jeff9366
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 12,777
- Tractor
- Kubota Tractor Loader L3560 HST+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3,700 pounds bare tractor, 5,400 pounds operating weight, 37 horsepower
A Front End Loader (FEL) is THE most useful tractor option.
Recommendations for amount of PTO HP needed?
- Thread starter Mattmonn
- Start date
- Views: 2057
Oh, agree wholeheartedly and the reason I bought the size class of tractor I did. I am fairly new to tractors and my FEL with a rock grapple is THE most useful tool I own. I have used it to literally take apart an old shed and then load it on a trailer, to pickup anything heavy around the property, as a carryall for tree limbs and other large yard trash, to push back a large brick column supporting part of my deck that is 8' off the ground so I could rebuild the footing, to chain heavy implements to for moving, to pickup and move tree blow downs or large trunks I have cut, just yesterday to load my trailer with a 68" flail mower, 72" wide bucket and a CID stump bucket for moving to my other property I will be clearing and to use as a counterweight for heavy 3PH usage. And all in just the few months I have owned my tractor.
The only downside for me is it significantly complicates engine bay maintenance as the FEL is in the way for anything I do under the hood. It is what it is.
IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 15,802
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
No question the FEL interferes with access to the engine. However, almost all FELs are set up to be easily removed. The process is a little more difficult than mounting a 3PT implement or backhoe but it is all a matter of practice. Once you've done it a few times it is a five minute task, on or off.
I have not attempted to remove the FEL assembly yet and am sure you are correct as to how easy it can be with some experience, as it just required some practice for me of swapping out the QA buckets and 3PH implements, with any of it now being no big deal.
One of the things I like about the LS "R" series tractors is the grill guard is hinged at the bottom with two QA pins at the top, to allow the grill guard to swing forward and down out of the away. This arrangement looks like it would solve a lot of access issues without removing the whole FEL assembly.
To the OP:
Modern tractors with all of the quick attach (QA) options make changing implements so easy, once one gets a little experience with it. And HSTs make this even easier. I have purchased a lot of new attachments for the FEL and 3PH. My first foray into the FEL QA skid loader changing was a bit of an ordeal and took me maybe 45 minutes to an hour, to drop the original bucket and attach a rock grapple bucket with QA skid steer type hydraulic connectors and have it operational. Now after changing buckets maybe 6 or 8 times, assembling some "storage" QA couplings to keep pressure from building up in the disconnected bucket's hydraulic system, it takes me just a few minutes to swap buckets, whether they are "perfectly" level or not.
And the same thing with the 3PH implements. The first few times of changing these out were a very trying experience until I learned the basics and then set up "parking" stands (blocks of wood) to keep the implements level when detached so it is now simply a matter of just backing up and attaching or detaching. A QA adapter for the 3PH makes this a lot easier for the implements that support it. My flail mower is not QA compatible and not easily adaptable due to the narrower, lower mounting points. So to make it easier, I have a specific top link I leave attached to the mower with its length adjusted and use it exclusively for the mower. And since my 3PH lift arms have entendable end links, it is now pretty esy to connect the mower, even without a QA hitch.
Like IslandTractor indicated, it all just takes some experience. You'll figure out how to do all of this with your attachments. There are a lot of good, experienced folks on TBN who are very willing to help out wherever possible. Just keep asking
