How to Grade Dirt with Compact Tractor Front End Loader
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- How to final grade with a compact tractor with Front End Loader (FEL). Kubota L2501 L3301 L3901 L3302 L3902 Episode 66
Part 2: • How to Grade Dirt WITH...
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More grading here:: ua-cam.com/video/5pKXz9yND8w/v-deo.html
One year later: ua-cam.com/video/oTYyRag1frk/v-deo.html
that's a long way of doing it. if you get the chance go to a big housing development and watch how the skidsteer guys do this. used to be it was done with a tractor with a backhoe, but you cut from your pile's outside and push dozer style long swipes, cut down 75% of your travel not doing work, and being productive 90% more efficient.
as you are pushing a piece of the pile an inch or two at a time this allows you to have the rear of the bucket the only part touching which will act as a pack level grader you only need -3º to do this and you will quickly figure out where to start dumping bucket material quick enough and you just keep hitting all 4 corners as you go around as you travel forward safer#1 and faster#2 than reversing, eliminate all unnecessary backing before a living thing gets run over. also helps prevent in animate object destruction and damage to your tractor from boulders and retaining walls etc.
also keep that machine away from the buildings automobiles, even for packing with the wheels. it only takes one mistake to cause major damage, and that machine can still crack the foundation wall just back filling block walls with too much ground pressure and back fill forward or side pressure. those can be $30,000 mistakes.
that triangle piece is called a gable end. that one is purely for accent aesthetic looks.
I just found your channel thanks to Chad @ Doss Farms. This was a great video! I’m an almost 70yo recently widowed granny and I LOVE the tractor my husband got me not quite a year ago. Kioti CX2510 HST. He got front end loader, backhoe and forklift attachments to go with it. We have a small desert 🌵 acreage that requires quite a bit of attention due to flash flooding during the monsoon season in Arizona, and he had a big Ford Loader/Backhoe he cleaned up with. But it’s intimidating to me due to the sheer size of it. This little Kioti is the perfect workhorse for me! Thank goodness he had the patience to teach me a little bit about operating it over the winter. This spring, I put in 150’ of new waterline, including 20 taps, to irrigate a line of Texas Sage I planted three years ago. They had been serviced with a drip line but they’re now getting big enough to need more water. Then, I spread 21 Ton 3/4” gravel in my circular drive, and now I am building a carport pad to put up a 24 x 20 carport to protect my new tractor from the relentless summer sun. I had no idea I would be doing this on my own, but I am certainly enjoying the learning process and am quite satisfied with the end results. This video and subsequent comments are wonderful learning tools for me. Thank you for sharing! I’m so glad I found your channel and look forward to watching more!
Oh man, that is so awesome. I hope we are still tractoring in our 70s!! Thanks for joining us!
Just an FYI - I've logged over 2k hours in a skidder and many more in a loader. If you want the key to grading like a pro - its really Simple. You use a 3/4 full bucket to grade with. Using the Heel of your Bucket. Sprinkling dirt is for topsoil. You just dozer it around with a full bucket, Go right up to the house and then pull it back with the heel. Its just a bulldozer when the buckets full. You can make cuts and not bounce all over with weight in the bucket also. Lift up slightly and you add traction to the front tires if you wanna push harder on a pile. Empty buckets = weak machines. The heel and Bucket weight will pack it in much better on the back drag also. Its why you don't use the heel method for topsoil.
I would watch a video of this! If you drop 20 tons of fill dirt - are you just pushing the dirt into place with a mostly full bucket, like a dozer would, instead of scooping and dropping? What if the pile is too big to push some dirt out of in the beginning or too far from your spot your trying to fill or grade?
He needs to be watching video on how to...
I was going to say, put a load in the bucket and use the float mode.
You are very correct, working with a full bucket makes a big difference.
Rewatched! Always enjoy Piney Grove and any dirt work! The commentary is great to listen to and the attention to details are off the charts! Must watch daily!
Thanks again!
Heck of a nice job, loved watching you work. And Bella was a great bonus watching her have so much fun with you.
Thank you. Bella is a good old country dog.
Great job, Brad. Nice looking fill too! How great to be taking care of your parents!
