TBDonnelly
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2005
- Messages
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- Tractor
- Kioti CK30HST, KL130 FEL, turf tires
I drape a chain across the chain hooks then center the load on the chain. Always centering the load is good advice.
Don
What Basic Tools Should a Newbie Own??
- Thread starter miramadar
- Start date
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I drape a chain across the chain hooks then center the load on the chain. Always centering the load is good advice.
Don
OP
miramadar
Gold Member
That does make sense. But if I had hooks on both sides and were going to pick up a heavy load, I'd use 2 chains and utilize both hooks and distribute the weight between them. That's the way I've done it in the past.
TBDonnelly
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2005
- Messages
- 1,402
- Tractor
- Kioti CK30HST, KL130 FEL, turf tires
Excellent advice.
It just depends on the size of the item the loader is picking up. Having at least two chains available for use is standard operating equipment. 3RRL mounted a 25mm ammo box on his tractor for chain storage that opens from the bottom to drop the chains out. It's a neat addition.
See 3RRL's chain box in this thread:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/140928-another-chain-box-tool-box.html
Don
OP
miramadar
Gold Member
What an awesome idea!!! I need to get one of those!
Kioti4me
Bronze Member
Guy's
I think we agree the load must be centered making sure we balance the load properly or there would be trouble with twisting the loader. I was suggesting one hook not two as the issue. I should have stated that more clearly. When I can I do plan to add a Grapple hook. The Governor ( my wife that is, has not approved the funding for one yet)
OP
miramadar
Gold Member
deputyrpa
Gold Member
Nice! And CLEAN! Congratulations!!
Always wear your seatbelt! Sometimes you get no warning.
Although not a tool, one thing I always have on hand is a good polymer wax. Cleaning (by rinsing) the unit is much easier when the finish is properly protected. Most of the time I can use a garden hose, but sometimes I break out the Cat pump and have a blast.
Since my DK with loader and backhoe is essentially a zerk fitting tree in full bloom, I took the plunge and purchased an Alemite 14.4 volt cordless grease gun. My greasing program has been cut by two-thirds. Either the Alemite or the Lincoln 14.4 volt guns can develop 10,000 psi, which helps to push clogs through.
I use my 3/4 inch drive for effortless torquing (checking the torque) of lug nuts, lader and backhoe frames, etc. Although costly, a nice set comes in handy. I have air tools and a large air compressor at the lower barn, but usually for routine stuff I use hand tools.
Locktite should always be in the toolbox too.
I also like the rubber pipe/filter wrenches. One can wrap them around cylindrical objects (especially delicate ones or ones you do not want to mutilate) and apply a good deal of wrenching power. I have a few sizes.
I also bought a portable DC welder that runs off batteries in series (Readywelder II). It'll weld up to 3/4 inch steel or aluminum (with shielding gas) in a single pass at ~400 amps. I figure with the size and geography of my land, it's easier to get the welder to the tractor and implements than vice versa. Not many folks would volunteer to tow or drag my DK off the mountain!
Just a few thoughts, as they folks here have covered a lot already. Be safe!
Always wear your seatbelt! Sometimes you get no warning.
Although not a tool, one thing I always have on hand is a good polymer wax. Cleaning (by rinsing) the unit is much easier when the finish is properly protected. Most of the time I can use a garden hose, but sometimes I break out the Cat pump and have a blast.
Since my DK with loader and backhoe is essentially a zerk fitting tree in full bloom, I took the plunge and purchased an Alemite 14.4 volt cordless grease gun. My greasing program has been cut by two-thirds. Either the Alemite or the Lincoln 14.4 volt guns can develop 10,000 psi, which helps to push clogs through.
I use my 3/4 inch drive for effortless torquing (checking the torque) of lug nuts, lader and backhoe frames, etc. Although costly, a nice set comes in handy. I have air tools and a large air compressor at the lower barn, but usually for routine stuff I use hand tools.
Locktite should always be in the toolbox too.
I also like the rubber pipe/filter wrenches. One can wrap them around cylindrical objects (especially delicate ones or ones you do not want to mutilate) and apply a good deal of wrenching power. I have a few sizes.
I also bought a portable DC welder that runs off batteries in series (Readywelder II). It'll weld up to 3/4 inch steel or aluminum (with shielding gas) in a single pass at ~400 amps. I figure with the size and geography of my land, it's easier to get the welder to the tractor and implements than vice versa. Not many folks would volunteer to tow or drag my DK off the mountain!
Just a few thoughts, as they folks here have covered a lot already. Be safe!
Last edited:
Dmace
Elite Member
OP
miramadar
Gold Member
Thanks for all the great advice guys.
