school of shifting :-)

[ironman1952]

This almost embarassing. My second car was a 54 chevy with 3 on the Tree Okay maybe i should have gotten the hydrostatic trans.
SO i need some serious schooling My trans is the shuttle shift with the creeper gears so choice ugh:-(

So cruising along no issues but digging with the loader, what is the best most effective gears to use?

I was diggin up some soil on the property which is about 85% sand and I was in low/2nd gear and the back wheels just started to dig in making a rut.
I turned on the 4X4 and just seemed to make the tractor hop.

at 74 hp this thing should dig up sandy soil like digging up butter. I am sure its operator error. BTW my rear tires are filled.

When is the best situation for 4X4?

I am also going to rent an auger for the front end loader, any advice?

Regards,Joe

 

[scootr]

If digging I would use the lowest gear 4 wd and try to be constantly aware of how much digging it is doing. Don't make a big hole unless that is the object. Keep a long gentle slop into the pile. Raise the bucket as you go in and curl to fill.
If the machine stops forward progress raise the bucket a bit and reduce the bite. There can be a lot to do. Its a dance... lower gear & 4wd to to fill the bucket then 2 wheel drive and higher gear to transport if that is what you are doing.

 

[mo1]

This almost embarassing. My second car was a 54 chevy with 3 on the Tree Okay maybe i should have gotten the hydrostatic trans.
SO i need some serious schooling My trans is the shuttle shift with the creeper gears so choice ugh:-(

So cruising along no issues but digging with the loader, what is the best most effective gears to use?

I was diggin up some soil on the property which is about 85% sand and I was in low/2nd gear and the back wheels just started to dig in making a rut.
I turned on the 4X4 and just seemed to make the tractor hop.

at 74 hp this thing should dig up sandy soil like digging up butter. I am sure its operator error. BTW my rear tires are filled.

When is the best situation for 4X4?

I am also going to rent an auger for the front end loader, any advice?

Regards,Joe

Use a low enough gear that you are not going too quickly when you are at a reasonable engine operating speed. Exactly what gear you use depends on the transmission.

A loader bucket is not that great at digging, particularly if it does not have teeth on the bucket. Think of more trying to take slices off of the top of the dirt until you've dug what you want to dig. Spinning tires in 2WD and hopping with MFWD engaged means you are trying to push into something that doesn't want to move.

MFWD is only to be used when you are on loose surfaces, do not use it when you are on pavement. The front wheels spin faster than the rears. If the front wheels can't slip, you bind up the driveline and break things. Personally, if I am using a tractor with MFWD, I treat it like a conventional transfer case part-time 4WD on a truck, I only engage it when I need to.

Regarding an auger, make sure that you don't get one that requires too much hydraulic flow or you would need to have some auxiliary PTO-powered hydraulic pump setup. Most augers are designed for skid loaders, which have a lot more hydraulic flow than a utility tractor. Appropriate ones are out there but you would need to be careful when looking.

 

[ironman1952]

Thanks for helping me figure it out. I would have bought a skid steer but they are up around 80k for a new one.

 

[Rockbadchild]

For digging use a gear you are comfortable with without being overwhelm by it at full rpm (safe operating limit while at max hp or close to it) and take slices off of what ever you are digging, don't take too big of a bite scoots explained it very well, remember the tilt is stronger then the lift so tilt is your friend.

One thing to note with a full bucket watch your steering impute don't crank the steering keep it at 50% to 75% of its steering capability if you go more then that it puts unnecessary stress on your front axel.

Used 4x4 only when you need it, with a full bucket and while digging you most likely do but if you don't you don't, rear wheel spinning = 4x4 needed, but I don't spend my time engage it and disengage it ether if I notice I need it I engage it and it stay there until the task is done or until I get to a situation where is a big no no to be on 4x4, for me the big no no on 4x4 is at high speed and on surface that doesn't offer any slippage like concrete or asphalt.

 

[ironman1952]

in the words of the old irish actor on far and away "Very Wise"
Thanks, very well put

 

[sea2summit]

Stop digging with your loader and get a box blade. Both you and your tractor will be happier. Scoop up loose material with the bucket.

 

[ericm979]

Tractors don't dig very well. Tractor loaders are more for scooping up loose material from a pile than digging. The suggestion to use a box blade to dig is a good one. Tractors are a lot better at pulling implements than pushing them.

When you're using the loader to scoop up material, drive slowly into the pile while lifting and curling the bucket at the same time. Just driving straight in won't work nearly as well. Even a loose pile will stop the tractor before you have filled the bucket.

 

[big bubba]

on my 12 sp, i always use low range 1st or 2nd in 4wd. that way i have time to catch any bind. to me, using taller gears puts stress on the entire drive train. keeping in mind, as mentioned, tractors are not meant for excavating, regards

 

[ironman1952]

Great advice from all Thank you
I am going to be building a house soon and I think I will just rent a mini excavator to do the digging and the tractor to move the dirt.

Thanks