Mowing Mowing with the loader off?

[shvl73]

I keep the bucket low but curled so anything it hits it will ride over. I'm not sure I understand the argument of not using the loader this way. If the obstacle was so big that it would stop the tractor if you hit it with the loader, just think what it would do if you hit it with the mower or your front drive train?

I would think if you hit something so large it stops the tractor we should be notifying the DMV! Time for a re-test!

I did the same when learning where the obstacles were. Seems to work well.
I did find a basketball sized rock at the top of a small rise. The bucket cleared it because of the incline, the blades did not. This was also where I learned about slip clutch adjustment and why it should be checked. The new blades are working out well.

 

[shvl73]

I don't have a great place to take it off. No concrete pad or anything. I have some level spots in front of the cabin, but then the loader is in the 'yard'. And, if it is damp, the loader stands sink down a little, then its a real pain to get back on.

If you have a small scrap of plywood to put under the stand, it helps to keep it from sinking into the soft areas.

 

[texbaylea]

I have two hydraulic circuits brought forward with the QDs mounted on the spreader but I also have additional QDs back at the frame. That gives me 8 hoses to disconnect plus I don't have a good level place to drop the loader. As a consequence I just drop the bucket when mowing. I don't have rocks to worry about and all stumps large enough to cause problems have been left tall for later digging out.

Vernon

 

[MikeD74T]

I would never use the loader to find stumps. Even at a very slow pace that is hard on a loader/tractor. That is a lot of weight to bring to a dead stop. Just my opinion. murph

I agree, much better to use the oil pan or a hydraulic filter, something that will give a little, to find rocks.

Sorry, just could not resist.
I keep the bucket low & curled back in unknown territory, remove the FEL on known ground.

 

[RobJ]

I agree, much better to use the oil pan or a hydraulic filter, something that will give a little, to find rocks.

Sorry, just could not resist.
I keep the bucket low & curled back in unknown territory, remove the FEL on known ground.

I like mowing without a FEL because I don't have one.

But I do borrow my neighbors Ford 4630 with a FEL every now and then. It makes it easy to trim the trees, raise FEL, knock off the lower limbs, then mulch. Next tree.

 

[DCS]

I mow with the FEL on. It comes in handy when I have to shove something out of the way. I also like to use it especially on the first pass when the weeds are so tall you can't really see what you are about to run into.

 

[_RaT_]

I mow with the FEL on. It comes in handy when I have to shove something out of the way. I also like to use it especially on the first pass when the weeds are so tall you can't really see what you are about to run into.

I suppose the question then becomes, how frequently are you shoving stuff out of the way while mowing? If this is an ongoing ordeal, perhaps you need a thorough cleaning of all the junk in the field your mowing. I like to get an area cleared and then deal with the mowing. Of course out here where we live, you need to get the field cleared of rocks and junk because once July, August hit, the grass is pretty dry and a blade striking a rock can be a problem that results in a fire. For most mowing circumstances in established areas, a loader is nothing but a detriment.

 

[DCS]

I suppose the question then becomes, how frequently are you shoving stuff out of the way while mowing? If this is an ongoing ordeal, perhaps you need a thorough cleaning of all the junk in the field your mowing. I like to get an area cleared and then deal with the mowing. Of course out here where we live, you need to get the field cleared of rocks and junk because once July, August hit, the grass is pretty dry and a blade striking a rock can be a problem that results in a fire. For most mowing circumstances in established areas, a loader is nothing but a detriment.

I don't use it all that much for shoving things out of the way, but I have a few times. I have used it to move several down trees and large limbs over a little so that I could mow the weeds that have grown up around them since the last person who mowed went around them. I don't guess that I had to do that, but the customer can now get in there better with a chain saw.

 

[_RaT_]

I don't use it all that much for shoving things out of the way, but I have a few times. I have used it to move several down trees and large limbs over a little so that I could mow the weeds that have grown up around them since the last person who mowed went around them. I don't guess that I had to do that, but the customer can now get in there better with a chain saw.

We live in a area that has a few hundred acres of common area that needs bi-annual mowing. Our problem is that in early summer, everything can get fairly dry. Its important for us to have a good understanding of the area and that it is basically clear of rocks, steel, and other things that can start a fire with a blade strike. We use a hydraulic mower on a CAT skid steer. We do walk and use a loader to help determine that an area is clear. Its nice to get an area to that point where the risk of hitting objects is minimized. Rat...

 

[DCS]

We live in a area that has a few hundred acres of common area that needs bi-annual mowing. Our problem is that in early summer, everything can get fairly dry. Its important for us to have a good understanding of the area and that it is basically clear of rocks, steel, and other things that can start a fire with a blade strike. We use a hydraulic mower on a CAT skid steer. We do walk and use a loader to help determine that an area is clear. Its nice to get an area to that point where the risk of hitting objects is minimized. Rat...

I do have several repeat pastures that I mow and have gotten to know and are cleaned, your right, it is nice just to mow knowing it is fairly safe. New pastures I do walk....some, but not the whole thing. It's really fun when you get to mow over several T-Post that just happen to be laying around or a pile of bricks or tires or 4x6's or and the list goes on......