Lifting via FEL vs 3 point? Maybe I've looking at it wrong thinking I NEED a FEL?

[MechanicalGuy]

Thanks so much for that short but detailed summary on small stump removal. I also found some videos on Utube which documents exactly your procedure.

I have an estimated 45 stumps, about 3" or less that need removal. I just flag them with a pole to avoid mower damage and really need to remove them. I just found the "wicked bar" online from Everything Attachments, and will order one for my bucket.
Much Appreciated!

The wicked bar looks very well designed to do the same thing. I doubt it digs as well as the pirahna bar though.

 

[BlueKnife]

Thanks so much for that short but detailed summary on small stump removal. I also found some videos on Utube which documents exactly your procedure.

I have an estimated 45 stumps, about 3" or less that need removal. I just flag them with a pole to avoid mower damage and really need to remove them. I just found the "wicked bar" online from Everything Attachments, and will order one for my bucket.
Much Appreciated!

Have you had a tree service out to give you a quote to grind those? 45 stumps that small would only take an hour or so with a decent grinder if they're not spread out too far.

 

[BadDecisions]

After over a year of thinking, looking, hemming and hawing, I found a 8N on CL yesterday with what I think is a Wagner loader (jungle gym, hydraulic curl bucket, not trip), that came home with me with $2700. Probably a way high price for many of you, but cheap tractors don't come along often here in the desert southwest, and when they do, they seem to sell before they even finish posting online. For those of us with regular jobs, it's rare to get the timing down to snatch them up.

It's not a perfect solution, front bucket is a bit narrow, Armstrong steering will be fun, needs tires, a couple hydraulic cylinder seals replaced and some other maintenance things, but at half the price of anything else suitable that I've seen, I can deal with it. Even running around unloaded, I completely understand why some people view power steering as an absolute requirement, lol.

Ran a few passes with the FEL bucket over one of my well overgrown areas, and the bucket scraped it clean just like I imagined it would, leaving a nice pile of weeds and brush at the end. Did more clearing in 15 mins last night than I was able to pull off in months by hand. This will do Though I found some videos on YouTube of using a landscape rake, and that seemed like it would do a much cleaner/more even job. I'll watch the various marketplaces for a used one, along with hunting for a 6ft box blade.

 

[LouNY]

If you do a search for add on power steering for a ford 8N you will find many options if you decide it's needed.

 

[rScotty]

Congratulations. Yes, that's the very definition of a budget tractor....but a decent one for the money and they can be fixed up indefinitely for little cash outlay and parts are surprisingly available. Plus there are a lot of active 8N owners to share with. They are even 8N collectors and used to be 8N tractor groups...maybe still are. You've probably already found the vintage Ford group on TBN:
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/ford-vintage-tractors/

Around here, and in really good condition, that 8N plus jungle gym Wagner Loader combo would probably bring $4500. Whether it is worth that much is questionable, but they bring it.
In the condition you describe & needing tires, the price you paid is about right. Old tires do last quite well even when split and ugly. As you already know, the biggie is power steering. Add that and life becomes much easier. The need for PS is increased because that Wagner was heavy and in all the wrong places. The trick without power steering is to put the bucket down, turn the steering wheel to aim, pick up the bucket, and proceed.... Sounds worse than it is. And it still beats doing by hand. Power steering and accessory hydraulics are actually easy to add to the 8N, but few people do. And it is the lack of power steering more than anything else that makes people who start with older tractors decide eventually to get a more modern one. Well, PS and the overall balance. The 8N is much heavier on the front end even before the Wagner FEL was added. Modern tractors have more weight over the rear to start, and a lighter weight loader mounted to a subframe to distribute the stress. All those things worth thinking about so you don't overload the 8N.

Just take it easy on the 8N and it will work for you forever. Especially on flat sandy ground. The narrow bucket is about all it should be allowed to handle. They are too front heavy already. Don't want to break things.

BTW, most 8Ns can use a rebuild of the steering components all the way through - from tires to steering wheel. Easy, inexpensive and will help a lot. Some people add an accessory hydraulic pump to speed things up. I like the ones that run off the front of the engine pulley. And it is surprising how many 8ns need the electrics cleaned up. Such a simple job but rarely done.. Like the brakes - simple but rarely done.

Anyway, enjoy your tractor. Massey, and JD from the same era are even more capable....but nothing is as cute as a Ford 8N.

Oh,.... Implements are cheap and old ones easily borrowed to try out. Box blades especially; $100 will generally buy one. You want about a 5 or 6 footer depending on weight..... and you do need some weight on the back. Imlements last forever in the dry Western air. Every old tractor guy has a yard full.

