Ways to slow down Front End Loader

[Colonel Monk]

Howdy:

1985 Kubota L2250 with FEL

I finally built an adapter frame for 7.5 ft Western Plow to FEL bucket.

Working well so far on the snowplowing front, but lowering the plow to the ground is fast and touchy. While the FEL control has the ability to lower a load with finesse when you're not moving, it's difficult to do when moving over bumpy terrain.... Need the bucket to remain at a fixed angle for the plow to work properly, so bucket lift = plow lift. The bucket needs to remain off the ground the right amount so the plow floats with the terrain but doesn't put any downforce on the plow.

Would adding a flow control at the cylinder be the best way to slow this? Any unforseen complications from doing this?

Thanks,

CM

 

[ericm979]

You could add an adjustable one way flow control so it restricts flow out of the cylinders as the loader is lowering. You can put it up by the loader valve.

I have one on my loader's dump function to reduce bucket flop. I can reach it from the seat (with the loader raised some) to adjust it. I also used them on my backhoe's boom to reduce it's abrupt motions (the valve doesn't feather well). I used these: 1/4 NPT 5 GPM Prince WFC-4 In-Line Flow Control | Flow Control Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com

 

[RNeumann]

I think you need to go back to the drawing board. Typically a FEL mounted blade has shoes. The blade shoes are placed on the ground with the FEL’s float position and the the cut depth is determined by curl.

 

[Colonel Monk]

You could add an adjustable one way flow control so it restricts flow out of the cylinders as the loader is lowering. You can put it up by the loader valve.

I have one on my loader's dump function to reduce bucket flop. I can reach it from the seat (with the loader raised some) to adjust it. I also used them on my backhoe's boom to reduce it's abrupt motions (the valve doesn't feather well). I used these: 1/4 NPT 5 GPM Prince WFC-4 In-Line Flow Control | Flow Control Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com

Thanks Eric - I was looking at the same flow controls in a larger size - I need to go down to workshop and take a closer look what size fittings and see if the manual has specs on flow..... When you say one way, do you mean the lift would still be regular flow? That would be ideal....

SC mtns eh? I lived there for quite a few years, Bear Creek, Bonny Doon, Scotts Valley..... Where you located?

Thanks for the tip.

CM

 

[Colonel Monk]

I think you need to go back to the drawing board. Typically a FEL mounted blade has shoes. The blade shoes are placed on the ground with the FEL痴 float position and the the cut depth is determined by curl.

This is an older setup, no float on the FEL, so the plow's float comes from it pivoting on the mount I built, like it would on a pickup truck.

The plow does have plow shoes, and my plow mount has "skates" on it under the bucket - but their purpose is to keep the frame elevated so I can drive the bucket under the frame when attaching it. I made them so if the bucket does make contact with the ground they won't dig in too much, but they're not tough enough to support riding on them all the time....

Without float, you can't make contact with the ground with this FEL bucket without creating downforce.... This is why it's going to run best with plow on the ground and bucket not on the ground... Just need to slow the control down to make finding that spot a little easier....

 

[Colonel Monk]

Couple Pics, both on and off the tractor.



Others that have adapted truck plows have used a similar setup, using the plow's chain to lift it off the ground. Necessary? maybe not, but using the chain I don't have the hydro cylinder pins in contact with the frame....

The chain binder is how I attach to bucket. Wrap loop of chain around and pull tight.

CM

 

[ruffdog]

With that much weight so far ahead of the FEL lift cylinders, I think it is normal that it gets "touchy".

 

[Colonel Monk]

With that much weight so far ahead of the FEL lift cylinders, I think it is normal that it gets "touchy".

Agreed, there's nothing much abnormal about it, considering....

You are usually not dropping a bucket full of dirt or other from 1 foot off the ground and wanting it to stop 3 inches from the ground.. It's not that heavy, but probably 300 to 400 lb cantilevered out...

Calming the flow seems reasonable....

TB

 

[ericm979]

The one way valve only meters in one direction- the other is wide open. By letting the full flow go into the cylinder and restricting the outflow there's not going to be cavitation like there could be with restricted inflow. I'm not sure it makes a difference but I needed to decide on a direction and that made the most sense to me. While my Branson's non steering flow is 10gpm I think the loader cylinders see significantly less, judging from the hose size. I have to turn the adjuster knob in a ways before I notice a change so I think my guess was right. Too large a valve with make the useable adjustment range narrow. I put the valve in line where the rubber hoses connect to hard lines with JIC fittings. If I want I can return it to stock. Your loader is different of course but maybe something similar will work.

 

[RickB]

I think you need to go back to the drawing board. Typically a FEL mounted blade has shoes. The blade shoes are placed on the ground with the FELç—´ float position and the the cut depth is determined by curl.

I disagree. If the blade is to be angled the push frame has to be kept parallel to the ground or slightly lower in the rear than the front. The best arrangement has a chain to set the blade tilt and the bucket cylinders are not connected to the plow at all. For most applications running the loader lift in float will guarantee fully retracting the lift cylinders when a hard push is encountered which will eliminate steering control and raise the front wheels off the ground.