Thanks Ed! It's work....but it's tractor work, so it's kinda fun, right?! Take care. Brad&Deb
I’ve rarely ever had that nice of dirt to work with.
It was the perfect consistency!
Hey Brad , l like your math & tractor skills . You do good work & "don't work cheep". By you having 4 tractors, there is a "real number" in what l call " Twack-tor Home-lownership". With you & your tracker "werkun" for 10-12 hours @ 1500$ =150 -125$ an hour, YOU KNOW what it really takes to "just have a tractor laying around". Up in Ohio ,my customer's are "flaber-gasketed" when the price is 65$ an hour ( this year its going to be 75$ --l don't need the "practice "). A few times l rooled up to the job, ( never unloaded) left "pennyless" because they wouldn't pay the 250-300$ "4 hour minimum-unloading fee" C.O.D. & l was farther ahead just to "go home". My many Associate's ( professional Landscraper's)have (4) B26's TLB's & 2 L2501's---all hydrostatic, & only "One" real "Operator" in the bunch that can do a job as good as You ! I just about have "scraped " my 72"original MX5200 loader bucket in favour of a 78" skid-steer style;; because it does EVERYTHING BETTER, except moveing slag from the "Open-hearth Blast-furnace "( l think it's original intended design).You just maybe should try One on for size---only about 700-900$, and the work SO GREAT ! Thank you Sir for the Excelent vidio and happy safe tractoring. Best wishes with all your endeavours.
If I ever were to do work for hire, it would be $100 hr minimum and that's probably breaking even! Thanks for the comment....we have lots of tractor and excavator content on our channel if you like that kind of stuff! Here is our tractor playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLG5yS75HLzo3RVqEuA0f6IioXV6FtFhHW.html
@@PineyGroveHomestead Good to know!
I also own this tractor and love it. Your video was very helpful as I'm still new to its workings regarding leveling soil, the bucket, and back scraping. Thanks for a wonderful and informative vid.
Thank you. We have lots of tractor videos here: ua-cam.com/play/PLG5yS75HLzo3RVqEuA0f6IioXV6FtFhHW.html
I really like your videos. Everything is very well explained and it's spoken in common language. Very thorough. Please keep up the good work.
Thank you very much! More tractor videos here: ua-cam.com/play/PLG5yS75HLzo3RVqEuA0f6IioXV6FtFhHW.html
Was sent to see your farm. Doss sent a bunch of people. Happy to learn something new.
Your attention to details are amazing!
Thank you!
nicely done from a former finish tractor operator
Thank you....here is some gravel work: ua-cam.com/video/MXSfiB7M-E4/v-deo.html
Hi, Chad from Doss Farms sent me over to watch you. I live in SWF.
Welcome, happy to have you with us on our journey
Maybe talk about when you’re back dragging if you’re using the float control or a little down pressure. I find myself using the float and rolling the bucket to pull off high and flatten the bucket to drop in low areas. When I think I’m fairly level I’ll use a little down pressure to finish. Being careful not to lose steering from too much down pressure. I think that’s close to what you did. Your end result looks great.
I loose steering all the time......if I can continue the line, I will keep the down pressure on, but if I start tracking sideways, I let the front end down. Thanks for watching!
Hello!! Chad, Doss Farms, sent me over to say hello and watch your channel
A box blade, field drag and a 36” landscaping rake help out a lot too.. Must be great doing this without a ton of rocks getting in the way too
How mad would we be if we bought dirt and it had rocks in it!!! Thanks for watching.
Try using a tamper near the house next time vs a garden tool handle, it's much faster. I would never be comfortable driving a tractor that close to the house, so good on you! That's some very sandy clay to be called "fill dirt"...at least just north of you in GA. Good luck with establishing seed, and getting your parents settled. Cheers!
They are in...grass is doing OK, but we are still going to sod. Here's the move in video: ua-cam.com/video/tiBT5QMlodk/v-deo.html
moving a small tractor (I have a 2610) in close quarters is surprisingly easy if you have a hydrostatic transmission. You have to be careful, but you can really get right up to stuff if you take in slow and watch all the implements.
ducktape a water bottle to the top of the bucket, gods level
That's a slick idea!
and the toe head boy with the empty water bottle tapped to the bucket wins the BIG prize
Buckethead would approve.
