Take the loader off and it is even more maneuverable.
Yep, my FEL usually stays off. It's like a different tractor!
I am quite the opposite. I usually leave mine on cause I am usually blading or doing dirtwork, or cutting firewood. All things that the loader comes in quite handy. I even leave it on when bushhogging. Partly due to the ~1100# cutter I use.
But I DO take it off when tilling. Cause when the tiller is in the ground, there aint much weight on the front end, and with the loader it cuts quite deep ruts and compacts the soil alot. Without the loader, the fronts dont cut in much at all.
Makes sense. My FEL stays on most of the fall winter with firewood, logging & some dirt work. But most of the hours I rack up are bush hoggin & I don't mow with the FEL on! Have no tiller here, but would do as you do there.
My mower is only around 450 lbs, front wheels are always planted good. I have to mow around a lot of trees, fences, barns, firewood stacks. Just makes it so much easier with the loader off, but there are times when I wish the loader was there to push some3thing out of the way as you say.How heavy is your bushhog out of curiosity?
I could mow without the loader. As when mowing, alot of the weight is on the tailwheed anyway. But with the cutter raised, I can literally take one hand and lift the front from the grill guard. Let alone loading and unloading from a trailer. And as most of my mowing work is offsite paid jobs, I like having the loader on. I cant tell how many times it has came in handy. Being able to detect things before hitting them. Or being able to offer a customer to "push that downed tree out of the way" kinda thing. Even if my cutter was lighter, I'd say I am 99% sure I would still go to a job with the loader on.