better rollback angle is going to be more important. If you are building a hill, then a better dump angle is more important (to a degree, I see a lot of grill damage happening..). I guess transporting material with a better rollback is another advantage.

On flat property I think there is a limit to how much angle is really necassary.

 

[mwood]

If i'm not mistaken, the new NH's come with the curved loader arms. This means that one would need a different amount of dump / rollback angle to keep the loader in the same positions as a non curved arm loader. Just a thought.