Mowing Mowing with the loader off?

[Doc_Bob]

Why yes, I do. It takes me 15 seconds to drop my loader and I don't even have to get off the tractor. Watch a video of that here.

But seriously, on my old traditional tractor, I found the loader just gets in the way in tight spaces and also is hard to see over. On the plus side, it was useful for knocking down brush before having to run it over with the tractor to get it under the brush hog.

This works much better Watch another movie and then watch this last one. Much easier to mow over the stuff before driving over it.

Why, that is why wild machine! My ground is too rough for it, but it looks like a terror.
Bob

 

[Nasty135]

Keving, Yes with the loader off it is much quicker especially in the tight spots....You don't have to worry about it being too high or too low up or down grades branches etc.and visually it makes it very easy to see everything (well most everything)

 

[wolc123]

I prefer to just drop the bucket. This takes under 15 seconds, on or off, if you have a quick attach (standard on most JD's and available as an option on most others). This has some other advantages over removing the whole loader. It provides nearly the same visibility and totally eliminates the bounce. Enough weight is maintained on the front to balance a rear mower and you don't have to worry so much about finding a level spot to remove. You might be able to put a loader on in 5 minutes on a concrete pad but try it on some slightly uneven ground.

 

[MossRoad]

Moss that thing really is a mowing machine. Is that you in the movie?

Ya! Dat's me... I use an old 8mm camera in case I chuck something from the brush hog.

 

[Mike_Kanzer]

I mow my pastures with my 5ft bush hog on my L3830 with the loader off. I put four suitcase weights on the front bumper (55lb. each) to balance out the weight of the mower. It is a lot kinder to the fences without the bucket out front.

 

[_RaT_]

I mow my pastures with my 5ft bush hog on my L3830 with the loader off. I put four suitcase weights on the front bumper (55lb. each) to balance out the weight of the mower. It is a lot kinder to the fences without the bucket out front.

Another nice thing about a finish mower if you can use one is the weight of the entire mower is on the ground resting on the 4 tires. No need for suit case weights. I would never mow with the loader or even the loader without a bucket, its just to easy to pop the loader off and without a doubt, you get much better visibility even over a bucketless loader. I mowed very steep ground and unlike some, never have a front end pop up.

 

[pharmer-phil]

While mowing witht he loader on, I stupidly hit a tree while turning. My left arm was stretched across my body in the 2 o'clock position and when the loader hit the tree, my upper body lurched forward and the wheel snapped back. I slightly dislocated my shoulder. Ain't worth it.

In my defense, I might add that, although I knew there was a tree in there, some brush around it had the trunk totally hidden and I could not judge the distance correctly.

Pharmer Phil

 

[N80]

I mow with the loader on. I've mowed some with it off and it is really nice but only a small percentage of what I mow is 'safe' mowing. All the rest is prone to rocks and stumps. I also mow slowly in this type of situation. I keep the bucket low but curled so anything it hits it will ride over. I'm not sure I understand the argument of not using the loader this way. If the obstacle was so big that it would stop the tractor if you hit it with the loader, just think what it would do if you hit it with the mower or your front drive train?

In any case, I don't have anything that big that I have to worry about. Its mostly low stumps or rocks. The mower might even make it over some of these unless there is a dip that causes the mower to squat. When the bucket hits these, you hear it and feel it and make the appropriate adjustment.

But if I had open, safe fields and low grass, I would take the loader off too. I've only had my loader off a couple of times. I don't have a great place to take it off. No concrete pad or anything. I have some level spots in front of the cabin, but then the loader is in the 'yard'. And, if it is damp, the loader stands sink down a little, then its a real pain to get back on.

 

[shvl73]

I keep the bucket low but curled so anything it hits it will ride over. I'm not sure I understand the argument of not using the loader this way. If the obstacle was so big that it would stop the tractor if you hit it with the loader, just think what it would do if you hit it with the mower or your front drive train?

I would think if you hit something so large it stops the tractor we should be notifying the DMV! Time for a re-test!

I did the same when learning where the obstacles were. Seems to work well.
I did find a basketball sized rock at the top of a small rise. The bucket cleared it because of the incline, the blades did not. This was also where I learned about slip clutch adjustment and why it should be checked. The new blades are working out well.

 

[shvl73]

I don't have a great place to take it off. No concrete pad or anything. I have some level spots in front of the cabin, but then the loader is in the 'yard'. And, if it is damp, the loader stands sink down a little, then its a real pain to get back on.