Masterful job my man. Well done.
Thank you. Here's the gravel driveway: ua-cam.com/video/MXSfiB7M-E4/v-deo.html
Awesome soundtrack. Sounds like 90s pop.
Nice job!! Hope you get some gutters and downspouts on before the next rain.😉
We're still working the problem. Some hardscaping going in! ua-cam.com/video/Km5s-1fjnOA/v-deo.html
Great vid! I have the same tractor. Nice job getting close to the house. Its a small machine but can do a lot of damage to a house very fast. Dont ask me how I know...
Ouch!! It's a game of inches, right?!
You're a good son. Your parents are lucky.
I tried to get my mother out of Jersey.. not moving.
Thanks for the kind words. Here's the moving day! ua-cam.com/video/tiBT5QMlodk/v-deo.html
That dirt has a great color to it!
It was the perfect moisture for spreading! Thanks for watching.
@@PineyGroveHomesteadGreat content, ready for more in 2024! Can't wait!
Gotta say…as good as Bella is…that weaving in and around the tractor would drive me nuts!
Yeah, unfortunately, her owner had to get rid of her.
Just a couple of notes: 1, it is called a water heater not a "hot water heater". If you have hot water you dont need a heater. 2, I have found my Kabota packs a lot better if I have the front bucket full of dirt and the tractor in 4wd. However, you did a great job on leveling that dirt out. That quality of work usually takes many hours of practice. Good for you, my parents had a new house built and I spent several days filling in around their house and establishing dranage from the front to their pond in the back. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching. There's something to be said for living on flat land....we are constantly grading it seems.
A water heater thermostat cycles the temp between hot and hotter. So when the heating element kicks on, the water is indeed hot, and about to get hotter. "Hot water heater" is not really wrong. (I say "water heater" and "hot water heater" interchangeably, though).
One thing 1. It’s drainage not dranage. Unless you meant
Dr. Anage in which case you could be correct.
Isn't it kind of cool that when someone give you a vocabulary hard time for using a common term like "hot water heater," and then they mis-spell "drainage," "Kubota," have a comma splice "Good for you, my parents...."
Nice video. Good grading job. I took away some good grading tips also. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you. Here's part II of that job: ua-cam.com/video/5pKXz9yND8w/v-deo.html
And some gravel grading:
ua-cam.com/video/4DKx6sLC_nM/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/MXSfiB7M-E4/v-deo.html
Nice job! Adding / leveling dirt takes a lot of time! To make it look nice anyway!
I had the same issues with my 3902 with lifting capabilities! 1100# at best including forks!
I’ve since checked my hydraulic pressures at the loader valve and it was under specs….right around 2100 psi and factory specs are 2349 psi
I’ve shimmed the pressure relief to just under 2500 psi….very noticeable Improvement! I also purchased some larger lift cylinders and with the added pressure and larger bore cylinders it’ll lift 1600# plus depending on where the lift point is….. I tested it on a large slab of concrete I’ve measured out by yards per dimension…..happy camper now!
1600# nice! I might shim this tractor....or buy a bigger one. Thanks for watching.
Looks like some good gutters would help also
Agree!
Get a cb radio magnet antenna and put it on your buckets flat spot. The antenna will tell you when it's level.
interesting idea!
Loved the packing rip with removing the loader to get the wheels closer to the house.
Probably pushed my luck there!
Really nice loader work! I am not very good at floating out a smooth finish. Looks like professional work to me! 👍
Thanks Lucas. I've had a ton of practice over the years....not much paint on the backside of the buckets of the tractors I've owned!! Take care. B&D
GR8 JOB,LOOKS GR8
Thanks. Here's another grading job: ua-cam.com/video/Sf0U9w5oVC0/v-deo.html
Bella's a scene stealer
She's in a lot of our earlier videos. Now we have our own Bella (different breed), that you can see in the opening of our recent pond video.
Good info, I was just trying to grade dirt on our property and I just can't get it right. Always end up bouncy.
