Anyone ever have issues with their FEL support stands failing? Mine seem to work just fine. Another Kubota owner I know would never take his FEL off due to concerns that the supports provided would not hold up. I explained that mine is off more than it is on and the supports do there job just fine. I bring this up because I drove by the other day and noticed his was off put he had all kinds of extra support to help hold up the FEL. To each his own so I didn't say anything, just thought it was a bunch of extra work for nothing.
FEL supports
- Thread starter Benhameen
- Start date
RCW
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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Benhameen,
Are you talking about the stand (legs) used to hold the arms up when the loader is off? I know the first time I saw the stand on mine I wondered if it was strong enough to hold it up. But I have no reservations in taking mine off.
Are you talking about the stand (legs) used to hold the arms up when the loader is off? I know the first time I saw the stand on mine I wondered if it was strong enough to hold it up. But I have no reservations in taking mine off.
North Idaho Wolfman
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The stands hold very little weight it's more of a balance act, I'm sure if they ever failed they would have redesigned them. 
Neighbor might have put down pressure on them when trying to get things ready for removal. Probably not built to carry any tractor load.
They don't seem to hold much weight at all on my B2150. Mine were missing, so after asking about here and looking at pics on the web I made a set from common hot roll bar stock. Was just a bit too wide, so I cut a rabbit on one end for a good fit, and the shoulder prevents over insertion. Even with the fairly small footprint on the ground the supported the weight without digging in overly much when I removed the loader to split and install the clutch. Not knowing exactly how long it would be off, I did put some board scrap under it to keep it from sinking over time, but I got a sense that I could have lifted it and flipped it over with another guy holding the other arm. So IMO those 1/2" (IIRC?) bar stock arms aren't going to give in any reasonable scenario. However, if you tried to rock it out without clearing the pins and other restraints, the tractor hydraulics I believe are certainly capable of folding them up on my relatively limp-wristed B, much less an L or larger.
Yes I'm talking about the stands that hold it up while It's off the tractor. I too looked at it as if it's more of a balancing act vs holding up all the weight of the FEL. I was just curious if anyone had a problem with them, I personably have not. In fact they're doing there job just fine at the moment.
I was concerned with the loader bing tippy when off the tractor. I took mine off for the first time a month ago and I could put my weight (lbs) on the end of the arms and the loader did not even move
Have been using them often for 14 years on one Kubota (Grand L) and 11 years on the other (BX). Never a problem, never even thought they weren't up to the job. At most, they only hold up a few hundred pounds in the case of the Grand L loader; on the BX, you could probably hold up the weight they carry yourself.
If you have the supports down and lower the FEL with the bucket level, they will touch the ground just a bit before the bucket does. If you're then unwise enough to continue lowering the FEL without adjusting the bucket angle, the entire weight of the front end of the tractor loads onto the supports... of course they'll likely bend. Example # 553 of how improper operation can damage equipment.
If you have the supports down and lower the FEL with the bucket level, they will touch the ground just a bit before the bucket does. If you're then unwise enough to continue lowering the FEL without adjusting the bucket angle, the entire weight of the front end of the tractor loads onto the supports... of course they'll likely bend. Example # 553 of how improper operation can damage equipment.