Detaching FEL on non-concrete surface

[Mosey]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Just out of curiousity, why don't you pour a small area...say 4'x 6' concrete pad, under the carport to leave your Loader? Roy Jackson)</font>

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Since you're not talking a big area, why not use the limestone sand, but mix one or two bags of portland cement in it? herbenus)</font>

You guys are right, this would probably work. But, the reason I don't want to do this is because someday I still want to move this carport and build a pole barn there with a concrete floor. I don't want to have to deal with busting up and removing a concrete pad.

 

[Mosey]

I decided to start a new thread on this in the Projects forum to learn more about limestone sand surfaces.

Using limestone sand for a driveway

 

[herbenus]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( don't want to have to deal with busting up and removing a concrete pad. )</font>

But this would be fun tractor work...

 

[GRUB]

The portland cement is an excellent idea. I have thought of that also, but dont want to use that much on my whole driveway as the prices would go up quickly. I have wondered about spraying it out of a large tank mixed with water with an agitator to keep the portland cement suspended before steamrolling. I think this would set-up really nicely. Mosey, you would not want to put this down as a base layer on a newly cut driveway because then you would get the mush factor as it would be pushed into the soil when it gets wet. Maybe that is what you are speaking of when it gets wet. But you already have a base layer Right? I might have overstated the almost as good as asphault a bit. This material can get washed out by heavy water storm water flow but not really just storm runoff. Anyway, I am really impressed with the rail trail and I too wonder why more people are not using it. Come to think of it I have seen it used on a couple driveways lately. They put down a base then fabric then limestone sand. Rail-trail did not use fabric but already had an excellent base from rail system.

 

[thcri]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue"> Someone posted a picture that he rolls his bucket way forward and sets it down and removes that way. So in essence the bucket faces the ground with all four sides touching the ground</font>

The down side to this approach is that you are exposing the hydraulic piston/shaft from the cylinder. Even though the shaft is chromed it will develop corrosion over time and collect dirt. The resulting ruff surface will wear the seals on the cylinder which will be followed by leaks. I always keep my bucket curled back. The chromed portion of the shaft that does not go into the cylinder is corroded.

Jeff )</font>

I guess I can see your point to this. I have never done it yet but was seriously thinking of doing it. But I guess I question, don't we expose the hydraulic shaft on the arms when we remove the loader?? So what difference is there?

Just wondering,
murph

 

[755inNY]

<font color="blue"> But I guess I question, don't we expose the hydraulic shaft on the arms when we remove the loader?? So what difference is there?
</font>

murph,

I guess th edifference is the amount of time the shaft is exposed. At least for me the FEL sits detached for many, many more hours than it is used.

Jeff

 

[cmsedore]

As you posted earlier, I'd suggest a couple sheets of 3/4 treated plywood. It would be cheaper than steel and easier to work with, too. I'd suggest using 1 5/8" exterior screws and an 8" strip of PT plywood to join them at the seam (on the bottom). If you have a sliding problem, a 4x4 lagged (I wouldn't nail it) should hold OK. I would try driving some #8 or #10 nails through it to keep the plywood from sliding, though I expect that your front wheels would be on it anyway, so sliding shouldn't be a problem.

-Chris

 

[Mosey]

Success!

I finally got the FEL detached on the gravel. I made a platform out of 3/4" treated plywood and screwed a 4x4 on the end to keep the FEL from sliding when I attach it. I had to make sure the platform was perfectly level and the ground in front of it was also perfectly level or the FEL would get cocked when I tried to detach it. I used 2 pieces of 1/8" plate steel to support the area where the FEL legs sit, or they would dig into the wood and gouge it out when they slide back during the detaching process. Only the front wheels of the tractor go up on the plywood, so a 8' sheet was long enough and barely wide enough (part of the tires extend past the edge of the plywood).

 

[Mosey]

Re: Success!

This picture and the next one shows how the FEL bucket and legs slide as the FEL is detached.

 

[Mosey]

Re: Success!

As the bucket is curled in (rolled back) to lift the arms off the mount to detach it, the FEL legs move back about 6", so the plate steel is needed to keep the legs from digging into the wood.