Is this practice bad (Ramming something with FEL)

[grossgary]

impact wrenches are rather powerful instruments because of their "shock loading".

i guess i have some first hand experience with a smaller and less powerful B7100. i was "ramming" roots in the fall. with a single row plow, gaining speed, grabbing the root and trying to rip them apart, lifting the front wheels off the ground some times once the slack ran out and the root didn't break. worked it for a few hours like this until my plow finally bent. had that repaired at a machine shop, no big deal.

but it does look like it caused a nice crack in my frame. noticed it just this summer when doing something with my MMM. guess i'll be doing some welding this winter and i definitely won't be doing that again. really annoying for me since what i was working on was rather benign and not a big deal.

 

[big bubba]

sounds like the original poster needs a larger tractor for what he's trying to do. sure you can hammer into something with any equipment, but get a grip and use the right tool. is it paid for? how long do you want to keep it? be careful and good luck bb

 

[BXRICK]

Life is a long series of risk assesments.

The consensus here, which lies somewhere between "wax" and "go for it", is that each time you ram something, you have a risk of hurting the tractor.
The more times you do it, the more likely something bad will eventually happen.
We all do it sometimes, even if accidentally. The tractor doesn't know it was an accident - it just feels the thud, and breaks or doesn't.

And, isn't there an option to "sneak up on it"? Give it a small push, to see if it'll cut easily, or if it's anchored solidly, before you hit it really hard. Then, you can reduce risk by only hitting it as hard as needed, rather than ramming it as hard as possible, even if that's not necessary.

This doesn't need to be a "do it" or "don't do it" polarized discussion.

 

[Tig]

In my pre tractor days I would turn the compost pile with a shovel. I found that eggshells could be pulverized to dust by smacking them with a fly swatter like motion of the shovel. I happily smacked away each time I turned the pile until I broke my shovel handle. Lesson learned, use tools properly. Now I turn the pile with the Kubota while ignoring the eggshells.

 

[mswlogo]

sounds like the original poster needs a larger tractor for what he's trying to do. sure you can hammer into something with any equipment, but get a grip and use the right tool. is it paid for? how long do you want to keep it? be careful and good luck bb

What tells you it's not big enough?

Some might laugh at the size of the root and not think twice and others might say you're nuts.

 

[mswlogo]

In my pre tractor days I would turn the compost pile with a shovel. I found that eggshells could be pulverized to dust by smacking them with a fly swatter like motion of the shovel. I happily smacked away each time I turned the pile until I broke my shovel handle. Lesson learned, use tools properly. Now I turn the pile with the Kubota while ignoring the eggshells.

Eggshells broke your shovel? I think you needed a new shovel before you smacked them.

 

[TripleR]

Come on, the original poster later stated that "ramming" was not a good description of what he actually did. Now my father in law "rammed" stuff and his FEL's and blades are covered in welds and reinforcement plates.

I don't don't believe I abuse my equipment, but I use it hard; that's why I have it. Yes, it will wear out or break before some, but I can live with that.

 

[n8wrl]

Well, I don't think you want my opinion. I guess I'll just go wax my tractor.

Now THAT is funny!

 

[GregH]

I was cruising on my gravel road today with BoxBlade.

It was popping out 100lb boulders every now and then like water mellon seeds. Hardly even noticed until I looked back and saw it.

Anyway I was cruising along in 8th gear and suddenly the tracker completely stopped cold. Thought it was a huge boulder so I backed up raised boxblade just a bit and tried to go forward and it would not budge.

So I raised it full backed over it and it was a huge root.

So I used the FEL to cut it.

I rammed it slowly in low gear and it didn't cut.

Then I rammed it a little faster (maybe 4th gear pedal to metal).

And it snipped off fine.

Bucket was about flush with ground.

Is this really hard on pistons?

Or is this normal par for the course for the tractor?

You obviously know more than the rest of us. Why ask a question and then dispute everyone's answer.
Fact- CUT's are not designed to do do work requiring shock loads. The harder you strike something the more stress you put on each component. Even if we do wax our tractors we work them hard but reasonably.
If you want to destroy your tractor prematurely, feel free, the rest of use use common sense and ask the tractor to do work as disigned. When you have a major casting failure, or the front axle pops, you can blame it on being abusive to your machine!
Greg

 

[mswlogo]

You obviously know more than the rest of us. Why ask a question and then dispute everyone's answer.
Fact- CUT's are not designed to do do work requiring shock loads. The harder you strike something the more stress you put on each component. Even if we do wax our tractors we work them hard but reasonably.
If you want to destroy your tractor prematurely, feel free, the rest of use use common sense and ask the tractor to do work as disigned. When you have a major casting failure, or the front axle pops, you can blame it on being abusive to your machine!
Greg

Will ramming a feather hurt it too?

I think it's hard to explain what I did and I think it's perfectly fine and I should not of asked.

Seems quite a few folks agree it was fine and understand what I did.

Folks are caught up on the word ramming.

I pushed a stick until it broke, does that sound better.