It took me way too many years to finally find the right implement to complement our old JD tractor.
I wish I'd known then what I know now....about implements anyway....
You'll learn about them too.

rScotty

 

[clarky711]

The wicked bar looks very well designed to do the same thing. I doubt it digs as well as the pirahna bar though.

I’m curious why you don’t think the wicked bar will dig as well as the piranha bar? I’m debating on the two and was leaning towards the wicked one, however digging is the primary reason for the purchase. Thanks!

 

[i7win7]

Ripping out tree stump - YouTube
Pulling Stumps with a Subsoiler - Yes You Can! - YouTube

Videos of using subsoiler to pull stumps

 

[lennyzx11]

Congratulations on the tractor.
Carry something on that 3 point for counterweight to offset the weight of the loader and load.
I used one of the 3 point scoops and would scoop dirt or pile concrete blocks in it. Also made a good carry all. Bonus was got to carry more dirt per trip!
You want to get the weight off that front axle and tires back on that big ol rear axle and tires.

Air the front tires up to the max pressure.

Grease the steering system up good.

 

[JJZ 109]

Though it's very likely out of your price range you may be better off with a skid steer. You can do some grading work. Add pallet forks and you have a much more capable lifting machine than most any tractor loader.
I have a Bobcat S185 that handles one ton pallets of wood pellets every fall when I buy them. And with a skid steer the bucket edge is right there for you to see when doing loader work.

Edit: Didn't scroll through the entire 4 pages and see about the 8N. Over time you'll make the improvements and find implements that you need or want. The loader will never lift pallets of salt for you but you'll still be better off pulling several bags at a time off the pallet and putting them into the loader to move than hand loading/unloading & moving every bag.

 

[BadDecisions]

Though it's very likely out of your price range you may be better off with a skid steer. You can do some grading work. Add pallet forks and you have a much more capable lifting machine than most any tractor loader.
I have a Bobcat S185 that handles one ton pallets of wood pellets every fall when I buy them. And with a skid steer the bucket edge is right there for you to see when doing loader work.

Edit: Didn't scroll through the entire 4 pages and see about the 8N. Over time you'll make the improvements and find implements that you need or want. The loader will never lift pallets of salt for you but you'll still be better off pulling several bags at a time off the pallet and putting them into the loader to move than hand loading/unloading & moving every bag.

I had actually thought about the Bobcat route too, but also had concerns that using it for lifting may be crippled more as the bucket doesn't extend much past the front of the machine. Thus, it would be fine for moving loose materials, and perhaps not so much for lifting something heavy out of the truck bed.

This all just illustrates the typical first timer conundrum - we don't know what we don't know. In this case, realizing that there likely isn't a "jack of all trades" solution for my needs, yet not really knowing what would represent the best value, and difficulty for many of the experienced people to relate. A large part of the budget constraints come from wanting to limit my mistake exposure, in that I can make ten $2,000 "learning experiences/mistakes" in the same space as one $20,000 tractor, skid steer, etc lol. It would be far less of an issue if I knew a $25K...something, would work perfect and be a one time deal. But that's a lot of money for me to take a WAG on.

With the salt, or other things like it, it was more about saving money by buying in bulk along with making it more convenient to get home as opposed to slinging a bunch of individual bags in/out of the trunk of the car, and then cleaning out the salt residue so the trunk doesn't rot out,lol. I figured I could easily break it up onto two or three pallets worth as needed to get it off the truck bed. Same thing if I were to buy another pallet of cinder blocks, or something else. Splitting pallets on the flatbed is a heck of a lot easier than unloading 90 blocks off a bed that sits several feet off the ground.

I've already tested the loader on what's left of one of my parts trucks, and found it had zero problem lifting up one end of it, which will make getting it on the trailer when I'm ready to haul it away to the scrap yard MUCH easier. Picking up the rear end of my 2.5 ton International truck though...not so much, lol. I'd imagine that it would have been at least several thousand pounds of lift weight.

I did recently pick up a 3 point landscape rake, which incidentally has done a stellar job of pulling the weeds and brush out as I wanted, and also noticed that the steering has gotten a bit easier when it was up in the air. I can see where a box blade would be handy for final leveling and removing the lines left behind by the tines, though the rake has already made the property MUCH better looking just on it's own. I may be able to get by with the bucket as a sort of back blade for smoothing once I replace the trashed bushing on the hydraulic cylinder, as it now allows the bucket to bounce around too much creating a wash board effect.

I've been thinking about picking up a 55 gallon drum, fill it about 3/4 up with scrap steel bits & sand/dirt/rocks from the back 40, and welding some pins to it for the 3 point to use as a ballast box too. Would be a total cost of about $20...