FEL vs front bumper weights.

ovrszd · Jun 13, 2018

We're still talking apples and spinach. You need to clarify what you are calling the front bumper? The only fulcrum I see from your pic is the front axle.

My FEL takes weight off the rear tires and adds it to the fronts the moment it's installed. This continues as I add load on the FEL.

I have 1400lbs of suitcase weights I install on the front weight rack, which is located where I would consider a bumper, when I use my 3pt brush cutter without the FEL. That much weight doesn't do as much good as leaving the FEL installed. But I hate brush cutting with the bulk of the FEL.

Texasmark · Jun 13, 2018

FEL + a pile of gravel or sand. Set the weight to your liking and when finished with that chore dump the load. When you need to lift/move something, you have a portable lift. On the other post in this forum, no problem getting used to it. Just think about all the jobs it does for you and you will love it, not be annoyed by it.

It can get in the way in corners when mowing along fence rows, but that's what the joystick is for....lift her up pass the corner, let her back down. Wink!

VroomVroom · Jun 13, 2018

I understand the front axle takes the brunt of the load if no rear counter weight. But for theory purposes, I’ve studied strengths and beam loading in college years ago. For theory, find the Center of gravity of the tractor and tie a string at that point lifting the tractor off the ground so no weight touches the ground. If the load is lifted on the front bucket , the loader frame is connected at the fron of the tractor at the front where the suitcase weights can be installed. So the loader forces down on this point which later transfers to the front axle.

If the weight of the loader plus 1100 lbs load is forcing down on the front bumper where the suitcase weight installs, why do they allow 1100 lbs in the extended loader bucket but only a few hundred pounds of suitcase weight.

I understand all the weight regardless if it’s the suitcase weights or front loader will be transferred to the axle should the rear end lift. Hard for me to explain really. Make a jig welded to the floor shaped like the tractor and mount a loader on it. Then lift the loaded bucket. At the point of your jig where the front bumper would be if it was a tractor will be forced down, while bolts back by your feet will want to go up. Where the down force is directed , to me takes much more force with the front loader then the recommended amount of suitcase weights recommended by the manufacturer. Or it seems that way. I don’t know.

Texasmark · Jun 14, 2018

FrankRetired said:
Actually the front axle is the fulcrum. The limit on front weights may have more to do woth the bracket capacity than the front axle capacity. With a full bucket of gravel and no counterweight the front axle has to carry the majority of weight of both load and tractor. A counterweight adds weight behind the fulcrum but front axle loading wouldn't change much

I partially agree with this. Where we diverge is adding counter weights to the rear and the effect on the front axle load. Let's take a corollary for an easy assessment.

I have ZT mowers. The deck is heavy and protrudes out from the rear axle....aka ft-lbs. On rough terrain, the little dolly wheels up front make for a very rough ride. Placing a 50# weight on the rear bumper forces more of the weight on the actual fulcrum (rear axle) where the large tires are located and smoothes out the ride.

When I bought my 2400 it had no counterweights. When I got a full bucket of rocks or sand, it was obvious that the rear was light and the front axle was taking the brunt of the weight. I couldn't back up a slight incline in 2wd without tire spin. By adding rear wheel weights and weights on the 3 pt, I was able to easily back up the steepest hill on my place.

I transferred some of the load to the rear axle. If taken to the limit on foot-lbs applied to the rear axle, I could make it the fulcrum and lift the whole front end off the ground with a full bucket.

The things I like about 4wd tractors, common today is the fact that 4wd front ends are a lot stouter than 2wd tractors of the same size. Usually they come with larger tires and having traction, make for "pulling" you around turns rather than the rears "pushing" you around turns making it hard on the outside tire/wheel assy.....and it too has an "axle" but it's called a "spindle"...so you still have something taking the load on the front end regardless of 2 or 4wd.

Oaktree · Jun 14, 2018

Texasmark said:
When I bought my 2400 it had no counterweights. When I got a full bucket of rocks or sand, it was obvious that the rear was light and the front axle was taking the brunt of the weight. I couldn't back up a slight incline in 2wd without tire spin. By adding rear wheel weights and weights on the 3 pt, I was able to easily back up the steepest hill on my place.

Why would you back UP a hill with a load in the FEL? Seems to me like just asking for trouble. Backing DOWN a hill, yes. Up, not so much.