FEL, TORO Groundsmaster Put Together

[Xfaxman]

Cool build, how much can you lift?

I struggle with anything much over a hundred pounds.

The biggest thing with the TORO is a log that I weighed on the platform scales at 805 pounds. It will lift 300 pounds with no extra counter weight on the back.

640 lbs. of concrete.


The big cottonwood tree trunk, on the brush fork. Notice one extra suitcase weight on the back.

 

[mjncad]

How difficult is it for you to climb on and off the rig due to the loader frame?

 

[Xfaxman]

How difficult is it for you to climb on and off the rig due to the loader frame?

Not very difficult, since the seat is offset to the left side. You climb in just like a skid steer.
If the arms are down, step on the bucket, or fork frame, grab the arms and step on the TORO frame on the right side, then grab the steering wheel and slide into the seat. If the arms are up enough to duck under, just step on the TORO frame on the right side, grab the steering wheel and slide into the seat.

The first two pictures show the seat offset.

 

[mjncad]

Thanks for the reply. Since the seat is slightly offset to the left, you could always try and find an old Mack DM-400/600/800 badge to add to the rig. :thumbsup:

 

[Xfaxman]

Thanks for the reply. Since the seat is slightly offset to the left, you could always try and find an old Mack DM-400/600/800 badge to add to the rig. :thumbsup:

Yep, I remember those, with the narrow cab and the big air cleaner on the right.

 

[mjncad]

The cab was the same 2-man width as the "R" series primarily meant for over the road applications; but the "DM" series had the cab offset to the left for better visibility according to Mack. Yep, they usually had a large can air cleaner on the right side, and I seem to recall the inlet was at the end of a long pipe placing it around the roof line. They were cool looking trucks.

 

[aczlan]

What model was it that had the skinny cab that was offset? There is a steel company around here who runs at least one straight truck that has a skinny one man cab that is slightly offset to the left. They run long steel past the sides of the cab.

Aaron Z

 

[mjncad]

If the cab is real boxy, it could be a CCC (Crane Carrier Corporation). Or maybe it's a modified yardbird tractor. IH had a one-man cab variant of the Loadstar back in the 70's but the cab was centered.

If you can snap a picture, we can guess better.

 

[Xfaxman]

Some pictures taken 6-14-2009, using the brush fork and a deckover 8 x 16 trailer.

Loaded the trees on the trailer, then hooked on and pulled it to the brush pile, unhooked and unloaded it with the TORO.

 

[Don87]

Some pictures taken 6-14-2009, using the brush fork and a deckover 8 x 16 trailer.

Loaded the trees on the trailer, then hooked on and pulled it to the brush pile, unhooked and unloaded it with the TORO.

View attachment 306699View attachment 306700View attachment 306701View attachment 306702View attachment 306703View attachment 306704

OK.............I just gotta ask.

In every picture, you are hooked to the trailer. Watcha doin, flipping the brush over your head onto the trailer???:laughing:

 

[aczlan]

OK.............I just gotta ask.
In every picture, you are hooked to the trailer. Watcha doin, flipping the brush over your head onto the trailer???:laughing:

If so, that FEL must be moving FAST.

Aaron Z

 

[Xfaxman]

OK.............I just gotta ask.

In every picture, you are hooked to the trailer. Watcha doin, flipping the brush over your head onto the trailer???:laughing:

Yep, sure looks like it.

Guess I could change the pump pulley to increase the flow rate and do it!

Here is one that could have landed on my head, I didn't level the forks when I raised it.

 

[Don87]

Yep, sure looks like it.

Guess I could change the pump pulley to increase the flow rate and do it!

Here is one that could have landed on my head, I didn't level the forks when I raised it.

View attachment 307207

Be careful. Don't want to see anyone get hurt.

 

[duwem]

Neat idea.

So this thing is front wheel drive, what happens when you try to put downforce on the arms for diging? Do the front wheels loose traction?

 

[Xfaxman]

Neat idea.

So this thing is front wheel drive, what happens when you try to put downforce on the arms for diging? Do the front wheels loose traction?

Yep, the trick is, to keep the bucket tilted down slightly, to pull down as it goes forward.

I use it with the brush fork, or the 4' boxblade in float, most of the time, so it isn't a problem.

Someday I will move the loader over to this 4WD unit.

 

[Xfaxman]

Another use for the forks. From 4-22-2006

For trimming our horse riding trails, my wife would set on the cushion bungeed to the top of the fork frame, with her feet on the plywood bolted to the forks. She would use hand loppers to trim away the new growth in the trails.

 

[Xfaxman]

The box blade.

The way it was, 10/20/2005, bolted to the forks.


A few years later I removed the 3 point frame, drilled holes in some angle iron and bolted it to the box blade.


Can tilt it to use the rippers without moving dirt.


Can use it this way to scrape root balls on trees that have been pushed over.

 

[Xfaxman]

Using the box blade on the rocks.


Click for the rest of the story: Feeding The Big Mouth Toolcat

 

[Xfaxman]

Brush fork, didn't take any pictures of it back in June of 2009, when I made it, so I took some now.

Used 3/4" sucker rod cut to 4' long and some square tubing. Welded the couplers to the bottom of the frame.


Have a set of 2' long rods that I use for moving round pen panels, RR ties and other things.


Here it is with a little stick on it.


Adding a cedar tree to the pile that I made with the brush fork.

 

[Xfaxman]

13 tons of crusher run.


Had a low muddy place at the shed, put some sandrock in it.


Covering the sandrock, first time, with the 4' box blade.


Second and third pass.


Result, no more mud hole!