The key is to get something flat then keep one wheel on the flat section and work that across. Sounds so much easier than it is, right? Here we are building a driveway for that house last month: ua-cam.com/video/4DKx6sLC_nM/v-deo.html
Great job, looks good.
Thank you. We had no idea how much dirt work was required when building out this farm.
Anyone else thinking "watch out dog" ? LOL
That's our neighbors bulldog...she's pretty quick!
If you didn't have fresh dirt and just the existing packed earth, would that size tractor get under the surface, and move it around if you wanted to dig deeper?
It's not the ideal machine to dig with but one of our concrete contractors uses a tractor like this to dig out footings. There are people that have dug ponds with just a front end loader! If you're interested, we have a lot of tractor videos here: ua-cam.com/play/PLG5yS75HLzo3RVqEuA0f6IioXV6FtFhHW.html
You make it loom easier then it is!
A lot of times it's the dirt...if it's the right mix and moisture, it spreads a lot easier and gives a better grade!
My advice is to get a replacement set of pins for your loader arms if you’re doing any amount of grading. Loaders are not designed to push but lift. It quickly wears out pins and bushings. First question I’ll ask if buying used.
If you grease them regularly they don't wear quickly. 500 hours and still pretty tight on this tractor.
No 4 in 1 bucket?
Looked like a new or almost new tyre ? Why no roof gutters to catch rain water ? That would stop your wash-out problem instantly .
You are correct. We tried some other things, but it needs gutters. Here's some more work: ua-cam.com/video/Km5s-1fjnOA/v-deo.html
Where I’m having trouble is grading up a slight slope. Any pointers? New compact tractor owner here. Thank you
You talking about with a box blade? What I do is pull the material to the high point of a road, then use my bucket to pull it back down the hill. Here's our tractor playlist with lots of grading videos: ua-cam.com/play/PLG5yS75HLzo3RVqEuA0f6IioXV6FtFhHW.html
@@PineyGroveHomestead I wish I had a box blade. I’m only working with the front bucket.
Nice job
Thanks!
Looks excellent, very neat. I wonder if using the front loader instead of a drum to compact a seeded wildflower meadow is something that can be done?
We compact seed with the front loader all the time. We do it in this video: ua-cam.com/video/h_FNZTu0QGM/v-deo.html Thanks for watching!
@@PineyGroveHomestead I'm binging on your channel and learning so much! Many thanks for sharing your knowledge.
@@elvenaesthetic6477 Thank you. We try to be helpful with our videos.
What is the tractor you are using? I'm interested in buying one and am looking for suggestions on size and must have features.
I explain all that in this video: ua-cam.com/video/WSC7T6DOTcs/v-deo.html
Thanks I'll be checking it out now! Keep up the great work!
Why do you have to put fill dirt around the house? The yard looked good before just needed grass
10:50 the guy could’ve just put the tire there as a joke. To give you a little chuckle, which it did. 👍🏼😂
I think it was the spare tire!
job well done sir, but next big rain, this clay around the house will turn to quick sand mud, your shoe will stay stuck in it, and i hope you have gutters. Well, i guesss you gonna put sod over that or gravel?
You are not wrong. It turned out OK a year later: ua-cam.com/video/oTYyRag1frk/v-deo.html
5:50 you can damage your curl cylinders on FEL pushing stuff that way.
It's true you have to be careful not to hit something solid, but I've pushed like that for 1300+ hours on these L-series and never had a problem.
I agree with this guy. I operate equipment for a living and would never do what you did. Use a bucket with teeth or weld some on like I did with my jd 3032. And learn how to grade by pushing and cutting because it will actually pack the material in better. Trust me
I was a little surprised when I saw how much curl there was when driving forward
Chad from Doss farms sent us
Awesome! Here's some more about us: ua-cam.com/video/XUyPtGWZ3ss/v-deo.html
Great video
We do a lot of dirt work! More videos here: ua-cam.com/play/PLG5yS75HLzo3RVqEuA0f6IioXV6FtFhHW.html
Great video, if you don't mind me asking what size shed is that ?
