Mowing Mowing: With your loader on or off?

[hazmat]

<font color="blue"> Thats interesting. Whats it like to deal w/ if the tractor and loader arent in the same plane? My dealer made it sound like a virtual impossibility to mate the two unless everything was perfect. </font>

50% of the time I drop mine in the garage. 50% in my not so flat gravel drive.

The garage is easier because the loader doesn't walk away on re-install because I drop it with the bucket against the garage wall.

Once I figured out the technique, re-install on the gravel drive isn't so bad. Start to put it on and dump the bucket as required to dig in so that the loader doesn't keep moving forward. Currect any mis alignment with left or right steering as you drive forward.

The most difficult is when I've left it out in the sun - the hydraulic fluid pressure builds with the rise in temp - makes re-attaching the quick connects a real bear.

I'd say that as long as the tractor & loader are within 5 degrees of each other around the "roll axis" (left right tipping) it will go on. It is much more tolerant of mis alignment on the "pitch axis" (front back tipping) You can level it by curling or dumping the bucket. It's up to your driving to align it on the yaw axis (left right - no tipping)

Less than 5 min on or off

 

[jinman]

Bob, I always take the loader off. Your 12LA is similar to the 16LA in geometry and should be almost as easy as dropping a QT bucket. For me, the longest time is spent putting the kickstand down because I replaced the pins with bolts after brush found a way to get the pins out and hide them in the woods. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I use a round concrete stepping stone under my kickstand, and remove the loader on a semi-level gravel pad. I'd say that when you get used to it, taking off the loader and putting it back on is as easy as hooking an implement onto the 3PH. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[GareyD]

I use the L3430 to bushhog for several of the widowed neighbors...I usually only get time to do each once a year, so the weeds are mostly over head high.

I put the loader down with the bucket curled up and have instant "Curb Feelers". Before they passed, the old men probably knew where that hay ring, hand dug well, old cattle waterer were and moved/mowed around them. I hate finding them with the front bumper or the blades.

I even found an old confederate cemetery while mowing for one neighbor...she'd forgot it was even there until I mentioned it /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

GareyD

 

[bandit67]

Does anyone cap off the hydraulic couplers that stay on the tractor when you remove the loader? I am concerned about grass, dust, etc. coating the couplers, but my machine didn't come with caps. I was planning on going to Lowe's or Home Depot to see if I could find some plastic caps of some sort to put on when the loader's off. The first time I used duct tape, but that's a bit of a pain. I think some of the manufacturers supply the caps with their machines.

 

[hazmat]

You'd have better luck at your tractor dealer finding caps. They make them specifically for the hydraulic fittings. Shouldn't be too much money.

 

[Yankee]

I always cap them.

 

[Yankee]

"Once I figured out the technique, re-install on the gravel drive isn't so bad. Start to put it on and dump the bucket as required to dig in so that the loader doesn't keep moving forward. Currect any mis alignment with left or right steering as you drive forward."

That's pretty much what I've found, too. I can also "horse" the loader around a bit by hand without too much effort (mind you, this is a 24hp tractor, not a big tractor) to correct slight misalignments.

 

[jimg]

Wow! Guess Ill give dropping the loader on my gravel drive a go then. Thanx for all the infos. BTW I probably will still mow w/ it on b/c it keeps the front end on the ground and Id rather not srping for weights right now. Thanx again!

 

[jwstewar]

Whenever I do take my loader off it is usually in the grass as I don't have any concrete other then the 4x16 side walk leading up to the deck on the house - not the ideal place to remove a loader. Where I usually take it off at is pretty level so it isn't too big of deal, but I have taken it off where there was quite a bit of difference - a little harder, but wasn't impossible.

As far as caps go, I ordered some for mine a few weeks ago. When I ordered "caps for the loader" that is what I got. Caps for the loader side /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif. Now I guess I need to go back and order plugs for the tractor. I think I'm going to the dealer on Friday so I'll see if I can get those ordered. Before I reconnect I always take one of the blue shop paper towels and wipe off around/inside of them good. I would still rather try to keep the nasty stuff out though.

 

[AndyMA]

I almost never remove my loaders. I don't finish mow, so the only time I mow is with a brush hog. The bucket helps level stuff before I run it over.

Andy