Back dragging: how aggressive?

[Smokeydog]

My heavier duty buckets have a better heel for back dragging. Particularly like the skidsteer long bottom bucket on the M59. Usually a piece of angle iron welded to the back of the bucket.

I can smooth better back dragging with the heel than the blade. Less stress on the loader too.

 

[kevin37b]

Amazing !

 

[airbiscuit]

When Bobcat first started selling to contractors, they had to train them to backdrag with the front (hardened) cutting edge, not the heel of the bucket. They were wearing away the back of the bucket.

 

[IndyIan]

That's certainly safer, but also less effective. FWIW the Messics video shows him lifting his wheels at least some of the time. I do have float, and use it when it's effective enough.

I usually back drag in float mode, some times with the bucket 15deg from vertical.... I go pretty slow and do multiple passes because its easy to do with the HST. Haven't bent anything yet on the loader.

 

[SmallChange]

I usually back drag in float mode, some times with the bucket 15deg from vertical.... I go pretty slow and do multiple passes

I did a bunch more work on this project today. I guess I thought the high 90s made for nice working conditions or something. Anyway, what you say is about where I am lately, mostly. Or occasionally I'll lift the wheels but make the angle more gradual.

 

[TimberFarm]

Back dragging for years and never an issue.
back drag with the heal or the blade. Whatever the condition warrants.
If I use the heal I will fill the bucket so there is some weight to help smooth things out rather than float over top of peaks and valleys.

 

[nyone]

If your not dealing with hitting things that dont move like large rocks and roots theres a minimal chance to bend something. Go slow either way.

 

[SmallChange]

If I use the heal I will fill the bucket so there is some weight

Wow - for some reason this never occurred to me!

 

[bdhsfz6]

I think this depends on the tractor and how aggressive you are.

I maintain 1.25 miles of private road and a half mile of driveway, mostly by back dragging. As a result, the cutting edge of my bucket is usually sharp enough to shave with. I've been doing it with my Kubota CUTs for over 40 years with no issues. Go slow, don't take too much of a bite and you should be fine.

 

[GB540]

Back in the day I pulled the end right off a FEL bucket cylinder by working with it fully extended. Pa wasn't entirely impressed...

Since then, if I need the cylinders out I keep them not quite fully extended. Better a popped hose etc. than hard damage.