Front-End Loader How can you tell that your toothbar is from KY?

[Spiveyman]

First of all Sandman, if you are out there, I'm sorry, really really sorry, but don't worry. I will get this fixed!

Second, yes, that is right, it is when your toothbar only has TWO teeth.

Now don't get upset with me, I'm KY born/bred, so I can say stuff like that. It's not like I'm picking on WV or something. :laughing:

I have made comments in several threads out there about toothbars. This thread pretty much negates everything I have ever said about MY toothbar. Pretty soon it will actually be a toothbar, rather than a TEETHbar.

To recap, I have a Bush Hog FEL and following the advice of several TBN veterans out there decided to get teeth for my bucket to help me out because I tend to use it as a FED (Front End Digger) rather than a FEL.

I hope this will work, but here's my post about my teeth.
Spiveyman's Factory Teeth
I was very excited. You can go back a few posts to read about the decisions I made to go with the individual bolt on teeth rather than something like the Markham toothbar.

Fast forward and you can see the condition of my toothbar now. Here's the commentary that got me here.

I broke the first tooth off testing out a theory that someone posted that sometimes you can drive up to a tree that you want removed and that there is this perfect spot where you can just push on it and the tree will just fall over pulling the rootball up with it. (Smaller trees of course) So I did that. The first tree, probably only 14 or 15 feet tall, did just that. It plopped over and the rootball came right up out of the ground. I tried it on a few others with varying results, until I tried a maple tree with (I would find out later) a bionic root system. I pushed and [BANG] very loud noise as one of the teeth broke off. They break off at the weld point. There is a bracket that fits over the edge of the bucket with the tooth welded to that. The welds just gave up.

After that I decided to cut and dig. I don't have a back hoe yet, so this was my best option. I cut down several trees and began digging up the root balls. Now granted I'm a little outside of the recommended operating window for this bucket/teeth combo, but I read about people with Markham toothbars tearing up blacktop and stuff. I broke off the rest of the missing teeth trying to dig under a rootball. I'll tell that story in my other thread, because this one is more about the toothbar itself.

I went to replace the teeth and they want $73 EACH to replace. That is 7 missing teeth and one badly bent or $584 for those keeping track. Yikes! And they would be no better quality than the ones I started with. I can tell you that's not going to happen. So I finally yielded to the wisdom from the TBN vets and looked up Markham Welding. They have changed their name and are now "Gator Attachments at Markham Welding." Here's their website:
Markham Welding

I sent them an email and Melissa Markham responded immediately with a very reasonable quote and very reasonable shipping as well. So right away, customer service!! You don't find that very much these days. There are countless testimonials about the quality of these things. It will be a little while before I can order mine, but as soon as I am able I'll post a glowing review I'm quite certain.

Happy digging!

 

[savageactor7]

LOL :laughing:

 

[magicheater]

We have a town around here that to live there you need to be missing one tooth. Kind of a standing joke in the area. Were you trying to do something like what is in these photos?

 

[lakngulf]

Great story, and good thread about all your projects, yardwork, etc. I did purchase the Markham tooth bar and got the excellent service that you spoke of. Also, I have gotten good use out of the tool bar. I am still learning how to use mine, and so far nothing has broken off. I do think that is possible, however.

Tree removal with a FEL (even an FED) and no backhoe is not an easy chore. I have removed a few, but really feel like that puts pressure on the tractor and FEL that is just not good for it. Someone please correct me if I am wrong because I have several trees and roots that I would like to remove. It seems to me that the process calls for using one side or the other of the bucket, and that puts a torque strain on one side. Also, if I try to lift or curl with just one side under a root, my little CK30 kioti will come right up off the ground, and that can be butt curling.

