Driving tractor with the front end loader bucket elevated .

[RidgeTopWVA]

why even have the bucket on in first place...you can't see where your're going....

Just speaking for myself I can see fine , with my particular tractor the bucket has been on my tractor for 21 yrs , my tractor would be of little value to me myself with out the bucket along with 4WD and hydro transmission and a Fransguard skidding winch on the back but I cannot speak for anyone else. I have a 4 in 1 bucket and it is very essential to me .
Again that is what works for me with my particular needs.

 

[BubbaLouie]

I have noticed some people driving there tractors with the front end loader bucket about 3' to 4'ft
off of the ground while mowing or brush hogging and I am wondering why some people do so . I always keep the bucket low to the ground .

If you're bush hogging, and near a fence, having the FEL up keeps it from smacking the fence when you turn. It goes over the fence. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[RidgeTopWVA]

If you're bush hogging, and near a fence, having the FEL up keeps it from smacking the fence when you turn. It goes over the fence. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[SwingOak]

As others have said, I will raise the bucket up for two reasons - to clear fencposts and avoid knocking seed heads and clogging up the radiator and transmission cooler. Otherwise, I take the bucket off, but will still keep if higher around fence posts and above the tops of the grass.

I did brush hog a new field a couple of years ago, made sure I mowed early the first time so the grass was low and ran the bucket on the ground tilted back a little and in float. Found big rocks, a tire or two, cinder blocks, and some fenceposts and car parts with the bucket instead of the mower.

 

[Ed Weber]

I see people driving with the bucket up all the time and all I can say is they don't understand.
The examples above for pushing down grass are intentional and provide a function but you see people just tooling along with the bucket 5'-6' in the air for no reason.
If you can't see over it or don't know where it is, either take it off or get off the tractor.
Most times mowing I do the same as scootr. SSQA takes less than a minute to remove.

 

[diesel85]

When I was very young, a fellow down the street was bush hogging their property. They had their loader raised all the way up and one of their front tires went into a hidden hole, and the tractor tipped over.

The operator got lucky and only ended up with a broken rib and a broken arm.

He said it happened like slow motion, all he knew is that the tractor started rolling over and blacked out after that.

When doing a lot of farming, I tested this to see if it really happens, and yep, the tractor gets unbalanced when that loader is all the way up even with nothing in it. Same with my BX. While I never rolled over, I knew that 1/2 way lifted is the max you want unless you were actually doing loader work.

I mow with my loader on, and I only lift it when I need to get around objects and take it easy on the turns. After, I lower it back down.

 

[beenthere]

I have noticed some people driving there tractors with the front end loader bucket about 3' to 4'ft
off of the ground while mowing or brush hogging and I am wondering why some people do so . I always keep the bucket low to the ground .

Depends, IMO, what you are mowing and what you want the bucket to do or not do for you.
I wouldn't worry about what others are doing, but figure out what I want the bucket to do ahead of my tractor. Could be knock down dead limbs, or allow me to see what is ahead if the bucket is up. Usually mine is low enough I can see over it, but it all depends on what is or might be out front.

 

[Jstpssng]

I'm one of the few many who have got stuck and needed the bucket to curl myself backward out of the hole

You made a slight error, but I fixed it for you. On a couple of occasions I've had to put a chain on the bucket with the other end on a tree... NOT a safe practice if the chain breaks or the weld on the bucket hook lets go.

 

[diesel85]

You made a slight error, but I fixed it for you. On a couple of occasions I've had to put a chain on the bucket with the other end on a tree... NOT a safe practice if the chain breaks or the weld on the bucket hook lets go.

I've done the old axle trick with the chain and tree to get unstuck. That works really well. No need to carry a winch.

 

[bearthebruce]

We mow a pretty steep hill - 15 acres.. First time mowing, we did not have a FEL. Like someone else, we were hoggin 10' material - could not see what was on the ground nor how the ground was shaped.

Went super slow..

Found lots of scarey stuff in the field. The previous owner had a passion for rock piles. He made them about 18" above the ground. You might say they were fun surprises to find!

The next year we put a FEL on the tractor and ran the field with the bucket low and curled for stability on the hills and as a braille method to find those damn rock piles.

By the third year, had a great idea of the lay of the field and wanted better vision. Dropped the bucket from the SSQA but wanted some weight out front on the arms so we run the fork frame without forks. Gives just the right stability and still allows the braille method when needed. As I am training others to run the field so I don't do all the mowing, I always suggest the fork frame be 12" off the ground. Doing so keeps them from trouble on the rock piles on a steep hill.

