What is Float with the FEL?

[Gobblin Tom]

I have had my 2520 for a while now and have been reading a lot about the Float feature. Is this on every tractor? How do you know?

 

[jdboy4410]

not all FEL's have that feature.if you have that feature,when you place the loader in the full down position,push the control leaver completely forward,it should then lock into position.this enables the loader to,"float",without having any down pressure on the loader.this is a nice feature for doing grading work.

 

[Gobblin Tom]

not all FEL's have that feature.if you have that feature,when you place the loader in the full down position,push the control leaver completely forward,it should then lock into position.this enables the loader to,"float",without having any down pressure on the loader.this is a nice feature for doing grading work.

So I just put the bucket flat? I'm not sure I have this on my 2520?

 

[k0ua]

Push the control lever further forward than you usually do to lower the boom, you will feel a "detent". In other words it sticks there and stays. Do it fast as the boom is going down, so you do not lift the front end under pressure. As the other poster said there is no down pressure in the float position. it floats up and down and follows the terrain. It is often used with backdragging (and other things) look at this video, one video is worth 10,000 words

Kubota L3400HST back dragging - Tractor Videos - Kubota, John Deere, New Holland and More

Here I am smoothing out some gravel.

James K0UA

 

[whistlepig]

I am not familiar with a 2520. My Kubota has a "float" position on the FEL lever. If you do have float you need to find that out. If your FEL bucket is raised all the way and you engage the "float" your bucket will drop like a rock.

 

[9973720wb19]

put your bucket on the ground then do a quick snap forward with your control...you should feel it catch and stay in that position -

 

[billb3]

If you push the SCV forward ( I give mine a bit of a quick stab and then let go) it'll click and the bucket will float down and drag on the ground with no force but its own weight.

Do it with the bucket up off the ground the first couple times you try it to feel the SCV click and watch the bucket drop.

Course if you lift the front wheels off the ground, it didn't click.

 

[whistlepig]

put your bucket on the ground then do a quick snap forward with your control...you should feel it catch and stay in that position -

That's the way it works on my tractor.

 

[Gobblin Tom]

Does anyone have a 2520 that does this? I have to take my FEL off tomorrow to cut grass I will try this out....

 

[jdboy4410]

i place the loader on the ground and then just give the lever a quick motion forward to engage the detent.if you try to engage the detent with the loader in the air,it will slam to the ground.it relieves all hydraulic pressure to enable it to float.never tried to use the curl or dump feature when in float position,but i imagine they would still work.not necessary to use those when you are grading anyway.more than likely you have this feature,with the engine off,and all the hydraulic pressure off,just push the loader lever all the way forward,you should feel it click into the detent and when it does,the loader lever will stay in that position.to release it,just pull the lever back out of the detent,and it will return to normal operation.very easy to use feature.

 

[k0ua]

i place the loader on the ground and then just give the lever a quick motion forward to engage the detent.if you try to engage the detent with the loader in the air,it will slam to the ground.it relieves all hydraulic pressure to enable it to float.never tried to use the curl or dump feature when in float position,but i imagine they would still work.not necessary to use those when you are grading anyway.

Does the JD loaders really slam to the ground? my Kubota does not. It would take 2 to 2.5 seconds to go to ground from full height. (why you would do that I dont know) but on the video I posted you can see I float the loader while still traveling forward and it takes a fraction of a second for it to hit the ground. You can hear the oil moving thru the valve as a "hissing sound"

James K0UA

 

[whistlepig]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/97710-how-do-you-engage-front.html

 

[ragkar]

In this respect, I think that your 2520 is just like my 2320. Unlike the 3ph which lifts but does not apply down pressure, the fel will apply both up and down pressure. When your are parking, engine off, it's a good idea to float the front bucket as it will zero out any hydraulic pressure in your lines. That hydraulic pressure is bad for the seals and may cause leaks.
As others have said, just push the joy stick forwards until you go over the detent. You don't have to level the bucket, Some people like to have the bucket tilted forwards so rain water doesn't collect in it. Just push past the detent and the bucket will sink to the ground.
It's important to float if you are using the bucket to clear snow. Otherwise the lip will gouge out irregularities in your asphalt or gravel. If you are using the plow attachment with a rubber edge for snow, you have to use float to prevent excessive wear on the rubber lip. It costs $70 to replace.

 

[KubotaEd]

When pushing snow on gravel you really need to use the "float" position and I also tilt the bucket up just a very little bit, that way it does not dig into the gravel, and yet it gets nearly all the snow.

 

[whistlepig]

Does the JD loaders really slam to the ground? my Kubota does not. It would take 2 to 2.5 seconds to go to ground from full height. (why you would do that I dont know) but on the video I posted you can see I float the loader while still traveling forward and it takes a fraction of a second for it to hit the ground. You can hear the oil moving thru the valve as a "hissing sound"

James K0UA

Have you tried this with a full bucket of dirt?

 

[pdp11]

When the tractor was new, it almost felt like I was breaking something in the SCV when I pushed it forward to the float position. After using it a while, it felt more like a detent, and became easier and smoother to operate.

 

[Gobblin Tom]

When the tractor was new, it almost felt like I was breaking something in the SCV when I pushed it forward to the float position. After using it a while, it felt more like a detent, and became easier and smoother to operate.

So mine should have it on the 2520, I am going to give it a try tomorrow!!!!

 

[k0ua]

Have you tried this with a full bucket of dirt?

Oh without a doubt it would hit the ground hard and fast loaded. No I have never tried it with anything in the bucket. I have always used it empty either for backdragging or pushing snow.

James K0UA

 

[whistlepig]

Oh without a doubt it would hit the ground hard and fast loaded. No I have never tried it with anything in the bucket. I have always used it empty either for backdragging or pushing snow.

James K0UA

I am concerned that the OP doesn't know this. Not knowing the float feature could be a concern if he accidentally hits the float with a full bucket and the loader fully raised.

 

[k0ua]

I am concerned that the OP doesn't know this. Not knowing the float feature could be a concern if he accidentally hits the float with a full bucket and the loader fully raised.

Ah-ha..got it.

James K0UA