I'm Interested in the Swischer Front End Loader for my Honda 450. Has anyone used one of these? I don't need one for digging hard dirt, just loose gravel.

 

I think the swisher would work well for moving loose material. I use my moose plow for pushing and leveling loose dirt and it works great, it just doesn't carry it.

 

I got the swisher bucket and plow blade a couple of months ago and only used it a little bit. It does move gravel around, but not very much at a time. I use it with a warn winch. It can be very hard on your winch cable if you don't watch out and go too low and get slack. I bought a short piece of winch cable for next time I use it. I also got the plow blade that fits the same push bar and I like it a lot.

 

Thanks to 1wk & Otdnt for the information. Sounds good.

 

I have a Swisher bucket on my P360. Works great! To save the winch cable I am making a winch rotator. This is a life saver to the cable. And also gives you more lift! You can go to the link below to purchase one(or see how to make one). Montana Jacks has some real neat stuff. Also works great for hauling that big buck out of the woods. Take care,Travis
winch rotator

 

I bought the Swisher mount, plow and bucket. Put the mount on my Prairie 360 but didn't like the way the rear of the push tube was mounted solid to the hitch. Seems to me the tube or the hitch would have to flex quite a lot as the suspension travels up and down. Since the push tube is also mounted solid to the lower A-arms at the front of the quad there would also be the issue of the push tube forcing the arms to move fore and aft as the rear suspension goes thru it's arc. I took the mount back off and have designed a modification which I believe will solve the problems listed.

By mounting a flex mount at the rear which will allow the suspension to move and running the push tube thru a sleeve that will hold it centered and carry the weight of the impliment these problems should be eliminated. Be next week before I get back to the shop to work on this.

I also ordered a winch mount that requires removing the front bumper assembly to mount it. This means the winch and mount must always be left in place even when not needed or the bumper must be removed frequently. I modified this mount by cutting the thing apart, welding a 1" square "reciever" in the mount plate and mating tang on the winch base. I also welded a tang to allow the winch to point straight down to pick up the impliment in use much like the "Montana Jack" system but smaller.

As a point of possible intrest to those using winches to lift plows and such, if a spring is mounted on the impliment and the other end hooked to a small pully that is on the cable you can avoid slack cable causing winding problems on the winch. Not much of an explination but if you can walk and chew gum at the same time you can figure it out.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I'll let you know how the mods work after I get them done.

 

I finished the modifications to the Swisher plow/bucket mount and they look good, at least to me. Unfortunitly the quad blew up so I have been unable to do any work with the "new" mounting system. When I get the Prairie back I'll continue the evaluation and let you know.

Did do a bunch of mowing of tall grass and light brush with the Swisher "rough cut" mower and was impressed with it's power and durability. Really glad the wife talked me into the larger electric start engine option. Was less than impressed with the Mickey Mouse hitching system Swisher designed to hook a quality impliment up to a tow source. A 3/8" pin thru a mini tie-rod end for peat's sake! This also will be redesigned.

Be the better part of a month before I get back to the farm to continue the TLAR engineering. (That Looks About Right[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img])