Breaking in my new toys... from Yeehaw! to Uh oh!

[Spiveyman]

...Even as slow as I am, I can probably get that done before they finish mining the ore that they are going to make his toothbar out of...

Sounded like a joke a few weeks ago... that thing is still not here!!! The dealer is blaming Bush Hog, but this seems a bit excessive. I don't want to turn this into a dog on a dealer or a brand thing, but yeesh! What's the shelf life of that oil I bought for the drilling? (Just kidding, I know it'll last for years, but at this rate you never know!)

I'm sure it'll be in next week...

 

[RollTideRam]

I have kept up with this thread and enjoy reading about your fun on the farm. I could not offer any help with your tractor problems in the beginning, but I would like to say something now. If you can get your money back on the missing toothbar, Do what 85% of the TBNers do, order one from Markham and have it this week. JC

 

[Spiveyman]

I can't get back out to the dealer until next week, but if they do not have it in by then I'll do that very thing. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time, get the one from Bush Hog that was made to go on this bucket. Never dreamed it'd be this long getting here. Big mistake was paying for the whole deal when they finished the FEL work. Some how it just seemed easier that way.

Ultimiately, it's not been a huge deal, meaning I haven't REALLY needed it yet. I did the other work with my BB mostly. I did have to dig a hole a couple weeks ago to put in a watering tank. I don't have any pics so I hadn't mentioned it here, but I went out to check the cattle after we dumped them on my land. Two of them had busted through the fence to the pond because the trough was bone dry. When I looked at what was left of the pond I panicked. I went out and bought a 150 gal tank, heater, and float valve. I wanted to put it a couple feet in the ground to help with freezing this winter. It was kind of funny because I went out there with a shovel (rookie mistake). I'm not used to having a freaking FEL. About 2 1/2 pushes on the concrete soil and I'd had enough. I took a couple of swings with a maddox, then looked up at my tractor. A few minutes later I had a 2 foot deep hole dug about 7' wide or so. I imagine that tooth bar would have helped, especially in that hard of soil, but I took very small bites and didn't leave pressure on the bucket. Worked like a charm. I was kind of in emergency mode because after putting the trough in I had to go fix the dang fence, so there really wasn't time to take pictures.

Thanks for keeping up with the thread. I feel bad to have left it so long, but with the cattle I haven't had as much seat time. Cattle are lot of work!

 

[3RRL]

Ultimiately, it's not been a huge deal, meaning I haven't REALLY needed it yet.
Ha, famous last words for anybody who has NOT gotten their stuff.
You'll know when you REALLY don't need it...it's usually right after you get it.

 

[jbrumberg]

How true ! I hate it when wanting is better than having. Jay

 

[Spiveyman]

Ha! I was mostly just trying to justify the fact that I haven't gone postal on the dealer yet. (no offence to any postal workers out there.)


So... the next chapter in the saga:

Just got off the phone with the dealer. Apparently Bush Hog no longer makes a tooth bar for the bucket, they make individual teeth that bolt on to pre-cut holes in the bucket. I noticed the holes when I picked up the tractor and asked if that's what they were for. The dealer told me they were for manure forks that bolt on individually (which I also found in the manual), but he didn't realize that BH changed their teeth from a bar to individuals too. The teeth are in, but I won't believe it until I see them.

My question to the TBN faithful - is there any downside to individual teeth compared to a tooth bar? The holes are already in the bucket, so the thread of me trying to drill them with paddle bits won't materialize , but in terms of function is that better or worse?

 

[Spiveyman]

So I did a little research... here's what Bush Hog sells now:


It appears from what I can gather, that these teeth are heavier duty than the teeth on a bar, so for digging and such, that should be a good thing. The down side is the pain in the keister factor if you want to take them off. Too many bolts with lock washers, and they are more in the line of fire than the one's on the sides so it can be hard to get them off.

Next question, for those who have a tooth bar, do you ever take it off? Back dragging is supposed to be done with the back edge of the bucket, not the front edge (according to the manual), so I should still have a solid edge for that. Is there any other reason that I'd need to take the teeth off?

 

[sandman2234]

Remember that I don't have a FEL, but it seems that a toothbar will add to the stength of the bucket, if you try(and you will) to live something heavy with just one tooth. Since the individual ones only span a couple inches, and the bar spans the whole thing, it would seem that the bar would spread the weight out across the whole bucket lip, whereas the individual ones would allow the bucket to bend about 3 inches away. (make sense?)
David from jax

 

[3RRL]

Yeah, I was thinking what David posted, that the bar of the toothbar adds strength and rigidity to the bucket. But I don't see a big deal...at least not terribly wrong with putting them right onto the bucket. BH must believe their buckets are durable enough to withstand those forces, or someone would be all over them by now?

As far as taking the toothbar off, I've had mine on for over 2-1/2 years about now and it's come zero times. I always back drag with the back of the bucket anyway if I want it smooth. Sometimes I use the toothbar as a rake in float position. It leaves little furrows, but so what.

 

[Spiveyman]

Yeah... same thoughts about the strength of the bar Vs. a single tooth, and perhaps there mat be occasion to lift something that is snagged on only one tooth, but it seems like anything big enough to matter would also be big enough to span more than one tooth.

When I first saw the FEL and I saw those holes I was thinking it would be great if the teeth were more integral to the bucket rather than on a seperate bar you have to attack by two holes on the side. Also, BH has an extra piece of metal along the lip of the bucket that I presume is some pretty dang hard steel. Bolting on to that lip ought to have a similar effect as a tooth bar... right? I think I'm going to go ahead with these things. I'm sure I'll like the look of it, and yes, I'm sorry to say, that matters to me. I painted all of my TSC stuff blue to match my tractor, I want it to look nice. I'll probably paint that BB blue in the spring to be consistent.

I need to get out to the farm this weekend, so I'll try to get those teeth and get them bolted on and get some pics. Of course I've got cattle stuff to deal with Sat too, more fence to fix, have to wire up a heater in the water tank, have to put a GFI circuit in the barn for the tank heater and the block heater on my tractor...

Not tractor related, but anyone know a good way to keep an extension cord connection dry outside?