Is Lifting Rear of CUTS of the Ground Bad?

[LD1]

I agree with all others. Dont pull from the fel. And if you are and the rears are in the air, that indicates the FEL is elevated a bit. Bad recipe.

And you'll probabally find out that you can pull MORE pulling from the rear of the tractor. For starters, the tires are directional and dont have better traction in forward. And second, your back tires are MUCH larger and have more contact with the ground. Thus they can generate MORE pulling force. Which does you no good if they are in the air.:confused2:

 

[Baby Grand]

Since the front axle has a pivot, there's also a chance that the part of the tractor in the air will start to get very tippy if the front wheels are not pointing dead ahead ... don't do it ... since the front tires don't have much flotation, if the ground is soft ... don't do it.

 

[foggy1111]

I have this very situation with my tractor and 300cx loader. I do allot of FEL and grapple work. The rears are loaded with rim-guard and I typically have a box blade for ballast with a few hundred lbs of wieght hanging on the box blade for good measure.

Still, when using the FEL the rears can (and do) come off the ground if I am not carefull. I like that I can lift such heavy loads with the loader....but not at the cost of potential front axel problems.

I'm not sure what other guys with a similar loader experience....but the 300cx loader on my tractor really lifts heavy loads!! I beleive its time for me to buy a ballast box and fill it with concrete and rocks. I dont think the box blade and weights are enough.

 

[moored4]

I'm not sure what other guys with a similar loader experience....but the 300cx loader on my tractor really lifts heavy loads!! I beleive its time for me to buy a ballast box and fill it with concrete and rocks. I dont think the box blade and weights are enough.

I think you right! :thumbsup:

 

[Short Game]

I broke the front drive of my 27 HP CUT in a split second by lifting and pulling from the bucket, using the wheels to pull. I had loaded tires and the box blade with a heavy winch on the back. All that weight back there is nothing compared to the HP load you will put through the gears, shafts, and bearings, when the rears either lift, or simply become light enough to lose traction. As soon as rear traction is gone with all that weight transferred to the front axle, all motive force is being delivered only from the front wheels. Little pinion, little ring gear, little bearings, BOOM!

It's not so much the weight in my mind, it's the Force. I no longer use the Force (at least not that way).

For me, it was five gears, three bearings, and two bent shafts. I straightened the shafts and the 12 pounds of gears and bearings cost $2,000.

I believe!

 

[Deere Dude]

I broke the front drive of my 27 HP CUT in a split second by lifting and pulling from the bucket, using the wheels to pull. I had loaded tires and the box blade with a heavy winch on the back. All that weight back there is nothing compared to the HP load you will put through the gears, shafts, and bearings, when the rears either lift, or simply become light enough to lose traction. As soon as rear traction is gone with all that weight transferred to the front axle, all motive force is being delivered only from the front wheels. Little pinion, little ring gear, little bearings, BOOM!

It's not so much the weight in my mind, it's the Force. I no longer use the Force (at least not that way).

For me, it was five gears, three bearings, and two bent shafts. I straightened the shafts and the 12 pounds of gears and bearings cost $2,000.

I believe!

Thanks for that story. I will be a little more diligent because of what happened to you. It only takes the right circumstances for it to happen.

 

[Jay4200]

Assuming a tractor is properly ballasted for the FEL and the rear wheels stay on terra firma during a lift/pull is there any more stress being exerted on components then when you are lightly ballasted and the rear wheels raise off the ground while lifting/pulling the same load?

No.

JayC

 

[Ford tractor]

As a general thing, if you ever catch yourself asking "Is it bad if I....." the answer is nearly always yes!

 

[Reg]

Having started pulling pine trees using my FEL it dawned on me yesterday I routinely pick the rear of my tractor off the ground when pulling and lifting stuff. I do use ballast and understand about the possible safety issues but my concern is wear & tear on the tractor. I believe tools should be fully used but not abused. I'm guessing most of the stress is being felt by front axle and I am wondering if I need to be more careful about doing this. TIA

Depends wotchagot (-:
If it has a fragile front axle, then YES conceivably you COULD break something.
Personally I worry much more about damaging ME than damaging equipment, but in many/most cases that keeps the equipment fairly safe at the same time. Not that blood rusts tractors, though I like to keep MY blood off any/all equipment.

Specifically; Pulling TREES !
REALLY ?
Saplings and shrubs perhaps ?
Anyway, if they have much mass they could/might tweak the FEL frame as they topple - and from your description of lifting the rear tires I am guessing that you are chaining them to the bucket and lifting, perhaps even backing up at the same time in 4WD ???

There is a local dealer who will not sell a tractor with FEL and unloaded rear tires, which I have always taken to mean if the FEL can lift the rear wheels he won't sell it that way. Kinda/sorta makes sense - in the litigious society sense.

I am of the opinion that if you can get the rear tires off the ground with the FEL then you don't have enough ballast back there, just my OPINION (-:

PS GENERALLY Ag tires are NOT rated for heavy lifting, not to the point of balancing the whole tractor and loaded bucket on them.
I have never had it happen, but I imagine blowing a front tire with a full bucket could be disastrous.

 

[k0ua]

Not that blood rusts tractors, though I like to keep MY blood off any/all equipment.

Always a prudent thing:laughing::thumbsup:

Pushing/pulling trees, always look out for limbs to fall on your head! let alone your tractor hood.. Leave the standing dead ones alone . The are super dangerous.

James K0UA