How often do you take off your FEL?

[txdon]

I was running a hydraulic hose from the front of the loader to the rear hydraulics. When I was attaching the lines and got to the joy stick I thought "Dummy, why didn't I get another disconnect here"! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I have had the tractor a year and have not removed the loader. Then I was thinking How many times will I remove the loader? I have a quick hitch on the bucket, I need the weight when mowing with the 6' mower.

So the question is: How many times and for what reasons are your loaders removed? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[BigAl]

Only time I ever removed my Loader was the time I rebuilt my old tractor motor ! I just can't imagine why someone would take theirs off unless they were fighting a weight or movability problem .
Big Al

 

[johndeere2210]

I remove and reinstall the FEL at least twice a week in the summer. I don't mow with it on but when ever a scoop shovel is needed, I use the one with power steering and seat. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[dbelisle]

I remove it about once a week in the summer. I also like to mow with the FEL off.

Dave in NH

 

[PineRidge]

We dump the FEL on a regular basis in the summer for mowing duties. Whether we are pulling the brush hog or the RFM the FEL seems to always get in the way. Besides with SuperSteer when you are doing a lot of fast maneuvering the FEL bucket has a tendency to go the opposite direction in a turn because of the axle geometry. It's really a piece of cake to remove. Do it a couple of times and it gets to be second nature real quick.

 

[cisco]

Per prior posts, when the grass/weeds need mowing, I remove the FEL - say, every 2-3 weeks in the spring/summer/early fall. Otherwise, it's hard to manuver around wax myrtles, trees and the like, and I've, more than once, dinged a tree when I was too lazy to remove the FEL. The first time I removed/replaced the FEL, it was a major pain and I used some colorful language (the errors were all my fault, of course). Now, it takes a few minutes.

 

[RoyJackson]

Mine's off most of the summer unless I have a specific task or I'm going to use the rotary cutter. Then I install it as needed.
I very rarely mow with it on...

Winter..it goes on and stays on.

 

[Tdog]

I remove the FEL & BH every time I mow. As others have posted, they are a piece of cake, once you get the hang of it. Part of my getting that hang was getting a cement floor to work on. Prior to my workshop being built, I only had a gravel surface, & that did present some problems. It is a much easier task now.
The implement that I put off removing was the MMM. I was reluctant to try it without a smooth floor to work on. So, I took it off for the first time [325 hours of operation] this week. Now that was a chore. I had to get a local kid with arms like trees to release the collar - - dust & crud had all but frozen it in place. Sure hope that task gets easier.

 

[DK35vince]

I've had my loader off only 1 time in 3 years.
For mowing I just kick the bucket off. (quick attach)

 

[Deerlope]

I have had my off & on as many as 5 times in one day. Its off now cause the SB is on. When we get enough snow and I start cutting logs off comes the blower and on goes the FEL and skidding winch. when we get snow again off comes the FEL. When mowing with the RFM its nice not haveing the FEL bouncing along.

 

[gcrabb]

txdon,

I try to keep my FEL off during summer. If am successful at doing that, that means I am done landscaping and moving dirt. After 3 years in a new house we are still changing things.

Once grass cutting is finished for the year then the FEL is on and stays on for snow removal.

Of course my brother always screws things by asking me to site prep an area(40X100) for new work shop(the area was all pit run) and driveway.

JD4600 with 460FEL with grapple fork, pallet fork and 7'6" Western Snow Plow, JD LX279, 84" KK finishing mower, 84" KK Landscape Box, 84" KK Landscape Rake, 84" KK Blade, and 72" KK Bush Hog, 7' Northern Tool Backhoe, Bri Mar 6X10 Dump Trailer, 20' Rugged Road Equipment Trailer.

Greg

 

[Cliff_Johns]

I've never taken mine off, though I've thought I should before the warrenty runs out just to make sure I can. Looks really simple to do, I just never have. On the other hand, I don't mow with the 4110 (I have an LT).

Cliff

 

[KiotiJohn]

I took mine off once just to see how to do it, and it's never been off again. I don't think I've ever used the tractor that I didn't end up using the loader at some point in the day, so it stays on. John

 

[chim]

Mine, along with a 6' rear blade, is on now for the Winter. I also switched from toothbar to bolt-on wear edge. When Spring arrives, the FEL will come off for (finish) mowing. From then till next year after the mowing season is done, the FEL will probably be put on at least once a week for some kind of chore along the way. On and off is so quick and easy that I only have it on when needed for something. It does need to be on when I use the rotary cutter. This is mainly for balance, but it's handy for "recon" in deep weeds.................chim

 

[jinman]

Don, I take my mower off everytime I mow, but I only have a 5' rotary cutter from TSC. I've never had a traction problem and that's including going up and down the sides of some of my very steep gullys. If I had a quick-attach bucket, I think I'd do the same thing, because I really like having more clearance in trees. Taking the loader off is like turning a bus into a sports car. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif The tractor sure feels different.

I also don't like to hit a bump at mowing speeds and have the FEL flopping around. It's not that loose, but there is enough slack in the pins that the rattle is louder than I like.

Thirdly, I love the view I have of the ground right in front of the hood without having any part of the loader in my way. Your hood doesn't slope, so that's not as obvious on your tractor.

Lastly, I have a zerk fitting that can only be reached with the loader off, so by taking the loader off to mow, that zerk gets greased.

Your loader is probably pretty darn easy to remove from what I saw. My guess is that you need to leave the bucket on for counterbalance on the stand, but maybe not. You do have a dual-arm stand. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Wannafish]

"Don, I take my mower off everytime I mow..."

Gee Jinman, you must get alot of seat time in! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[dbelisle]

How do you mow without the mower ??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Nasty135]

I take mine off to mow also,with using a rear finish mower I find the trees always want to jump out and grab the toothbar while I'm looking back to cutting close, that extra 4' or so sticking out front makes getting close to something very difficult.. Always looking front to back,back to front /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Its a little nerve racking in tight areas,if its off there is no problem other than the ROPS wanting to break tree limbs off /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif, Just can't win... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Bird]

The size of your tractor and loader, the jobs you have to do, and the space available in which to do those jobs probably have a lot to do with whether or not you remove the loader. So with the B2710, it was so simple to remove or reinstall the loader that I had it off when I mowed, whether with the finish mower or rotary cutter, and when I used the tiller in the garden. Better visibility, smoother ride, and I could get closer to buildings and fences.

 

[Freds]

I also took mine off every timed I mowed, but I added a front weight because the front end could come off the ground to easily without the FEL on and a RFM on the back. The only times I missed it was when I ran into some debris in the yard and I didn't have a good place to stash it until done. For that reason it was always on when I brush hogged.
I haven't had it off on my new tractor yet, but then I don't mow with it.