Front-End Loader Do I need a FEL?

[keegs]

I use my tractor for cutting back the brush around the edges of the fields, around the pond and along the driveway. An FEL w/hydrolics is going to run close to $7k. I'm still employed but nearing retirement and think it would be easier to spring for it now rather than later. I'm not sure whether it's worth the cost since I haven't had much use for a FEL thus far.

What say you?

TIA

 

[k0ua]

I use my tractor for cutting back the brush around the edges of the fields, around the pond and along the driveway. An FEL w/hydrolics is going to run close to $7k. I'm still employed but nearing retirement and think it would be easier to spring for it now rather than later. I'm not sure whether it's worth the cost since I haven't had much use for a FEL thus far.

What say you?

TIA

I can't imagine tractor ownership without one. The older I get the more important it becomes. Think in terms of being able to lift and move hundreds or thousands of pounds of material with just your fingers or flick of a wrist on your right hand. Useful for things you cannot even imagine now. You will find new jobs for it to do all the time.. My 2 centavos.

 

[prichard]

Someone on here once called it a 4wd wheel barrow. Don't know about you but I don't like wheel barrows. FEL makes life easier, especially since I'm not as strong as I was when younger.

 

[4570Man]

I might as well sell my tractor if I didn't have a FEL. Without the FEL my tractor would be of very little use to me. If you took away my backhoe and FEL my tractor would become 99.8 percent worthless to me.

 

[mecan]

If you use a wheelbarrow, shovel, or a cart then yes. You'll find use for it.

 

[davesl708]

Not only does my FEL work as a wheel barrow it move all the heavy attachments for my SCUT. Lifting the 267lb mower deck or 480 tiller is a snap. Moves all the brush I cut too.

 

[nybirdman]

If you only have one tractor;a FEL is a must.

 

[k0ua]

I read this to my wife and she just laughed. She finds new uses for the FEL every day.

 

[houser52]

Like others have said, it's one of the best things you can have for your tractor. Once you get it you'll wonder why you waited so long to get one. There's always something new that I find to use mine for and the older I get the more I use it.

 

[k0ua]

I don't know how you guys field dress deer, but let me tell you, there aint no better way than hoisting them up with the FEL. Beats the heck out of wrestling around and bending over on the ground.

 

[JRobyn]

Probably not the best thing for the bucket, but if you park it outside with the bucket turned up some, and then have a rain or two, it makes a wonderful bird bath and wildlife drinking fountain.

- Jay

 

[keegs]

Thanks gents... I know it's more than an expensive wheelbarrow .. but I don't have or plan to have horses or livestock of any kind and my garage is getting full of attachments as it is. I tow a small utility trailer around for gathering firewood.

I thought of moving piles of snow but I have a PTO powered snowblower attachment that can throw the stuff sixty feet or more depending on the snow.

I get it though.. you have one and all of a sudden you find a million things to do with it ... someone told me he uses his bucket for a field workbench... now that's creative.

 

[jerrybob]

The reason I have a tractor is because of the FEL.......go get one........you will not regret it!

 

[4570Man]

You might get by fine without one, but once you have one you will wonder how you made it without one. Same goes for a tractor.

 

[k0ua]

Probably not the best thing for the bucket, but if you park it outside with the bucket turned up some, and then have a rain or two, it makes a wonderful bird bath and wildlife drinking fountain.

- Jay

At another place we used to own that had a creek, I used to go into the creek and scoop up a load of water and bring it out to water a bunch a young trees we had planted. We did that for several months. It actually worked pretty well.

 

[mecan]

You might get by fine without one, but once you have one you will wonder how you made it without one. Same goes for a tractor.

Usually with a lot more bad words, sweat, and pain

 

[k0ua]

Once you get a FEL, then you can start down the road of different purpose built buckets, forks, and grapples. Just to name a few!:thumbsup:

 

[Gary Fowler]

I use my tractor for cutting back the brush around the edges of the fields, around the pond and along the driveway. An FEL w/hydrolics is going to run close to $7k. I'm still employed but nearing retirement and think it would be easier to spring for it now rather than later. I'm not sure whether it's worth the cost since I haven't had much use for a FEL thus far.

What say you?

TIA

That is awfully high $$$ for a FEL. That price quoted looks more like the price for a backhoe rather than FEL. FEL shouldn't be more than $3500 for your size tractor.
If that is accurate pricing, then you might consider looking for a used CUT with FEL. You could get a used 25-30 HP CUT with FEL for about that much money and it would be so very handy and with its smaller foot print, it could get into places where your larger tractor cant. Also there is nothing like having 2 tractors so you don't have to remove implements everytime you need to do a different chore..

 

[GPintheMitten]

That's a 55Hp tractor right? That's a lot bigger than mine. Do you need all that power? Have you considered trading it in and getting a tractor with a fel? Possibly get a little smaller unit to offset the cost?

If you have already brushed back what you need to and just need to maintain it might be a good option.

I expect that a loader purchased separately is more costly than at the time you buy the tractor.

 

[prichard]

Gpin brings up a good point about size. But what are you trying to do? Are you looking to replace your tractor? Just because you might want a FAL?

If you're good with your tractor you may be able to add a loader to your tractor.