Question 4 you . . . Backdraging with the Bucket EDGE?

[RealJimbo]

I, like everyone else, have read the manual. You should NOT backdrag with the bucket edge. To backdrag, use the heel of the bucket.

Also like everyone else, I HAVE backdraged with the edge. And I never had gotten in trouble with the Kubota 1153 FEL. But now I have this Woods 126 FEL. I wasn't actually backdraging. I rolled back down a pile with the bucket dumped. The edge caught the pile and . . . SNAP! Busted the weld completely off, and appears to have bent the rod also.

My question is . . . How often do you backdrag with the edge and has it caused you any problems?

 

[deerseeker001]

i use the bucket edge,no problems

 

[k0ua]

I, like everyone else, have read the manual. You should NOT backdrag with the bucket edge. To backdrag, use the heel of the bucket.

Also like everyone else, I HAVE backdraged with the edge. And I never had gotten in trouble with the Kubota 1153 FEL. But now I have this Woods 126 FEL. I wasn't actually backdraging. I rolled back down a pile with the bucket dumped. The edge caught the pile and . . . SNAP! Busted the weld completely off, and appears to have bent the rod also.

My question is . . . How often do you backdrag with the edge and has it caused you any problems?

Backdraging with both for many years. depending what I want to accomplish and how I want to feather the surface..
I buy a tractor to use, and that is what I do with it..

James K0UA

 

[Martian]

I've back dragged with the cutting edge with no problems. Leaves a much nicer finish than the heel. If I really need to back drag a lot, I use a box blade.

 

[Chilly807]

I do it too, but keep the bucket angled so if it does hook it'll just ride up and over and not bend anything. The bucket has a lot of leverage on the cylinder if it hooks hard.

Sean

 

[ricklman]

I backdrag with both as well. It's a "right tool for the right job" kinda thing. You can also partially fill the bucket and drag with the heel to be a bit more aggressive.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Use both as well. The only time I had any trouble was with a 45 hp international. It had an oversize bucket on it for loading chicken manure and I blew a hose. It was not in the best shape but would have lasted a while if I kept the bucket flat. With the oversize bucket the leverage was to much.

 

[IndyIan]

I back drag with the bucket edge all the time but unless I'm playing in freshly dug fluffy dirt, the lift cylinders are usually in float position.
I have also caught the bucket like you have the odd time but always with the bucket flat so it didn't grab hard, just lifted the front tires off the ground. I think you've had a little tractor lesson, get'r fixed and you won't do it again.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I also back drag with the bucket edge. I have not had a problem breaking any thing, but I did hang a stump right in the center of the bucket once that bowed the bucket lip up about an inch. I had it dumped too far and it didnt smoothly ride up and over just hung up on the stump for a bit then popped over. Once bent, they are almost impossible to straighten back up as I have tried sledge hammer and even using the tractor to push the lip into a stump and it doesnt move back.
I also blew a hose on the Yanmar once by putting too much pressure to the bucket but never broke a weld. I think you likely had a bad weld on your tractor. Get it fixed and dont worry, everyone back drags with the bucket. If you drag with the bottom, you are going to wear a hole in the bucket especially if you are in sandy soil as it is very abrasive. The bucket bottoms are very thin material and wont stand up to a lot of back dragging abuse. It may keep you from bending something, but that will not be an easy repair to make to fix a worn thru bucket bottom and likely will cost more than a new FEL bucket.

 

[dhawken]

I also do it all the time, I actually never knew it was bad. No, I didn't read the manual. I did it constantly as a kid with much larger tractors, so I never even thought it might be bad. No issues yet though.