I read with interest the thread about getting the tree stumps and roots out with an old tire rim, or device created to use some laws of physics to increase the strenght of the tractor pull. I have not come up with a device yet but plan to build something.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Spiveyman]

Let me say, Yes, Yes and Yes. You are absolutely correct. This is not the best use of an FEL. I pretty much feel like I am right on the edge of breaking my FEL at any moment. Yes there was one point I was lifting with the left side of the bucket and throttling my tractor as well to try to push the root ball out and I noticed that the bucket was crooked. Being me, I simply turned the tractor around, did the same thing with the other side of the bucket, and now she's level again, more or less. There's also this funny sound now when I life the bucket, kind of a ticking sound. Hmmmm... well, I'm being more careful as I proceed. I have a relatively powerful tractor. My FEL isn't strong enough to lift the back tires with the bucket curl pressure, but it does get a bit light in the rear, especially when I'm on a hill facing down. There was a few times I had to drop the load and even use the bucket to "lobster" my way back up the hill. I think that's the term. I saw that in a thread one time where a guy got stuck and he used the bucket to get out. Anyway, I'm sure that there is a breaking point for the Markham stuff as well, and with my track record I'll probably find it, but overall it seems more stout. I'll also be smarter in how I use it. We'll see.

 

[3BPercherons]

We have a town around here that to live there you need to be missing one tooth. Kind of a standing joke in the area. Were you trying to do something like what is in these photos?

Since we're making tooth jokes....

Do you know what makes the Nashville Predators unique among all National Hockey League teams?

They're the only team that collectively has more teeth than their fans.....

Thank you very much. I'll be here all night. Please remember to tip your waitress.....

 

[magicheater]

Tree removal with a FEL (even an FED) and no backhoe is not an easy chore. I have removed a few, but really feel like that puts pressure on the tractor and FEL that is just not good for it. Someone please correct me if I am wrong because I have several trees and roots that I would like to remove. It seems to me that the process calls for using one side or the other of the bucket, and that puts a torque strain on one side.

This is why the tines on Loader Buddy are placed inside the plane of the loader arms. Loads are shared by both arms virtually eliminating the probability of tweaking your loader, while still offering the possibility of snagging a root one at a time while working your way around a stump. The visibility when working this way is good too. I have grubbed many stumps and trees in ten years and still have an "untweaked" loader. The biggest being a 2' cottonwood stump, took more than an hour but it went to the burn pile in the end.

 

[Jay4200]

What do you say to complement a woman from KY?

"Nice tooth"

Alright, that's actually a Maine joke...

JayC

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

This is not the best use of an FEL. I pretty much feel like I am right on the edge of breaking my FEL at any moment. Yes there was one point I was lifting with the left side of the bucket and throttling my tractor as well to try to push the root ball out and I noticed that the bucket was crooked. Being me, I simply turned the tractor around, did the same thing with the other side of the bucket, and now she's level again, more or less. There's also this funny sound now when I life the bucket, kind of a ticking sound. Hmmmm... well, I'm being more careful as I proceed. I have a relatively powerful tractor. My FEL isn't strong enough to lift the back tires with the bucket curl pressure, but it does get a bit light in the rear, especially when I'm on a hill facing down. . I'll also be smarter in how I use it. We'll see.

This is exactly what I was doing when I broke the ring and pinion in the front of my tractor. When you are curling the bucket and going forward trying to pop out the root ball you are putting all the stress on the front axle. Let me tell you it gets expensive in a hurry.
Bill

 

[Gordon Gould]

Must have invented the tooth brush down there other wise it would have been called a teeth brush. Sorry, I couldnt help my self.:laughing:

 

[beenthere]

This is exactly what I was doing when I broke the ring and pinion in the front of my tractor. When you are curling the bucket and going forward trying to pop out the root ball you are putting all the stress on the front axle. Let me tell you it gets expensive in a hurry.
Bill

Hooked
So I should quit doing that with my Deere 4300 and forks?

I drive the forks under the surface roots on both sides of the tree trunk, curl the forks up as I drive forward. That shears off the top roots. Then raise the FEL to push the tree main stem about 5-6' up, and normally it pushes over with a root ball. Pop some more surface roots, and some hangers-on a bit deeper. Then put the fork tine right under the root ball and usually can roll the tree out as I push forward.
These are 30' white spruce trees. (they are growing too fast and crowding out my red oak trees).

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Hooked
So I should quit doing that with my Deere 4300 and forks?

I drive the forks under the surface roots on both sides of the tree trunk, curl the forks up as I drive forward. That shears off the top roots. Then raise the FEL to push the tree main stem about 5-6' up, and normally it pushes over with a root ball. Pop some more surface roots, and some hangers-on a bit deeper. Then put the fork tine right under the root ball and usually can roll the tree out as I push forward.
These are 30' white spruce trees. (they are growing too fast and crowding out my red oak trees).

