Goodbye M246, hello 7308!

[Mosey]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Danny, I am glad you were able to make the switch to the 7308. How did you end up getting the tractor back and forth to the dealership?)</font>

Spence - I lucked out and a friend just bought a new trailer! I borrowed it to take the tractor and pick it up. I had to go slow though, because I don't have my pickup setup for the trailer brakes. I took back roads and went 25 MPH the whole way. Thanks for the info on the weights.

 

[Mosey]

DavidJ - I'm glad you were able to avoid the trouble I went through. You make some good points about the ballast, thanks.

I'll make sure I have about 500 lbs on the 3pt if I'm going to be using the FEL for heavy loads. It sounds like that should take care of it.

 

[hazmat]

Danny,

I have the benefit of comparing loaded & unloaded tires side by side. My R4's are loaded & weigh 285# each. My turfs are not loaded & weigh ~70# each. So the R4's together are 430# heavier.

When using the loader with the turfs, I find I must have something on the three point for all but the lightest of loads. A bucket full of bark mulch is even too heavy. My light load is 100# of leaves or apples while doing fall cleanup. When needed, I usually pick up my aerator that weighs ~800# including it's ballast.

When using the loader with the R4s, I only have to add ballast on the three point when I am lifting the heaviest of loads - bucket full of rocks or dirt.

Glad you were able to work something out with the dealer.

Did you get the heavy duty bucket? Did you get the quick attach?

 

[Mosey]

hazmat - Thanks for the feedback. I'll try a bucket load of mulch without any ballast as an experiment (I'll be careful). I did get the heavy duty bucket, but decided to forgo the quick attach bucket in order to keep the cost down. I'll rig up a way to attach my pallet mover and boom pole to the bucket someday, so I'll still be able to use them on the FEL.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> I think they are saying that if I don't have the tires loaded then I need both the 300lbs of rear wheel weights AND 5 of the 57lbs weights (285lbs) on the 3pt for a total of 585lbs minimum for safe operation of the FEL. Is that right?
</font>

The key words there are <font color="red"> minimum for safe operation of the FEL </font>. That means any time the loader is on the tractor, you need that amount of weight at a minumum. That is what the manufacturer is recommending and that is what you should do. How hard is it to throw on a weight box, brush hog or box blade VS taking un-needed risks?

Mosey, I'd sincerely hate to see you get hurt for taking a risk that is so easily avoidable. Just my opinion. Off my soap box, now. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Glad you got your loader situation straightened out. It looks real sweet, too. Congratulations! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MikePA]

Danny, I regularly use the FEL to relocate limestone and I do not have any weight on the back of my TC25D nor do I have loaded tires. I do not move it far, a few hundred feet, and I am not going up and down hills but I can move it around, dump it where I need it, etc. I just keep the FEL low and go slow.

Yes, I can feel that the back end is light and if the traction is bad, I have to use 4wd because the rear tires tend to slip, but it is possible.

 

[have_blue]

Anyone look at the 7308 loader and compare it to a Woods loader? They sure look a lot alike!

No way my TC29 could do FEL work without some sort of ballast. Even my plow is not really enough, although that's what I use.

 

[Spencer]

Mosey, I don't know if you followed my NH 7308 Loader Owners thread or not. Now that you are the newest owner of a 7308 loader why don't you let us all know if you can lift up your front tires with using just down pressure and not curling the bucket? Maybe you would be interested in getting the gauge sent to you to check your pressure.

Spence

 

[Mosey]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Mosey, I'd sincerely hate to see you get hurt for taking a risk that is so easily avoidable.)</font>

MossRoad - I appreciate your concern. I will use at least the recommended amount of weight when I'm lifting and moving a heavy load, especially if I will be lifting it up high. At the same time, I don't feel like I need to have more weight than necessary so I don't compact the ground any more than I have to or put any more strain and wear and tear on the tractor than I have to. I have enough weights to put on the back to meet the 585 lb minimum, so that's what I'll use when I will be using the loader for heavy loads.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> No way my TC29 could do FEL work without some sort of ballast. </font>
Interesting. I wonder if it's a case of different people having a different tolerance for using the FEL w/o ballast.