Front-End Loader Worst things to do to a FEL

[tcreeley]

I used my bucket last fall to pull up steel fence posts- and to redrive them. Short piece of chain wrapped around post and hooked to bucket and lift.
To drive it in- jam it in an inch or two in the ground and set the bucket on the top and lower the bucket. Beats a sledge hammer all out!

 

[SGBotsford]

Unless you want to bend or break bucket cylinders, do not back drag with the bucket tilted forward beyond 15 degrees. Do not back drag with front wheels off the ground.

Oops. I do this all the time. Bucket at an angle of about 45 degrees. Clearing snow right next to the garage door, flattening gopher hills before tarping when I'm about to get a load of mulch.

Most of the time the front wheels are just off the ground, or have only enough weight to allow steering.

I've done this as it 'feels' less stressful on the machine -- less jerkiness I guess.

Deutz 6250

 

[CMREED]

PUSHING WITH THE BUCKET AT MAX HEIGHT WILL DO CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE LIFT CYLINDERS=THE CYLINDER RODS, PISTONS, AND CYLINDER HEAD WILL BE PULLED OUT OF AND OFF THE END OF THE LIFT CYLINDERS. I HAD TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS DAMAGE COULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY ON A NEW TRACTOR WITH LOADER AND THE OWNER HAD TO PAY FOR TWO NEW LIFT CYLINDERS.

 

[LD1]

In reality, what we ALL should do is just take the loaders off of our tractors and let them sit in the garage. That way we are absolutely SURE we dont do anything wrong with them:laughing::laughing:

 

[RoyJackson]

PUSHING WITH THE BUCKET AT MAX HEIGHT WILL DO CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE LIFT CYLINDERS=THE CYLINDER RODS, PISTONS, AND CYLINDER HEAD WILL BE PULLED OUT OF AND OFF THE END OF THE LIFT CYLINDERS. I HAD TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS DAMAGE COULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY ON A NEW TRACTOR WITH LOADER AND THE OWNER HAD TO PAY FOR TWO NEW LIFT CYLINDERS.

What were you pushing with the bucket at full loader height?
You're probably lucky it was just those cylinders, BTW.

 

[kjnes]

Buy John Deere. I have pushed many branches with it this past fall, moved large logs. A proper loader is designed for more than the tractor can handle. Dragging stuff backwards with blade facing down 90 deg. to drag loose dirt or at 20 deg. to level ground. Welded hooks on 4 locations to hook a chain onto it where needed. Push, pile up snow with it in winter, scrape the driveway. Have 450 pounds of ballast on back of a 2520 w 200cx loader, 62" bucket. It had lots of heavy use with it, still in perfect condition.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

PUSHING WITH THE BUCKET AT MAX HEIGHT WILL DO CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE LIFT CYLINDERS=THE CYLINDER RODS, PISTONS, AND CYLINDER HEAD WILL BE PULLED OUT OF AND OFF THE END OF THE LIFT CYLINDERS. I HAD TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS DAMAGE COULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY ON A NEW TRACTOR WITH LOADER AND THE OWNER HAD TO PAY FOR TWO NEW LIFT CYLINDERS.

Did you not miss speak?

When pushing over 40' trees I fine it works better with the bucket high. You much be selling defective designed equipment because when pushing with the FEL at any height with our JD it is 'pushing' and not pulling on the lift cylinders.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Worst thing I did was push debris into a burning inferno of a brush burn. The Kubota was bran new, maybe 3 hours on the clock. I drove it in a little deeper each time till the heat made me back off. The last time in the tractor stalled ON THE BURNING PILE.

I had one shot to restart it or jump off before I and the tractor caught fire. I hit the key and she fired right up and I flew out of the burning pile.

That was the last time I will ever do that. The tires got a little hot & smokey and the hood got scorched pretty good. Huge pucker factor in that one.

 

[rogersmithiii]

If you're not supposed to use a FEL as a bulldozer, does that mean that I can't use it to scrape 8 inches of mud out of the horse paddock, or muck out the pig pen?

Serious question. I'm planning the purchase of a tractor, and that's one of the jobs that I need to accomplish.

Maybe a Deere 310 backhoe is a better choice?

Thanks

 

[IslandTractor]

If you're not supposed to use a FEL as a bulldozer, does that mean that I can't use it to scrape 8 inches of mud out of the horse paddock, or muck out the pig pen?

Serious question. I'm planning the purchase of a tractor, and that's one of the jobs that I need to accomplish.

Maybe a Deere 310 backhoe is a better choice?

Thanks

Not a problem. Scooping and scraping don't put any stress on the FEL unless you are scooping at speed and hit an obstacle. Digging is generally fine too. Bulldozing is different as you are using a lot of force. The FEL arms are long and thin to make lifting possible and are not engineered like the short thick arms of a bulldozer.