The shed is 44x40 with a 15' porch. Tour here: ua-cam.com/video/_Oago5isnT0/v-deo.html
Pole barn is 32x60: ua-cam.com/video/3ZBHDY4cBKk/v-deo.html
@@PineyGroveHomestead THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
Beautiful
How many yards of dirt did you have for this project?
It was three dual axle dump truck loads....They can hold about 20T/15 yards each
Good job. I would hire you.
I have a tractor with a front end loader and have not done as good a job as you have. I understand some buckets have a setting where the bucket floats and another where it puts down pressure on the ground. Do you have that and if so, what do you use to level? Thanks.
For Kubotas, if you push the lever up when you drop the boom down and then keep pushing it, it will go in float mode. But I never use float mode....I just work the handle as I'm moving backward to let the weight off the bucket as needed.
@@PineyGroveHomestead I am impressed. I have an old New Holland. I am reasonably sure it has float mode but I have trouble getting it to do that consistently. (blush) Since I am not as talented as you, it might help me finish off. Thanks for the video.
We’ve always welded a piece of angle iron on the back of the bucket on our skid steer - I’m sure it’d work great on a tractor too. Weld it so the one surface is straight with the bottom of the bucket. Then, when you backdrag after an initial leveling, you can use the bucket tilt to ‘cut’ more or float straight with the back edge knocking down the high stuff. It worked great for us for years!
@@sx300pilot5 Thanks. You are THE MAN. I appreciate the information.
Do you remember how many cubic yards of dirt that was?
It was 2 double axle dump truck loads, if that helps.
You make it look easy but being an owner of a BX with minimal experience I know it isn’t so easy.
I'd rather use the bucket than the box blade, most times!
LOOKS GOOD, NEED A LITTLE BALLAST.
It does but the box blade is 6' wide and wouldn't let me get close to house. Thanks for watching.
@@PineyGroveHomestead THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE, I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT. GOOD VIDEO.
I got a monster chunk of concrete in my fill sand. That's weight in the bucket (the big loaders at the quarry have scales for weight built into them) that is not the product I bought. I addressed it but they didn't care. Not worth suing them so whatcha gonna do. Let it go.
We were surprised they didn't come get their tire.
I would worry less about the bucket indicater getting hung up in the woods then the three hooks welded on your bucket.
Never want a bucket without hooks. They are used almost daily. Thanks for watching.
Gutters will keep the dirt from washing away
You are not wrong!
Was your dog disliking the bucket?
Neighbor's dog. Likes to bite at tractor tires and also anything dragging behind the box blade.
Brush hogs can sure be a pain Brad. I have to remove my quick hitch to put mine on.
I have actually bent my bucket level indicator in some brush. I got it reshaped pretty easily. More careful now.
It's what I use the most....that's why I have a 6' pry bar to get it on and off!! Thanks for watching, Gary. B&D
You could have picked it up from the other side of the pallet. Lmao
There was no access to the heavy side.
It costs extra to take a tire to the landfill. The sand company saved money by hiving you the problem. I would return the tire to the sand company.
It went in the house dumpster!
You don't have any gutters on the house. You're going to have an erosion problem two deal with.
Bucket dragging ain't setting grade. What you did was put a rough apron around a foundation . Not sure why this took 12 hours to complete unless you had to drive to bring in your own screened dirt in a dump truck or dump trailer.
never heard it called back blading..... We call it back dragging.
like bush hog / brush hog.
great job. but next time make sure the dog is away from the work. You were looking Right and dog was on the Left lol.
No sound
check your speakers....sound is fine.
dirt is way to high up on the house
perfect height for sod.
Would of been an hour with a skid
Hope u have gutters on the house.
When you start wasting my time watching you give treats to a dog, thats when I leave.
Thanks for watching.
Backblade lol😮
🚜💪
My dog dig a bunch of holes after I did that at home. Not fun tho.
Darn dogs!
That house needs gutters.
It got this instead: ua-cam.com/video/Km5s-1fjnOA/v-deo.html
Still needs gutters. I will be digging a French Drain here as well, but I still need cutters.
Tire is worth more then the load. Lol
I think you are right!
LOL, no rocks!
Rocks in fill dirt? Send it back....
Your audio only comes out of one speaker..... Next....
check your speakers