Source for a loader attachment.

[EddieWalker]

When I bought my Century 2535 tractor, I got a great deal for it because it did not have a loader. The dealer had just started to have to pay interest on it sitting in his lot and he was eager to sell it. My thought at the time wat that I had a full sized loader backhoe and didn't have any need for another loader since I can only load with one at a time and the full sized loader is over a yard with 4,000 lbs of lift.

Now, five years later, I'm thinking that I would really like to have a grapple to pick up branches and small trees. I've sort of been surfing the local classifieds and ebay without any luck. I'm not in a hurry or anything, don't even have the extra cash right now, but I'd like to start researching for one.

Originally, I think it came with what was called the C50. I'm not possitive, but this is what I've been putting in on my searches.

Koyker makes a loader that they call the 160 that is supposed to fit my tractor, but there are two models. One has a 2 inch cylinder and the other has a 1 3/4 inch cylinder.

Portable Generators, Pressure Washers, Heaters, Hand + Power Tools | Northern Tool + Equipment has loaders for sale also. They have one called the NorTrac 160 for $2,999.99

There was a few ads for NorTrac tractors with Koyker Loaders, so I'm sort of thinking that the loader for sale at Northern Tool might actually be a Koyker 160 that will fit my tractor.

Any thoughts on the Koyker Loader?

Who else makes loaders and where would I buy it?

Making one myself really isn't an option right now. I'm just not going to ever have time for something like that and for $3K or so, it's not worth my time to try.

Then after I get a loader, I will want to put a permanent grapple on it. I still have no need or desire for another loader bucket, but would realy like to have a dedicated grapple.

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[GreenWannabe]

Century tractors were manufactured by Kukje, who now produce Branson tractors. You coulod contact Branson Tractor and see if their loaders will fit your tractor. Unless I am mistaken, their loaders are manufactured by Ansung, another Korean company. You might also contact Ansug directly, I believe their US subsidiary is located in the Dallas area.

One of the web sites I looked at (Century front end loader) indicated that the Koyker 160 is the correct model for your Century. Other third party loaders might be able to provide a loader, such as Woods, Bush Hog, Westendorf, or Buhler.

Good luck, and have fun searching.

 

[radman1]

Koyker will probably be the cheapest of the aftermarket loaders. I think they make a good loader, just not as fancy as some. I have had a couple of K5 loaders and still have one today. The K5 was used on lots of older farm tractors. No problems. Koyker used to be a very common loader in my area but don't see as many today. Many more loader companies now than in the past.

 

[3RRL]

Although I have not had as much experience with other loader brands as some people, I have compared my Koyker loader to a few others I have used, certainly better than the ZL20 or ZL30 loaders. I have a 195 with 2-1/4" cylinders. It is a pretty good loader for the price, and pretty strong, and they are American made as far as can tell. They have a good service too that will answer questions over the phone. The installation and user manual is written well and easy to understand. Mine has served me well and I would get another one if I ever need to. You can see what I've done with mine in the many threads about all the dirt work I've done around my place. Probably abused it without knowing? I think they might even sell a loader with grapple, but I'm not sure.

One thing to consider Eddie, having another bucket with a bucket grapple is very, very handy. It gives you both worlds of not only grappling trees, brush, rocks ... you name it, but also to move some dirt with on a smaller scale than your TLB. How many times have you done your dirt work with the bucket and said, "man, I wish I had a grapple on right now to move this rock or tree stump" or whatever. Well, that's why I got a bucket grapple instead of a dedicated grapple. I know there are guys who swear by their dedicated grapples, but ask them if there's ever been a time when they wish they had a bucket when doing grapple work. Something always pops up where you need one or the other and often both while doing the same job.
Just my 2 cents worth of course.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thank you everyone for your advice.

Rob,

Your posts, and seeing your loader/grapple setup in person has been the leading cause for my wanting to get a dedicated grapple. From what I can tell, Koyker sells the loader with or without the bucket. For me, it's just a simple matter of cost and what I'll use it for. I rarely carry dirt with the loader, but use it to load the dumptruck. My dirt quarries are not close enough to where I need the dirt, and everywhere that I need it, I need from 30 to hundreds of yards of it. While a bucket might be used, it wouldn't be for very much and not really what I want for that tractor.

I recieved a great email from a member here who has a Koyker loader, who said he bought it from Koyker front end loader attachment model 160 which has them listed on their website from $2,575.00 to $3,000.00 plus shipping. He said that they are shiped from the Koyker Factory and you just deal with the dealer to pay for it. Once that is done, Koyker was very good to deal with directly.

Figuring out how to get it working is a mystery that I don't have a clue on, but hopefully the loader will have instructions that I can figure out.

Eddie

 

[AlanB]

Rural King here has Koyker loaders.

Not sure if they are in your area or not, but my Rural king always seems to have what I consider used stuff laying around. Of course, they often consider their used stuff gold lined when I ask the price, but I believe that too be a store by store decision.

Point being, it might be worth talking with a couple of Rural Kings and seeing if they have something you could use.

 

[wedge40]

Eddie, I have koyker and love it. There is one thing I wish I had done different. Koyker has two mount style, one is proprietary and the other is the standard skid steer mount. Not knowing any better I got the proprietary mount. This has proved costly for future attachments. I have now ordered the standard skid steer mount for my loader.

I have 41 year old tractor ('67 Ford 4000) and Koyker does it's home work cause mine fit like a glove right out of the box. Good people to work with too.

Wedge

 

[EddieWalker]

Alan,

Never heard of a Rural King. I guess it's a local chain?

Wedge,

Thanks for the advice. I didn't think about the attachments, but can see where the skid steer mounts would be easier to fit a grapple to.

Eddie

 

[AlanB]

Local / regional or something.

Kind of the competition to TSC.

https://www.ruralking.com/store/default.aspx


Was not sure how far west or south they had made it yet.

 

[wedge40]

Alan,

Never heard of a Rural King. I guess it's a local chain?

Wedge,

Thanks for the advice. I didn't think about the attachments, but can see where the skid steer mounts would be easier to fit a grapple to.

Eddie

Eddie, RuralKing is in Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee and Michigan.

Wedge