How much abuse can a FEL handle?

[TractorGuy]

Every instance I've read about where a front end loader was damaged was caused by either uneven force or back dragging with the bucket curled forward. Have read numerous accounts of tweaked loaders from prying up with one corner. Likewise I have read several accounts of broken cylinder rods from heavy back dragging with the rods extended.

I am guilty of some back dragging with the bucket curled forward but I try to keep it to light moving of already disturbed dirt. Even so the rods on my bucket cylinders are slightly bent. They were like that when I bought the machine. I am talking about a full size TLB so doing this with a toy loader would most likely cause instant death.

Take those conditions into account and use a little common sense and you should be fine.

 

[Diggin It]

Every instance I've read about where a front end loader was damaged was caused by either uneven force or back dragging with the bucket curled forward. Have read numerous accounts of tweaked loaders from prying up with one corner. Likewise I have read several accounts of broken cylinder rods from heavy back dragging with the rods extended.

I am guilty of some back dragging with the bucket curled forward but I try to keep it to light moving of already disturbed dirt.

I've done a little of that, but only loose dirt I just dumped.

 

[atitus74]

Every instance I've read about where a front end loader was damaged was caused by either uneven force or back dragging with the bucket curled forward. Have read numerous accounts of tweaked loaders from prying up with one corner. Likewise I have read several accounts of broken cylinder rods from heavy back dragging with the rods extended.

The dealer told me pretty much this exact thing when they delivered mine. The guy specifically told me "its not a bulldozer!" They told me when engaging the ground do it slowly and straight on. Try to scrape a few inches of soil off at a time. It has worked for me. I've been able to level a few different pieces of uneven ground with no issue. They also told me if you try to lift too much in the bucket at once, the hydraulic relief will simply prevent it from happening long before it damages the frame. Just make sure you have adequate ballast on the back so it doesn't put all the weight on the front axle.

 

[PILOON]

Slow and easy does it.
NEVER smash into the work, use low speed and hydraulics with upwards scraping motion.
A tooth bar (welded up version with hardened replaceable teeth) will make things much easier.
Reason for a tooth bar is that even a 3" stone is enough to deflect the bucket blade making it useless as a digger.

A good tooth bar with teeth spaced 6-8" apart is a whole new world.
Everything has its downside and with a tooth bar it is scooping sand or topsoil on a paved surface.
Most tooth bar designs however are removable by simply pulling 2 bolts on the fastening 'ears'.

(Back dragging with tooth bar is about the greatest 'root rake' you can find.)

PS, I never take mine off anymore!

 

[3gunr]

I agree with piloon, my toothbars were a great investment.Last year i filled a 10x 10x6 ft deep hole in my lake levee with my 2538 by digging into a nearby bank of dirt .Took me about 2 hrs. The key is moist soil, dont wait until mid summer when its baked hard.

 

[mred2]

I have seen someone run a two wheel drive ag tractor with a FEL on it into a tree at full speed, thinking he was going to push the tree over. Hitting it so hard that the back wheels came off the ground. No damage at time, but I am sure that kind of abuse will show up later. Think and go slow, if you think it is too much, It most likely is. I have no problems digging with my FEL in some of my dirt, But other hard packed, not so good.
Good luck and go slow.

 

[WranglerX]

Rear ballast required.... Be conscious of FEL limits as stated in owners manual, had if you have bucket full and pressure relief valve is grumbling or squealing you are over design limits....

My SCUT really can not handle a 3 foot diameter solid granite boulder but does smaller ones well.... Seem to remember FEL has 800 pound (maybe a few pounds more) limit before bypass kicks in....

Dale

 

[Buggs67]

I agree with piloon, my toothbars were a great investment.Last year i filled a 10x 10x6 ft deep hole in my lake levee with my 2538 by digging into a nearby bank of dirt .Took me about 2 hrs. The key is moist soil, dont wait until mid summer when its baked hard.

I bought a Piranha tooth bar and it's the best of both worlds. Good for digging and since it's a bar it also works as a wear bar and allows smoothing and scooping off smooth surfaces. Only downside is it interferes with the pallet forks (minor issue). And with the right equipment and skill anyone can make their own for very little $$$.

 

[Cat_Driver]

All FEL are limited to the angle of use and the size of the hydraulic shafts. I learned this the hard way.
On my Kubota 4060 I was loading brush into a dump trailer and apparenty dove into the pile to pick up a load of brush with the grappler
angle too steep because I ended up bending both my bucket hydraulic shafts.

That was a $1,000.00 error on my part.

DO NOT curl or extend your bucket all the way when doing and FEL work as you will leave your shaftes too extenden and vulnerable.

For those of you that think it will not happen to you because you have "beefy" hydraulic shafts, the repair facility showed me a shaft they were repairing that was as big around as a telephone pole and about 10 feet long and the operator was able to ben that shaft.

 

[Locoweed]

Something like this? Hard rocky soil in a dry creek bed.