Trouble Removing FEL

[PM7788]

I finally received my LX3310 HSDC last week. I've been on it non stop this weekend doing things around the property and absolutely love it. I tried taking the FEL off today (LA535) and just cant seem to get it. I'm following the directions in the manual but when I get to "curl the bucket closed" step, the FEL just kind of sits on the stands and the bucket is off the ground, it doesn't come up off the frame.

Raise boom and release supports
Angle bucket down slightly (manual says 20 degrees)
Lower boom and raise front tires off the ground slightly
Remove pins
Curl bucket closed so that loader comes up off the frame

It's this last part that doesn't seem to work. Maybe too much of an angle with the bucket? not enough?

Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[mcfarmall]

Are you on a flat, level surface? The 20 degree angle is considered when the boom is lowered to the ground...like your trying dig the cutting edge into the ground. Should come off without a hitch. I can remove the loader with the bucket or pallet forks on.

 

[PM7788]

Are you on a flat, level surface? The 20 degree angle is considered when the boom is lowered to the ground...like your trying dig the cutting edge into the ground. Should come off without a hitch. I can remove the loader with the bucket or pallet forks on.

I am. I tried it in the asphalt driveway which is flat and level. It makes sense and all the videos/explanation in the manual look and sound easy.

 

[JimmyJazz]

Don't feel bad. I take the loader off of mine weekly and put it back on for grass cutting and I also find it challenging. I have scratched up my hood pretty good during the process. 36 hours on the tractor. Experience is the best teacher as they say. Good luck.

 

[PM7788]

Is there ever a need to drive slightly forward/reverse to get the FEL to release from the brackets? The last thing I want to do is twist something

 

[JimmyJazz]

Is there ever a need to drive slightly forward/reverse to get the FEL to release from the brackets? The last thing I want to do is twist something

I think it would be hard to damage the loader. I would have done it by now.

 

[NCL4701]

I take mine off and put it back on probably a four or five times a year. It has the stand legs that you have to manually flip down and pin in place. I think there are some that have some more sophisticated auto lock something which I know nothing about. If you have the automatic stand legs, please ignore the rest of this.

Anyway, there are only a couple of ways I know to really mess up the process.

First way to mess up: putting the weight of the front of the tractor on the stand legs instead of the bucket. That will bend the stand legs. They’re not made to take that kind of weight. Usually that would be after the legs are down and you’re lifting, or almost lifting, the front of the tractor to pull the pins. Just make sure the bucket is curled down far enough to be on the ground and taking the weight. Once the pins are out, curl the bucket back up and it should pop out so it’s sitting on the bucket and stand legs but not the tractor. If it doesn’t pop loose and the bucket is slightly off the ground with the pins out, try kicking the loader boom to jar it loose and grease the lower socket before you put it back on so it doesn’t stick again. Sometimes it’s easier to see what you’re doing if you lock the brakes and run the loader while standing on the ground.

Second way to mess up: taking it off on unlevel ground. Don’t do that. It will come off but it will take a minor miracle to get it back on. Sounds like you already have that one covered.

So long as you can get the pins out and don’t put the weight of the tractor on the stand legs, just fiddle with it until it comes off. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Took me 30 minutes off, 45 minutes on first time. Now it’a 3 to 5 minutes off, 3 to 5 minutes on.

Edit: As new as it is, you might talk the dealer into having someone stop by to give you a quick demo and make sure it’s all operator problems rather than something else.

 

[RichardAaronlx2610]

I have Yet to try and take mine off, but i want to try it in my garage on the flat floor to try and get the hang of it first. I guess I’ll have to put that on my list of things to do this week

 

[jimh406]

I haven’t take mine off either. I think I need to try it to see how much it helps pulling the grader/scraper for our community road when I have to make multiple passes.

 

[Orange1forme]

Give these a look and see if they help.

 

[rjent]

I can usually remove my FEL off my B7800 (LX3310) in litterally just a few min. I had a new L2501 that I spent operating about 16 hours including running my rotary cutter and a chipper. I found the L hard to remove the first time due to paint making the mating surfaces stuck. Once freed, it removed and installed as easy as the B. It is probably just new "stuck".

Again, just my observation .....

 

[PaulL]

I'll add to what others have said.

When I have forks on instead of my bucket, I can't use the curl circuit (well, I did, and popped the retaining clips on the forks - they can't take weight). In that situation, I find that I have to use the up/down circuit, and the arms slowly push the tractor back until they eventually pop out. Then I put them back the other way so they're not sticking out. Sounds weird, but when you do it you'll understand.

