FELs and digging

[LS Tractor Owner]

Tell this guy he can't dig.....

Video

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Not sure what exactly he is trying to accomplish, but this is how you 'dig' with a FEL. Little bits / inches at a time.

 

[big bubba]

I have twice dug horse graves with my 2WD JD870. Smooth 5 foot bucket. Just takes time. It has been a while but I recall more than an hour, less than two. I did buy a toothbar but have not had to dig a grave since I got the toothbar.

a good tool for a morbid task

 

[ning]

Make sure you dig with the whole bucket, or at least just the center. Don't dig off-center. Don't ram the bucket into the dig. If the stuff isn't loose, shave it with the bucket at bit at a time.

They can dig, but if you break it, good luck with a warranty claim!

 

[RidgeHiker]

I have a clamp on spade that slides on to forks or clamps on to bucket. I have used it on my forks and works well. There are other brands that make them as well. Mine was from Bucket Solutions which appears to be out of business.

 

[Everhard]

I've dug plenty with my little tractor, tooth bar transformed it, but reality is they aren't designed for "real" digging. Without argument they can if you take little careful bites, and have plenty of time as plenty of posters have outlined.
Loaders are meant to drive into piles of material, not virgin ground. A bulldozer is the answer for that. Or, for a tractor with a box blade with teeth. That will dig and move dirt likely quicker then a loader and you don't have to be constantly paying close attention to make sure you're not hurting anything. Then the piles you create with the box blade you can quickly pick up with the loader to dump into a trailer if it is to be relocated.

E.

 

[wsc9tt]

In the middle of digging a grave for a dead cow. Seems to be a theme here. Need to maintain a good slope to drive out with dirt and use the box teeth to score the next layer since this is hard clay. And I think having a top-and-tilt helps because I can keep the hole level.

 

[karleepapa]

I kind of think "front end loader" means an implement on the front end for picking up and moving loads, from a pile. I fear my little CUT bucket (with a straight edge) isn't meant for cutting into the earth, and if I try to do that, I should go easy, because I'm pushing it out of its intended comfort zone.

But I also think a "backhoe loader" that has teeth on the backhoe bucket and ALSO the front end loader bucket is indeed meant for cutting into the earth. So, it's heavier as well as having teeth.

These seem contradictory. So, how do you tell if a bucket on the front is intended for actual digging? Is it the teeth? Is it the fact that there's also a backhoe on the other end? Putting a tooth bar on my bucket could be taking a bit of a chance with it, right?

Enlighten me please? Thanks!

I kind of think "front end loader" means an implement on the front end for picking up and moving loads, from a pile. I fear my little CUT bucket (with a straight edge) isn't meant for cutting into the earth, and if I try to do that, I should go easy, because I'm pushing it out of its intended comfort zone.

But I also think a "backhoe loader" that has teeth on the backhoe bucket and ALSO the front end loader bucket is indeed meant for cutting into the earth. So, it's heavier as well as having teeth.

These seem contradictory. So, how do you tell if a bucket on the front is intended for actual digging? Is it the teeth? Is it the fact that there's also a backhoe on the other end? Putting a tooth bar on my bucket could be taking a bit of a chance with it, right?

Enlighten me please? Thanks!

I dug out my neighbor's hillside for a landscape project with my [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] 3940. I used a six foot bucket with tooth bar. It was hard packed clay. I dug using a scalloping motion with the tilt function. It was very time consuming. I also used a box blade to smooth out the different levels.

 

[5030]

The issue with a light gage material bucket, versus a heavy gage excavation bucket is the light gage bucket has a single bottom sheet and digging with it (even with a tooth bar installed) can cause a smile in the bottom sheet that is hard to remove. Most dealers sell a new unit with a light gage bucket. I have both.

 

[wsc9tt]

The issue with a light gage material bucket, versus a heavy gage excavation bucket is the light gage bucket has a single bottom sheet and digging with it (even with a tooth bar installed) can cause a smile in the bottom sheet that is hard to remove. Most dealers sell a new unit with a light gage bucket. I have both.

That might be true. My digging picture was with the heavy-duty bucket with the optional 3/4" bolt-on cutting edge. No teeth, but I am not bending that thing.

 

[gwrwatters]

I kind of think "front end loader" means an implement on the front end for picking up and moving loads, from a pile. I fear my little CUT bucket (with a straight edge) isn't meant for cutting into the earth, and if I try to do that, I should go easy, because I'm pushing it out of its intended comfort zone.

But I also think a "backhoe loader" that has teeth on the backhoe bucket and ALSO the front end loader bucket is indeed meant for cutting into the earth. So, it's heavier as well as having teeth.

These seem contradictory. So, how do you tell if a bucket on the front is intended for actual digging? Is it the teeth? Is it the fact that there's also a backhoe on the other end? Putting a tooth bar on my bucket could be taking a bit of a chance with it, right?

Enlighten me please? Thanks!

A solution I have found is a "stump bucket" or "poor man's backhoe" I have 35hp MF the smooth bucket (60") is of little use for digging. I can use the stump bucket to dig a trench and use the standard bucket for moving. This also applies to stockpiled dirt and gravel. The stump bucket cuts 12" wide and widens to 36". I have also found the stump bucket better for moving small boulder rocks. In the past, I have owned more significant equipment, which equaled constant repairs due to the age of the equipment. This is for my use. If I did work for the public, I would invest in a piece of appropriate-sized equipment.