Loader Front end Loader Lift Question

[LD1]

Propane tanks get moved all the time by people like us. Propane company isnt gonna move a customer owned tank, and there are alot of them out there. Not to mentioned all the ones that get re-purposed for boilers, storage tanks, air tanks, pumpkin-chunkers, etc

 

[ovrszd]

As someone mentioned, the curl function has a lot of power at the bucket edge. You had the center of the load out too far.

I would have moved it like you did. My odds of dying from a tree falling on me while cutting wood in the timber are far, far, far greater than blowing myself up while moving a propane tank.

As for the image of a catastrophic explosion,,,,,, have you ever saw a propane tank on fire??? I've saw 2 burn completely. No explosion. Just a slight rush when the popoff started letting out fumes. Then just a blow torch until it expended all flammables. No explosion.

 

[lutt]

The Bucket attached to my loader has radius sides - this radius matched perfectly to the radius of the tank. I agree that the tank was way to large for the bucket. Bucket level and driven up to the tank - Sides of bucket did not meet the side of the tank. Tried to curl bucket to (roll the tank back) unsuccessful. What I ultimately did; Dropped bucket to the ground and rolled the bucket without a load to displace the dirt underneath the tank - fit like, "O.J.s glove" well... close enough. Then ratchet strapped the heck out of it, all this knowing not to touch the lever for the curl. ////////////////// I knew I would catch some flack about this but, "He who hasn't done something stupid may cast the first stone" Police? Safety was a concern, however I took precautions I.E. (went super slow). and made sure the lid was secure that covered the tank valves. I am not sure how much liquid was in there but I agree there was "some" there. I survived the experience but recommend to others - don't try this at home. I was shocked none the less that it would not curl the tank but lift it only. Zebrafive I did lift off of the back of the bucket initially but the tank 'swayed' and my bucket was high off the ground which scared the heck out of me on uneven and un-level ground. this made me rethink the whole operation.

I have moved several propane tanks with my tractor and a 1000 gallon with a case backhoe. All were as empty as they could be. I pick them up and set them on a trailer usually if there is distance involved for sure. What amazes me about the safety police is they always assume something is. I wouldn't have thought that you would have tried to move a full tank, you didn't say that anywhere in your post. So why assume people? Good job on the move. Many of us on here, including myself, do things on our own. We wouldn't own a tractor if we didn't. I buy my stuff to use. Regardless on how much it cost. And before someone says anything, I am not condoning any unsafe acts. I use my judgement and take full responsibility for anything I do. That's what it's all about. I will say this, most of the people you call out to pay to do something don't have enough sense to get out of the rain. LUTT

 

[showcattle]

I was wanting to switch propane suppliers. New company wanted to come install, but old tank was still in the backyard. It had <5% in it. I put the pallet forks on, ratchet strapped it to the forks and moved out front by the road. I couldn't roll it back, but I could pick it up. Went slow, and nothing happened. New LP company came and installed new tank. The old tank sat in my front yard for 6 weeks before it was removed. That ticked me off....

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I have to move my propane tanks regularly, one 300 gallon/lb pickle barrel and several 100 gallon/lb tanks.
Usual move is to load in skiff, 20 mile trip to cannery, unload/fill/reload at cannery, back home then unload full. I appreciated the addition of the pickle barrel as it makes the refill an annual thing instead of more frequently.

This is the first time I have heard the ears on the pickle barrel are only for lifting empty barrels and not sure how I could accomplish the refill without being able to lift full tanks? Guess I could make rope bridles for lifting??

 

[AxleHub]

I have moved several propane tanks with my tractor and a 1000 gallon with a case backhoe. All were as empty as they could be. I pick them up and set them on a trailer usually if there is distance involved for sure. What amazes me about the safety police is they always assume something is. I wouldn't have thought that you would have tried to move a full tank, you didn't say that anywhere in your post. So why assume people? Good job on the move. Many of us on here, including myself, do things on our own. We wouldn't own a tractor if we didn't. I buy my stuff to use. Regardless on how much it cost. And before someone says anything, I am not condoning any unsafe acts. I use my judgement and take full responsibility for anything I do. That's what it's all about. I will say this, most of the people you call out to pay to do something don't have enough sense to get out of the rain. LUTT

Greetings Lutt,

Lets assume you're considering me "the safety police". There is no part of my pists on this thread that "assumes" fullness or emptiness level if the tank.