I ended up doing a little work with the Kioti this evening. Keep in mind that I've never really driven a tractor before. This past summer I drove my father-in-law's early '80's model Case around a lumber yard about 20 yards at a time. So, today was my first "real" experience actually operating one. After about 5 minutes of actually admiring the machine sitting on my property, I went to work. We've excavated a house seat where we plan to build a house later this year, so I have mounds of dirt sitting everywhere. So, I decided to lay into one.
My first impression is that the KL130 loader isn't exceptionally powerful. Of course, I'm sure there's some technique I'm lacking just yet. Nonetheless, I sank the bucket up in a mound of dirt, but it wouldn't lift a scoop out of it. I know there's the curl/lift technique that you're supposed to use, but I'll have to work on that. But I really expected the loader to lift out of it. I had to back up a little bit to lift or curl. But it has rained here for 2 straight days, hard at times, and that probably has a little (or a lot) to do with it. And after researching a little, I think the issue wasn't the loader's power so much as my inexperience. I was trying to lift very wet soil that was piled up almost 3 months ago. My kids have played all over it, it has rained and snowed on it. I didn't loosen the soil at all beforehand. I dug in at the bottom of the pile and tried to lift. The mound is about 5' high and I'm not sure what my RPMs were. The Kioti was probably rolling it eyes at this time
cursing his misfortune for having landed in the hands of such an incompetent operator!
Next, I decided to take some washboarded gravel humps out of my driveway. My driveway is sort of steep in a section and the new gravel we got about 2 months ago made a series of 4 or 5 decent-sized humps from the traffic going up the hill. So, with the tractor pointed up the hill I back-bladed using my FEL. That worked out pretty well. But the middle section of the driveway is humped up from years of traffic and I had a hard time actually getting down to the gravel in the wheel paths. But the hump didn't last long once the Kioti layed into it!
Lastly, I learned a valuable lesson that should have been a no-brainer. I decided to drive the tractor down into this big swag, on the side of which is a long ditch that has remained uncovered for about 7 years (see earlier post). Once I got down in the swag I remembered that it had rained 2 days straight as the tires sunk up quite a bit. It was VERY marshy. Nonetheless, I tried to back my box blade into the mound of dirt to cut it off and push the dirt back into the ditch. I think it would have worked out well if I would have had any traction. I put it in 4WD and sat and watched all 4 tires spin and fill with mud. So, lesson learned...tractors don't like mud!!
I ended up doing a little work with the Kioti this evening. Keep in mind that I've never really driven a tractor before. This past summer I drove my father-in-law's early '80's model Case around a lumber yard about 20 yards at a time. So, today was my first "real" experience actually operating one. After about 5 minutes of actually admiring the machine sitting on my property, I went to work. We've excavated a house seat where we plan to build a house later this year, so I have mounds of dirt sitting everywhere. So, I decided to lay into one.
My first impression is that the KL130 loader isn't exceptionally powerful. Of course, I'm sure there's some technique I'm lacking just yet. Nonetheless, I sank the bucket up in a mound of dirt, but it wouldn't lift a scoop out of it. I know there's the curl/lift technique that you're supposed to use, but I'll have to work on that. But I really expected the loader to lift out of it. I had to back up a little bit to lift or curl. But it has rained here for 2 straight days, hard at times, and that probably has a little (or a lot) to do with it. And after researching a little, I think the issue wasn't the loader's power so much as my inexperience. I was trying to lift very wet soil that was piled up almost 3 months ago. My kids have played all over it, it has rained and snowed on it. I didn't loosen the soil at all beforehand. I dug in at the bottom of the pile and tried to lift. The mound is about 5' high and I'm not sure what my RPMs were. The Kioti was probably rolling it eyes at this time
cursing his misfortune for having landed in the hands of such an incompetent operator!Next, I decided to take some washboarded gravel humps out of my driveway. My driveway is sort of steep in a section and the new gravel we got about 2 months ago made a series of 4 or 5 decent-sized humps from the traffic going up the hill. So, with the tractor pointed up the hill I back-bladed using my FEL. That worked out pretty well. But the middle section of the driveway is humped up from years of traffic and I had a hard time actually getting down to the gravel in the wheel paths. But the hump didn't last long once the Kioti layed into it!
Lastly, I learned a valuable lesson that should have been a no-brainer. I decided to drive the tractor down into this big swag, on the side of which is a long ditch that has remained uncovered for about 7 years (see earlier post). Once I got down in the swag I remembered that it had rained 2 days straight as the tires sunk up quite a bit. It was VERY marshy. Nonetheless, I tried to back my box blade into the mound of dirt to cut it off and push the dirt back into the ditch. I think it would have worked out well if I would have had any traction. I put it in 4WD and sat and watched all 4 tires spin and fill with mud. So, lesson learned...tractors don't like mud!!
OP
miramadar
Gold Member
That and a few cans of Kioti orange paint should do it up nicely!
