New (to me) L3010, am I being too hard on it?

[sth5591]

Hello all, I picked up a 1998 L3010 with 2200 hours on it this morning, and immediately put it to work ripping out a row of brush with the FEL. It seems to me that I am really beating on the tractor digging out root balls, but I am completely new to tractors. I did quickly learn that I need some rear counterweight (more than just the wheel weights) as I stood the tractor on its nose digging out a big root ball! That one caused some serious puckering Am I just overreacting in thinking that I'm beating this thing too hard or should I take it easy on her?

 

[85Hokie]

I would say....if YOU can take it.....it CAN take it !!!!

then again there are those operators that think they are bullet proof.....

my pucker factor tends to be real sensitive! I dont go like a bull in a china shop, but then again I aint like a butterfly in a flower shop!

 

[sth5591]

It wasn't anything too crazy, digging under the roots of some brush and lifting up the bucket to pull the roots out, normally they would pop right out but a couple times there was too much there and the bucket wouldn't move. Also found a big tree root while trying to dig brush, and it managed to break that out too. Is it bad for it to have pressure against it when it can't move? I wasn't holding it there for a long time, just momentarily until I realized it wouldn't move.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

The hydraulic system has a pressure bypass. If you reach the pressure with the loader and its not enough to move the loader, the bypass will port pressure back to the transmission.

The key is how fast you load your tractor. Trying to curl the bucket back is the most powerful aspect of the FEL and will do a lot of work without stressing your machine. The lifting action has less capability.

Also, don't ram into things with your FEL, even piles of dirt. You can crack you FEL brackets or frame. Take things slow and easy. It the machine shudders, you should too. Picking up the front or back with the loader is not tough on the machine but can cause it to roll, as backing while attached at the front to something you are trying to pull out of he ground. Get the rear end high enough and the machine will lay over on its side in a heartbeat.

Getting those roots out, try a chain hooked to the top of your bucket or the lip. Harbor Freight has nice 14' chains with hooks. Raise the FEL and if that doesn't pull it out, rotate the bucket and that just might.

Here's what I use...

You can use this rig to pull tree stakes and other items out of the ground easily using the curl feature of the bucket -if the lift features doesn't get it.

Ray

 

[Grandad4]

You'll get more done and put less stress on the tractor's front end if you get something heavy mounted out back on the 3 point hitch. When you are using the loader to pry something out of the ground, the front axle becomes the fulcrum for the prying forces... weight in back helps.

 

[D2Cat]

A less stressed way to pull trees up is to rap a chain around the base of the tree a few times. Then run the chain over a steel wheel (like off of a pick up) and hook to the drawbar of your tractor.

The steel wheel becomes a rolling lever.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

D2's idea is a great one I have not tried. HF has longer chains if you want to double them but the chain I pictured has a 7000lb breaking strength so a single chain would probably get it.

People use fulcrums to make work easier. The same goes for your tractor.

Ray

 

[skeets]

D2 hit it, I have an old semi truck wheel and it really makes a difference

 

[D2Cat]

Skeets is correct. The bigger the wheel (to an extent!) the better the leverage.

Just remember: the "big wheel" has to be on the ground with the chain on it, not in the drivers seat!!"

 

[TripleR]

Pretty much what everyone else said, put something of sufficient weight on the 3PH; I have fluid and weights, but still put added weight on the hitch. And don't ram into things.

I bought a tractor because that's what tractors do. Given time and use a tractor will eventually fail just like anything else, fix it and go on, just like anything else.

 

[sth5591]

Thanks for the input. Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to rip out trees with it. I have a lot of brush that grows out in groups of 5-10 stalks from one root ball, can be anywhere from 1/2"-3" thick, and 5-15 feet tall, Basically I was using the loader at about 6 feet up and pushing them over, and then digging out the root ball after they were pushed over. The tree root happened to be in the way of one of them and I couldn't see it, I felt like THAT was too hard on the tractor and I did accidentally ram it a couple times. Last night I started to push up a berm as a shooting backstop, slowly dug down maybe a foot (over a few passes) around the area in front and pushed all the stuff up into a pile, It didn't seem to be too hard on it, but I know these aren't meant to be excavators. I just want to make sure I'm not going to destroy my $10,000 investment in a week.

 

[TripleR]

It sounds as though you are using your tractor pretty much the same was as the rest of us and yes, though I don't advise it, I've rammed an object or two, but I suppose most of us are referring to ramming a solid object at significant velocity. Experience is going to be your most valuable tool.

I've been driving tractors for over 60 years and never damaged one from hard work, it just takes a while to learn the difference between hard work and abuse and you seem to learning quite well.

 

[Kingcreek]

Sounds like reasonable use to me. Take it slow and it'll all come to you.
The 3010 is a great untit, I love mine. I bought mine from my neighbor when he went up to an M series. 1999 with 1250 hours on it. It has only had 1 (one) part fail on it since new and that was a glow plug controller, minor issue. Nothing else but routine maintenance and filters and a flat front tire.

 

[Wildan]

We have a L3000DT ,almost the same tractor.Very capable.You may want to consider adding a tooth-bar to your bucket;makes a world of difference digging.

 

[sth5591]

We have a L3000DT ,almost the same tractor.Very capable.You may want to consider adding a tooth-bar to your bucket;makes a world of difference digging.

Yes, I definitely want to get a tooth bar soon. And a brush hog, and a rear blade, and lots of stuff.

 

[Grandad4]

Weight on the back (box blade is highly recommended), and a toothbar on the bucket will make your L3010 twice as effective for digging and moving material. You won't have to work it as hard either, although grubbing out stumps with the loader is tough work since the loader bucket isn't the best tool for that job. But take it easy while you learn how to use it and it will serve you well. The L3010 is a good, hard-working machine.

 

[sth5591]

Weight on the back (box blade is highly recommended), and a toothbar on the bucket will make your L3010 twice as effective for digging and moving material. You won't have to work it as hard either, although grubbing out stumps with the loader is tough work since the loader bucket isn't the best tool for that job. But take it easy while you learn how to use it and it will serve you well. The L3010 is a good, hard-working machine.

I'm working on a ballast barrel for the back, a 55 gallon drum with a drawbar pushed through it and filled about 3/4 with concrete. I think that should work pretty well and hopefully be heavy enough. A guy at work offered me a lightly used tooth bar for $150 today, so I'll probably take that too.