In the travel position, how is the bucket configured?

• A. Fully lowered and extended forward
• B. Tilted sideways
• C. Fully raised and back
• D. Retracted all the way back and 10-14 inches up

Answer: (D)

Travel position tests safe, stable movement on roads and job-site paths. In this setup, the bucket is pulled fully back toward the machine and raised slightly off the ground (about 10–14 inches). This keeps the bucket out of the way to avoid hitting debris, obstacles, or pedestrians, and it helps protect the bucket, linkage, and hydraulic cylinders from contact with the ground or rough terrain. It also improves visibility ahead and keeps the machine’s center of gravity in a safer range during travel, reducing the chance of tipping or side-to-side instability.

If the bucket were extended forward or kept low, it could strike objects or ground-level obstacles and make steering more hazardous. Tilting sideways would be unstable and unsafe for highway travel, and lifting the bucket fully while not retracting it wouldn’t provide the same protection against ground hit or debris.