Lifting Boulders

[Angus99]

I hope this isn't a stupid question. First, some background. As part of the deal I struck with my spouse to buy my new L3130DT, I "have" to bring in a lot of large boulders (maybe 500 to 800 lbs . . . maybe more) to landscape our yard. The work involves going to places where we have permission to extract boulders, loading them on my trailer, taking them off the trailer and placing them where she tells me. (As if I HAVE to be talked into doing this! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif)

I have the 723 loader and use a heavy backblade for a counterweight and I've been very pleased with the way the tractor makes short work of this. I'm using some strong hooks welded to the reinforced portion of the bucket and a heavy duty fabric sling that tightens around the boulders as I lift. This system works great, but the 6' bucket is too wide to to allow me to get clost to some of the boulders or place them where they need to be. It's especially confining around my trailer, which has high sides and is only 5' wide.

So, the question is, can I safely remove the quick-detach bucket and attach the sling to the boom ends of the loader (equalizing the weight) and lift the boulders without the bucket? In addition to getting me closer to the stuff I'm lifting, it seems like it would be less stress on the loader if it doesn't have to lift the bucket along with the boulders.

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks!

Ian

 

[MadDog]

I don't have a quick detach bucket on my FEL so I'm not sure whether there may be some circumstance there that I'm not aware of, but I don't see any reason why you coudn't.

When you're working in tight quarters you can also sometimes use the FEL blade, or even a corner of it, to push or roll a boulder into position. If you do this, you'll want to note the contour of the boulder and the ground you are pushing it over onto, so that there won't be any nasty surprises about where it is going to end up. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Hope this helps.

 

[beenthere]

That should work quite well, if the sling arrangement works as you say. Balancing the load will help.

Pics would be great of your system.

I find the forks on my quick tach in place of the bucket work very well picking out boulders. They stick into the ground at one edge of the boulder and pry them out, and when spaced right, carry them between the forks. A lot less hassle than trying to get a boulder into a bucket. Your sling method sounds good.

 

[Stef]

I'm not sure about this. Strength of a QA is limited. Usually the bucket (or a fork frame) gives some kind of sturdiness to loader arms. IMO I'd use a fork frame, not directly the QA.

 

[Angus99]

Thanks a lot guys. Think I'll hold off lifting without the bucket until I study this some more. I'll try to post some pix of the lift technique I've been using this week.

Thanks again for your replies.

Ian

 

[Boone]

Take a look at this guys answer to moving rocks.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1nh79/ctoa/id33.html

 

[Stef]

Nice, that's sharp, a "Rock sling". Brilliant. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[jmc]

A narrow bucket, (even a sideless bucket) would be handy to have for a lot of things. You could make one and weld on a commercially made quick attach plate to fit your loader.

Attached is a link to a Piranha stump bucket with quick attach that sells for around $350, last check. If this or your home made one is the right shape, you wouldn't need to get off the tractor.

Stump bucket

John

 

[BarryinMN]

How about a 3 point bale fork. Cheap & will hold more weight than loader.

If you can drive up on the trailer & fetch the rock or use a dump trailer to get it accessible.

 

[BarryinMN]

heres pix