Comparison Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL

   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL #1  

perdurabo

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May 12, 2008
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39
I've currently got a 2008 Kubota L3400 HST which works great for most work around the my small farm, but one thing I hate is that its not heavy/strong enough to safely pick up full size round hay bales with a front mounted bale spear. Right now I have to take off whatever implement I'm using and put rear bale forks on to move around round bales. I also have to push round bales off of the trailer before I can pick them up rather than just spearing them with the FEL and lifting them off the trailer. To me this is a PITA. I'm looking to upgrade, but I'm not married to staying with Kubota. I have good JD, Kubota, Kioti, and Mahindra dealers in the area I can work with. Branson is another option I guess but the dealer for Branson hasn't stocked them for very long. My requirements are:

- Must be 4WD
- Must be available in HST trans (I do a lot of bucket work and even a shuttle/PST is not good enough)
- At least 40HP
- Must have FEL with quick detach option for skid steer style bale spear/pallet forks as well as bucket
- Must be heavy enough to pick up a bale off of a trailer with the FEL using a bale spear without already having a bale on the back to counterweight (chicken and egg problem)
- Must be strong enough to carry a full size bale on the FEL AND on the rear forks at the same time.

Is it possible to do this without moving up to the larger M-series Kubota or the equivalent from the other makers? What tractor would give me the best bang for the buck given all the above requirements?

Thanks,
Robert
 
   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL #2  
What do your bales weigh? The Kioti DK40 will lift 2700 lbs with enough 3pt ballast.
 
   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL #3  
   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL #4  
I doubt that you will find a compact tractor that will safely lift a round bale on front spear without ballast on the back. Do you need to carry a round bale on the back or can you just hook up enough ballast and use the FEL spear?
 
   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL #5  
There is a man that needs a DK-40 in the worst way. Just ballast it good on the 3pt and your bale troubles are over. Not to mention it is one heck of a nice full featured tractor.

James K0UA
 
   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL #6  
use a 3pt rear mounted spear for the ballast
 
   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL
  • Thread Starter
#7  
The point is that when I'm out of hay I won't have a bale to use as a counterweight on the rear (chicken and egg problem), plus if I have my shredder attached I don't want to have to take it off, put the rear bale forks on, then when I'm done spend another half hour fighting with the shredder to get it back on. Although, that might be less of an issue with a newer tractor that has telescoping or hydraulic 3pt stabilizer arms. I want to be able to lift a full size (~2000lb) bale off of a trailer with the FEL with only the weight of my 5' box blade or 5' Rhino shredder on the rear as counterbalance.
 
   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL #8  
a mx5100 HST 4x4 with LA844 loader is what you need.it will lift the bales off of a trailer with a shredder or other heavy weight on the rear.im assumming youll maining be lifting 4 by 5s an 4 by 6s.wich itll do with ease.itll also lift the 5 by 6s if they arnt to heavy.i traded the above tractor for the 7040 because it was really loaded pulling the hay hauler with 4 5 by 6 an 1 5 by 6 on the loader.
 
   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL #9  
How about making a very heavy concrete counterweight with 3 holes in it and just back into it with the 3pt bail spear. Use it to unload then drop and drive away?
 
   / Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL #10  
The point is that when I'm out of hay I won't have a bale to use as a counterweight on the rear (chicken and egg problem), plus if I have my shredder attached I don't want to have to take it off, put the rear bale forks on, then when I'm done spend another half hour fighting with the shredder to get it back on. Although, that might be less of an issue with a newer tractor that has telescoping or hydraulic 3pt stabilizer arms. I want to be able to lift a full size (~2000lb) bale off of a trailer with the FEL with only the weight of my 5' box blade or 5' Rhino shredder on the rear as counterbalance.

It would have to be a heavy box blade, but the shredder would probably be heavy enough to serve as a counterweight for lifting 2K, but just barely. To max out the loader on a DK-40SE, they spec over 1,000lbs on the 3pt. I was thinking the Mahindra 5035 might work, and it would, but it's over 1,000lbs heavier than the Kioti. My LS can lift a similar amount to the Kioti (2,634lbs), and with only a box blade on the 3pt, anything much heavier than a guessed 1,500lbs got the rear tires pretty light.
 
 
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