FEL, can you live without one?

[raptor]

I bought an older tractor w/o a FEL on it, to mostly brush hog about 10-12 acres. Now I'm wondering if I should have bought a tractor that can accomadate a front end loader? My tractor is a MF35, without power steering, so adding an after market FEL has little appeal to me. I know this question is relative to what a person intends on doing with a tractor. How 'bout it, what do you use your loader for, and would you be w/o it?

I already now what you're gonna say Kerr.

 

[Bird]

Yep, since you already know the answer, why ask?/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Personally I wouldn't even consider a tractor without a FEL; most used implement I have.

 

[MDNick]

Raptor,

I think this thread covers it quite well. For a lot of people, myself included to some extent, the FEL is the primary implement for the tractor, and implements are the reason for having the tractor. The FEL can be used for more things than anyone could hope to put down on paper, and is really like a big, hydraulic, overgrown hand. And once you get good with it, just about as handy./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

You can put a light duty loader on a 2 wheel drive tractor. With enough ballast on the back it will still be useful, I have several hours on one. Though 4 wheel drive makes an incredible difference. If you can find a cheap appropriately sized loader, you can put it on your MF and reap a lot of the benefits the rest of us rant on about. I'd consider it, in your shoes.

Nick

Farmer kid usetabe, Farmer Wannabe

 

[SteveM]

I have an old B6000E w/o power steering, so I too have chosen not to pursue a loader. While I would love to have one for the times when the need arises, I found that a super cheap boom pole filled my most common need: lifting or moving heavy objects, trees, etc. A loader would often be faster, but the pole has been very handy for pulling trees out of my creek, moving stumps etc. Just an option for your MF.

 

[jdkid]

Hi ya
well as i can't use my tractor around the home the list of uses may be smaller ,but i'd say 40%of all my hours a year would be FEL work ,could i be with out it ..of course i could but i would not get many things done .manly just shifting things bales,drums,posts,platets of baged fert.as for the MF 35 i have not seen many with a fel but i have seen a few with back loaders (not back hoes)not as good tho
catch ya
JD Kid

 

[raptor]

Hi Steve:

A boom pole is my loader alternative. I think I more want a loader for lifting items, but can't deny it would be sweet for hauling loose materials, e.g. rock, mulch, sand, compost, etc.
Honestly, I can't afford a new(er) tractor with a loader. Got too many other things that need buying. Such is life. Thanks for the replies. Stay safe.

Terry

 

[GlennT]

I have a small tractor with two-wheel drive and I don't have a FEL. I considered it at length and decided to wait and see if I had sufficient need for one before purchasing. After several years, there have only been a few occasions when I really would have liked to have a FEL. I use a crane (boom pole) for moving things; I use a rear scoop for moving dirt and gravel; I use a rear platform or a trailer for carrying big stuff. So far this has worked for me. I should mention that I don't have any big jobs and yes, I sometimes do get a stiff neck moving a couple of truckloads of dirt or gravel with a rear scoop.

 

[gws]

My tractor could care less if it has a FEL, My back however cares a lot. With the quick attach FEL's you get the best of both worlds.

Gary.

 

[RobertN]

Before I got one, yes. Since I have on, no I would not go back.

My B8200 Kubota does not have power steering. Sometimes a real full bucket makes it hard to steer, but for the most part it is managable.

I functioned for a while with a rear scoop. It moved a fair amount of dirt, for $250 brand new.

Now, I use the loader for EVERYTHING. It is a quick detach, but I have never even thought of taking it off.

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[MChalkley]

Shucks, I can't even do without a 4-in-1 bucket, much less the FEL to put it on... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkC

 

[RobS]

Like the others, I wouldn't be without one. Just this morning...

Used the FEL to regrade some berms along our soon-to-be driveway. Used my rake to finish them. Used the FEL to remove the clumps, sticks and rocks the rake picked up. Picked a few rocks in our "yard" and used the FEL to cart them to the rock pile. Used FEL to turn over compost pile now that all the leaves are on it. Used FEL to lift my tool box into the back of my truck.

Now that I'm thoroughly stuffed with turkey etc. I'm thinking I need someone to use the FEL to hoist me onto the couch /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[PaulinSD]

Gary said it best, my back really cares that I have a fel. Wouldn't be without it!!

Paul

 

[rmorgan]

Terry--

IMHO, you're right not to seriously consider a loader on a tractor without power steering. My first compact was a Yanmar with a loader, but without power. Anytime the bucket was loaded, I had to drop/tilt it to lift the front wheels off the ground to steer. Even so, I ended up chewing apart the steering box. Two useful FEL substitutes folks haven't mentioned in this thread are three-point dirt scoops and carryalls, both of which are pretty cheap.

Rick

 

[kerr]

Shoot, I dont even take mine off hardly.Folks been moving dirt a spell before F.E.L.came along Im thinkin.Should be all kinds of great used attachments for the 3-pt.Im sure were in the company of guys who have had at least one brain storm or 2 that made it to limited production!{1}Kinda kickin around a gin pole myself to help with house trusses.

 

[raptor]

Well guys, I'm just gonna have to tuff it out ,without one. Momma sezs, "there ain't no money for no more tractor toys".
Isn't that always the way it goes. She's got a notion that groceries and auto insurance are more important.

 

[s1120]

I have the problem that I CAN”T get a FEL, tractors to small. But I can’t afford a new one now, but I do need to move dirt. Hear is what I found for mine.

I think this will do the trick for me. I may get one. It won’t lift high enough to load in a trailer, or truck, but I don’t plan on needing to do that often.

P.S thats not my tractor in the pic, its from there web site. Mine is the same kind though.

 

[CVHoss]

Raptor,
You asked <font color=blue>How 'bout it, what do you use your loader for, and would you be w/o it?</font color=blue> Uses are only limited by one's imagination, as you've seen on this thread and others. As for living without it, yea, I could live without a fel but I'd also be living without the tractor. I didn't so much purchase an fel as an attachment for the tractor as I purchased the tractor as an attachment for the fel. It was the priority when I decided to buy a tractor. However, if the criteria you laid out for yourself when you purchased a tractor didn't include an fel, I wouldn't worry about it now. The tractor you bought filled your immediate needs. If at some point a fel becomes a necessary item for you, I'd probably consider trading in the existing tractor for one with an fel rather than adding one to a tractor that wasn't set up for it from the start. In the mean time, console yourself with the notion that you could be mowing that 10-12 acres with one of these:

Hoss

 

[Harv]

With regards the picts that Paul (s1120) posted, the file names contain embedded space characters, which is poison to certain brain-damaged browsers (like Netscrap 4.7). /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

I think the subject matter is interesting enough that I've attached the same picts for anybody else having trouble seeing them.

[Psssst..... Muhammad! When I tried to post links to these things using the % 20 syntax (w/out the space, of course), the % stuff got stripped out even if I wrapped it in [pre] tags. Is this inevitable, or under TBN control? Please resist voicing your thoughts about Netscrap. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif]

 

[Muhammad]

<font color=blue>Please resist voicing your thoughts about Netscrap.</font color=blue>

-ahem-

We strip it. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[s1120]

Sorry guys. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gifIt worked on my end, so I thought it was A-OK. I will never figure out this computer stuff.