TBN is awesome.

[RichS]

Have just got done searching for some info. on HST operation. There is so much info in the past posts it is mind boggling... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
My specific concern was what RPM to use when doing fairly heavy FEL work. As I really didn't want to constantly run at or around PTO RPM's [2700] I was running around 1900-2000 and just didn't seem to have much Ummph!
But in reading past posts, see that need to at least go higher in the RPM range.
Found other tips while searching. Great Site!!!


Rich S.

 

[Bird]

Rich, like you, I usually work with the FEL at 1700-2200 rpm, but there are occasionally times when it just isn't enough power. I recently lifted a 454 Chev engine, with transmission attached, to set it into an old Suburban and had to go full throttle to get it high enough.

Bird

 

[dmccarty]

RichS,

I usually set the RPMs around 1600 to 1800 when doing FEL work. The nice think about the JDs, at least on the 4700, is it has the peddle throttle on the floor. If I need the extra umph, I just hit the peddle, which generally gives me that extra lift and push from the tires. If your tractor has the peddle throttle on the floor don't forget to use it! Its very nice when you need to spike up the RPMS for a short burst of power.

Later...
Dan

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Bird,

You've given me yet another use for FEL /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

SHF

 

[RichS]

Dan,
I've got the 4300 HST. No extra throttle on the floor. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif I've only used Gear previously, and that was 10 years ago, which is as you state, extra throttle pedal on the floor but never did any FEL work. This is my first time using a loader.
HST definitely needs getting used to. I still feel strange having the motor blasting away at 1800-2000 RPM's just moving it around. I have some steep hills and motor kept lugging way down, if I had it just idling. Crank up the RPM's and goes like a trooper.
I do most of my FEL work in the low range. Pretty slow but so am I right now. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Rich S.

 

[dmccarty]

Rich,

The thing I have learned about using the FEL is that the slower I go, I do more work faster. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Not a great English sentence but true for me. I'm using the FEL to push up timber slash and trees into burn piles or to make trails. And the slower I go the faster I get things done. If you are using the FEL for other things then the go slow approach will likely not apply.

I don't know how it would translate into an HST but I generally run the tractor in A range(lowest) and in first gear when I using the 4700 as a bulldozer. The Tiltmeter shows that I'm almost always on a 5 degree slope. So I need to go slow not only because I'm trying use the tractor as a bulldozer but I can hit a stump, rock, hole, log, etc., and got from 5 degrees to something bad very quickly. In first gear A range I'm going slow enough that I can feel the wheel starting to climb or drop into something.

Be careful on them thar slopes......
Dan

 

[RichS]

<font color=blue> The thing I have learned about using the FEL is that the slower I go, I do more work faster. </font color=blue>

Isn't that true with a good many things! Generally a lot less re-work!

Also going slow allows you to see and re-act when those limbs pop over the bucket and head for the radiator.
I am using mine for cleaning up after the mess I make clearing trees as well as some dirt work on building a road and drainage ditch. A back-hoe would make quick work of the drainage ditch, but I have never run one of those either, and the seat time working with the loader is quite enjoyable.
Yes. being very careful on the slopes, my pucker tolerance is pretty low right now.


Rich S.

 

[dmccarty]

Rich,

Not only do you need to worry about the radiator, make sure you try, and try is kinda hard sometime, to prevent stuff from running under the tractor as well. Especially branches that have sharp bends. Branches with bends have a habit of popping UP when a tire runs over them. And if the branch is UNDER the tractor UP is bad thing! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Also watch the left side of the tractor where the exhaust pipe pops out from the engine compartment. A piece of wood, especially the bending pieces can do the Poke Up and hit the exhaust pipe. If your pipe is like my pipe this can cause the tube to push the plastic shroud around the engine fan. And the pipe pushes the shroud which nudges the fan. This causes three noises and stops another.

Three Noises....
1 - The fan hitting the shroud noise.
2 - The tractor operator ruining a pair of underwear.
3 - The tractor operator cussing and swearing.

The NonNoise.
1 - Tractor operator's heart stopping.

/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bendy branches can also work there way behind the bucket but in front of the horizontal metal tube that runs between the two arms of the FEL. That branch can then bend said metal tube.

