MX5000 has landed

[patrick_g]

Stackwood, I have been using the LA852 loader for going on 6 years and have had it off the tractor (L-4610HSTC) twice. Once when the salesman walked me through it for instructional purposes and once because I just did. Rest of the time I just leave it on as it is so handy (I have pallet forks, hay spike, and FEL bucket) When brush hogging to get closer to a fence or obstacle I raise the loader up higher than the fence and then down again. I use the loader set low to "feel" for obstacles when mowing.

My LA 852 is the original. Is yours a -2 (dash 2) or dash 3?

When using it "vigorously" I tend to destroy and loose the keepers that secure the removable pins in the quicktach. I have been waiting for two weeks to get spare pins. The pins can come out if the keeper fails. I have tried welding the pins to chain and welding the chain to the tractor as well as the same routine for the keepers. It helps but I can still lose a keeper or pin, just not so often.

I have been waiting 2 weeks to buy spares since the regional Kubota parts depot has a SNAFU. If your dealer orders the part number on the illustrated parts breakdown on the Kubota computer software you get a pin that is grossly oversized and unusable. Kubota has not been willing to accept that they have a problem and until they do it will be hard to get it fixed.

I really like the LA852, it is a tough and capable loader. I have the HD version of the bucket and it seems indestructable.

Pat

 

[Stackwood]

Bob, thanks for the input on tractor weight. It looks like my 'bota doesn't outweigh yours by a whole lot. I think I'll plan on sticking to the 1000# limit on bushogs.

Patrick, the paperwork says our loader is an LA853, so I guess that makes it a -3. It sounds like you're real comfortable with using yours. Our main obstacles bushogging are trees, so the lifting strategy that works so well for you will have to wait until we get fences. How does your tractor do picking up round bale with the FEL? I've got a spear on order and I'm itching to try it. I don't have pallet forks, my wallet's too light as it is, but I think they'd be real useful. A friend of mine has a set of the clamp on kind. He hates them so much he told me I could hav'em. He uses his regular forks mainly to clear deadfalls out of his 100 acres of pasture. He says he's rough with'em. I'll bet.

Have you done much digging with your FEL? I've got an old pond with a hole in it. It's really a job for a bulldozer, but I'm thinking about fooling around with the new tractor to see what I could do.

 

[patrick_g]

Stackwood, I really like the loader. It is pretty powerful and HD compared to what you see on tractors as small as mine (40 HP.) I have the HD bucket and can not recommend the standard one.

I ignored the warnings of the dealer and salesmen regarding handling round bales wit the pallet forks. I was quite good at it. I could put round bales on my traileer standing up like soup cans and then put a bale on top of each bale. I could load 6 that way. Then I would have the driver of the truck (AKA wife) drive to the barn where I would unload and stack them inside. Then in a split second one time I let a bale tip toward me and it tumbled toward the cab. The force bent the "back board" of the forks about 45 degrees and was only stopped when the back board hit the hydraulic cylinders. I thought for sure I was going to have a 1000 lb + bale through the windshield and into my lap.

I cut out the bent metal and reinforced it. I have 5 layers of steel each thicker than OEM that tapers to 4 then 3 then 2 then just one extra layer on top of the original. It hasn't bent since.

I then went to the dealer and bought a hay spike. I haven't touched a round bale with forks since. As my tractor is small, I have to pay attention to what I am doing when carrying a 1000+ lb round bale AND I have the HD box blade or brush hog on the back for ballast. With care I can handle the bales safely and expeditiously. I was an idiot for not getting the bale spike to start with but some of us have to (once in a while) pee on the hot wire for ourselves.

Never had bolt on forks and never will. I'm sure there are folks who are pleased with them but I have no interest.

If you take it easy while getting experience with your loader you will avoid some danger. ITEM of importance: Like a pilot making a landing "guards" the throttle(s) in case he needs to go around, while using the FEL DO NOT REMOVE YOUR HAND FROM THE JOYSTICK. Be ready to dump the load at any instant such as when tires start leaving the ground. I have done thsis several times (too many.)

When you turn the wheels sharply it changes the stance of the front wheels and makes the tractor less stable. I'm talking static stability here. If you are moving faster than a couple miles per hour there are dynamic considerations also. The load on the FEL wants to follow a straight line and if it is up above ground level much the dynamic forces can easily overcome your static stability and turn you over. I have been on two wheels too many times also. Immediately dropping the load till the FEL hits the ground is what saved me from a roll over several times. If you have a decent load on the FEL then keep it as low as is practical for stability. If you have to raise it up pretty high then do that as a separate action, i.e. drive to where you want to be, stop, and then raise the load and do with it what you want. I integrated too many actions, doing them at the same time which will get you into trouble when it gets a heavy load up significantly in height while you are still manuvering. BAD IDEA!!!

Yes I have dug plenty with the FEL and bucket. I have dug trenches about 2 ft wide at the top that were triangular in cross section and nearly 2 ft deep. No substitute for a backhoe or ditch witch but way ahead of a shovel. These were for water and gas lines and electrical runs. If the dirt is too dry and hard you will discover it early on and the reasonable thing is to quit beating a dead horse.

Pat

 

[Stackwood]

Patrick,

Lots of good advice. I really appreciate it. Hand on the joystick at all times: good idea. Also not trying to do too many things at once. I'll be sure to get a bale spear before trying to move round bales. I don't have a cab, thus my first mistake could be my last act on earth. Hopefully the extra size and weight of our tractor will increase the margin of safety.

Be safe. Thanks again.

Stackwood

 

[patrick_g]

Stackwood, You will have a greater bale handling ability than I have but don't get too rambunctious as with a thousand or more pounds up 8 ft or higher on your bale spike you will be amazed at how destabalizing it is to make a turn. The CG of the combined tractor, loader and bale will be raised enough to make it fairly easy to tip over if you try to manuver as boisterously as you can with the bucket low and empty.

When I have a full FEL bucket and turn sharply while backing (shuttling back and forth between dig location and where I'm piling the dirt) I have a low enough CG to not be in too much danger of a rollover but when punching the HST to go forward while still backing in a curved trajectory if I am on grass or other low traction media I slide pretty good before regaining traction. If after a rain, it gets pretty wild.

I have saved myself from an incipient roll over event numerous times by having my hand on the joystick and being able to bring the load down to the ground immediately. The time it takes to react and grab the joystick versus having your hand on it and anticipating the need to lower the FEL can easily make the difference between a small dose of excitement and a test of your ROPS.

I have had my tractor in every 2 wheel only on the ground combination possible, multiple times and most of the time with the FEL in use but so far (hits self in head with fist) knock on wood, no roll over.

Pat