conflicting advice on using bucket with rotary cutter

[dxturner]

One dealer said leave the bucket on and run it slightly lower than the cutter to find any stumps, etc.
One dealer said leave the bucket on and run it slightly higher than the cutter to find any 'big stuff' and help with stability.
Two dealers said to take it off to help with visibility and turning.

What do you think?

 

[5030]

I take mine off when shredding. Makes turning easier (less room required).

 

[Diggin It]

Is there was a single correct answer for all situations, all dealers would give you the same answer. If you mow areas where stuff might be in the way, I'd go with number one, but keep the bucket curled up. That way if you find something the heel of the bucket will ride up over it rather than the edge catching it and possibly bending a loader arm.

 

[bearthebruce]

I mow hills.. pretty steep hills. For stability, the bucket helps. That said, the bucket makes the whole rig longer and does make it harder to turn when in tight places.

If running on flat land that you know, you likely do not need the bucket on. if on land you do not know and there is a chance of hitting a stump, then do as @Diggin It suggested - leave it down and curled to feel for stumps.

On land I know, I loose the bucket but put my fork vertical plate on. It adds just the right weight to balance the brush hog.

 

[ericm979]

One dealer said leave the bucket on and run it slightly lower than the cutter to find any stumps, etc.
One dealer said leave the bucket on and run it slightly higher than the cutter to find any 'big stuff' and help with stability.
Two dealers said to take it off to help with visibility and turning.

What do you think?

Lower than the mower? It's going to be digging in to the ground a lot. That's not going to work well.

Driving around with the bucket raised up high is inviting a rollover.

I leave the loader and bucket on. I keep the bucket low for better balance and to hopefully find stuff before I try to mow it. But I can't run it low enough to detect rocks that only stick up a few inches that the mower can catch and pull out of the ground, or branches lying on the ground. That's most of the objects I accidentally mow that I'd rather not. So it's not that useful for detecting objects for me. But it would help if you have stumps in the grass.

 

[ovrszd]

I take mine off when shredding. Makes turning easier (less room required).

Most times I remove my FEL. I have enough going on behind me to have to worry about ramming my FEL into something. But I'm old.....

 

[ovrszd]

I mow hills.. pretty steep hills. For stability, the bucket helps. That said, the bucket makes the whole rig longer and does make it harder to turn when in tight places.

If running on flat land that you know, you likely do not need the bucket on. if on land you do not know and there is a chance of hitting a stump, then do as @Diggin It suggested - leave it down and curled to feel for stumps.

On land I know, I loose the bucket but put my fork vertical plate on. It adds just the right weight to balance the brush hog.

Other than situations where the front tires want to lift off the ground, the FEL takes away stability. A tractor gets it's stability from weight on the rear tires. An FEL removes weight from the rear tires and puts it on the front tires which oscillate.

 

[5030]

Most times I remove my FEL. I have enough going on behind me to have to worry about ramming my FEL into something. But I'm old.....

I have in the past as well but mine are a royal PITA to take off so I just leave them on 99% of the time (minus the bucket of course).

 

[ptsg]

I too just take the entire loader off. It just gets in the way most of the time and makes the tractor less stable. I do have front weight plus a front hydraulic winch though, so the front doesn't get light with the mower in the back.

 

[deserteagle71]

That said, the bucket makes the whole rig longer and does make it harder to turn when in tight places.

^This. The lip of the bucket sticks out several feet beyond the front of the tractor so I can't get as close to fences. And area I mow doesn't have any obstacles sticking up so that's not a worry.

I remove the entire loader - not just the bucket. Easy enough to do with the Kubota - pull 2 pins and disconnect 4 hoses. Greatly enhanced visibility so I can see those big badger holes before I drive into them.

Not to mention that to mow ~ 50 acres with my 6' mower takes a lot of hours. Why pack around all that extra weight? Save some fuel - important at today's prices!

 

[4570Man]

I like taking the whole loader off. It only takes a minute and the steering radius and visibility is drastically worse with it on. Also it rides rougher with it on.

 

[RoyJackson]

I keep the bucket on for the first mowing when the grasses are 3-4 feet high. I keep it low and slightly curled (reducing the risk of digging in). I also go slow enough so any critters can move out. Also, slow enough I can spot a fawn since they won't run until Momma's there
After the first mowing of the season, I drop the bucket since I mow frequently enough and the grasses are not more than a foot or so...
This year, at $7 per gallon of diesel, I don't think I'll be mowing the field...maybe just a small area at the range

 

[sea2summit]

I like to walk fields before the first cut of the year, definitely before my first ever cut. A few hours on my feet or maybe an hour on the four wheel is much cheaper than a gearbox or worse.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I see NO good reason to drag the bucket around, it's just dead weight that gets in the way,

SR

 

[ovrszd]

I too just take the entire loader off. It just gets in the way most of the time and makes the tractor less stable. I do have front weight plus a front hydraulic winch though, so the front doesn't get light with the mower in the back.

I previously had a 10ft 3pt mounted JD cutter. When I removed the FEL I added 1000lbs of suitcase weights to the front. It was a heavy cutter!!!

 

[ovrszd]

I like to walk fields before the first cut of the year, definitely before my first ever cut. A few hours on my feet or maybe an hour on the four wheel is much cheaper than a gearbox or worse.

What are you looking for?

 

[sea2summit]

What are you looking for?

Mostly barbwire, t-posts, or other metal nasties. If it’s tall junk I’ll look for stumps.

 

[Hay Dude]

Leave it on, the pluses outweigh the minuses.

Take it from a custom mowing & haying contractor.

With the loader and a bucket, you can:
Push downed trees out of the way and break off limbs overhanging the field (my favorite use-has saved me a bunch of times).
A loader with bucket can pull you out if you get stuck.
Lowered to about 6” and curled back, You can use it as a “braille” method to feel for rocks & stumps in new, unfamiliar fields
You can also load the bucket with dirt to stabilize the front end and improve traction on hills.
If you encounter a rock or stump and can dig it out, you can use the bucket to carry out of the field.
If you have other chores to do (fencing, wood sawing) you can carry tools, fence posts, etc. in the bucket.

Yesterdays mowing.

 

[Hay Dude]

I see NO good reason to drag the bucket around, it's just dead weight that gets in the way,

SR

Nice Goldenrod crop
lol

 

[ovrszd]

Leave it on, the pluses outweigh the minuses.

What's the plus?