FEL Mods

OkieG · Jan 22, 2004

some plow cutting edges...1/2'' thick by 6'' wide. I am going to bolt that to the top of my New Holland bucket...Should stiffen it 

You betcha! Not only that...you'll be ready to scrape snow from any ceiling your tractor can get to. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

OkieG

GrayBeard · Jan 22, 2004

I put a piece of 3/8" x 2 1/2" x 48" flat iron on top of the bucket.
Then a 1/2" diameter "D" ring and plate was welded close to the outside edge of the bucket on each side.
In the center I put a 5/8" slip hook.
I used the D rings because they're much stronger (IMHO) than hooks. Also they can be "flopped" over to bring a chain up the back side of the bucket. (That's how a lot of add-ons fasten to the bucket.)
GrayBeard

Deerlope · Jan 22, 2004

If you want real strength weld a piece of 2-1/2"x2-1/2"x 1/4 hollow square tube on top of your bucket. then weld the hooks or whatever to that. with the hollow tube you can always slide a crowbar in there. Weld the tube about every 8-10 inches for at least 4".

Bulverde · Jan 22, 2004

What do you use the crowbar for???

Has anyone installed a tooth bar on their FEL? Do they work (rugged enough) and are they easy to remove?

CTyler · Jan 22, 2004

Peeps do it all the time. Yes they work good.

All kinds of uses for a crowbar or a digging bar. Moving implements, logs, cleaning stuck dirt out of the bucket, good for throwing when your mad /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif etc..

Bird · Jan 22, 2004

( Has anyone installed a tooth bar on their FEL? Do they work (rugged enough) and are they easy to remove? )

Are you kidding? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif If you do a search for "toothbar" I'll bet you find more than you want to read. But if you're not kidding, the answer to all three questions is "Yes". If you have any digging to do with your front end loader at all and you get a toothbar, you'll never want to be without one in the future.

Bulverde · Jan 22, 2004

Sorry

but can't say that I was kidding. First tractor and frustrated by digging w/ a smooth blade. Borrowed my friends Bobcat and what a diffierence. I know my 4500 is not built like a Bobcat but I figured the teeth would help.

Just want to make sure they remove easily for other work.

centex · Jan 22, 2004

After I bent the top edge of my 460 FEL bucket, I got a 3" diameter 1/4" wall thickness pipe from the scrap yard. I drilled and tapped 3/8" holes on 4" centers and used grade 8 bolts to bolt it to the bucket and do the final straighening of the edge then I welded it along the edge of the bucket and welded on a couple of chain hooks. I have since bent the tooth bar and the top mounting brackets on the bucket but the top edge of the bucket is straight as an arrow. The whole loader assembly is loose and it and the bucket rattle around on the mountings but that edge will outlast the loader by far since it is the beefiest part of the whole loader.

Bird · Jan 22, 2004

( Just want to make sure they remove easily for other work. )

You have to drill two holes in your bucket to mount the toothbar with two bolts, and if the toothbar is the proper length, then all you have to do is remove those two bolts to set it off when you want to.

Deerlope · Jan 22, 2004

Maybe where you live its not called a crowbar. some might call it a pry bar. Mostly used around here to make a small hole in the earth to start a fence post into. we use them for many things around here.