How much abuse can a FEL handle?

[mikester]

BX1880. I started using my little tractor for a bit of excavation and its doing it. I'm just wondering if I'm destroying the thing? Basically, I have a little hillside, and I have a flat area on the bottom. I'm using the loader to expand the flat area by digging into the hillside. Is this too much? Is a loader made to just pick up loose gravel?

SCUTS/CUTS are basically powered wheel barrows and arent designed to handle digging loads like construction equipment is.

Eventually all your pins and bushings will become oval. You are putting excessive stresses on all you tractor components. Bottom line is you are driving that little utility tractor to an early grave.

End of the day its your money to burn. Common sense is an oxymoron. And thats why I dont lend out my equipment.

 

[Geotech]

Ten years ago I was taking running starts into stiff clay with my parent's new Mahindra 2810. I really beat the snot out of that thing. What a moron! That tractor has some issues with the PTO seal leaking, the electrical system and overheating. But it has no problems with the loader or hydraulics, lol!

Today, I'm super vigilant with my new L2501 in soft sandy soil and a tooth bar. I did bump a stump a little bit after breaking some roots with an ax that didn't want to comply with a smooth lift. Just a little bump.

So, I think some common sense is in play here. It doesn't take much to teak the loader arms out of square. When I notice that happening, I back off right away. This tends to happen when snagging an unseen stump or root. Also, a little bump every now and then is okay. Just don't ram into things in a way that bounces you in your seat or shakes the whole machine. It would be wise to increase the greasing schedule if working the loader hard too.

While not a dozer, my little CUT is definitely more than a glorified wheel barrel. Even my manual has instructions on how to scrape grade, back drag, push material into trenches, etc. So, you can definitely move some dirt with your loader, but if you have stiff soil, the depth increments will be in inches, not feet. In m sandy soil (pretty much just sand), I can easily take a bite that fills the whole bucket at once.

 

[wagne223]

I have used my FEL for digging on a few occasions, however I have learned that using the box blade with rippers breaks ground much faster and is easier on the tractor and my body.

I pull the material to a convenient location, use the BB in reverse to pile the material, then use the FEL to scoop and relocate material.

Jeff has posted an image of a large and deep area he has excavated with his BB.
I dont remember where I saw it though.

To the OP original question, I have seen loaders take a lot of abuse, but there is a cost. As mentioned all the pivot points wear out and if you bend the frame, they are not easy to fix.

I avoid using my loader as a dozer.

 

[wagne223]

Post 6 in this thread shows the pic I was referring to.

Box Blade Without Top and Tilt? Pleasure or Curse?

Box Blade Without Top and Tilt? Pleasure or Curse?

 

[dragoneggs]

BX1880. I started using my little tractor for a bit of excavation and its doing it. I'm just wondering if I'm destroying the thing? Basically, I have a little hillside, and I have a flat area on the bottom. I'm using the loader to expand the flat area by digging into the hillside. Is this too much? Is a loader made to just pick up loose gravel?

SCUTS/CUTS are basically powered wheel barrows and arent designed to handle digging loads like construction equipment is.

Eventually all your pins and bushings will become oval. You are putting excessive stresses on all you tractor components. Bottom line is you are driving that little utility tractor to an early grave.

End of the day its your money to burn. Common sense is an oxymoron. And thats why I dont lend out my equipment.

mikester, I beg to differ a little with you here. SCUTS are far more than glorified wheel barrows! I have done plenty of digging into the hillside at my place with my BX. It is still in great condition after 400hrs and those are 'hard' hours... no mowing. Of course a big hillside begs for a bigger machine but it is amazing what you can do with a little SCUT with the right attachments. Adding a Piranha Tooth bar to the bucket does wonders. Bottom line, it just takes more time. I have done some clearing, dug out huge stumps with the little backhoe, cut roads in a side hill, graded paths, terraced, etc. My pins are fine.

Tractor Seabee can attest to the work he has done with his BX. I think he has about 1500hrs on his... clearing, logging, landscaping, etc. For us guys on smaller properties, a SCUT is a dream come true. I am pretty sure my BX will outlive me.

 

[gladehound]

I can't speak specifically to the BX1880. But I previously had a 19hp Kioti that I did 90% of the excavation for a 24x27 outbuilding with and dug a driveway. I did not feel it was abusive. That little 19hp tractor weighed 2300 pounds for the bare tractor (i.e. tank). The loader was a cut down version from bigger tractors so the structure was far bigger than it needed to be for a tractor of it's weight and hydraulic capabilities. Every machine is different so start slow and feel it out. Look at your components. If they are borrowed from heavier tractors you probably can't hurt it. If they are smaller than the next size up tractor, then there is probably less margin.

 

[Oldoak]

thats why I dont lend out my equipment.

That's the only part of mikester's comment I agree with.

For the reasons in my previous comment and comments by others how versatile and useful tractors with FELs are, no matter their size when used in their own capability range. :thumbsup:

 

[falfrenzy]

The replies in this thread make me glad I went with the backhoe equipped BX25, which is a good pairing to the front end loader. The backhoe makes a good crane to move around my 3PH attachments and not worry about damaging my headlights from their pendulum like swinging.

 

[bullebak]

The dam in my avatar was created by this tractor, after I got tired of waiting for the bulldozer people (yes it took a while).

And many cubic metres of soil were dug and moved, as well as boulders pushed out.

But I should report that my bucket needed welding up as cracks appeared. Also the front tyres needed replacement.

Mostly I use the machine for weed spraying. Never ending job.

 

[mcfarmall]

There is no reason why a FEL on a BX cannot be used for a very long time within its design capabilities. You could certainly dig a basement for a house (my friend did...with a BX22) it will simply take longer than someone with a gravel pit sized wheel loader or excavator.

You wouldn't use a teaspoon to stir up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, but you certainly can scoop out nice bite sized balls of dough with one.