If you have a small scrap of plywood to put under the stand, it helps to keep it from sinking into the soft areas.

 

[texbaylea]

I have two hydraulic circuits brought forward with the QDs mounted on the spreader but I also have additional QDs back at the frame. That gives me 8 hoses to disconnect plus I don't have a good level place to drop the loader. As a consequence I just drop the bucket when mowing. I don't have rocks to worry about and all stumps large enough to cause problems have been left tall for later digging out.

Vernon

 

[MikeD74T]

I would never use the loader to find stumps. Even at a very slow pace that is hard on a loader/tractor. That is a lot of weight to bring to a dead stop. Just my opinion. murph

I agree, much better to use the oil pan or a hydraulic filter, something that will give a little, to find rocks.

Sorry, just could not resist.
I keep the bucket low & curled back in unknown territory, remove the FEL on known ground.

 

[RobJ]

I agree, much better to use the oil pan or a hydraulic filter, something that will give a little, to find rocks.

Sorry, just could not resist.
I keep the bucket low & curled back in unknown territory, remove the FEL on known ground.

I like mowing without a FEL because I don't have one.

But I do borrow my neighbors Ford 4630 with a FEL every now and then. It makes it easy to trim the trees, raise FEL, knock off the lower limbs, then mulch. Next tree.

 

[DCS]

I mow with the FEL on. It comes in handy when I have to shove something out of the way. I also like to use it especially on the first pass when the weeds are so tall you can't really see what you are about to run into.

 

[_RaT_]

I mow with the FEL on. It comes in handy when I have to shove something out of the way. I also like to use it especially on the first pass when the weeds are so tall you can't really see what you are about to run into.

I suppose the question then becomes, how frequently are you shoving stuff out of the way while mowing? If this is an ongoing ordeal, perhaps you need a thorough cleaning of all the junk in the field your mowing. I like to get an area cleared and then deal with the mowing. Of course out here where we live, you need to get the field cleared of rocks and junk because once July, August hit, the grass is pretty dry and a blade striking a rock can be a problem that results in a fire. For most mowing circumstances in established areas, a loader is nothing but a detriment.

 

[DCS]

I suppose the question then becomes, how frequently are you shoving stuff out of the way while mowing? If this is an ongoing ordeal, perhaps you need a thorough cleaning of all the junk in the field your mowing. I like to get an area cleared and then deal with the mowing. Of course out here where we live, you need to get the field cleared of rocks and junk because once July, August hit, the grass is pretty dry and a blade striking a rock can be a problem that results in a fire. For most mowing circumstances in established areas, a loader is nothing but a detriment.

I don't use it all that much for shoving things out of the way, but I have a few times. I have used it to move several down trees and large limbs over a little so that I could mow the weeds that have grown up around them since the last person who mowed went around them. I don't guess that I had to do that, but the customer can now get in there better with a chain saw.

 

[_RaT_]

I don't use it all that much for shoving things out of the way, but I have a few times. I have used it to move several down trees and large limbs over a little so that I could mow the weeds that have grown up around them since the last person who mowed went around them. I don't guess that I had to do that, but the customer can now get in there better with a chain saw.

We live in a area that has a few hundred acres of common area that needs bi-annual mowing. Our problem is that in early summer, everything can get fairly dry. Its important for us to have a good understanding of the area and that it is basically clear of rocks, steel, and other things that can start a fire with a blade strike. We use a hydraulic mower on a CAT skid steer. We do walk and use a loader to help determine that an area is clear. Its nice to get an area to that point where the risk of hitting objects is minimized. Rat...

 

[DCS]

We live in a area that has a few hundred acres of common area that needs bi-annual mowing. Our problem is that in early summer, everything can get fairly dry. Its important for us to have a good understanding of the area and that it is basically clear of rocks, steel, and other things that can start a fire with a blade strike. We use a hydraulic mower on a CAT skid steer. We do walk and use a loader to help determine that an area is clear. Its nice to get an area to that point where the risk of hitting objects is minimized. Rat...

I do have several repeat pastures that I mow and have gotten to know and are cleaned, your right, it is nice just to mow knowing it is fairly safe. New pastures I do walk....some, but not the whole thing. It's really fun when you get to mow over several T-Post that just happen to be laying around or a pile of bricks or tires or 4x6's or and the list goes on......