Grading Front loader use questions.

[kcender]

I think you are referring to my post about the bucket being vertical to help the stabilizers.I don't know what the manual recommends but putting the bucket in full dump position,when using the backhoe,will cause it to anchor itself more.This can be bad if you swing the rear of the tractor sideways with the backhoe.Think of the stresses this would put on your loader and the extended bucket cylinder when the bucket wants to move sideways,but can't.If the bucket is laying flat on the ground it will slide around and cause less stress on the loader but still stabilize the front of the tractor.When I had my L3240 with FEL and backhoe I managed to break the FEL loader mount completely in two pieces by swinging the rear of the tractor with the backhoe.This was with the bucket laying flat but it got caught on a rock.This will give you an idea of what can happen by having the FEL bucket dug into the ground when using the backhoe.These machines are tough but can still be damaged.

 

[Code54]

When using my ratchet rake I personally use some down pressure and normally only use "float" for leveling. I am using a larger machine with the rake so I don't worry too much about tweaking the loader but just push down enough that most of the weight is off the front tires. I lose about 70% of the steering and mostly make multiple passes but it seems to be a safe and very effective system.
A lot of it just takes practice and seeing what works best for you, your machine, and exact situation. Good luck on your project!

 

[rbarker]

You only have to watch the first 30sec of this video. YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-is3NOhDU

The only point I would make is that you don't get any more downward force whether your front tires are 1 inch off the ground or 3 feet off the ground so I would tend not to push it up so far. Better stability and quicker recovery should something go amiss.

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[Cherokee140]

The only point I would make is that you don't get any more downward force whether your front tires are 1 inch off the ground or 3 feet off the ground so I would tend not to push it up so far. Better stability and quicker recovery should something go amiss.

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Thanks, with this machine not having rear brakes you can use one at a time it is not going to steer....doing this before on other machines I just step on one brake to make the nose swing in that direction.

Kcender...I see what you are saying, but I am still a little unclear how you broke swinging the backhoe....is it the motion of digging a little off to the side.....or is it swinging the backhoe to one side to dump the dug up dirt.

Thanks for the advice on all this.

 

[coveredbridge]

Thanks, with this machine not having rear brakes you can use one at a time it is not going to steer....doing this before on other machines I just step on one brake to make the nose swing in that direction.

Kcender...I see what you are saying, but I am still a little unclear how you broke swinging the backhoe....is it the motion of digging a little off to the side.....or is it swinging the backhoe to one side to dump the dug up dirt.

Thanks for the advice on all this.

Sounds like Kcender was using the hoe to raise the rear wheels and move the rear end of the tractor by swinging the hoe with the boom holding up the rear of the tractor.

 

[kcender]

Sounds like Kcender was using the hoe to raise the rear wheels and move the rear end of the tractor by swinging the hoe with the boom holding up the rear of the tractor.

That is pretty much what happened but I think after doing it numerous times,it just finally broke.If you are using the backhoe with the bucket in full dump position it tends to work itself into the ground from the normal movements of using the backhoe.If you try to reposition the rear of the tractor with the backhoe,and I think most of us do,the bucket becomes a pivot point.If the bucket is anchored in the ground it will cause stress on the loader and bucket.If the bucket is laying flat it will just slide around.Most people will never have the problem I did,regardless of how they place their bucket,but I think it is good practice to place the FEL bucket flat on the ground when using the backhoe.

 

[Redneck in training]

You only have to watch the first 30sec of this video.

If it would be me I would use a bushhog to clean the place. My method is to push the mower in the bushes in reverse. If there is a bigger tree I lift the mower reverse over the tree and lower on it. I think mowing it is quicker and you don't need to clean up.

 

[cletus99]

If it would be me I would use a bushhog to clean the place. My method is to push the mower in the bushes in reverse. If there is a bigger tree I lift the mower reverse over the tree and lower on it. I think mowing it is quicker and you don't need to clean up.

That's what I was thinking. Why not just run a rotary mower over it and then spray some roundup down?

 

[Gary Fowler]

Watching the video, the first pass was optimal with just barely lifting the front wheels, while the second had way too much lift which wasn't helping any more than just barely lifting. Another thing was when you tilted the FEL bucket down to run forward, this could end up damaging your machine if you hit a rock or root. With the ratchet rake, having the bottom of the bucket flat gives you the most tooth contact and less chance of damage to the machine.
As for anchoring the machine when using the backhoe, there is nothing wrong with putting the FEL in full dump to anchor it when digging, just remember to drop the tires back on the ground if you are going to swing the rear around using the backhoe to avoid the Kcender incident. In some instances when facing down hill, you may need to have the bucket in full dump just to be able to level the tractor. TLBs always work better when level in all directions.

One thing that can help anchor the tractor when digging is to put some plates on the stabilizers so they bite into the ground. I recently saw an old thread about "Big Foot" bolt on stabilizer pads that basically form an inverted box that anchors the stabs to the ground in all directions. This was in 2008 and price was $65 per pad, but likely a bit more now. I just welded some 2" tall x 1/2" plate to my stabs on each side to keep it from sliding back. I has little effect on side motion though so I may just weld one on the side also. Since I have a welder, this is cheaper than the $130 for the Big Foot pads but those also are much larger and give more flotation in addition to stability. I could have used some flotation in some instances when the stabs would just sink into the mud.

 

[varmint]

No experience with a rake, but I would try using the float position (bucket weight alone might do the job) and a slight curl so the ground engaged teeth don't slip over the vines you have caught. That shouldn't break anything, and hopefully you can harvest your vines with little drama. Any lift of the front end will wipe out the traction your front tires could give you.