I speak from experience! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

So if watch out for bendy wood! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif When I'm cutting up stuff with the chainsaw, stuff that will touch the tractor I cut into 6-10 foot lengths. This makes it easy to push up piles. Long wood means you end up with long windrows instead of piles. Anything with a bend or a fork gets cut so that the fork and bend no longer exist. I cut out the forks in branches since the have a habit of grabbing ME which is a bad thing when walking around with a chainsaw...... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

You might also want to consider getting a Tiltmeter to mount on the tractor. I just used the double sided tape and put it on the right FEL vertical support. I found that my butt pretty much knew when the slope was ok and when the slope was not OK but the Tiltmeter verified that my butt was right! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif AND I have used it when pushing some limits VERY VERY VERY slowly rotary cutting on a slope while my wheels were in a ditch. NOT fun but I did it REAL slow and only allowed the meter to get to 10 degrees maybe 15 and then it was out we GO!

The other thing I do when playing bulldozer is to not allow the branches and such to touch the front tires. When things start to wrap back to the tires I reverse out and push another place. Watch those tire valves. I have not lost one yet but other people have.......

Hope all this helps....
Dan

 

[RichS]

Dan,
Some good tips here. Already ripped one wire off for the Speed Control because of one of those pesky bendy branches that I ran over. Get out the electrical tape and wire tie to put it up out of the way even more. (As it wasn't hanging down much before!)
Figured it would take a pretty big branch to bend that tube between the FEL arms. Guess not if you bent yours on, I assume, the 460 loader.
I try not to run over too much but will be even more careful as I really don't want some of these noises /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif to be emitted from my little buddy. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I am not pushing very large stuff right now as am keeping most of the limbs down to 2-3 inches for firewood. Gets kind of tedious sometimes but it gives the kids something to pick up. Probably burning more money for the gas/oil for the chainsaw then I am saving by keeping the wood. Oh well.

Thanks for the posts and it does help!


Rich S.

 

[mlmartin]

I set the RPMs to 1500 for most FEL work on my JD 870 and hit the floor throttle to goose up the action when required. Except when I'm working on slopes. Then I use the floor throttle exclusively for safety.

Matthew

 

[dmccarty]

Rick,

I forgot to mention the backhoe operation. I have a JD48. It was hard making the decision to spend the money but I have enough work to do with a hoe that it makes money sense. But it still hurt buying the 48. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif It pretty easy to use the backhoe if you can rent one. I like the JD controls. Some of the older commercial backhoes I have seen had for seperate controls to operate. Yuck. The JD's are very simple. I just read the manual, visualized moving the various parts of the backhoe while moving my hands as if they were the controls. My wife thought I was nuts but it only took me 10-15 minutes to get decent control. Course it takes a few more hours to be able to feather the controls but this stuff ain't rocket science.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I do have a 460 and a small root off a stump bent that pipe. He was bendy! Watch out for the bendy pieces! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

When you are pushing this stuff and the small stuff I think is the more dangerous to you and the tractor since its so much harder to see, just keep you head on a swivel and try to watch everything you can around the tractor. Especially with kids. Don't forget to look UP. I have quite a few window makers on my property that I have to watch. Sometimes strong winds clean them up and sometimes strong winds make new ones.... /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

If I went much faster than A range 2-3rd gear I'm sure I would have broken something by now. I'm working in the woods or ex woods and there is just so much opportunity to mess up me or the tractor.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Hope this helps...
Dan

 

[RichS]

I would love to get a backhoe but not in the budget. The drainage ditch is only 100-125 feet long so couple of days work for most people. Couple of weekends for me. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

I generally pull the wood out, cut it in one place, my own little landing, the kids take it from there with the lawn tractor and trailer and pile it in the woodsheds or the splitting pile, while I go back in the woods to clean up the mess.
I only cut down and pull out a couple of trees at a time. See I told you I was pretty slow!

Rich S.

 

[RobS]

<font color=blue>Then I use the floor throttle exclusively for safety</font color=blue>

I've found the floor throttle to be too touchy for safety. If I'm using it and hit a bump just right my foot will slip and give it a quick shot of throttle. I do use it a lot with the FEL though, but mostly on flat ground /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[mlmartin]

I don't have much of the problem you describe, though more hysteresis on the throttle would reduce it. I'm usually in 1st gear, second range on slopes so a few hundred RPM one way or the other doesn't affect speed all that much. I find that 1500 RPM in that gear is too fast for the steep slopes I have to deal with. I find any gear in first range is too slow for FEL work.

There are times when an HSTs advantages are obvious. I just hope I don't find that there are no "right" gears for snowblowing this winter.

Matthew

 

[dmccarty]

Rich,

You might want to check the prices of backhoe rentals in your area. http://www.hertzequip.com has a huge list of equipment as well as prices. It does this by your zip code. However it was not working an hour or so ago. I think they have some problems on the site because I tried them Friday and they were kaput as well.

I you have a lot of work to do it might make sense to rent the equipment.

Later...
Dan