Loader Bobcat CT 235 Loader Lifting Capacity

[Loren49]

Someone posted on Kioti thread a while back with photos of rebuild with larger diameter cylinders. Upside is greater lift and breakaway power. The downside is slower cylinder speed and possibly higher than design pressure on loader and front axle.

Loren

[DK35vince]

Several years ago on my DK 35 I bumped the hydraulic pressure for my loader up slightly and added larger bucket tilt cylinders (manual calls for 2300 PSI max, I bumped mine to 2450 PSI). My standard bucket tilt cylinders were 1 3/4". Replaced them with 2" cylinders.
You gain more power with larger cylinders, but there is a definate differance in slower speed with the larger cylinders.
I left my lift cylinders alone. The lift seems fine as is.

[powerscol]

You don't need to. The system has enough pressure in it to significantly increase the hydraulic force. It takes about two minutes to adjust.... not that I would know on my still warrantied 235....

So how do you go about making this adjustment? Inquiring minds want to know

[abatis]

This thread is a bit old but winter is coming and time to handle round bales. I tried using my CT235 FEL on 1000lb bales and I could barely curl them enough to push them. But I was advised that my 3 PT has much more lifting capacity and I went and got a CAT1 bale spike for pretty cheap and the CT235 easily lifts the 1000lb hay bales that way.

[LD1]

This thread is a bit old but winter is coming and time to handle round bales. I tried using my CT235 FEL on 1000lb bales and I could barely curl them enough to push them. But I was advised that my 3 PT has much more lifting capacity and I went and got a CAT1 bale spike for pretty cheap and the CT235 easily lifts the 1000lb hay bales that way.

Yep. Usually the 3PH om most tractors has about 2x's the lift capacity as the FEL. The trade off is lack of lift height.

[SABULA FARMER]

Just use caution... I have seen several folks crushed when the tractor flipped over on them.
The big round bales scare the $&!@ out of me...

[SSdoxie]

Abatis, What were you using on the FEL to handle the bale? QA with bale fork or forks attached to bucket or pallet fork? I'm curious because due to late second crop the availabilty of 4X4 bales in my area is scarce, but I can find some 4X5 & more 5X5s and wondering what the max. I could use/handle on same loader. Mine picks and handles 4X4 with no trouble, so thinking I could go with 4X5. Not sure if I could think of going any larger. Note: these are all mixed grass bales & I have loaded tires, 600 lb. ballast, use QA bale fork.

[Fred Barbour]

SSdoxie;

Just wondering what weight the 4x4 bales come in at? Also, where did you purchase your bale forks and what do they weigh?

Tks

[SSdoxie]

More of a guess than anything, but think the 4X4 bales run 500-600 lbs. I know they weigh just enough to lift my rear wheels before I loaded the tires and didn't have any counter ballast hooked up. The bale spear I bought used at Bobcat of Knoxville. They sell new Blue Diamond brand, these weigh around 100 lbs. I can pick it up and set it on the Bobtach without too much strain if I can't drive into it and hook up, and at age 60+ and 140 lbs, I don't have a lot of lift left in me.
I think I could handle 4X5 if I take it easy, provided they are not rolled with a JD baler. Have been told and read on TBN the JD rolls them much tighter & heavier.

[joshuabardwell]

This thread is a bit old but winter is coming and time to handle round bales. I tried using my CT235 FEL on 1000lb bales and I could barely curl them enough to push them. But I was advised that my 3 PT has much more lifting capacity and I went and got a CAT1 bale spike for pretty cheap and the CT235 easily lifts the 1000lb hay bales that way.

I have a CT225, so smaller tractor, and I have lifted large round bales with my loader. Not on a hay spear, mind you, which would put the load a lot further forward and decrease the lift capacity. The bale was hanging directly beneath the bucket using some 10k ratchet straps.