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

[DKCDKC]

I have back-dragged for years with two tractors, no issues. I do always keep the bucket at an angle forward. I also back drag with my Ratchet Rake, but again have it angled up. Only damage done was once while I was back dragging and looking forward, I backed into a tree and bent a support bar on my box blade. Never hurt the FEL, and the BB was fixed easily.

 

[TripleR]

After reading these "do's and don'ts" on the subject of back draging with a FEL bucket.....I am severely guilty of doing the don'ts. I am surprised I still have a usable bucket....maybe I should go have a look?:confused2:

Me too; nothing broken yet in the almost 30 years I have been using tractors with front end loaders. I am not recommending it; just always done it that way.

 

[RealJimbo]

While it seems obvious that the angle is quite important (my recent breakage was at 90 deg) I STILL think the Woods loader is not bilt as well as the Kubota loader was.

I often used the bucket edge to pull the tractor over ice . . . this would involve the bucket angling from say 45 deg all the way to full unload.

Anywho, glad to see most people do what works, not necessarily what the book says you should do. 'Course got no one to blame when I break the rules:2cents:

 

[k0ua]

After reading these "do's and don'ts" on the subject of back draging with a FEL bucket.....I am severely guilty of doing the don'ts. I am surprised I still have a usable bucket....maybe I should go have a look?:confused2:

I am betting it is still attached

James K0UA

 

[JohninCT]

Like most everyone else I back drag with the edge just about every time I'm on the tractor. usually it's to smooth dirt and bucket angled only slightly and in float. Where I do back drag with the bucket curled is with the toothbar when I'm trying to pull material down off a hardened dirt pile so I can scoop it up with the bucket. Never had any problems. I gotta say too that I back drag with the toothbar when smoothing sometimes too and I like the raked look it leaves.

 

[Darrenone]

After reading these "do's and don'ts" on the subject of back draging with a FEL bucket.....I am severely guilty of doing the don'ts. I am surprised I still have a usable bucket....maybe I should go have a look?:confused2:

Also guilty of many of the don'ts. Should pay better attention to how I'm treating my tractor. On the other hand, just like my pick up truck, I bought it to use. And if it breaks, I'll fix it or have it fixed

 

[NHmitch]

I had to level a pretty large area behind my barn, so I could put up hay storage barn. I used 3pt dirt scoop, and draged with the back of the scoop and it worked really, well after I had used the scoop to cut into hill side, and I need a box blade, and that would have worked better, however I was pretty impressed how versatile a dirt scoop actually is. I was using my tractor that does not have an FEL on it right now, so it was the best option for me today. Now I have to put the barn up tomorrow, and then fill it with hay this Sunday. This is a bit of a tiring weekend.

 

[troutsqueezer]

I gotta say too that I back drag with the toothbar when smoothing sometimes too and I like the raked look it leaves.

I thought I was the only one.

 

[Mistyridgefarm]

Wow! You mean I've been dragging, pushing, and prying with my bucket at every conceivable angle, wheels off the ground, yanking stumps, rocks, roots, and god knows what for 20 years with mine and never broke a thing? I can't be that lucky! One of the most effective ways to pull dirt up is with the bucket curled all the way back and digging backwards. oh, I've put a bow in the lip a few times but a junk tree or fresh stump, along with careful maneuvering straightens it out in short order.

Must be the green paint?

 

[joshuabardwell]

I was thinking of this thread today while doing some work on my driveway. I noticed that my bucket has wear plates welded onto the bottom, and it got me to thinking, if I was to back-drag with the bottom of the bucket instead of the edge, wouldn't those wear plates get in the way? At the very least, they'd leave a furrow in what I was dragging. And if I go to the heel of the bucket, the cylinder mount scrapes the surface. I guess I'm saying, it seems to me like back-dragging with the edge is pretty much the only way to do it. I am in float though, so I think risk of damage is minimal.