Top 10 things NOT to do with a new loader!

[patrick_g]

If you park the tractor, leave the bucket down. If you park the tractor on the front lawn with the bucket down, remember to raise it before driving off.
Your wife doesn't have to be watching at the time to know if you made this mistake.
BOB

In cold weather putting pallet forks, FEL bucket or whatever on the ground may get it frozen to the ground and rip a big chunk of world up if you raise the FEL. Better to toss a scrap board on the ground and let the implement rest atop that. You say their isn't a board handy when you need it? I have a transverse pipe as part of my FEL and it is open at both ends. It is a handy carrying arrangement for various items. You could lash a scrap to the FEL to use.

Pat

 

[Iplayfarmer]

In cold weather putting pallet forks, FEL bucket or whatever on the ground may get it frozen to the ground and rip a big chunk of world up if you raise the FEL. Better to toss a scrap board on the ground and let the implement rest atop that. You say their isn't a board handy when you need it? I have a transverse pipe as part of my FEL and it is open at both ends. It is a handy carrying arrangement for various items. You could lash a scrap to the FEL to use.

Pat

I put mine down point to the ground. This does two things... It keeps the contact area with the ground to a minimum, and it keeps water (and ice) from building up in the bucket.

 

[dcyrilc]

I put mine down point to the ground. This does two things... It keeps the contact area with the ground to a minimum, and it keeps water (and ice) from building up in the bucket.

 

[jas67]

If you park the tractor, leave the bucket down. If you park the tractor on the front lawn with the bucket down, remember to raise it before driving off.
Your wife doesn't have to be watching at the time to know if you made this mistake.
BOB

LOL!!!!! :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

(yes, I've made this mistake)

 

[RalphVa]

DO NOT maneuver left/right in doorways. Do your maneuvering before or after going through the doorway. I've damage to both the main floor carriage house door side and to the door to the basement of the carriage house before I learned this.

Filled tires and my weight plus a very light weight Frontier 5' back blade was enough weight to lift huge loads of wet snow in the FEL with only one slight tip this winter.

Inspect to see whether your mid PTO cover is still in place after using the FEL. Luckily, I found mine lying beside the road while out walking yesterday. Think I'm gonna Goop that thing in place now.

 

[patrick_g]

I put mine down point to the ground. This does two things... It keeps the contact area with the ground to a minimum, and it keeps water (and ice) from building up in the bucket.

Oh yea verily do tilt the bucket so it empties... However putting the cutting edge to the ground does not eliminate pulling a frozen-on piece of the world up, it just sort of minimizes the size of the piece (at least in some of our raining/snowing freezing situations.) I have a scrap board on the ground where I usually park the tractor and rest the blade edge there. On the occasion that the board freezes to the blade I can just curl the bucket while board is in contact with the ground and it comes off.

Pat

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Oh yea verily do tilt the bucket so it empties... However putting the cutting edge to the ground does not eliminate pulling a frozen-on piece of the world up, it just sort of minimizes the size of the piece (at least in some of our raining/snowing freezing situations.) I have a scrap board on the ground where I usually park the tractor and rest the blade edge there. On the occasion that the board freezes to the blade I can just curl the bucket while board is in contact with the ground and it comes off.

Pat

I've always thought the board idea is a good one. I've never thought about it, though, when I'm parking the tractor.

I do occasionally have to curl the bucket to crack a piece of ice before moving. The tip down makes is so that rather than overcoming several square feet of ice I'm only working with a few inches.

 

[patrick_g]

I've always thought the board idea is a good one. I've never thought about it, though, when I'm parking the tractor.

I do occasionally have to curl the bucket to crack a piece of ice before moving. The tip down makes is so that rather than overcoming several square feet of ice I'm only working with a few inches.

I can't help it... I'm getting this mental image of a guy pouring hot water into his bucket (with bottom fully engaging the ground) trying to melt enough ice so his tractor can break out the bucket and move.

Pat

 

[Sniggle]

Do not start lifting a full bucket at the same time you are turning into your dump pile...especially if you are on a hill.

Keep the load low, square up with the area you wish to dump, and then lift the bucket to dump as you slowly move forward.

(Got a soiled shorts type of scare doing the above manuever shortly after I got my tractor. I have been much more catious since.)

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I can't help it... I'm getting this mental image of a guy pouring hot water into his bucket (with bottom fully engaging the ground) trying to melt enough ice so his tractor can break out the bucket and move.

Pat

Now that you mention that, I have this mental image of a guy pouring diesel fuel into his bucket and lighting it on fire to melt enough ice so his tractor can break free and move.

That would probably also go on the list of things NOT to do with a new loader!