Groundhog FEL

[Ed Kennell 40,458]

Anyone ever used one of these?

Note the pump mounted on the lift arms..   Electric powered?

 

The electric motor powered pump is mounted 

 

 

[ebinmaine 70,696]

I seem to remember seeing the forward tilted main arms in the past. 

Lift capacity- I'd hope - would be fairly low to prevent frame twist. 

I do like the Electric over Hydraulic idea. 

 

 

[953 nut 57,854]

3 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Lift capacity- I'd hope - would be fairly low to prevent frame twist.

The subframe appears to be woefully underbuilt. and mounted too far forward.            I guess they were attempting to mount it where the cab doors can be opened when you need to bail-out as the tractor tips forward and the loaded bucket crushes the frame.   

[Ed Kennell 40,458]

Looks like it was designed for Honda ATVs.      All self contained hydro/elecrtic powered with electric controls.     The rear tiller is interesting.

.https://www.wildharemfg.com/atv-equipment/

 

 

 

[Ed Kennell 40,458]

    $2000  near Bob @Maynard

[OoPEZoO 559]

My friend has one mounted on his ATV…..it works “ok”.  Electrically, they are weak.  He uses it for moving firewood mostly. They tend to burn out series diodes that are part of the wiring harness. I’ve replaced them for my buddy twice, once with the same part numbers, once with something beefier.  I’ve thought numerous times about offering to buy it so I could ditch the electric hydraulic pump and mount it on my tractor, but I think I want to build something beefier.  I think I still have the groundhog manuals here somewhere.  If I still have them, I’ll upload 

edit: there is the wiring diagram at least. 

 

Groundhog.pdf

Edited January 6, 2024 by OoPEZoO

[wallfish 17,485]

For $2K it's not too bad of a start because it can be modified to properly fit on a tractor. Even better if it includes the tractor. Ditch the electric powered pump and run a real pump

 

The electric pump stuff sold off will help offset some cost. Or use it for another smaller project it can better handle.

Edited January 6, 2024 by wallfish

[Ed Kennell 40,458]

20 minutes ago, wallfish said:

For $2K it's not too bad

That's what I'm thinkin John.  A 416 with cab and weights  + a FEL "kit".

43 minutes ago, OoPEZoO said:

Electrically, they are weak.

I was skeptical of the electrical system also.   I was really surprised to see they offer an electric powered tiller.    Those Honda ATVs must really have a good charging system.

[OoPEZoO 559]

22 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

  Those Honda ATVs must really have a good charging system.

No….they don’t…..and that is part of the problem. The whole idea of the thing is cool, but it really doesn’t work well. When used on the ATV, you are supposed to use an aux battery on the back.  Besides burning out the diodes, we have also had the wires smoking quite a few times. There are no limit travel switches on it, so everything moves smoothly until you max out the travel or overload it.  In a normal hydraulic system, your pressure valve is set to protect the system. Even if that is the case here, the electrical system is severely strained under that condition. That’s when things start burning up. There are a reason they are out of business. We even spoke on speaker phone with a guy who was trying to revive the business while troubleshooting my buddy’s…..he basically confirmed that the original design was not up to the task. We never fully taxed the mechanical or hydraulic systems because the electrics always gave out first. If it was mine, and I was going to use it as designed, I would rewire the whole thing with heavy AWG wire and beefier components…..hence why I have the wiring diagram

[wallfish 17,485]

1 minute ago, OoPEZoO said:

No….they don’t…..and that is part of the problem. The whole idea of the thing is cool, but it really doesn’t work well. When used on the ATV, you are supposed to use an aux battery on the back.  Besides burning out the diodes, we have also had the wires smoking quite a few times. There are no limit travel switches on it, so everything moves smoothly until you max out the travel or overload it.  In a normal hydraulic system, your pressure valve is set to protect the system. Even if that is the case here, the electrical system is severely strained under that condition. That’s when things start burning up. There are a reason they are out of business. We even spoke on speaker phone with a guy who was trying to revive the business while troubleshooting my buddy’s…..he basically confirmed that the original design was not up to the task. We never fully taxed the mechanical or hydraulic systems because the electrics always gave out first. If it was mine, and I was going to use it as designed, I would rewire the whole thing with heavy AWG wire and beefier components…..hence why I have the wiring diagram

Ditch the electric and with an engine driven pump, is the rest of built well?

[OoPEZoO 559]

18 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Ditch the electric and with an engine driven pump, is the rest of built well?

That is the thought that has been rattling around in my head for the past year or so……I think it would be fine for some lighter duty stuff.  The arms and bucket are beefy enough to handle normal garden tractor FEL stuff, but I would most certainly build my own subframe for it.  Probably build new uprights as well, as most FEL use an upright as a fluid reservoir.  This thing uses a VERY small tank that is part of the pump assembly. 
 

so new subframe, uprights, pump, valves, and reuse the existing arms, bucket, cylinders, and as many hoses as could be salvaged……sure, if the price is right. I feel like I’m talking myself into calling my buddy and offering him a price because I know he never mounted his back on his ATV after I fixed it last time (almost 2yrs ago)

 

The “new” company that they go by is now called Wild Hare Manufacturing if you want to do any digging. 