Arms up high? Not on these hills. Arms are put up around fences and speed is reduced to Turttle-1! We do not operate with arms up on hills. Ask how we learned... tippy tractors cause a lot seat pucker.

 

[oosik]

Seems like I'm always moving something heavy. Big rock or pine tree trunk. Back when I had the Ford 1700 I was moving a single large rock in the bucket. Front tire dropped into a hole or depression. It happened so quick - no time to think or react. Fortunately - I was using my "knuckle dragging" technique. Carry the load so low - it leaves drag marks in the dirt as I move forward.

The tractor dropped and pitched to the right. The low bucket caught the tractor and gave me time to make corrections. I was crossing my east meadow - it's almost flat as a pool table. It's the unseen that will do you dirt.

 

[FERLING]

I try to stay low. I have to lift it to get through gates when the fork is loaded, however. When I carry a lot of debris, the FEL is usually a couple of feet off the ground to prevent things hanging off of it from catching on weeds and things.

My most fun experience with the FEL came while using a rope to pull shrubs. The rope was not centered, and when the FEL went up, the tractor started rolling onto the side with the rope. The speed of the roll was impressive.

Impressive!

 

[FERLING]

We mow a pretty steep hill - 15 acres.. First time mowing, we did not have a FEL. Like someone else, we were hoggin 10' material - could not see what was on the ground nor how the ground was shaped.

Went super slow..

Found lots of scarey stuff in the field. The previous owner had a passion for rock piles. He made them about 18" above the ground. You might say they were fun surprises to find!

The next year we put a FEL on the tractor and ran the field with the bucket low and curled for stability on the hills and as a braille method to find those damn rock piles.

By the third year, had a great idea of the lay of the field and wanted better vision. Dropped the bucket from the SSQA but wanted some weight out front on the arms so we run the fork frame without forks. Gives just the right stability and still allows the braille method when needed. As I am training others to run the field so I don't do all the mowing, I always suggest the fork frame be 12" off the ground. Doing so keeps them from trouble on the rock piles on a steep hill.

Arms up high? Not on these hills. Arms are put up around fences and speed is reduced to Turttle-1! We do not operate with arms up on hills. Ask how we learned... tippy tractors cause a lot seat pucker.

Yep - picking tractor seat cushion out of your rear is no fun.

 

[JimR]

Maybe mowing real tall stuff and don't want the bucket pushing it down. Perhaps better sightline - looking UNDER the bucket. OR they simply don't realize the increased dangers.

People mow with the bucket up for better view of what is it the tall grass. Also when cutting into a corner so that the bucket is up and out of the way. There is no danger mowing with the bucket up. I have been doing that for over 20 years. There might be a danger it you had a full load in the bucket or mowing on a steep side hill.

 

[BrightBerry]

Also gives critters who might be lurking in your path a few extra seconds to get out.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Keeping the bucket low when shredding tends to fold over whatever you are mowing and loosen any seeds or chaff which immediately gets sucked into the radiator or rad screen.

I think it knocks it off before it can get in the screen.

 

[charlessenf]

I am wondering why some people do so

It's likely situational. But he best people to ask are the folks you see doing it that way. Good chance they'd know the answer.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I'm sure it also depends on your specific tractor and loader configuration.

On mine, when my bucket is hovering low above the ground, it is entirely below the line of sight over the hood. In other words, taking the bucket or loader off the tractor makes diddly squat difference for the visual angle to the ground in front of me. I'm sure others equipment would be different in that aspect.

Probably one of the reasons I've never wanted (or needed) to take the FEL off.

 

[arentol]

I have noticed some people driving there tractors with the front end loader bucket about 3' to 4'ft
off of the ground while mowing or brush hogging and I am wondering why some people do so . I always keep the bucket low to the ground .

I keep mine up because it makes it easier to see where I am going. Also, since my land is uneven at points, with sharp rises and dips, if I don't raise it up I can accidentally jam the FEL into the ground and dig out a big chunk of earth, or get it stuck and risk damage to the tractor. You only need this to happen once or twice to stop keeping the bucket low.

 

[LD1]

I mow for hire. Lot of repeat but always new customers and new lots/fields.

I never mow with the loader on. Not just the bucket, I remove the whole loader. The tractor feels like a whole different animal without the loader. Tight, nimble, no loader bouncing around, smoother ride, etc.

But questioning a 3' high loader.....seems to me thats just about normal transport height to me?