Tooth bar uses?

[VTtractorguy]

Hi guys. I don't have my tractor yet and am working diligently to try to have it (either 2320 or 2520) by summers end. I hope this doesn’t sound dumb, but the only FEL experience I’ve had is with a rental for a few days… Regarding the toothbar option, what are the uses for it? I see obviously that it is a great help in picking stuff up but does it really turn the FEL into a digging machine? I’d love to get a BH but can’t afford it at this time. I just built a house and have a lot of landscaping to do such as scalping the grade down around the house in areas to make way for patios, decks, stonewalls, etc. Will the tooth bar help in this? And is the FEL designed to do digging and/or plowing without excessive wear on the 200CX frame & tractor? Thanks for helping a newbie…

Stewart

 

[jbrumberg]

VTtractorguy:

A toothbar allows you to dig into denser material easier than with just a cutting edge. I am able to dig into bark mulch, composted manure, 170 yards of dirt, and dig up rocks/boulders and small trees much easier. Scalping and grading down areas of your property should not be a problem. A nice combination is a FEL with a toothbar and a good boxblade. Using your anticipated tractor with common sense and keeping loads centered in the loader should not overload the FEL assembly and/or frame. Good luck ! Jay

 

[Chris2520]

A toothbar is a must for any tractor with a loader. and you can dig in some pretty hard stuff with it. I know i have. you would not be able to do it without it.

As jay said use common since. it is a tractor and not a bulldozer.
but i would say yes. you need a toothbar. you can really cut some ground with it. pop up stumps and bushes. dig under rocks. you need it.

Chris....

 

[JDFANATIC]

Toothbars really do make a difference:

 

[ragkar]

Another reason for the toothbar is the extra depth that it gives the bucket. See the jdfantic's picture on the post above this one. If he hadn't had the toothbar, he wouldn't have been able to pick up that concrete slab.
Another guy says that if you put one tooth under a tree root, it snaps easily.
An underrated accessory for lifting and carrying is forks. I just got back from fetching a 23" diam 23" long oak log. My bucket with toothbar couldn't handle it. But the forks fit easily under it. You'll want a rear counter weight if you plan on lifting heavy things. Oh yeah, forget the fixed forks, the so-called floating forks are a lot better.

 

[EdC]

VTtractorguy

A toothbar was important enough to me the very first implement I bought after purchasing the rear blade with the tractor was a toothbar. It helps a lot. I went from not being able to dig into a bank because it was so hard to getting almost a full bucket on the first go. I also use mine as rippers when I have the bucket facing downward at about 30 degrees and backdrag. Really loosens up the soil.

My opinion is that 7 teeth work a lot better than 5 but your mileage may very.

 

[jdbower]

A toothbar is also useful for brush removal, bushes can get caught between the teeth and uprooted without needing to resort to more drastic tools. I'd make sure that your toothbar is removable (as most seem to be) because the bucket without one is useful for smoothing out the ground after you rip it up or as a makeshift snow removal utility.

 

[Mayor]

The toothbar is a must have!!!

 

[jbrumberg]

The toothbar is a must have!!!

I will provide pictoral evidence of the utility of tooth bars. The first is an old posted picture. The second happened today. I discovered another use for toothbars today as well- you can strip lower branches off tree and shrubs before you push them over from various angles and then pull them out with the FEL hydraulics. I was able to pop a plumb and an apple tree today using this technique. By stripping the lower branches I possibly protected the radiator from branch reactive response . Jay

 

[jbrumberg]

There seems to be a lot of traffic on TBN tonight. The second picture: