Help: How to level with a front end loader

[nschneid]

I have a Kubota L4400 with a FEL and I've used it for spreading, but never for digging. I've been searching for a while but haven't stumbled across any resources teaching how to level with it. I need to level an area for an above ground pool.

Can someone either point me to a good tutorial or explain it to me like I'm five?

I don't know the terrain, as I'm doing this for a friend and haven't seen the site yet, so any limitations on this would be good as well. The soil will most likely be hard clay, like everything around here.

 

[xzcVAbc5]

Does the bucket have teeth? Do you have a box blade, also?

 

[nschneid]

Does the bucket have teeth? Do you have a box blade, also?

No to both

 

[BigE_]

The FEL isn't really made for leveling. You can easily tear it up...

I've tried, and it's pretty hard to do with just a FEL, especially if you are starting out on ground that isn't level. If you start out on level ground, then you have a fighting chance. Keep the four wheels on level ground and dig forward.

Starting out on unlevel ground... Use the FEL to loosen up the soil, then get yourself a shovel and level a portion by hand...

My best results were after I spent $500 on a boxblade, and even then, now I start out with the back hoe to level something.

 

[BethelHntr]

Backhoe is your best bet.

 

[bandaidmd]

rent a box or regular blade for the back then you have the ability to tilt the cutting edge.

 

[Wagtail]

OK, what implements do you have, Mate?

A few months ago I had to level a large area prior to pouring a cement pad for a 5-bay shed. I did it using the old "Mark I eyeball". Using my 655 tiller I tilled the marked out area (clay mixture) about 3" deep then used a regular bucket to scoop/scrape what had been tilled. Any area that needed more off I re-tilled and scoop/scraped to level the area.

It took time but the job got done & when the blokes came to build the mould for the pad (using a laser level) there was only one slight area that needed to be finally levelled. I was quite chuffed at my efforts!

And this was the first time that I'd ever used my tractor to do such a thing.

 

[k0ua]

As said if you don't have level ground for the wheels of the tractor to start from. it is very difficult, as the loader bucket will be "off camber" I have leveled ground when the surrounding ground is not level. It takes a long time, is frustrating, and is difficult to tell what you are doing from the seat. And I have thousands of hours behind the loader. You can get off and "eyeball" it a bunch of times to help. But I think you would be better served and have more luck with a boxblade. I am not saying you cant make ground level by digging off high spots with a loader, I am saying it is hard. Maybe others are more skilled than I, and will comment.

James K0UA

 

[k0ua]

OK, what implements do you have, Mate?

A few months ago I had to level a large area prior to pouring a cement pad for a 5-bay shed. I did it using the old "Mark I eyeball". Using my 655 tiller I tilled the marked out area (clay mixture) about 3" deep then used a regular bucket to scoop/scrape what had been tilled. Any area that needed more off I re-tilled and scoop/scraped to level the area.

It took time but the job got done & when the blokes came to build the mould for the pad (using a laser level) there was only one slight area that needed to be finally levelled. I was quite chuffed at my efforts!

And this was the first time that I'd ever used my tractor to do such a thing.

That sounds like a good plan!.. and don't pay no nevermind that he is working upside down, on the other side of the world... it should work up here too!

 

[cletus99]

Ironically I was looking for the same thing yesterday and didn't find much info. My backyard has a good slope to it and my wife keeps bugging me about a pool. I told her we can't have one with the yard sloped the way it is. I don't have a tractor with a FEL but I do plan on getting one within the next year. So I'm interested to see everyone's inputs as well.

 

[Ivan49]

Best advice I can give you is go slow and make sure the ground is soft before you start. I have done it many times but won't say how many times I messed up.

 

[nschneid]

OK, what implements do you have, Mate?

I have a FEL, brush hog, and 12" auger. So not much of any of what you used.

 

[k0ua]

I have a FEL, brush hog, and 12" auger. So not much of any of what you used.

maybe some photo's of what you are trying to do, with the tractor parked in the middle of it for scale?

 

[Mechanos]

It's not too difficult if you have the skill to make dynamic bucket adjustments on the fly. I can tell you that you won't be able to much of anything without a toothbar on your bucket. The "trick" is start scooping up some dirt and dump it on the low side of your "launch pad". It doesn't have to be finish graded... just build up the low side. Drive over it a few times to pack it down. Keep doing this until you have the bucket sitting at the slope (or level) that you want the finished grade to be. Whatever angle the bucket is at when you start determines the angle of the finished grade. Now that you have established your grade... have at it.

Here's a couple pictures of my first ever dirt moving project with a FEL. In the first picture you can see the rolling, sloped terrain that I started out with. The second picture shows the area dug out and leveled. The project is not finished in the second picture but it shows the once uneven terrain nice and level.

 

[duroc]

Edited: This picture shows the area dug out and leveled. View attachment 327005

Looks pretty good, but I bet it took a month of Sundays to move that much dirt.

 

[94BULLITT]

Go to youtube and search grading with a skid steer. The same basic principles will apply. The best thing is seat time. It is hard to grade with a tractor because you can not control the bucket side to side.

 

[Mechanos]

Looks pretty good, but I bet it took a month of Sundays to move that much dirt.

It was a fair amount of dirt... and the stock pile was big.

 

[Mechanos]

... It is hard to grade with a tractor because you can not control the bucket side to side.

I disagree. You control the attitude of the bucket with the dirt you're moving. If the left side of the bucket is low... you dump some dirt in your left side wheel tracks to raise that side of the bucket. Once you get the get the bucket on the plane you want, it digs out at that angle. Then you can turn around and sit on the "level" area you just dug out to dig out the "launch pad" you created to set the bucket angle.

 

[Midniteoyl]

When you level for a pool, you do not want to fill in low spots. Always take down the high.

Youtube is your friend

 

[Egon]

Suggest you lay out the pool area and determine the present elevations and the final one.

If its even hillside their are sorta two options. One is cut and fill. The other is just straight cut.

In either case start your cut at the bottom facing straight uphill. Do a full length bucket width keeping it level. Then move over 1/2 a bucket width and do the same thing until the cut is finished.

On the fill side start dumping dirt right at the transition point and keep it level as you keep dumping dirt.

If it starts to get outa wack go have a pint or two, relax and then return working by picking a spot to level and work from there.

Easy to talk but a lot harder to do.