Digging with BX24 FEL

[Torrak]

Hi all,

I currently purchased a brand new BX24 (love it!) tractor and had some questions about land leveling.

Tonight I decided to level out a little piece of land for a firepit area and ran into a few problems that I was hoping the seasoned vets could lend some advice to.

Basically, using the level guage on the FEL, I am tilting slightly below level and bringing the FEL down. I am hoping that this will allow me to cut in a bit and then I can level it out (using the guage) for a nice level cut.

Problem is, I don't think I have enough weight to really get a bite. I seem to do more tire peeling than land peeling.

My friend's father has the B7500 and he rarely uses the FEL to do this type of work, rather he hooks up his woods BH and breaks up the ground before using the FEL as to not ruin the bucket or the hydraulics.

So, my question is, should I be using the hoe to break the ground up first? If I can use the FEL, where do I want the extra weight needed to get a good dig going, by adding front weights, or re-attaching the hoe for rear weight?

Any general tips on leveling will be greatly appreciated because my next step is to try and level the backyard, which should prove to be all the practice I can handle.

Joe

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

Torrack,

The FEL is not the best tool for the job. IF you have a lot of leveling to do you may want to invest in a box blade. See this web site for an example web page

It is pulled behind the tractor and gives you a nice clean cut. With the 1/4" adjustment on the BX 24 3 pt with can get a fairly good job of leveling. It has scarifier tips that can be adjusted to dig up the soil to loosen it. The back hoe is fine for a small area, but to do an entire yard with the hoe would be a LOT of seat time. A 3-4' wide box blade would be about the max with the BX.

 

[rbarker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hi all,

IBasically, using the level guage on the FEL, I am tilting slightly below level and bringing the FEL down. I am hoping that this will allow me to cut in a bit and then I can level it out (using the guage) for a nice level cut.

Problem is, I don't think I have enough weight to really get a bite. I seem to do more tire peeling than land peeling.

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I have used my loader for this type of work but I think it has a lot to do with the conditions of the soil. I usually put about 10 or 15 degrees down angle on the loader and then pick up the front wheels with it. Creep forward in 4 wheel low while bringing the bucket back towards level. Dug several gardens and walk ways for the Mrs. this way, but it was moist turf type of soil, not hard packed or anything.

 

[proudestmonkey]

I need to do some of the same kind of work in the fall. I am thinking of getting a tooth bar for my FEL to help get the ground loosened.

 

[ericbx1500]

I dug out my garden this way with my bx1500. It takes a little finesse with the fel angle to shave the ground correctly but after a few tries you get the hang of it. But like someone else mentioned a box blade sounds better for your application. Just remember our bx’s don’t say caterpillar on the side /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif