Over the past few months I've been debating putting a front end loader onto an old cub cadet I own, and for anywhere between 1500-2500 depending on how nice of a system i want to go with, It just wasnt sounding very apeasing nor easily justifiable.

So while parusing the local TSC, I noticed this swisher device. For the price (Mount and bucket in addition to needing a hitch for the reciever) I was looking at $500. Much cheaper then what I had been planning to do and more easily liquifiable if it proves innadiciate.

First thing, I had to vary from the instal directions to get it to fit well on the 450 sportsman. I had to set the support further under the atv then discribed to get the rear mount to hook to the hitch, minor but lost a little bucket height. After looking at the design and realizing that it flexes the a arms down when loaded, it occured to me that I could preload the system to raise the attachment point another inch or so and create more of a dig angle. So after bolting it all up, I loosened the bolts that secured the springs and jacked up the mount till it picked up the tires on the bike. Quick retighten and the front end was preloaded.

The increased angle on the bucket allows it to dig like a champ. Drop the bucket and it immediately starts to cut under as it transfers the weight from the atv to the cutting edge. The dynamics are similiar to the usage of any other loader. After establishing a cut, you put up tension onto the bucket by reeling the winch in alittle, constantly ading pressure as you start to bog. By varying how fast and much you pull up the bucket, you could get a short deep cut (8-10" deep and maybe a foot long) or stretched out to a shallow long cut (2" maybe 20ft long). Dug out the culvit and drainage ditch next to the drive wich gets washed in ever year in all of about 20 minutes, Some wheres in the neighborhood of 2 cubic yards. To do this by hand would take a few hours, renting equipment would be not worth the cost nor would borrowing it from family do to what i'd end up investing in fuel usage to move the equipment etc. Mind you if I planned to move 30 yards of material I'd get a bigger piece of equipment.

Dumping; Less then steller at first, but then it dawned on me. When you dump the bucket, drive forward a couple more inches. The bucket will dig in and flip under pulling up on the mounted subframe. Lifts up the atv and dumps the entire contents of the bucket. Simple backing off will flip it back out and then the oh so primitive lower and latch.


About the only real issues I've had was the fact that i have beaten the snot out of my roller fairlead just playing in the woods so it rolls less then wonderful, resulting in hanging up on the swage in the cable (wich I shouldnt be pulling through the rollers anyways). Game plan is to most likely replace it with a piece of nylon webbing (read rachet strap) and a hawse fairlead.

So far Pleased

 

We need pics

 

yea post sme good pics for sure.

 

Thanks for answering a question I had on my mind about that loader. Great review.

 

pics would be great! evon a short video would be awsome!

 

Okay Pictures

 

And some more.


Bucket holds about 15-20 scoops with the spade.

 

Thanks for the pics. I'm considering the bucket and snowplow someday.

 

that looks like a handy set up ya got there

 

gee. if i hada shop again. i see a project for me!!!