FLU-419 - Removing attachments - Experiance desired & Legal Road Stuff.

[vtwin4christ]

Howdy all... Vtwin4Christ here.

Regretfully my SUV was totaled his past week and rather than go out an buy a new vehicle... I figured I would remove the attachments from my FLU-419 SEE and use it for my trips to town as well as any Appalachian related fun I can find along the way. (It's a spiritual thing for us hillbillies)

I need your wisdom on the following topics:

Removing Rear Backhoe Assembly
I found the instructions and tips. Such as chaining stabilizers to stop them from sagging and using jack stand to support underside.

My questions are
1) Manual talks about reconnecting hydraulics. Is there a loop already there? Or must I purchase a line?
2) Any tips to make backhoe removal and re-attachment easier?


Removing Front Bucket
The manual indicates to use a jack... But the jack didn't come with my SEE.
Someone mentioned the use of harbor freight jacks. Others mentioned using jacks on each side of bucket.
Warnings were made about being lined up and damage to front end if things go wrong.
Warnings were made about body parts and being up there.

My questions are:
1) What is your opinion of best way to jack up front bucket? Jack or hoist to a large tree?
2) Any other wisdom you have from experience?


Best tires that provide decent hard pavement operation as well as off road abilities?

Question for the lawyers and law students
In Ohio dirt movers, tractors, cranes and other pieces of machinery have a status of "exempt" when operated on roadways.
Ohio also has a "fast tractor" statute that permits the movement of ag machinery at faster than 25 (up to 55 if I recall).
Ohio has various other statutes regarding exemption for roadways and liability for certain machinery and when used in certain purposes.

The FLU-419 SEE is legally a tractor and I never got plates for it... As I wanted my exemptions of being a tractor and dirt moving equipment. But I still maintain liability insurance on the vehicle just in case.

If I take off the attachments... It's still legally a tractor, but I can see getting stopped left and right if it looks like a truck.

In your OPINION... Would you register it as a TRUCK and voluntarily change your legal status from EXEMPT TRACTOR to TRUCK? That opens up a whole ball of wax... Like no longer having right o way all the time, opening up to liability, etc.


Thanks for your input guys and gals... it is greatly appreciated.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

June 2nd, 2016.

vttwin4christ:


You may find that the SEE with its attachments off may be a surprisingly "Squirrely" vehicle on the road due to the short wheelbase length. If you note the old S404.114's and later U1300L's they have a much longer wheelbase length, which improves their handling on the road. Good luck,, and happy hunting. I wouldn't mind having an SEE, but as long haul trucks for moves on the road, the Army limits them to 35-45 MPH for a reason.

 

[alpine44]

I cannot imagine that the FLU419 would handle any worse without the front loader and the hoe. If anything, removing these implements would lower the center of gravity and the total mass, which is a good thing. The ride would be stiffer though.
It is not going to be a long haul truck but for tooling around town it should be OK. In Germany, where the Unimog originated from, you see them driven around everywhere by farmers and municipalities. The ones with the longer axle ratio are venturing even on the Autobahn, like shown
here.

 

[adavis]

I took the loader and backhoe off my 419 last fall and drove it to work a few times a week over the winter. It made a HUGE difference without the weight of the loader and backhoe. I had no problem driving it 52 mph to and from work and it felt very safe and stable. I'll be driving it to work regularly as soon as I get my transmission issue fixed.....it isn't roadworthy without 1st or 3rd gear. As long as you aren't in a huge hurry I don't think you'll have any problem on the highway. I was even surprised at how well it stopped....those disc brakes are impressive.

I have re-installed my backhoe, which was fairly easy. I am curious to see the replies you get for front loader installation. I started to install mine, but got nervous. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tatra813]

Howdy all... Vtwin4Christ here.

Regretfully my SUV was totaled his past week and rather than go out an buy a new vehicle... I figured I would remove the attachments from my FLU-419 SEE and use it for my trips to town as well as any Appalachian related fun I can find along the way. (It's a spiritual thing for us hillbillies)

I need your wisdom on the following topics:

Removing Rear Backhoe Assembly
I found the instructions and tips. Such as chaining stabilizers to stop them from sagging and using jack stand to support underside.

My questions are
1) Manual talks about reconnecting hydraulics. Is there a loop already there? Or must I purchase a line?
2) Any tips to make backhoe removal and re-attachment easier?


Removing Front Bucket
The manual indicates to use a jack... But the jack didn't come with my SEE.
Someone mentioned the use of harbor freight jacks. Others mentioned using jacks on each side of bucket.
Warnings were made about being lined up and damage to front end if things go wrong.
Warnings were made about body parts and being up there.

My questions are:
1) What is your opinion of best way to jack up front bucket? Jack or hoist to a large tree?
2) Any other wisdom you have from experience?


Best tires that provide decent hard pavement operation as well as off road abilities?

Question for the lawyers and law students
In Ohio dirt movers, tractors, cranes and other pieces of machinery have a status of "exempt" when operated on roadways.
Ohio also has a "fast tractor" statute that permits the movement of ag machinery at faster than 25 (up to 55 if I recall).
Ohio has various other statutes regarding exemption for roadways and liability for certain machinery and when used in certain purposes.

The FLU-419 SEE is legally a tractor and I never got plates for it... As I wanted my exemptions of being a tractor and dirt moving equipment. But I still maintain liability insurance on the vehicle just in case.

If I take off the attachments... It's still legally a tractor, but I can see getting stopped left and right if it looks like a truck.

In your OPINION... Would you register it as a TRUCK and voluntarily change your legal status from EXEMPT TRACTOR to TRUCK? That opens up a whole ball of wax... Like no longer having right o way all the time, opening up to liability, etc.


Thanks for your input guys and gals... it is greatly appreciated.

You want to sell your front end loader?

 

[tatra813]

I took the loader and backhoe off my 419 last fall and drove it to work a few times a week over the winter. It made a HUGE difference without the weight of the loader and backhoe. I had no problem driving it 52 mph to and from work and it felt very safe and stable. I'll be driving it to work regularly as soon as I get my transmission issue fixed.....it isn't roadworthy without 1st or 3rd gear. As long as you aren't in a huge hurry I don't think you'll have any problem on the highway. I was even surprised at how well it stopped....those disc brakes are impressive.

I have re-installed my backhoe, which was fairly easy. I am curious to see the replies you get for front loader installation. I started to install mine, but got nervous. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Want to sell your front end loader?

 

[Mep803a]

You want to sell your front end loader?

I can use some the "Big" dipper/crowd cylinder on your backhoe.