Tractor Sizing 35hp enough?

[TheMadOne]

Round bales weigh anywhere between 500-3000 pounds.

Source:
G1955 Large Round Bales: Management | University of Missouri Extension

 

[MiserableOldFart]

I would guess a 35 hp tractor would suit you very well, but for going into the woods and getting firewood out, unless you have, or plan to make a bunch of trails through them, I find my DR powerwagon to be the best tool for the job. It can get into places that no tractor can, with minimal damage to the forest floor. Even after buying a CUT with loader, I find the powerwagon indispensable for a great many jobs. There are other, fancier and more expensive walk behind haulers, but this one fits my needs the best.

 

[aczlan]

We have an L3830 and its (just) big enough to run a 7' blower.
We have friend with a 33(ish) HP Kubota that is the next frame size down and its a nice size to do what you listed, but it would be a little small to stack a heavy round bale.
A 3 point bale stacker or a 3 point forklift might solve that for you though.

Aaron Z

 

[BLSXJ]

Thanks everyone for the advise.

I think K0ua summed it up with the L3301/1734E/3032E would likely do everything I ever asked of them... 80% of time without issue but I'd occasionally be pushing the limits.

I would suck to get a load of round bails delivered... only to find out they were a bit wet and I wouldn't be able to off load.

The good news is I dont need a tractor today... I survived one winter without one I can survive another. I'm just finishing up building a trailer for my atv which I hope will become my fire wood gathering / trail maintenance tool of choice.

I'm going to keep an eye out for a used farm utility tractor.... if one come up at a good price maybe it will find a home in my shop.

 

[MiserableOldFart]

One thing I thought of after my previous post was that if you ever want to add a good sized chipper to your arsenal with all those woods, you might take a look at the tractor powered chipper sites to see what you need for various sizes. My little 26 hp machine is easily big enough to run the 5 foot snow thrower and RFM, but struggles a little with box blade and gravel, and can't handle much of a chipper. If you decide you want a 6" or 8" chipper down the road, you might want a slightly larger tractor.

I know people who, like myself, use wood for fuel think they will never want to chip stuff, but I've found that never is a pretty strong word, and there are times when I wish I had a larger than 3" chipper to handle stuff that isn't straight enough for it..

 

[4570Man]

There are times when I wished I had a chipper, but not enough to justify the cost. I just burn everything I can't use for firewood. You guys with a burn restrictions might need a chipper more than I do.

 

[N2DFire]

BUt a small tractor just cant lift the same amount has a big tractor

And there-in lies the trade-off. Your first post didn't really put any priority on all the tasks you wanted to accomplish. Are you going to spend the most time using this tractor to lift heavy stuff or working in tight places? Also how much tractor can your budget stand?

The "round bail" capacity is the biggest question. One opinion was get a SSQA FEL.. drop the bucket attach a bail spear and your 'll be fine (round bail is closer in and the bale spear weighs less then a bucket. The other opinion was ANY CUT just doesn't have the stance and mass to handle stacking or unloading round bails.

There are so many variables in determining the weight of a Round Bale, like Width, Diameter, Type of Vegetation, Moisture Content, and Bale Density (different balers will pack looser or tighter than others) that it's almost impossible to estimate an "average weight"

There's actually a pretty good "discussion" I found on it over here http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=655713 if you're really interested.

Another good point they make regarding bale size vs weight is that a 4' W X 5' Dia bale and a 5' W X 4' Dia bale are NOT the same volume and thus (all other things being equal) will not weigh the same.



Also remember while you're shopping that some manufacturers spec sheets list loader capacity as measured at the pivot pin, some list at 24 Inches (500mm) out and some list both (so read the fine print).

The point being, the farther your load is from the pin, the less you can lift. On average - capacity drops by about 30% at 24 inches from the pivot pin - His numbers not mine compact tractor review [dot] com / articles / Loader-Specification.aspx (Side note - Are we really so insecure as a forum that we have to automatically block out links to "competing" sites? )

A FEL mounted spear will the load out a considerable distance away from the pin, maybe even further than 24" (for quick calculations you can assume half the length of the spear you're using).

