how meny have fels

[Gary Fowler]

I have 2 tractors and both have FEL. They come in handy for helping you get out of sticky mud also. One tractor is a 50 horse and pushes down small trees with ease and the other is 72 HP and can push down fairly large trees and carry a really big rock.
When my brother in law suggested that I should get a FEL on my first tractor (he didnt have one then on his 750 JD) I said why, I grew up on a farm and we never had one or though we had a need for one in the row crop business. Then after owning the small Yanmar for a couple of years I saw the value of one so when the wife said" you should get a tractor with an Cab and AC", I wasted no time getting the CAB with heat and air AND a FEL. If I ever think I need to do something that I won't need the FEL, it can come off quickly but I just cant think of anything that I do when I just might need the loader.

 

[soulasphil]

I have always had a FEL on my tractor. Takes care of all the lifting and carrying about which is about half of the work I expect from the tractor, plus some grading. It has to be detachable as I have a lot of work to do around trees and in places with little space to spare. I now have a JD QA which does the job perfectly.

 

[tulenutn2o]

I have a FEL and wouldn't have a tractor without one.

 

[6thgpSF]

I've got one on my Yanmar,plan on getting a tooth bar soon.also have pallet forks. russ

 

[kday64]

FEL makes Jinny a real tractor! Love it!

 

[lostcause]

i think it all depends on a lot of factors. my family had cattle when i was growing up. there was an early 70's tractor with a loader, and an old 50's one without one. in the 80's they added a new 4wd tractor - no loader. the reason being was that it was mainly for use pertaining to the farm. they could always get by with one loader. there was really never a time when they needed more than one at once. the tractors were mainly for equipment operated off the rear of the machine - rotary mower, mower/conditioner, tedder, rake, bailer, skidding winch, post driver, etc. i think if you use (not collect) more than one tractor in a farm setting, you can probably get by without them on every machine. having one is almost a necessity though.

 

[JiminGa]

the 2305 I just got rid of is the first tractor I've had with a fel, won't ever buy another without a fel. A fel doubles the usefulness of a tractor.

 

[KubotainNH]

Without the loader I would have no reason to have the tractor so FEL :thumbsup:

 

[bjr]

Not me. My reason was the research I did before buying a tractor. I found WAY too many instances's of front gears trains being broken. Transmission cases/ flywheel housing being busted. Tractors literly being broken it two pieces.This happens across all manufacturers. I could never afford a catastrophic accident such as that. NO FEL for this operator. I've managed to do everything I've needed to do without one. I did however rent a small tractor backhoe / FEL to dig a water line in, that was about four years ago. I'm happy all you guys have one, They are just not my cup of tea, thankyou. bjr

 

[TripleR]

Not me. My reason was the research I did before buying a tractor. I found WAY too many instances's of front gears trains being broken. Transmission cases/ flywheel housing being busted. Tractors literly being broken it two pieces.This happens across all manufacturers. I could never afford a catastrophic accident such as that. NO FEL for this operator. I've managed to do everything I've needed to do without one. I did however rent a small tractor backhoe / FEL to dig a water line in, that was about four years ago. I'm happy all you guys have one, They are just not my cup of tea, thankyou. bjr

Interesting, in the 50+ years I have been driving tractors, I have never run across that.

 

[KubotainNH]

Interesting, in the 50+ years I have been driving tractors, I have never run across that.

Yeah, sounds like loaders were added without any type of frame. My little tractor has been moving heavy stuff with the loader for 25 years or so. It does have a very stout loader frame.

 

[moored4]

I have broke alot of thing with my FEL's in my 50 + years but have never broke a tractor or striped a gear that it was mounted to.

 

[wdchyd]

Any machine is only as good as its weakest point......be it a frame/shaft/bearing/nut/bolt/cotter pin.........if you never stress it to that point, it'll never break......

If you work any tool to that point the weakest part will show its ugly face....

 

[Gizmo2]

Not me. My reason was the research I did before buying a tractor. I found WAY too many instances's of front gears trains being broken. Transmission cases/ flywheel housing being busted. Tractors literly being broken it two pieces.This happens across all manufacturers. I could never afford a catastrophic accident such as that. NO FEL for this operator. I've managed to do everything I've needed to do without one. I did however rent a small tractor backhoe / FEL to dig a water line in, that was about four years ago. I'm happy all you guys have one, They are just not my cup of tea, thankyou. bjr

You're kidding, right?

 

[D33r3 6r33N]

FEL is the main reason that I jumped from ATV to tractor when I was thinking about a new 'toy.' Now that I have one will never be without.

 

[D33r3 6r33N]

Unfortunately, when getting a tractor without a FEL, all you have is a slooowww ride to the mailbox......

I think that's the best qoute I've seen on this site. :thumbsup:

 

[Gizmo2]

I always assumed if you have enough property to warrant a compact tractor you also need a FEL, rather you know it or not.

 

[RobertN]

Have had three tractors.

tractor-1 was a Kubota B8200. I got it without a loader; paid cash, had to mow... Saved and added a loader. That, to me, made it a tractor.

tractor-2 Farmall-A didn't have a loader. I had it for pulling parade floats and play. A loader was available, but I never had the need. I could see, where a pulling tractor could get away without a loader.

tractor-3 the current TC40D. Had the loader off once, mostly to fit everything on my trailer.

I would not have a utility tractor without a loader. That is part of the "utility". Having not had one at first, reinforces that.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Since the day i brought my tractor home i wished i had a FEL. But I am determined that my next tractor will have a FEL so I wont worry about it now. Besides, having all the 3 point implements make up for the loss. The way I view it is if I did put a FEL on my tractor it would only be able to lift about 500 pounds, not quite enough. It would be great for working on the roads and digging in dirt but i just dont have the $$$ for one. The only name brand that makes a FEL for my YM169D is woods and they are pretty proud of their loader.

 

[cmbertrand]

Took my fel off my TC40D for a few days to paint where it attaches and felt like I was without arms! I am on my second bucket, as the first just didn't last... I have chain hooks welded to pads and a 2" ball welded to the middle to have some nice tools when rolling the bucket over. Few weeks ago, I loaded 16k lbs in electric motors in a small amount of time!