What I know is the op stated the tank was so.heavy he could lift it a few inches high but couldn't even curl it. And because it was a max 28 . . That means it was a very heavy load for the tractor. Again by fact . . . . that means either a very large tank with a little in it or a medium or smaller tank with definite gas quantities in it. There's no "assuming" involved.

Secondly the op stated he had to stop and redo because the tractor was rocking around quite a bit . . Again no assumption s needed . . . very heavy load only a few inches off the ground and unstable tractor needing to transport 1/2 mile on a gravel road.

And terrorists use small propane tanks to cause explosions . . so we don't have to asdume anything about propane tank explisive potential either . . The Paris athletic field attempts showed us the potentional right on tv of what a tiny 5 lb tank can do . . . its not complicated to understand what just 25 or 50 gallons could do.

 

[lutt]

I have to move my propane tanks regularly, one 300 gallon/lb pickle barrel and several 100 gallon/lb tanks. Usual move is to load in skiff, 20 mile trip to cannery, unload/fill/reload at cannery, back home then unload full. I appreciated the addition of the pickle barrel as it makes the refill an annual thing instead of more frequently. This is the first time I have heard the ears on the pickle barrel are only for lifting empty barrels and not sure how I could accomplish the refill without being able to lift full tanks? Guess I could make rope bridles for lifting??

Maybe you could use a lifting strap like this? Just something shorter. I was thinking the same thing you were when I read that. If the fellar or gal welding up the tank was proficient enough to pass the inspections on the tank. Assuming for fun that they used a 7018 rod , that's a rating of 70,000 pounds per square inch. Depending on steel, I know there are other variables . So those straps have several inches of weld. Pretty sure they would hold. But no manufacture in there right mind would promote that. LOL LUTT

 

[AxleHub]

I have to move my propane tanks regularly, one 300 gallon/lb pickle barrel and several 100 gallon/lb tanks.
Usual move is to load in skiff, 20 mile trip to cannery, unload/fill/reload at cannery, back home then unload full. I appreciated the addition of the pickle barrel as it makes the refill an annual thing instead of more frequently.

This is the first time I have heard the ears on the pickle barrel are only for lifting empty barrels and not sure how I could accomplish the refill without being able to lift full tanks? Guess I could make rope bridles for lifting??

A bit confused tungular. You label each tank as gallon/lb. A 100 lb tank holds about 80 to 85 pounds of propane but a 100 gallon tank holds about 850 pounds of propane.

 

[lutt]

Greetings Lutt, Lets assume you're considering me "the safety police". There is no part of my pists on this thread that "assumes" fullness or emptiness level if the tank. What I know is the op stated the tank was so.heavy he could lift it a few inches high but couldn't even curl it. And because it was a max 28 . . That means it was a very heavy load for the tractor. Again by fact . . . . that means either a very large tank with a little in it or a medium or smaller tank with definite gas quantities in it. There's no "assuming" involved. Secondly the op stated he had to stop and redo because the tractor was rocking around quite a bit . . Again no assumption s needed . . . very heavy load only a few inches off the ground and unstable tractor needing to transport 1/2 mile on a gravel road. And terrorists use small propane tanks to cause explosions . . so we don't have to asdume anything about propane tank explisive potential either . . The Paris athletic field attempts showed us the potentional right on tv of what a tiny 5 lb tank can do . . . its not complicated to understand what just 25 or 50 gallons could do.

Greetings, I also said I don't condone any unsafe acts also. That I use my on judgement and sense and take full responsibility for such actions. I'm pretty sure that we all know what propane is capable, as a 15 year volunteer fireman, a chief engineer for a very large company, I deal with safety on a day to day basis and so called safety experts. But I also know how much sense some people really have. That's my experience. I don't want to see any one getting hurt, but we could debate this all day about how much was in the tank and we will never know. Far as tractor lift, a few inches off the ground that tank is not gonna fall off the loader and explode. The op knows he done something unsafe. He realized it and like someone pointed out. No sense in being harsh to him. Have a nice day. LUTT

 

[tungularafishcamp]

That's ok, I have spent my whole life confused?

Here everyone calls the tanks gallon instead of lb so I used both, just to stir up the mud