New to me....3225 FEL!!!

[Bsmith]

Originally Posted by Sam Mac

My only issue with FEL's on Cubs is the size of the buckets. OK if your using it to clean out stalls in a horse barn or a little mulch but WAY to big for dirt work.

Sam, I'm with you on this one. I think this bucket is a good mulch and snow bucket. I would like to source a lower and shallower bucket for dirt or stone work. Until then I will have to learn to take half a scoop.

[Bsmith]

Originally Posted by dale c.

your tractor should have the aluminum rear end they have needle bearings at the outer end of the axles that have grease in them from the factory which depletes with use my local dealer recommends replacing after 500 hrs. I've been cleaning and repacking with good grease but they don't hold much. if they go dry it will tear up the axles , and the diff. gears ..pretty big $$$$$ if it was mine I'd take the suitcase weights off and add weight in the tires to lessen the weight on the bearings

Dale c, thanks for this tip. I was thinking about removing the suitcase weights as the bracket is bent up. I will plan on leaving them off. I need to source up a service manual and learn how to change/grease the needle bearings.

[Bsmith]

Originally Posted by CubDieselFan

We seem to be raining on your parade, but the 3000 series Cubs are not built as well as the others you have. FEL's are hard on all of them.

Cub diesel fan, I don't see any rain. Don't have a parade either. I agree the 3000 series are probably not as heavy duty as my old IH iron but this is what I found in my loader search and the price was right. Do I want to put a loader on my nice, pretty, collectable show tractors. Absolutely not! I bought this sucker to work and I will try to take care of it the best I can.

[Bsmith]

Originally Posted by ACecil

Nice find on your cub and FEL!

Thank you Allen.

[Bsmith]

Originally Posted by aagitch

Very nice find, good for you!

Thank you aagitch.

[Bsmith]

Originally Posted by Oak

Congrats on a nice machine. It sounds like to me that you are getting this to help out around the house and not trying to start an excavation business so I think it should work out well for you. I'm thinking that the foot controlled hydro would be more user friendly in this application by leaving one of your hands free to work the sticks.

Dale C. is correct about roller bearings in the rear. They are HK 3020 and cost about $10 each if you need you replace them.

The front ends are built pretty heavy duty on these if you compare them to the 82 series and Cyclops machines. Any Cub built prior to the 82 series with a FEL would be toy compared to this.

IIRC those were the last FEL's built by KW. What a shame but new GT's are no longer built so the market went away.

Got any pics of how they mounted the pump?

Keep us posted on the steering issue. I've never heard of an issue with them yet but as others have said the FEL's put our little machines to the test.

Oak, see my earlier post on what I found with the steering.

I was under the tractor the other day but I forgot to take picks of the pump. It is mounted on a plate on the loader sub frame with the the shaft facing forward. The pto shaft runs straight back to it and is connected with a coupler. The plate can be removed from the sub frame while the pump and hoses are attached to it by removing four bolts. This allows the loader to be removed without draining the fluid or removing the entire subframe.

[Bsmith]

Originally Posted by inspectorudy

I have put FEL's on several GT tractors and they work just fine if you understand what they are capable of. Here in GA it is not possible to use a GT tractor with an FEL on it to gouge out and level GA red clay. It can be done but you have to get a little speed and then ram the ground with the bucket. Needless to say it is very hard on the front end of the GT and the whole tractor takes a beating. If you buy a truck load of soil or sand and want to spread it around then the smaller FEL's are just fine but you should go with a smaller bucket than 48" and that are deep. Also try to keep the dead stop, bucket loaded turns to a minimum. That puts a tremendous load on the steering system. If you can make all of your turns while slightly moving the strain goes way down. I found them to be a real back saver when I needed to move things around the yard like stones or fire wood. They are great tools! I would suspect that the bushings/bearings are shot on the front axle and any other worn parts might need to be replaced. Check out the hydraulic steering ram by watching it where it joins the front spindle and see how far it moves when you turn the wheel before the spindle actually moves. If it moves quickly then you have a wheel issue. If it doesn't move for a few inches of steering wheel travel then you have a PS valve issue. Also, the horrible back and forth of the front wheels when moving can be due to being out of tolerance for toe in. If the toe in is set too far outward the tractor will be real "Darty" when on a straight and smooth path.

Inspector Rudy. Thanks for the operating tips. Right now the steering issue looks like it was due to some loose bolts. I will double check the toe on the front wheels.

[Jumper]

B.- Not sure how that model will handle the FEL but it sure looks nice! Once you get used to it you will be amazed at what it will do. I was told the same things when I bought mine back in 1986 but it was the best investment in a attachment I ever made, just be patient and you will learn what it likes and doesn't like. All I can say is CONGRATS and enjoy! Keep pics coming