So for the tractors K0ua listed (and I'm not knocking any of them at all)

MF 1734E - Using L105E Loader - 1,210 @ Pin and 847 @ 24" (Calculated)
Kubota L3301 - Using LA525 Loader - 1,131 @ Pin and 855 @ 24" (Their Numbers)
JD 3032E - Using D160 Loader - 1,186 @ Pins and 845 @ 24" (Their Numbers)

I would suck to get a load of round bails delivered... only to find out they were a bit wet and I wouldn't be able to off load.

If you're able to request the size when they roll it and you go with 4' Wide by 4' or 5' Diameter then you might be ok with this size / class tractor. Anything bigger is asking for trouble.

If you are only looking to offload (and not to re-stack for storage on your end) then I would suggest rolling / pushing them off and using a 3pt spear on the back to transport them. For this class tractor you're going to get nearly double the lifting capacity this way.

If being able to stack for storage at your place is a requirement, you flat out need to go bigger.

And for the record we have tried lifting a 4' W by 6' Dia bale w/ the FEL & Pallet forks (CK35 w/ loaded rear tires and ~750 lb counterweight on the 3pt) and the loader just goes into relief without the bale so much as flinching.

 

[ch1ch2]

I have small, medium, and big.
I use the medium the most.
I suggest you buy around 55 hp. It is better to have and not need than to need and not have.
There is the safety factor.
I have tried to lift stuff that only my big tractor would lift.

When looking what to buy, price the cost of filters.
I have one that uses $186 hydraulic filters, and one that uses $17 hydraulic filters.

 

[ch1ch2]

I have small, medium, and big.
I use the medium the most.
I suggest you buy around 55 hp. It is better to have and not need than to need and not have.
There is the safety factor.
I have tried to lift stuff that only my big tractor would lift.

When looking what to buy, price the cost of filters.
I have one that uses $186 hydraulic filters, and one that uses $17 hydraulic filters.

 

[DieselBound]

I realize that this thread has gone a bit cold but thought I'd add to it in case someone else comes along.

The topography matters a LOT, as does the general condition of the ground.

I've currently got a Kubota B7800 that has been used WAY past what I'm sure it was intended to do (I push myself very hard, anything that I use needs to be able to keep up with me!). 40 acres which were/are mostly brush and trees, lots of wet ground with smatterings of HUGE ruts from logging skidders (almost 2' deep), but otherwise pretty level. I've nearly high-sided my tractor in the ruts: the wort ones have been painstakingly box-bladed down (small tractor = a lot of time/work). While this tractor does have HP, it's light. Wasn't until about a year ago that I had ballast put in the rears. I'd usually be stringing along a field mower or the box blade: the later is heck-for-stout and is great ballast. I can lift a fair amount of weight in the loader (with good ballast), but, going over smooth, dry ground is one thing, going over wet and uneven ground (I recently made the mistake of trying to cross a small ditch with the loader maxed out and I missed hitting it at an angle and dropped both front wheels in and that was that!). Bigger tractor means bigger wheels and more stability. If people were nuts like me then maybe they can get away with smaller tractors, but if you're sane then a bigger tractor is your better bet. Go at least 40 hp.

I'm now in the market for something in the 50hp range. It's a tough decision. What isn't tough to decide, however, is whether I keep my B7800. It stays with me until the day I die:

Flickr

So, 35hp could be enough, until it isn't. And when that point happens you start risking safety. Generally one will always find limits. The idea is to not bump into them with any real regularity. For those rare cases in which more power is required then just go out and rent it (or hire it out). Bigger machines = bigger operational costs; and when you get them stuck (last summer I stuck an 9k lb excavator in a place where my tractor has safely been in- go figure, more GP with the tractor than that tracked rig, so not really sure what went wrong here- I was able to get it out with a manual cable puller and my truck; I later rented an 18k lb excavator and I made sure that I didn't get close to ANY soft ground as there wouldn't have been any way that I'd have been able to get it out!).