Boom Pole unloading

   / Boom Pole unloading #1  

city_grown

New member
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
8
Tractor
Kubota L3400
I plan on getting a United Box Blade and a boom pole. I don't have a FEL on my tractor or any front weights. If I take it slowly should I be able to lift(slide) the box blade off of my old truck without much problem. I could care less about the damage to the truck its breaking my tractor that worries me. Is this the way to do it? Kubota L3400
 
   / Boom Pole unloading #2  
I unloaded a 5 ft tiller,,[probably weighed about 700 lbs] off an f150 4x4 with my pig pole,,every thing was maxed out,I'll tell you,used a small chain hoist attached to boom pole,,my tractor is a 254 nortrac,[chinese],,25 h.p.,,,,so.........bet that box blade don't weigh any more,,do it on level hard ground,,,,but,,,,,a box blade is pretty simple,not much to break,,,,maybe you could just back your truck up to a bank,,hook a chain on it and drag it out of your truck with tractor? shouldn't hurt it to fall 2-3 ft on dirt?,,thingy
 
   / Boom Pole unloading #3  
A boom pole should do the job just fine for you, but there are some things to watch. Pay attention to your front end. I don't have any experience with your particular model, but in general, tractors tend to get a little light in the front with the weight of an implement hanging on a big lever several feet behind the normal lift points.

Be extremely careful with your rigging. I'm sure you've already had the safety lectures about hydraulics and raising heavy weights in the air, so we'll stay with the practical aspects. With a boom pole, you are rigging through a single point. Because of this, balance on the object you are lifting is very important. Come up on the lift slowly, watch it carefully, and don't hesitate to set it back down and re-rig it if it doesn't look right. The single lifting point also increases the possibility of the load swinging like a pendulum; not at all fun when it starts bouncing the front of the tractor around or smashing into other objects. Take it slow; it's a lot easier to prevent that motion from starting than it is to stop it.

One of the less obvious considerations is the range of motion of your 3 point. I found that out in one of those "Huh, now what do I do?" moments a few years ago. There I sat with my disc hanging off my boom pole, and I couldn't put it on the ground. I'm sure I'm not explaining this well, so I'll try to paint a word picture here. Your truck bed is three or four feet off the ground. You back your tractor up to it, with the end of the boom pole neatly centered over the load. You rig it carefully, with everything well secured and balanced. You get back on the tractor, gently raise the lift...and the lift height maxes out before your load clears the bed. After muttering a few bad words, you set it back down, adjust the top link, shorten the chains, and try again. This time it neatly clears the bed rails. You carefully pull away from the truck, gently lower the lift...and it hits the bottom of its range of motion with the load still hanging a foot off the ground. I finally set it down by manually lengthening my top link to lower the tip of the boom pole, but I'm sure I looked pretty dumb doing it. This isn't really a dangerous situation, but it's sure annoying.

You should be able to do this with no major problems, just go slow and use common sense. As for me, I've switched to front loaders and never looked back. Handiest dang thing for hauling a deer out of the woods and hanging it at just the right height to dress it out...
 
   / Boom Pole unloading #4  
Having a hydraulic top link really increases the range of lift with a boom pole. No having to unwind the top link with a load on it and it maybe not greased as well as it should be. BTDT:(

Vernon
 
   / Boom Pole unloading #5  
The hydraulic top link is a very valuable suggestion.
 
   / Boom Pole unloading #6  
The most dangerous part of lifting anything heavy with a pole boom happens when you go to move after you've lifted the load up. I usually lift, THEN MOVE THE TRUCK out from under the load, then lower the load to as close to the ground as is practical. That lets the load hang stationary, instead of swinging around wildly while pulling away from the truck.
 
   / Boom Pole unloading #7  
Farmwithjunk

That is the proper way of doing it but I admit I sometimes forget and move the tractor if it is something small. Haven't done any serious damage yet but close :(

Vernon
 
   / Boom Pole unloading #8  
I agree with FWJ... unloaded a 535 pound rotary mower that way.

mark
 
   / Boom Pole unloading #9  
city_grown said:
I plan on getting a United Box Blade and a boom pole. I don't have a FEL on my tractor or any front weights. If I take it slowly should I be able to lift(slide) the box blade off of my old truck without much problem. I could care less about the damage to the truck its breaking my tractor that worries me. Is this the way to do it? Kubota L3400

I think you'll be all right. just go very slow and in small increment to get a feel, if your front were to lift just lower and reassess the situation. For comparison sake , my Ford 1700 is bit smaller but exactly weighs the same as L3400. I have added two suitcase weight in front. I pulled 6" wood post buried 3' deep and It's pull is heck of lot more than average 5' box blade and at times the front of tractor lifted up in the air and I slowly let it done (emphasis is on slow). in another occasion I lifted 3/4 full roll of 20 wide EPDM (roofing rubber) that weights a lot. I picked it up from my trailer (3' off the ground) and slowly moved it to the side. That did not lift the front, then I lowered it to no more than 6" and proceeded to go where I was going to store the EPDM, even with the 10 foot drum (folded 20' EPDM) wobbling around never did lift the front. Even if during the transport the front were to lift it would have been maximum 6". If you can anchor chain the BB to the middle of the boom rather than the tip that should also help you.

 
   / Boom Pole unloading #10  
I also agree with FWJ about moving the truck out from under the load. Also have some kind of "cribbing" if you can't lower it to the ground. Cribbing could be cement blocks, 4x4s staggered or anything else that will give you enough height. Bill C
 
 
 
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