How often do you take off your FEL?

[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.