FEL tooth bar

[gregfender]

Can anyone give me some feedback on using a tooth bar on their FEL. I am looking at getting one to help with clearing some acres of scrub pine. Is it a worthwhile investment for land clearing?

 

[johnrex62]

I would love to hear an informed opinion on this myself. I have heard lots of people say how much they help digging, more than a few say it makes little difference, but haven't heard much on how they affect clearing or root removal.

 

[thavil]

In my limited experience, a toothbar wouldn't be the right tool for the type of land clearing you need to do. The toothbar is great at digging into hard packed dirt and popping out roots and small stumps. The tool that I would suggest is the Ratchet Rake Ratchet Rake, LLC - Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holland, Bobcat, Fire safety, . Watch their video on their website to see what it will do and judge for yourself. Only problem is that you can only get the Ratchet Rake from select Tractor Supply stores now and not directly from them.

 

[Grateful11]

Thavil I like the looks of that Ratchet Rake! Almost wish they had a dedicated
Quick Attachment so you could set the bucket aside, always needed to move
stuff with bucket when doing stuff like that.

To the OP, we have a tooth bar from Skid Steer Attachments - Cid Attachments Inc.
on L3940 and works pretty good in briars and some light thicket but
we've never used in Pine scrub. It's gonna to leave some tuff behind.
There's several companies in Denton, NC that make tooth bars and
that's not too terribly far from you.

Hey the Southern Farm Show is coming up in a few weeks, they're
should be some that type stuff on display. I'd like to go but not sure
I'd be able to walk the whole thing.

Southern Farm Show -

 

[gregfender]

I am planning on going to the Southern Farm Show myself...hopefully see a few new interesting things to come home and beg for...:laughing:

 

[Tom_H]

I use my 6 tooth Markham to rip blackberry thatches out of areas between trees. I have also ripped small plants out of the ground with it. If I were to use a landscape rake, I would personally go with a bolt on instead of a ratchet attached rake. I prefer solid steel to nylon straps. Scrouger (Matt Baynard) uses this one:

EZ LANDSCAPER ATTACHMENT

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

In my limited experience, a toothbar wouldn't be the right tool for the type of land clearing you need to do. The toothbar is great at digging into hard packed dirt and popping out roots and small stumps. The tool that I would suggest is the Ratchet Rake Ratchet Rake, LLC - Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holland, Bobcat, Fire safety, . Watch their video on their website to see what it will do and judge for yourself. Only problem is that you can only get the Ratchet Rake from select Tractor Supply stores now and not directly from them.

Bought my first Ratchet Rake for a B3200. Sold the B3200 or traded it to a BX25. Contacted Ratchet Rake Co about buying another Ratchet Rake for the BX. Told them I wanted to sale my old one. They later called me and gave me a mans name Ph# and sent mine to him here in Ky.He called as he was hunting one the size I took off of the B3200. He came up and picked it up a week later. Everyone was happy. He saved a few dollars, I got enough to buy one for my BX25 and the company made two customers happy. Sorry to see they stopped direct sales but manufacturing and sales is tough. Still available at some TSC's.
It's the best and easiest to hook up and un hook implement I own. It takes less than 2 minutes to attach and ratchet down secure and even quicker to take off and by myself.
It is also my most used implement not counting FEL and BH as implements. It is great with a capital G for clearing out scrub areas and for preparing dirt for grass seed. Forward to clear out over growth and tilt and back drag leaves the dirt ready to throw seed down and ten drive over.

 

[PILOON]

I made and installed a tooth bar.
Best single thing I ever did on the tractor.

When I attack virgin soil I get full loads every time as the blade does not glance off of imbedded stones.
Slightly tilted I can rip out roots and scrub from topsoil.
Angled into ground I can pop stones out as teeth penetrate.
Tilting the bucket and back dragging is like using a HD rake to gather roots, branches etc.

Downside;
backdragging to grade as teeth only make ruts.
(Solution is to backdrag with heel of the bucket)

 

[timswi]

I have a Markham toothbar and it has its uses..Digging is great, it doesn't bounce off of shale etc. It also is great for seeding. Puts nice seed grooves in at the perfect depth.

Have to remove it for bulk movement (tri-axle loades of gravel etc). Also, it changes the geometry of the loader when removing it...no big deal, but easier if you take it off.

Good investment overall.

 

[psvines]

I kept my toothbar on the FEL for the first 2+ years and found it to be extremely helpful in digging, grading, scraping, etc. I also wasn't sure how easy it would be to remove, after all the nuts holding it on are larger than 1"! I'm thinking about building a wooden angled blade for pushing snow so I removed the toothbar, and was amazed at how simple it is to remove and install.
BX2660

 

[Country1]

A tooth bar isn't just useful for digging.... It's a must have for any experienced loader operator. It's great everywhere except moving bulk material on paved or concrete surfaces. It gives great dexterity to your loader. Like having a finger to move things around or pick things up. It makes handling logs much easier and acts as a rake when backdraging. There's so many benefits and uses, it's hard to describe them all. I wouldn't have a tractor loader without a tooth bar. Once you get one and spend some loader time, (if your a decent operator) I'm sure you'll feel the same way.:thumbsup:

