Bigger Tractor or Add Excavator

[farmerger]

Great, now not only do I want a big orange tractor but I also am now suffering from shop envy thanks to your picture

The Kubota Grand L5740 has a very nice cab, cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It is rated:
Engine (gross): 59 hp [44.0 kW]
Engine (net): 57 hp [42.5 kW]

Here's a pic of mine without the bucket or hoe mounted.

View attachment 301758

 

[farmerger]

You got your kgs and lbs swapped, that 60D will lift 1300 kgs/3000 lbs to 10', but I see your point about height in the barn being an issue with an excavator. Oh well, I guess I'm going shopping for a bigger tractor with a cab. Looks like none of the TLBs have a cab?

Best I can figure, while the "compact" excavators have plenty of digging power, they don't have enough lift capacity on an extended boom to handle a 1,500 lb bale on a spear. And you might need to have the blade set for stability when raising that kind of load, so actually moving around with a bale could be a hassle. For example, a large compact like the Deere 60D, will lift 1,300 lbs, including the bucket, to 10 ft. above ground level.

60D Excavator from John*Deere

You'd need to get into larger equipment - probably 75 hp and up - to do better than that. If your hay barn is big enough to operate a full size excavator inside, I want to see it!

 

[Ed of all trades]

Just an idea buy a used backhoe and keep your tractor. The FIL will pick up the hay and the hoe will dig the footers.:2cents:

 

[mowin]

Dont think a EX is going to cut it for the bale work. What about a skid steer?

 

[Grandad4]

You got your kgs and lbs swapped, that 60D will lift 1300 kgs/3000 lbs to 10', but I see your point about height in the barn being an issue with an excavator. Oh well, I guess I'm going shopping for a bigger tractor with a cab. Looks like none of the TLBs have a cab?

Sorry about the lbs/kg mixup... my bad. But I think you're going to be better off with a tractor for that work. No current small TLB's with factory cabs, but there are some nice add-on cabs (Laurin). Plus, I think someone mentioned there are pending updates to the Kubota TLB models that will have factory cab options if you don't mind waiting. Bales would be child's play for an M59. As already noted, the big Grand L Kubota models do bale handling work for many people, along with similar equipment from the other brands. That size equipment could actually have some advantage in your application since it has a shorter wheelbase that a standard utility tractor. Plenty of ballast needed of course.

 

[joshuabardwell]

You can double-stack with a scissor on the three-point. Most CUTs will have enough lift capacity on the three-point to handle a full sized round bale, even if they won't do it on the loader.

 

[RFB]

Great, now not only do I want a big orange tractor

You mentioned a cab, so here are some photos of the 5740 cab interior. The 3 point is Cat 1&2 and is rated at 2976lbs. I have lifted in excess of 2500 (weighed) with the FEL; it handles 1500 without breaking a sweat.

 

[farmerger]

You mentioned a cab, so here are some photos of the 5740 cab interior. The 3 point is Cat 1&2 and is rated at 2976lbs. I have lifted in excess of 2500 (weighed) with the FEL; it handles 1500 without breaking a sweat.

Nice, thanks for the pics.:thumbsup:

 

[charleyfarmall]

Having used both for digging holes and trenches ( and currently owning a bulldozer backhoe) the excavator digs circles around a backhoe. With a backhoe you spend a lot of time repositioning and it gets old. With an excavator and the longer boom there is less repositioning and you just drive it from where you sit which is much easier and faster. Plus, when you hit that tree root or rock or stump the backhoe will stall out and the excavator will rip it out. Once I fix the final drive on the 2010 it gets sold and I am buying an excavator.

 

[EdK]

Just an idea buy a used backhoe and keep your tractor. The FIL will pick up the hay and the hoe will dig the footers.:2cents:

I'll second this idea. True, an excavator will out-dig a construction hoe if that is really the focus of the equipment. However the monster loader of the TLB is a big plus.