Mowing Mowing with FEL on?

[RhallVA]

I was considering takng off my FEL for the mowing season and wondered if you more experienced folks do so or not?

I have a B2410 with 60" MMM and LA352 FEL. I was thinking that my lawn might be better off w/o the extra weight of the FEL and that my visibility and ability to manouver would be increased. Also thinking I might be a bit more stable on the sides of slopes w/o the FEL. What do you folks do?

How difficult is it to put the FEL on and take it off ? Does it take long?

Thanks very much!
Roy in VA

 

[Bird]

Roy, I sure take my FEL off to mow. You need a flat hard surface to leave it on, and if you have that, the first time may take you 10 minutes; after that about 5 minutes when you're in no hurry. I timed myself, without even rushing, at 2.5 minutes once to put it back on.

 

[rbargeron]

Hi Roy - IMHO, mowing is nicer with the loader removed. For all the reasons you listed and another one - the extra weight of the loader bouncing up and down as the front wheels go over bumps. You as the operator get knocked around less with the loader off - a much less jerky ride. If your place is perfectly smooth, it's not as big a factor.

The first time you remove the loader, it will take a little while - just follow the instructions on the decals. After you've done it a couple of times it will seem pretty easy. Works best on a hard level surface. Hope this is useful.

 

[TresCrows]

It can be intimidating but it really is very easy. I just pulled my FEL yesterday on the 2410 (not the first time). I always remove the FEL for mowing for the reasons you mention, I can get in closer, it does not compact and tear my lawn areas, the tractor does not bounce and jiggle as much and it is safer becasue I can concentrate on where my MMM is and not on what I am about to knock over with the FEL. Make sure to read the instruction book and run through it a few times in your head the first time, the main thing is not to drop the cross bar onto the hood.
J

 

[Dale Binkley]

I agree, take the loader off for mowing. Difficult enough to make sure that low hanging limbs don't interfere with the ROP, why worry about extra length in front. Makes tractor "less tippy" on any type of slope w/o loader. As the others have said, the loader is easy to remove and replace, make sure you have a flat place to do it.

 

[RobertN]

Bird,
Do you use the rotary mower or MM?

Before I got my loader, I had to weight my front end, and load my tires in order to work effectively. I have the Kubota 348A 4' rotary.

Since I have the loader though, the frame part that the suitcase weights hung on is take up with the loader frame(Bush hog). I wonder if the weight of the loader frame, and filled tires, would be enough to make this B8200 handle reasonable...

 

[Bird]

Robert, I use a 5' rear discharge mower (Bush Hog RDTH60 - weight 536 pounds according to the manual) and a 5' Howse rotary cutter (model 500 - approx. weight 600 pounds according to the manual). I don't have any weights on the front end, do all my mowing with the FEL off, and much prefer it that way. The only time I notice, or feel, the front end being light is when I pick up the mower and come up out of a borrow ditch along the road. I can definitely tell it's a bit light on the front end then, but not enough to have ever been a problem.

 

[RobertN]

I'll have to give it a try. I'm in kinda hilly foothils(hiily foothills, hah!). I had two Kubota suit case weights, about 45lbs each. The loader frame must weigh that much. It'll be a week or two, but it will be fun to try detaching the loader; I've had it a couple years now but have never tried it.

 

[Westbilly]

Just how do you take the FEL off of the 2410? I haven't seen any instructions. I would like to take mine off once in a while.

 

[TresCrows]

You should have gotten with your tractor a manual for the tractor and a seperate manual for the loader and any other equipment. The simple instructions for removing/reinstalling the loader are contained therein.
J