Buying advice for small but powerful loader

   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader #11  
There are plenty of GOOD recommendations here. Let me suggest that whatever you choose - have the unit brought out to your operation and try it out - as a condition of final purchase. Operating any vehicle with a heavy and shifting load - variable terrain - and an unsteady vehicle - not a good thing.

There was a time I had to move a tank full of water - 750 gallons - from a loading dock to the back of a truck. This was done three or four times daily. The water tank was unbaffeled and the water would slosh around quite vigorously. It was a nightmare - the forklift was designed "for concrete only" and suffered mightily in this out-of-doors operation.
 
   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader #12  
A small articulated loader will be more capable then a tractor and smoother and easier then a skidsteer.
skidsteer's are nice machines BUT they are extremely rough on the turning surfaces, gouging and digging them up as well as
somewhat jerky in fine positioning.
There are several quick attach systems out for front end loaders from the SSQA that most readers are familiar with then stepping up to
the Global style also the JD quick attach which is similar to the Global, and various other systems used by manufactures for their larger loaders.
The SSQA is the most common on smaller equipment but not necessarily the best or nicest, I much prefer the Global it is easier to attach and a
bit more secure.
 
   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader #13  
MapleKing said:
I'm new to the forum and I thought this would be the best place to ask experienced tractor owners what model they would consider for the tasks I have. I know typically pallet moving would be done by a forklift but I can't use one due to terrain and besides, a tractor is more versatile!

I currently don't own a tractor but I have a need for something to move 1600lb pallets into the back of my pickup and/or a trailer about once a week. I also would like to get a front mounted snowblower so I'm thinking that a tractor would be my best bet. I'm a maple syrup producer and I will be packing containers into cases in my sugarhouse and once I have a full pallet, I need to move it to the back of my truck or a trailer. The pallets will weigh about 1600lbs. Ideally I'd like the smallest tractor that can do that job and I'm looking for a loader that would have pallet forks and not forks attached to a bucket.

Any thoughts on the smallest tractor that could move 1600lb pallets? I'm not loyal to any brand and am willing to use whatever machine is the best for the job.

Thanks!

Dave
Click to expand...
Welcome aboard the board MapleKing!
/edit
You remind me of myself a decade ago when I came to TBN looking for a skid steer because I thought that was what I needed.

Think of ALL the heavy moving and other projects you may need to do and how it's done or could be done.

If you go with a tractor you could do a lot of other things, such as plowing, hauling trees through the woods, etc. A "tractor" is basically an engine on wheels. A Skidsteer is a specialized tractor.

Since you mention 1600lbs, rough terrain. pickup, once a week it reads like you have a need to move about 200 gallons of liquid in an IBC tote.

How often does this happen?

For example if this is a weekly thing year around you would be doing it 52 times a year. A good used 2WD tractor to do this could probably be had for about $10K. A front mounted snowblower though is expensive.

How much do you want to spend?
 
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   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader
  • Thread Starter
#14  
Thank you all for the responses!

I really hadn't considered a skid steer before but after some research that does look like the best solution. I need something compact and I think a skid steer is probably the smallest thing that I will find that can lift 1600lbs. Clearing snow with a snow blower would be a bonus. Price wise I think they are pretty similar so thank you for those suggestions!
 
   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader #15  
For "your" purpose, I would NOT buy a skid steer without tracks...

Wheel skids do not do well in soft ground, and for sure not well with 1600 pounds on the forks...

SR
 
   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader #16  
MapleKing said:
Thank you all for the responses!

I really hadn't considered a skid steer before but after some research that does look like the best solution. I need something compact and I think a skid steer is probably the smallest thing that I will find that can lift 1600lbs. Clearing snow with a snow blower would be a bonus. Price wise I think they are pretty similar so thank you for those suggestions!
Click to expand...

I think you should consider your original idea a little more. Tractors are popular because they are so versatile. Most of the 40hp and up tractors have a matched front end loader that will easily handle 1600 lbs at enough height to load pallets on a truck. What kind of surface are you on to do this loading? Once you go a little farther to a 50 hp and up tractor it can carry that weight some distance and will have the weight & stability to do that job even in mud, snow and less than level ground.

Most tractors that size now come standard with forward hydraulics and a skid steer type quick change coupling on the front of the loader. SSQA means that tractor can quickly mount and use any attachment that a skid steer can use. This means that all types of attachments are now universal. So you can quickly swap your FEL bucket in favor of pallet forks or a snow blower. Hooking it up takes only a few minutes. If you are curiouis about a specific attachment, you can rent it at your rental yard and try it out. It will fit your tractor with SSQA.

Other advantages to tractors are that you are sitting above the load, so can see it better. Plus the machine itself is more versatile. It can go down the the road at a modest speed, can handle uneven terrain, and will mount and power a variety of implements at both ends.
Not so fast...
rScotty
 
   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader #17  
My Deere 110 TLB is 43 hp and would have no problem with that load.

Have a friend with a track skid steer and he can life nearly double what I can and run circles around me...
 
   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader #18  
A 110 IS a 4000 series tractor. Nice tractor but not exactly what I would call "powerful". I guess that's subjective.

A tracked loader is what came to mind at the OPs question.
 
   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader #19  
It's what I would call versatile with the great backhoe... and features like creep.

I've unloaded moved a lot with it but it does have it's limits and when using the forks at capacity I move very slooowly...

The person that sold the 110 went to a track skid steer and added a mini excavator which was better suited to his underground utility business... he said the 110 did a good job but productivity increased by replacing it with two dedicated machines.
 
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   / Buying advice for small but powerful loader #20  
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