My usual fail is forgetting to put the stand down.

If you put your bucket (or, in my case, the forks) on some timber it messes the geometry up a bit. My forks damage my concrete, but when the forks are on a sheet of ply and the stands aren't, it makes it harder to get off. So that's another thing that could influence.

I often put the bucket on the ground, use the curl to lift the front wheels, then use the curl to put them down again. The loader normally pops off when I curl back.

It does sound like perhaps yours is a bit sticky. Once your bucket is flat there's no point in curling further. Maybe get off and wiggle the arms a bit.

 

[nbryan]

I finally received my LX3310 HSDC last week. I've been on it non stop this weekend doing things around the property and absolutely love it. I tried taking the FEL off today (LA535) and just cant seem to get it. I'm following the directions in the manual but when I get to "curl the bucket closed" step, the FEL just kind of sits on the stands and the bucket is off the ground, it doesn't come up off the frame.

Raise boom and release supports
Angle bucket down slightly (manual says 20 degrees)
Lower boom and raise front tires off the ground slightly
Remove pins
Curl bucket closed so that loader comes up off the frame

It's this last part that doesn't seem to work. Maybe too much of an angle with the bucket? not enough?

Any suggestions are appreciated!

I'd raise the boom a little, or operate the lever as if raising the boom a little, after pulling the pins and curling bucket. With the pins out, the boom cylinder will shorten and pull the quick connect frame's top forward, out of the slot where the pin was. The frame should pop up and out of the bottom cradle easily now. Remember to lengthen (lower) the boom cylinder back a bit when hooking backup up later.

 

[PM7788]

Thanks everyone for the input, suggestions, and advice.

I tried again today following the above and still cant get it off. I gave it a few solid kicks for good measure but still no success. The pin holes move but it just doesn't release like it should.

I reached out to my dealer and asked if they could send someone to take a look and walk me through it again someday this week, luckily they're not too far from away. Not the proudest moment but better than a twisted FEL or just looking at the snowblower on a pallet all winter.

 

[NCL4701]

Sounds like you have a good dealer. They should have you going pretty quickly.

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

We never remove the FEL for this reason

 

[nbryan]

We never remove the FEL for this reason

You have a loader quick coupler that you never use because it's not working properly? Sheesh. Not sure what you're doing wrong, or what's needing fixing on your machines, but I've been using my QC since day one, it always worked according to manual directions and after a few rounds practice on-off it goes really quick and easy now.

 

[Springer]

Mine pops up abruptly. Then I back up about 6 inches and remove the hoses.

I do it about twice a month since I don't like cutting grass with it on. Its always a little tricky and I review the videos before each time. Keep you fingers out!!

 

[PM7788]

Late follow up on this. Finally was able to get to the dealer and do it on one of their tractors. The dealer ran into the same problem (when doing it by the manual). Loader lifts up so the pins can be removed but when we curl the bucket, the bucket just lifts off the ground and balances on the stands. It never pops out of the frame/support

To remove my LA535 loader: I have to get to the point where you remove the pins, then raise the boom (extend the cylinders), this causes the loader to move into a better position to pop out. Then curl the bucket and it pops up. Disconnect hoses, etc. An extra step in the process but seems to work.

Maybe a design issue with the new LA535 loaders? I know it's slightly different than the LA534 that comes on the standard L series.

 

[nbryan]

Late follow up on this. Finally was able to get to the dealer and do it on one of their tractors. The dealer ran into the same problem (when doing it by the manual). Loader lifts up so the pins can be removed but when we curl the bucket, the bucket just lifts off the ground and balances on the stands. It never pops out of the frame/support

To remove my LA535 loader: I have to get to the point where you remove the pins, then raise the boom (extend the cylinders), this causes the loader to move into a better position to pop out. Then curl the bucket and it pops up. Disconnect hoses, etc. An extra step in the process but seems to work.

Maybe a design issue with the new LA535 loaders? I know it's slightly different than the LA534 that comes on the standard L series.

I offered this very suggestion, raise the boom a bit once the pins are out, in comment #13 above. Too bad you missed it. Just popped the loader off today first time since spring, same. Lower onto stands, curl the bucket a bit to unload pins, pull pins then push loader lever forward a smidge. The FEL pops right out.