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FEL and stability

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Oliver
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 210 Massachusetts
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2006-03-20          126340

Mowing season may be a month away, but I'm thinking about it. Last year I mowed all season with my 7510 and 5' rear mower and always left the FEL on. There are some hills on my property, some that are steep enough that I am not comfortable driving across, so I go up and down. My question, am I more or less stable with the FEL on? I always keep it low to the ground to help my center of gravity.

What do people think -- take it off to mow or leave it on? I am not worried about the weight of the tractor on the lawn and do not have to worry about manuvering around obstacles as the property is wide open.

Thanks!


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DenisS
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 367 NJ
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2006-03-20          126342

my gut feeling, you're better off with the FEL on. I may be wrong. ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2006-03-20          126343

You are most definitely more stable with the FEL removed do to the significant amount of weight removed from the upper frontal area of the tractor. The question is; will you require some front counter weight to operate the rear mower? I would think not but depending upon its weight you very well may. ....

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2006-03-20          126345

Some folks with rear mowers and no FEL invest in front weights to keep things on an even keel, so throw that into the mix.

I have always thought you could stabilize in a tippy situation by quick/jamming the FEL into the ground, giving at least the front end a broad flat surface to resist turning over.

Others may have different opinions and experience on this matter. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-03-20          126351

On my personal machine at home I rarely take the FEL off, even when mowing, albiet I don't use it for finish mowing, just rough cutting.

In my case I use it as a grader to flatten bumps, and as a rolling garbage can to collect debris as I come across it.

Best of luck. ....

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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2006-03-20          126358

As Chief said, taking the FEL off will lower the center of gravity quite a bit. Also, your tractor will have much better manueverability without the bucket hanging out in front. Like Murf, I leave mine on but I don't do any finish mowing. I can use the FEL to mash the brush down in front as I drive over it. The rear mower then cuts it flat.
Dave ....

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lbrown59
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2006-03-21          126425

I mow with the FEL & BH attached to my BX23.
Works fine for me. ....

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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2006-03-21          126458

With my B7610 which is basically the same size as the 7510 I have a MMM and mow with no FEL.

Last year I was doing some dirt work with the loader and wanted to mow without bothering to take the mower off. I can tell you that I could not wait to get that work done and the loader off, I have some good grades and my pucker factor increased significantly with the FEL on.

On totally flat ground it probably won't have much impact. Also your situation with the rear mower may be different, though the rear mower is just dragged and does not offer any ballast.

Dennis ....

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lbrown59
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2006-03-21          126466

More on FEL and stability.
Watch out when pushing stumps with it.
If a root digs into the ground the bucket will ride over the top as the stump begins to roll lifting the front end of the tractor off the ground.
If the stump is centered on the bucket you could roll over backwards.
If it's to one side it could tip you over sideways.
Go slow stay alert keep an eye on the stump and the bucket.
If the bucket starts to ride up over the stump be ready to take action such as stopping raising the bucket or backing up or some combination of these as may be required.

=====

~~~~~~~~~ ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-03-21          126468

"If the stump is centered on the bucket you could roll over backwards."

Of course if you stick to pushing over stumps that are less than 12 feet tall this risk is greatly diminished.


Best of luck. ....

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rgpbeme
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 55 Eureka Springs AR
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2006-03-21          126478

What amount of wieght should you use to counter a FEL? Would it be equal to what the FEL will lift ....

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2006-03-21          126480

I find the JD 955 to be more stable with the FEL removed on side slopes. I could not easily remove the FEL from my 750. ....

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doc
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2006-03-21          126494

If you keep your FEL down low, basic laws of physics will show you that it is much more stable with the FEL on than with it off. I am not looking for an arguement and it involves many equations, but a couple other things you can do: add some weight in the FEL that you can move to the proper side when mowing certain inclines. If using a brushhog type mover you have the weight for the rear. You may want to consider rear wheel weights also.
doc ....

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lbrown59
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2006-03-22          126521

Of course if you stick to pushing over stumps that are less than 12 feet tall this risk is greatly diminished.

M U R F
=============

Who said anything about pushing over trees or up rooting stumps.
Better take a second look at what I said.

===== ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-03-22          126523

Ok, I will.

"Watch out when pushing stumps with it.
If a root digs into the ground the bucket will ride over the top as the stump begins to roll lifting the front end of the tractor off the ground.
If the stump is centered on the bucket you could roll over backwards."

In order to roll a tractor over backwards, end for end as you describe, you would have to have one of two things, either the tractor would have to be tethered at the rear, above the center of the rear axle, a torque induced rollover, which is not the case here, or you would have to lift the front end high enough to go past the balance point, which is what you are stated.

Since we are talking about a Kubota B7510 here, but almost any CUT would be similar, you would have to have the tractor pretty close to vertical before you got past the balance point to flip it over backwards.

Best of luck.
....

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