I guess it all depends on how deep the roots are and how hard the stump is coming out. In my case I was lifting the rear wheels off the grond with the box blade on. This was too much. You have to decide what your limits are.
Bill

 

[shu]

I've had a toothbar almost as long as I've been tractoring (about 7 yrs; HN TC-30, 'bota L3400).

It doesn't, as one might think, do much for dirt work. It gets in the way while scraping and leveling with the FEL. Does not 'dig in' to hard-pack much better than the sharp edge of the un-toothed FEL blade.

But it is unsurpassed for several jobs:
..adds extra length for carrying around pipes or railroad ties with the FEL. Without the toothbar I can carry one railroad tie, after dismounting and huffing it onto the FEL. With the bar on, I take a run at a stack of railroad ties pick up two without dismounting.
..strong attach points for a chain to pull out fenceposts with the FEL; lift up the front end of the riding mower to lube the blade spindles; etc.
..good for 'combing' logs and junk out of tall grass when mowing an unfamiliar lot.

For pushing out trees, gives some protection to the FEL blade. Sometimes I get lucky, with the ground sloped to allow catching a root on a corner tooth, but a back-hoe it is not!

Generally, I seem to keep the toothbar on the FEL about half the time, off about half the time,

-shu

 

[sandman2234]

Well now that I have settled down from the original shock of what you did to "my" fel, I thought I should say something. (3rd try, computer's acting up)
I think you need to ease back on the horsepower when operating the loader. It will only take so much abuse, and one of these times it's not going to pop back into position, by doing the same thing to the other side. (glad it did that once, LUCKY!!)
I doubt rental of a backhoe is in the budget, but is replacing the FEL after you bend it to a point it can't be repaired? My thoughts are if you're going to do something that the FEL isn't designed for (and I am famous for that type of stuff), then take it slower,work in smaller bites. You can do it the same way as you would eat an elephant, one bite at a time. Don't get in too big a hurry, as haste makes waste and tractor stuff isn't cheap!
Make a photo copy of the receipt where you paid for the Front End Loader and tape it to the hood just past the steering wheel. Maybe that will remind you just how badly you don't want to tear it up. Taking a few extra minutes, or even an hour won't make that big a deal in the overall picture, but tearing up the FEL will only cause me to have to come to Ky to pick up the pieces to bring home and take probably hundreds of hours straightening out the pieces to put it on my Ford. (Oh, wait a minute, what was that first rule of tractor ownership?) Maybe I shouldn't have told you that one so soon...
Take care, take your time, and keep learning. One day tractoring will be fun, lol! When you master the repair technics, like 3RRL, then you too can abuse your loader till the cows come home. Good to hear from you, friend
David from jax

I wonder if having a "bar" instead of the singular teeth would have made a difference??? (thinking out loud??)

 

[magicheater]

I've had a toothbar almost as long as I've been tractoring (about 7 yrs; HN TC-30, 'bota L3400).



But it is unsurpassed for several jobs:
..adds extra length for carrying around pipes or railroad ties with the FEL. Without the toothbar I can carry one railroad tie, after dismounting and huffing it onto the FEL. With the bar on, I take a run at a stack of railroad ties pick up two without dismounting.
..strong attach points for a chain to pull out fenceposts with the FEL; lift up the front end of the riding mower to lube the blade spindles; etc.
..good for 'combing' logs and junk out of tall grass when mowing an unfamiliar lot.



-shu

Just some of the qualities of Loader Buddy. Don't have to take a run at it, just wiggle underneath, with the extended lip. Use it for "combing" all the time. Tines down is a common position. I use a hook mounted dead center but could use the tines too to pull fence posts/small trees. Always thinking about centering loads if possible. Don't have to take it off to do scraping and leveling, the heel is used for that and having the tines there helps when encountering a rock, flick it out of the way and proceed. Great for pushing over small trees and don't have to get lucky to catch a root and when you do the force is between the loader arms. An L3400 is a nice size tractor LA463 loader if I am not mistaken. More weight and HP than my B7800.