OK to let bucket slam down to clear stuck snow in bucket?

[Orange man hero]

I find my self letting bucket slam down to jolt stuck snow in bucket out of bucket. I have heard commercial tractors doing similar, so this must be OK,,,right?

 

[leveraddict]

I hope so I do it too!

 

[DustyRusty]

Learn to shake the bucket using the joystick and quickly shuttle it from right to left. Usually, it will shake the snow out of the bucket. Also, making sure that the bucket insides are clean and smooth makes it easier.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

:re letting bucket slam down to jolt stuck snow

if you mean hitting the ground with it, then NO !!

 

[mikester]

I find my self letting bucket slam down to jolt stuck snow in bucket out of bucket. I have heard commercial tractors doing similar, so this must be OK,,,right?

The commercial guys doing it are employees that don't give a sh*t because they don't pay for expensive equipment repairs.

Some equipment owners do it - that's why I don't lend equipment or tools.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yup, what gets me are the 'masons' who let the motor harden up overnight, then literally beat the krap outta the drum the next morning, at 7:12.......

 

[NCL4701]

If shaking the bucket (not slamming on the ground) is abuse that will cause damage, I’d also like to know. I don’t have problems with snow and don’t shake the bucket unless it’s necessary, but dealing with red clay I don’t know anything would ever get done without shaking the bucket.

 

[GSD-Keegan]

Anybody have any success with sprays to keep snow from sticking? ?? I have never tried any.…but I have seen lots of suggestions over the years.…..

 

[Geezer3d]

I think it depends on how much of a 'slam' you are talking about. I don't use the bucket for snow, but I sometimes pop the loader into float and let the bucket drop a little ways to clear mud out of it. I suppose that if it is heavy with stuck material or if you let it fall too far you could cause damage. If you are slamming it down under power rather than letting gravity do it you are stressing not only the mechanical parts but also the hydraulics.

 

[Oliver]

I always spray the inside of the bucket with silicone while it's still dry and clean before using it on snow and it helps a lot. Probably any kind of oil would work as well.

 

[Orangeglow]

I would not recommend slamming it, and would never do that, even with someone elses equipment.
For the amount that actually sticks to the bucket while using it, why not leave it there, until the job is complete. Then use a scraper and snowbrush, to remove whatever is stuck, before moving the tractor to put it back in the garage, waiting for its next use.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

'slamming' to me is bashing it into the ground, 'shaking' is a midair 'experience'. The two are NOT the same. really need to know what he is doing.
As for making a 'slippery bucket'. You can get them coated with teflon or ceramics ( think 'as seen on TV frying pans' ).Yes, it WILL cost you but does the job very well.
Might try one of the 'bedliner' products, has to be smoooooooooth though !

 

[Jchonline]

I find my self letting bucket slam down to jolt stuck snow in bucket out of bucket. I have heard commercial tractors doing similar, so this must be OK,,,right?

No its not ok. Buckets are meant for digging, dumping. Bring the bucket up about 6 ft in the air, dump it 1/ 2 way then start feathering the dump (ie shaking the bucket back and forth with the curl/dump functions on the joystick). By the time your bucket is fully vertical it should be empty.

A couple more things...a warm bucket (ie kept in a garage) will melt the cold snow in it and cause it to stick. Let the bucket sit outside to stay cold and the snow wont stick as much.

You can also spray the bucket with oil or something to keep it from sticking as much.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I find my self letting bucket slam down to jolt stuck snow in bucket out of bucket. I have heard commercial tractors doing similar, so this must be OK,,,right?

Usually shaking the bucket with the curl/dump control gets the job done but I would have no qualms about a "gentle" rap on the ground. Free fall from full height - no.

Dan

 

[SDT]

If shaking the bucket (not slamming on the ground) is abuse that will cause damage, I’d also like to know. I don’t have problems with snow and don’t shake the bucket unless it’s necessary, but dealing with red clay I don’t know anything would ever get done without shaking the bucket.

Shaking a suspended bucket is one thing.

Slam[ming] (OP's term) a bucket onto a hard surface is an entirely different matter.

SDT

 

[fruitcakesa]

I will run the bucket against the stops to dislodge stuck material but if a couple of those raps don't work, I just leave the stuff in .

 

[Thunder chicken]

I shake it. Any more than 3 times is playing with it though!
I also leave the bucket outside the garage. I back in, and unlatch it outside the door, it blocks the door so would be the thieves have another obstacle to getting stuff out. Sloshing some diesel fuel in the bucket will help with snow sticking too.

 

[Henro]

:re letting bucket slam down to jolt stuck snow

if you mean hitting the ground with it, then NO !!

Having trouble understanding why this would be a NO.

If the tractor is stopped, and the bucket is just falling like in float, what would be the negative?

Just wondering what I am missing...

 

[Orange man hero]

I always spray the inside of the bucket with silicone while it's still dry and clean before using it on snow and it helps a lot. Probably any kind of oil would work as well.

Will try the silicone.

 

[Orange man hero]

Having trouble understanding why this would be a NO.

If the tractor is stopped, and the bucket is just falling like in float, what would be the negative?

Just wondering what I am missing...

I have never had any luck using float. I guess I start the bucket down with power and gravity does the rest. Seems it is made to do this but maybe not. Lots of time wet snow is packed up in the bucket using up half the available space inside.