Loader How to not damage your FEL

[Dadnatron]

Yep, I've whacked a lot of trees with the FEL while trying to back up in the woods.

I almost hit my wife's car just yesterday. Although I've done this hundreds of times.

 

[N80]

I almost hit my wife's car just yesterday. Although I've done this hundreds of times.

You've hit your wife's car hundreds of times? My wife would only let that happen once!:muttering:

 

[mike69440]

I'll add a few things not to do.
Don't try and dig huge boulders out, like this
View attachment 508601

And don't try and pull out stumps without digging around them first the cylinders will bend and break themselves like this
View attachment 508602View attachment 508602

To echo what was said before, not a bull dozer, and build up your grill guard, the grapple is one of the handiest tools I've ever used, but it can lead you into things you shouldn't do with a FEL.
Enjoy!

As previously said, just go slow, if you see the loader flexing STOP!
The non removable loaders on the Kubota TLB's are quite a bit more rigid and tough than the removable loader attachments.
It was a wise decision to buy the L39, as I'd have gone thru several tractors otherwise by now. I have a Max28XL with a very strong little loader, but I am careful not to abuse it as it is not structurally rigid. The KL401 Loader appears a stout loader. That must have been some stump.

 

[Msamt]

The KL401 Loader appears a stout loader. That must have been some stump.

It was a tiny stump, with a giant idiot trying to get "the last obstacle" in a trail building project cleared! I had the curl all the way extended and try to push with the tractor. Happened in a flash going from bent to broken with an exciting rush of released hydraulic fluid under pressure. All I could think was "maybe just a hose"...

 

[Msamt]

Remember it sticks a LOT further out than you think... when you are backing up into a turn.

Wow, forgot about this aspect! Yep, garage door, garage wall, too many tree trunks to count. They get long with a loader and bucket of grapple

 

[mike69440]

I did not feel bad having to take the edge trim off my equipment door to get the gazebo out, ans I've nicked it more than a few times with the L39.

Not to mention mauling a perfectly good VW Passant V6 wagon front end with the backhoe. Hood fender and suspension damage.

 

[9973720wb19]

when carrying heavy load up and/or down hills always use 4wd and lowest gear you have - in any condition
When carrying heavy load down a hill - go down the hill backwards
when traveling from work site to work site, keep bucket low enough to see where your going but not too low that it can hit the ground - away travel with bucket in curled up position
If and when your bucket bites too much for it to lift (like trying to dig out a tree stump) and it will not come up...make sure you push the bucket back down to release the pressure before you move the tractor
Never move the tractor with the bucket above your head
Don't carry tools and saws in the bucket and start digging before you remove them...he he he

 

[mopardude318]

dont do this...LOL...

Highlights from Mega Grapple Testing Video Part 2 - YouTube

 

[madhouse]

dont do this...LOL...

Highlights from Mega Grapple Testing Video Part 2 - YouTube

Absolutely not... You get much better lift driving towards/under the root-ball! Back up and raise the rear wheels off the ground, release the FEL lever to neutral (No relief valve in play), then drive forward. Pulls that $#!t right out!

 

[mike69440]

sQUOTE=mopardude318;4774284]dont do this...LOL...
Highlights from Mega Grapple Testing Video Part 2 - YouTube[/QUOTE]

Seriously? Stupid tractor tricks.
Either Kubota ought to send EA a certified letter stating all aspects of Kubota's warranty are void, or sign contact with EA for product endorsements. A testimony to the Kubota front axle design. Kubotas may be light for a tractor, but the metal is in the right places.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

dont do this...LOL...

Highlights from Mega Grapple Testing Video Part 2 - YouTube

I saw this video and I have seen a few videos of Ted driving, that dude is just hard on stuff lol, peanut is a much more reserved operator.

Honestly I wouldn't have put that video out, idk after seeing it if I would say that the EA root grapple is strong. More like poor Kubota

 

[k0ua]

I saw this video and I have seen a few videos of Ted driving, that dude is just hard on stuff lol, peanut is a much more reserved operator.

Honestly I wouldn't have put that video out, idk after seeing it if I would say that the EA root grapple is strong. More like poor Kubota

And the Craigslist ad said:
"Must sell fast: Well maintained used Kubota for sale, divorce forces sale, never abused..."

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

And the Craigslist ad said:
"Must sell fast: Well maintained used Kubota for sale, divorce forces sale, never abused..."

I bet that add would be 8k off a new machine lol.

 

[orezok]

Many people say you should not use the FEL for excavation, so why do so many people have toothbars? Hmmm...

 

[k0ua]

Many people say you should not use the FEL for excavation, so why do so many people have toothbars? Hmmm...

I have used FELs plenty of times for excavation. even without a toothbar, though I am sure it would have helped. I cut down an entire hill where I used to live near Willard Mo. that actually had some dirt. It took some time, but one bucket at a time I transferred the hilltop over to a gulch and filled it up. I am not sure how many tons of dirt/small rock I dug up and moved but over the course of 2 weeks or so, it was a bunch. And this was with a utility sized 2WD tractor with loaded tires and a counterweight.

 

[N80]

I have done lots of excavation with my toothless FEL. Filled in ravines, cut down high places to level the field in front of my cabin. An FEL and a box blade on a medium sized tractor can move a lot of dirt. Not efficient or fast, but still effective. And fun. I also removed two acres of small pines with the FEL in order to make that 'field'. I pushed each one of them over, some of them as big as 10" at the base. Then, I hooked the bucket lip under the exposed roots. Then slowly, in first gear, I'd inch forward while lifting and curling the bucket and the whole tree, root and all would pop out of the ground. If the ground was dry this was almost impossible. Yes, all this is hard on the tractor, particularly the front axle. But, as mentioned, that's why I got the tractor and...that was 11 years ago and other than the slightly leaky front bevel housing the tractor is just fine.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

A toothbar makes digging easier? I was thinking about buying one, I plan to scrape sod so I can expand my driveway at the barn.

 

[deezler]

A toothbar makes digging easier? I was thinking about buying one, I plan to scrape sod so I can expand my driveway at the barn.

Absolutely it does. It concentrates the tractor/loader force into the small cross-sectional area of the teeth on the bar. Thus they easily penetrate and break up the dirt. The result is you fill up your loader bucket much quicker and easier. Far less strain on the loader.