Edited January 6, 2024 by OoPEZoO

[wallfish 17,485]

2 minutes ago, OoPEZoO said:

That is the thought that has been rattling around in my head for the past year or so……I think it would be fine for some lighter duty stuff.  The arms and bucket are beefy enough to handle normal garden tractor FEL stuff, but I would most certainly build my own subframe for it.  Probably build new uprights as well, as most FEL use an upright as a fluid reservoir.  This thing uses a VERY small tank that is part of the pump assembly. 
 

so new subframe, uprights, pump, valves, and reuse the existing arms, bucket, cylinders, and as many hoses as could be salvaged……sure, if the price is right. I feel like I’m talking myself into calling my buddy and offering him a price because I know he never mounted his back on his ATV after I fixed it last time (almost 2yrs ago)

It would probably be over 2k just buy what's already there in steel and hydraulic parts just to make one plus half the work is already done and designed. A remote reservoir tank can be used instead of new uprights as a tank and designed right, it could just be on the back as part of the counter weight mount. Like a log splitter type of reservoir. Those cylinders are pretty small so a big reservoir isn't needed but bigger does help to dissipate some heat.

From what I see there with some modifications it would work well for a tractor.

[OoPEZoO 559]

I think the #1 thing I would want to do is add a set of forward angle supports from the top of the uprights to the front of the tractor frame. I see some small ones on the tractor Ed posted, but I’d definitely be moving that subframe back and adding better supports if it was going on one of my rigs

[Ed Kennell 40,458]

Yeah, apparently this guy mounted it way forward to clear the cab.     This and the location of the hydro/electric  unit  really has to make it front heavy.   I'd be surprised if it could lift me w/o tipping forward.

 

 

[wallfish 17,485]

1 hour ago, OoPEZoO said:

I think the #1 thing I would want to do is add a set of forward angle supports from the top of the uprights to the front of the tractor frame. I see some small ones on the tractor Ed posted, but I’d definitely be moving that subframe back and adding better supports if it was going on one of my rigs

It's definitely mounted WAY too far forward on that tractor to be of much use and probably why it's for sale. All the weight of it and any load plus the counter weight of the entire tractor ends up centered directly over top of those front tires. Probably impossible to steer it with any load of 100# or more in the bucket.

[Pullstart 64,492]

2 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

 I was really surprised to see they offer an electric powered tiller. 

The ad showed a 3 point disc, but didn’t read the words.  Is there a rotary tiller indeed?

[wallfish 17,485]

It would make good start to build a custom tractor under and sit in it kinda like a skid steer. Turn it around and put on the back over the trans with steering in the rear maybe

8 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Yeah, apparently this guy mounted it way forward to clear the cab.     This and the location of the hydro/electric  unit  really has to make it front heavy.   I'd be surprised if it could lift me w/o tipping forward.

 

 

Go get it Ed. You need another project anyway and you can use that new gen/compressor on the back of it for counter weight!

[Ed Kennell 40,458]

1 minute ago, wallfish said:

Turn it around and put on the back

Now we're outa the box  John Boy  !!

[Ed Kennell 40,458]

8 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

 Is there a rotary tiller indeed?

Hydraulic Cultivator ATV Attachment | Pull Behind Cultivator (wildharemfg.com)

 

Sorry, just a cultivator.

Edited January 6, 2024 by Ed Kennell

[OoPEZoO 559]

I’m pretty sure it was mounted so far forward because of where the cross brace/bracket for the pump is located.  They probably didn’t want to modify the steel. Without cutting that bracket off, and relocating the pump, forward mounting would be the only option to use it as-is so the pump bracket wouldn’t contact the tractor hood.  Easy enough to cut it off and slide the whole assembly backwards to a new subframe to properly fit the tractor, and I think it would be a good starting point.

 

in fact, I think I’m going to go ahead and call my buddy about his. I’m sure his wife would be happy to get it out of their barn 

[wallfish 17,485]

27 minutes ago, OoPEZoO said:

I’m pretty sure it was mounted so far forward because of where the cross brace/bracket for the pump is located.  They probably didn’t want to modify the steel. Without cutting that bracket off, and relocating the pump, forward mounting would be the only option to use it as-is so the pump bracket wouldn’t contact the tractor hood.  Easy enough to cut it off and slide the whole assembly backwards to a new subframe to properly fit the tractor, and I think it would be a good starting point.

 

in fact, I think I’m going to go ahead and call my buddy about his. I’m sure his wife would be happy to get it out of their barn 

  Stop typing and get in the truck!

[Treepep 629]

6 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

Anyone ever used one of these?

Note the pump mounted on the lift arms..   Electric powered?

 

The electric motor powered pump is mounted 

 

 

 

What am I looking at here?  Did someone peel open the hood with the loader and leave?

[Ed Kennell 40,458]

Just got a reply from the guy.     Says the tractor quit charging.          

[OoPEZoO 559]

18 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Just got a reply from the guy.     Says the tractor quit charging.          

Hahaha…..this sounds familiar.  Did I mention that the aux battery that was on my buddy’s ATV was a full sized deep cycle battery?  Hopefully your guy just popped a fuse and didn’t do any significant damage.  

[wallfish 17,485]

48 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Just got a reply from the guy.     Says the tractor quit charging.          

Good, $1500 now. Go get it as that's the least thing you need to worry about. It's missing the air cleaner too! LOL

You know you WANT that toy whether you have any use for it or not.