Maximizing Weight

Spiffy · Feb 23, 2006

OK, for someone who grew up with a clutch in hand [not a misprint...but it does rather date me /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ], sometimes the PT can make me feel like a real newibe.

I was pushing snow yesterday, and everytime I'd hit some ice on just one side, the front end would oscillate [not articulate, steering is fine], ride over the ice and gouge the gravel with the other side. Angle, speed, pressure, didn't seem to matter [not to say there isn't a magic combination I didn't try].

For keeping "all fours planted" I know oscillation is advantageous, but is there a way to keep this to my advantage for loader work or a trade off I have to learn to work around?

Thanks!

MossRoad · Feb 23, 2006

So the right side of the tractor would go up on some ice or packed snow, causing the left front corner to dip and gouge?

Was it a plow or a bucket?
Were you in float mode?

Spiffy · Feb 23, 2006

60" bucket; I don't have a plow, but like to pile the snow anyway.

In float mode, the bucket stayed pretty flat, but rode over the ice missing the ice and the snow. Of course when the wheel would climb on the ice it left a funky angle too. Without float mode the front end oscillated. I didn't notice this on earlier snow use, but we've had some thaw/refreeze weather since causng ice spots.

I should have took some pictures; the snow and ice melted a little yesterday afternoon, leaving my driveway acceptable; but thought I should ask the quesiton before next time! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm still more accustom to a loader that would need to twist the entire tractor to move beyond the flex of the loader arms.

One other thing I noticed: when I tried to backdrag, the bucket snapped "overcenter". I'm thinking a longer tiltbar [the one I bent and straightened last fall] would prevent this; perhaps even make sense as it has plenty of tilt up, and atually could use a little more dump tilt.

Thanks! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

MossRoad · Feb 23, 2006

Look into an adjustable toplink from a 3pt hitch for your rod. That way, you can adjust it several inches either direction if needed.

J_J · Feb 23, 2006

Something like this would give you more choices in your tilt applications.

The drawing is missing some lines, but you get the idea.

Spiffy · Feb 23, 2006

That makes perfect sense J_J

The simplicity of a toplink really intriqued me, but I'd be slightly concerned it wouldn't like the beating my tilt bar takes; however, I could build something like the drawing pretty easy. Actually if I could find the bar stock cheap enough, I could make it full width and never have to worry about it bending again [like last fall, not currently] either! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I'd say that's one question solved! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Back to the oscillation question, anyone have advice; perhaps better question, "am I the only one to notice or experience a negative issue with it?"

J_J · Feb 23, 2006

I have one similar that came with the 1445. I switch the hole as needed, plus I use the adjustable link for more offset.

RegL · Feb 24, 2006

( That makes perfect sense J_J

The simplicity of a toplink really intriqued me, but I'd be slightly concerned it wouldn't like the beating my tilt bar takes; however, I could build something like the drawing pretty easy. Actually if I could find the bar stock cheap enough, I could make it full width and never have to worry about it bending again [like last fall, not currently] either! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I'd say that's one question solved! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Back to the oscillation question, anyone have advice; perhaps better question, "am I the only one to notice or experience a negative issue with it?" )

Yea, I tried a top link last year and it broke after about 5 min.of rough treatment. It was one I had laying around so I don't how good of quality it was.

As far as the other problem, ( maybe I'm not understanding what your describing) Don't most loaders stay parallel with the front wheels weather the front end oscillates or not? Unless the axle oscillates. I'll have to get on my old cut and see what it does.

MossRoad · Feb 24, 2006

I tried a top link last year and it broke after about 5 min.of rough treatment. 

Wow. That surprises me. I guess the forces there are more than I expected. Our large IH tractor's top link worked with the 6' box blade very well. I suppose the lift arms took all the pulling pressure and the top link just kept it level?

RegL · Feb 24, 2006

( I tried a top link last year and it broke after about 5 min.of rough treatment. 

Wow. That surprises me. I guess the forces there are more than I expected. Our large IH tractor's top link worked with the 6' box blade very well. I suppose the lift arms took all the pulling pressure and the top link just kept it level? )

If I remember right, I was pulling a stump by curling up the bucket. I thing that puts a lot of tension on that link and it broke the casing that the threaded rod end screws into. I do think it was a cheapo and I'll try another one because it is handy to be able to adjust to different situations.

SnowRidge · Feb 24, 2006

Of the top of my head: Under serious pressure, the lift arms would be in tension, while the top link was in compression from rotational forces. Going astern, it should be the other way around.

I think. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Spiffy · Feb 24, 2006

( Don't most loaders stay parallel with the front wheels weather the front end oscillates or not? Unless the axle oscillates. I'll have to get on my old cut and see what it does.) 

Some of the machines I'd call CUTs it seems fall under small AG or perhaps UT better according to concurent threads, so I may be off base. However, I every loader I've operated, is mounted to the tractor's frame while the front axel is pinned in the center. Thus you'd have to angle the whole tractor [the front end is such a small percentage of the weight] to angle the bucket. Ironically, there have been a couple occasions where I'd wished for the opposite then.

Spiffy · Feb 24, 2006

( I thing that puts a lot of tension on that link and it broke the casing that the threaded rod end screws into. I do think it was a cheapo and I'll try another one because it is handy to be able to adjust to different situations. )

That's where I was afraid of trouble; unless you find a real heavy duty one; I'm thinking a little reinforcement in that area would be good planning. Perhaps slip a collar over it and weld it in place.

RegL · Feb 24, 2006

( ( Don't most loaders stay parallel with the front wheels weather the front end oscillates or not? Unless the axle oscillates. I'll have to get on my old cut and see what it does.) 

Some of the machines I'd call CUTs it seems fall under small AG or perhaps UT better according to concurent threads, so I may be off base. However, I every loader I've operated, is mounted to the tractor's frame while the front axel is pinned in the center. Thus you'd have to angle the whole tractor [the front end is such a small percentage of the weight] to angle the bucket. Ironically, there have been a couple occasions where I'd wished for the opposite then. )

There you go fabricators. Build a bucket that you can tip side to side with aux hyd. That might be handy digging out hill sides to.

BillCroasmun · Feb 26, 2006

( "am I the only one to notice or experience a negative issue with it?" )

I have the exact same issue Chad. My gravel drive needs a little work. Right now I have a slight crown with "bumps" in the middle and some shallow "pot holes" in the tracks so there are a few places I dig in due to my bucket following the front section.

The technique I use for snow removal helps with this (leaving the front lip up a few inches and letting the bucket ride on the back). This works pretty good for snow removal but when there's ice and I need to bite in with the front lip I experience quite a lot of the corners digging in like you. This year I will have another load of rock brought in and hope that I can level it good enough that I won't have as much of this problem next winter.

Spiffy · Feb 27, 2006

Thanks Bill!

At least now I know I'm not nuts [at least in respect to this /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ].

Perhaps, it will be another one of those 're-learning' things: "tractors operate that way, but PT is better this way." I've also considered a toothbar, which I think would help combat ice [not to mention all sorts of summer work], but it seems wrong going on the snow bucket (LMB) instead of my dirt bucket.

Oh, the quandries my feable mind creates for itself. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bob999 · Mar 1, 2006

I've also considered a toothbar, which I think would help combat ice 

I have used a tooth bar on a bucket with a skidsteer--about a 5000 lb machine. My experience was that when the ground is frozen hard that the tooth bar did't help much as compared to the bucket without the tooth bar.