Iseki TU150 - any loaders fit this guy?

[davesisk]

Hey:

I'm looking at one of these that appears to be in quite good condition. As I understand it, these TUxxx models have some oddity regarding the frame, and I'd imagine that makes fitting a loader to it difficult. (This is one of the models with the completely flat operator platform.) Does anyone know any details on this? I'd imagine this might need a completely custom loader, or is the frame not heavy enough to even consider it?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[davesisk]

Here's a pic of a similar model, the TU160. (Buck Bond, I'm referencing one of your pics...hope you don't mind!)

So, looking at this, it looks like there might be a few different options, all of which you'd probably have to do some of the fabrication yourself or have it done custom. There's obviously not enough room to get the loader frame between the front wheels and the platform, so here's some thoughts.

1) Probably the simplest option would be to have the loader frame wider than the tractor. The mounting brackets would have to extend out past the front wheels, making the tractor wider.

2) Would it be possible to somehow widen the wheels with some sort of hub extender or something? That might allow you to get a loader frame between the front wheels and the body. On the downside, that might make turning really difficult, and might put considerable stress on the front axle.

3) How about mounting the loader frame in front of the front wheels? I know this is quite unconventional, and would probably require mostly custom fabrication, but looking at my old Power-trac, the loader arms are attached to the front of the machine. This has the advantage that you can have two parallel arms (looking at it from the side), so you get a mechanically self-leveling loader. This would put more weight on the front axle though (full weight of the loader plus any load, vs. half the weight of the loader plus load for a conventional mid-mount). You might end up with quite limited lift height because the lift arms would have to be quite short. Thoughts on this?

4) Here's a completely radical thought. How about mounting the loader posts behind the rear wheels? Most skid steer machines actually lift from the back. You'd end up with probably considerable lift height because the booms would be quite long. This is an interesting thought to me. You'd have to do it so that it doesn't block ingress/egress of the tractor, so the booms would have to be either quite low or quite high (either step over them or crawl under them). This is an interesting thought. This puts most of the weight of the loader itself on the rear axle.

Enjoy my musings!
Dave

 

[Hagar]

Check with Koyker. They have some small loaders. They also have a starter mounting kit if there isn't existing mount kit for the TU150.

 

[kayssupply]

Try compacttractorconnection.com they have one of their loaders on a TU.
I have been told Koyker will fit a loader to your tractor if you take it to them. Then they save the info for the next guy. You might get lucky and someone has already done it and they have a mount.

 

[svcguy]

I have a TU205F that has an Allied 195 loader. I picked it up really cheap because the previous owner broke the frame in two directly behind the front axle. The TU series frame is not a good frame for a loader. It has decent box effect right up to the front axle, where it just falls off to nothing. I am remanufacturing the frame right now. I had to strip the tractor down and remove the frame, as it was really bad. I think the frame modification will work out fine when finished.

 

[Knute]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have a TU205F that has an Allied 195 loader. I picked it up really cheap because the previous owner broke the frame in two directly behind the front axle. The TU series frame is not a good frame for a loader. It has decent box effect right up to the front axle, where it just falls off to nothing. I am remanufacturing the frame right now. I had to strip the tractor down and remove the frame, as it was really bad. I think the frame modification will work out fine when finished. )</font>

Do you know if it's all of the TU series, or just that model? I was looking at a TU 150 that http://www.tractorco.com sells with a loader, but if the frame can't handle it I'd rather know sooner than later and go with another model or brand.

John

 

[svcguy]

The Iseki TU platform with the straight thru walkway has a marginal frame for a loader. This is because the 1st 1/3 is essentially a single walled frame with no boxing to support a loader. My TU205F has an Allied 195 loader made by Buler in Canada. It is an excellent loader and I would highly recommend it. I have modified mine with a 2 x 3 inch box steel frame member that ties the front end mount with the main loader mount just under the front differential. I am hoping this will give additional rigidity to the frame, but have not tested it enough as of writing this email to recommend the modification.

I would not be discouraged by the TU models, quite honestly I think the Iseki is a great tractor. I have run Fords, Masseys, John Deere, Volvos, Kubota and Yanmars. My TU is my favorite. It does have issues for loader applications, but I think you need to ask yourself what you want to use the loader for? and, am I willing to work with the tractor. I am hard on a loader and so have modified my tractor and loader accordingly. My Kubota B1500 DT would be about the size of the 150 and to be honest, I just don't see them being useful. The 205 is barely big enough in my eyes. Moving full loads of top soil is hard for the 205, it is damaging to the B1500. If you want a chore tractor to move light loads, it is probably fine, if you want it to work, my advice is to move up to a bigger tractor. Loaders can be dangerous on a small tractor.

Tom

 

[EFC]

<font color="blue">"Do you know if it's all of the TU series, or just that model? I was looking at a TU 150 that http://www.tractorco.com sells with a loader, but if the frame can't handle it I'd rather know sooner than later and go with another model or brand.


John " </font>

The web site shows that you can pay extra and get a Koyker 80 loader. I am almost willing to pay the money just to see that. I have put quite a few loaders on the TU models and down to a 170 it is workable but below that you run into big problems. The front axel on the 160's and below are so close to the floor board the only option you have is to go outside of the floor and back. So you have a tractor 48" wide and this big wide loader that sticks out wider than your tractor. It looks really dumb and is somewhat unstable compared with a narrower mount. A Koyker 80 mount is narrower than the floorboard so to make it work it must be a SUPER custom fab job. If you do get it with the Koyker pleeeeease send me a photo.
The TUxxx models also have a problem with a rear bias front axel making it hard to get the bucket close to the front tires. When I mount a loader my goal is to get the bucket as close to the front wheels as possible to minimize leverage. Take a look at the pic of any TUxxx and you can see getting a bucket close to the axel is difficult.

Buck

 

[DavesTractor]

Buck,

Well said. We have installed Koyker loaders on a TU200F (hard to do), on a TU180F (maybe even harder) and a TU150F. I'll never do a TU150F loader fabrication job again. Very difficult, we probably spent 3 days on it. I'll email you the pictures. Great little tractor, not well suited for a loader for just the reasons stated.

 

[DavesTractor]

Here is one picture of an 80 on a TU150F. Don't try this at home /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif