FEL Stress

[mahlers]

Hey, no fair confusing the issue with the facts.

I wasn't thinking - you're right. I was only considering rear-wheel ballast when I was thinking about this - and if you put the ballast aft of the rear wheels, it will lift the front end up. Duh... It's been too many years and too many beers since I've actually had to think about these things. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[rambler]

A front end loader is very stressful on a tractor. Front king pin, front axle, mounting spots - all will show more wear over a 20 year period. As well as the hyd pump & tires.

Only way not to put any wear & stress on your tractor is to never use it tho. In thoe 20 years, the machine will accomplish a lot for you. All out tool wear. But we need them.

--->Paul

 

[JDgreen227]

I agree with you on the safety issue as I think both the engineers and my salesguy were more concerned with that instead of front axle damage.

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I was only considering rear-wheel ballast... )</font>

You are certainly correct about rear-wheel ballast because if it's wheel weights or liquid ballast, there is always the same amount of weight in front of the rear axle as behind the rear axle. While it does counterbalance weight in the loader, it provides no lift force to remove weight off the front axle. To achieve that, you have to add weight behind the rear axle, normally by adding ballast/weight to the 3PH as you stated.

In my opinion, another stress load to the front end is driving over rough ground at a high speed. There is no suspension to absorb the shock loads on the front axle except the tires and with an FEL out front, it makes those shock loads much worse. When I'm mowing a field and have no need for the FEL, I remove it. To me it makes mowing a much more pleasant experience without that loader "banging" around out front, and I have a much reduced turning radius. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[CMunger]

Some loader manufactures have a accumulater set-up, installed into the lift cylinder hydraulic lines. It acts as a shock absorber for the loader.
Chuck M.

 

[fishman]

You mean the loader comes off!!!??? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Some loader manufactures have a accumulater set-up, installed into the lift cylinder hydraulic lines. )</font>

I'm sure my tractor has no accumulator or even a relief valve in the loader circuit once the joystick is centered. The only time there is any relief valve protection is when you are actually curling the bucket or lifting the arms since the relief valve is before the joystick 4-way valve.

I do think the accumulator would be a nice addition, but I guess you would need four of them ( or one with four ports) to fully protect a loader. They would also have to have a very high actuation pressure since they would have to be above the maximum rated loader lift pressure or expand to full capacity at low loads. If they absorb the shock at low loads, wouldn't they also make the loader a little unstable in the float position? The engineering of one of these for each circuit must be pretty interesting. What tractors have these accumulators? Zetor? Century? ...or do you mean some other brand?

 

[JeffRey30747]

Regarding stress load on a FEL, some of the local pulpwooders have actually broken welds on skid steer loaders due to the stress of running them fast over rough terrain while loaded.

 

[JerryG]

<font color="blue">Some loader manufactures have a accumulater set-up, installed into the lift cylinder hydraulic lines. </font>
Which manufactures?

 

[CMunger]

Allo/Quickie (Spel?) and Buhler/Allied are two that I know of.
Chuck M.