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

A tooth bar isn't just useful for digging.... It's a must have for any experienced loader operator. It's great everywhere except moving bulk material on paved or concrete surfaces. It gives great dexterity to your loader. Like having a finger to move things around or pick things up. It makes handling logs much easier and acts as a rake when backdraging. There's so many benefits and uses, it's hard to describe them all. I wouldn't have a tractor loader without a tooth bar. Once you get one and spend some loader time, (if your a decent operator) I'm sure you'll feel the same way.:thumbsup:

I must not be a decent loader operator course I've only been doing it seven years so still learning. I had one and it was more bother than help for me on residential landscaping acreage. No logging to speak of and no farming other than a small garden. I sold it to my neighbor and he never drilled the big holes to put it on his FEL bucket so I bought it back and traded it to Milkman who apparently wanted it.
Now the Ratchet Rake is an essential for me. Love it and use it alot but easy off and easy on so drop it when scooping with FEL.

 

[Country1]

I must not be a decent loader operator course I've only been doing it seven years so still learning. I had one and it was more bother than help for me on residential landscaping acreage. No logging to speak of and no farming other than a small garden. I sold it to my neighbor and he never drilled the big holes to put it on his FEL bucket so I bought it back and traded it to Milkman who apparently wanted it.
Now the Ratchet Rake is an essential for me. Love it and use it alot but easy off and easy on so drop it when scooping with FEL.

I'd say that's why you didn't like it then. I could see it causing more harm than good in a finished residential setting.

I'm talking about use in a setting like the OP described and for rural home/land owners, farmers, etc.

Didn't mean any disrespect with the "decent operator" statement. I just meant it takes a little practice and finesse to get the full benefits out of the tooth bar.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I'd say that's why you didn't like it then. I could see it causing more harm than good in a finished residential setting.

I'm talking about use in a setting like the OP described and for rural home/land owners, farmers, etc.

Didn't mean any disrespect with the "decent operator" statement. I just meant it takes a little practice and finesse to get the full benefits out of the tooth bar.

I had it on a BX which wasn't as strong as your L or the L I had later. I can see it doing better on an L that has the strength to push it thru and up out of the ground. Often times with the BX it would just stop the tractor, bucket or raise the tires off the ground.
No problem with me not being a decent operator.

 

[thavil]

This thread made me want to go out today and use my Ratchet Rake again now that it's not so wet outside. Attached are a couple of before and during pictures of what the Ratchet Rake can do. I forgot to take an after picture (just like I forgot to lower the ROPS again before putting it away).

To the OP, I highly recommend getting a toothbar, it's a useful tool in many ways.

 

[kday64]

All,

I test drove a FEL with tooth bar and I was really impressed. I am afraid that JT is right though. It seemed like the FEL with a tooth bar definitly pushed that little BX to the limit. With the tooth bar I was able to get a full bucket.

The dealer wanted $550 for the six tooth, tooth bar. This seemed a bit steep so I passed. Before the snow melts I might be purchasing a Markham.

No problem with me not being a decent operator.

John Thomas, I am sure you are a decent operator but are you proficent at using all of your equipment/toys? I wonder if you have change out your 3PT once a week under the tick tock of a stop watch.

~Kevin

 

[Grateful11]

This thread made me want to go out today and use my Ratchet Rake again now that it's not so wet outside. Attached are a couple of before and during pictures of what the Ratchet Rake can do. I forgot to take an after picture (just like I forgot to lower the ROPS again before putting it away).

To the OP, I highly recommend getting a toothbar, it's a useful tool in many ways.

Thavil somethings not right here, we're in NC and we would to have moved the
snow out of the way before doing that ;-) My front yard still has several inches
of snow and we rode back to furtherest pastures yesterday and let's just say
I'm glad we have new knobbies on the golf cart ;-) We had 7" Christmas night
and 5" last Monday.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

All,

I test drove a FEL with tooth bar and I was really impressed. I am afraid that JT is right though. It seemed like the FEL with a tooth bar definitly pushed that little BX to the limit. With the tooth bar I was able to get a full bucket.

The dealer wanted $550 for the six tooth, tooth bar. This seemed a bit steep so I passed. Before the snow melts I might be purchasing a Markham.



John Thomas, I am sure you are a decent operator but are you proficent at using all of your equipment/toys? I wonder if you have change out your 3PT once a week under the tick tock of a stop watch.

~Kevin

My 3ph is still in the box after almost a year. Not only can I not change it out quick, I've never even installed it.
If and when I do install it and take it off, I think I will be able to do it as fast as most old men or old women.:thumbsup:

 

[Tom_H]

Before the snow melts I might be purchasing a Markham.

Just FYI, Markham was bought out by Gator Attachments. The transition has not been pretty:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/184382-whats-story-markham-welding.html

 

[thavil]

Thavil somethings not right here, we're in NC and we would to have moved the
snow out of the way before doing that ;-) My front yard still has several inches
of snow and we rode back to furtherest pastures yesterday and let's just say
I'm glad we have new knobbies on the golf cart ;-) We had 7" Christmas night
and 5" last Monday.

I agree, something is not right about that! We have had a total of 2 inches so far this year. Nothing like last year.