L 48 Loader Removal

[petrops]

Hi all

Looking for a tractor with hoe and of course the L48 comes up again and again. I have a line on a new one for $35,000 and feel that this is a great deal and worth the stretch in my budget.

My only concern (besides paying for it!) is that I understand that the loader is not removable (thought I assume the bucket is removable). I will be doing some mowing but nothing too tight, and some work in the woods skidding logs, keeping logging trails clear etc. I imagine that this would be the time that the FEL would get in the way.

Anyone have any experience with trying to move one of these things around in the woods with the loader or alternative attachment.

 

[JATO_RaT]

I have looked at mine and decided not to do it simply becasue of the hydraulic connections. The loader itself looks as though it would come off with a powerful air impact wrench and the use of its own hydraulics to lift its weight around. Since it does not have quick release couplings on the hydraulic lines you would either have to break them at the joints or install quick couplers. Another option would be rather then remove the loader, get a quick attach front bucket setup and at least have the front bucket off when the loader is not needed, Rat...

 

[DK35vince]

The quick attach bucket would work OK.
I have a quick attach loader and a quick attach bucket on my Kioti.I never take my loader off for mowing,I just kick off the bucket .The rest is not in the way.

 

[thefarm]

I have a Ford 2120,40hp,with a FEL on the front and I have never taken it off.I use this and a Norse winch to twitch out logs.Yes,the FEL is a bother at times,but the usefulness of having it on, out weighs the bother all of the time.I use it to push myself out of a hard spot,haul rocks into a wet hole,put firewood in it,I use it to pick a log up to get a chain around it and so on.You mentioned keeping logging trails open,what about backdragging these.I think once you get the FEL in the woods you will keep it on.

 

[equipman]

petrops
We have removed loaders from L35TLs and L48TLs. For one customer, we installed quick disconnect fittings in the hydraulic lines for them. They use an overhead hoist, hook in 4 spots and lift it off. You will need to loosen the top pivot point and the lift cylinder pivot point. On others, we use hydraulic caps to seal off the hydraulic lines and lift off with a forklift. Now of course, the skid steer quick disconnect for the bucket is the option to buy (at least for the L48TL).
Lewis

 

[rbargeron]

In agreement with the above posts, for most jobs, having the loader available is very handy. The exception is mowing. If your place is not golf-course smooth, taking away the loader's mass makes the whole rig more agile - the job goes better. (Easier on the guy at the wheel too) The LA1150 loader on my L5450 tractor is quite heavy but is designed for easy on/off so I use that feature 2-3 times a year .

The L48 is a great machine - but it's designed to keep its loader on. You could make it removeable - but, unless you have a perfectly-aligned handling system for it, you may not be happy about how long it takes to put it back on. My two cents.