Heavy FEL work (3500lbs)

[Dargo]

The trouble with a skid steer or compact track loader is they have no reach. My CTL could easily pick up that amount and carry it around, but it would have to be loaded on the very tail of the truck or edge of a flatbed.

I borrowed a Lull 'rough terrain' forklift that had something like a 30' lift height and would pickup over 10k that high. It was an older machine and they offered to sell it to me for 6k, but it was freaking huge and I really don't have a need for it. I see those type of machines go on IronPlanet pretty cheap all the time. If you're not off road, a good forklift would be the call. On concrete I use my forklift a lot. Off pavement I use tractor or CTL.

 

[flusher]

Hey Folks --

Right now I'm borrowing my dads 1980's Kubota M4700. Its a good dependable tractor, but I hate borrowing dad's stuff for fear of breaking it! I'd also like to upgrade to something with a heavy duty FEL.

Every few months I come home with 3500lbs of palletized material (cement, pavers, steel, etc) in the bed of the truck, and the 3 pt forks can't go high enough to get into the bed of the truck, they also present a "reach" problem. I'd like to be able to put forks on the loader for these types of loads. Seeing as how dads 47h machine bogs when I'm pulling a heavy duty box scraper, I've been looking at ~55 horse machines. I've noticed some manufacturers list FEL lift capacity at 59" lift height different than full height. Others only list the lift height at the pins.. So I'm looking for some real world feedback and suggestions.

I'm not picky about brand. I have NH/Case, Kubota, and JD dealers about 10 miles away in Paso Robles, CA. And Mahindra, Kioti about 90 miles away. I plan on doing all my own maintenance, so dealer distance doesn't bother me too much.

Other than the FEL, I'm not too picky. I don't need hydrostatic or any other fancy trans, I'm ok using the clutch. I don't need a cab. I may end up wanting to put a ho on it at some point. Other than that it would get all the normal implements for maintaining my 5 acres - bush hog, box scraper, blade, disk, etc.

Thanks in advance for the help!

My Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, power steering, gear tranny 8F/2R) with the ML250 FEL has 2950 lb lift capacity to full height (10.5 ft). The bed of your pickup can't be more than 36" high so you might be able to get by with something like I have. You'd probably need 2000 lb counterweight on the 3pt. And I'd suggest that your FEL have the skid steer quick attach option and that you get a compatible skid steer fork attachment with maybe 4000 lb load capacity on the forks. Check with your local Mahindra guy.

 

[psj12]

Get the quick attach bucket option on the FEL and buy a fork attachment for it. This will place the load much closer to the loader frame and allow for full rated lift. having the forks attached to the bucket places the load 2 to 3 feet further out depending on the depth of your bucket.

 

[DavesTractor]

Pallet type work with a tractor is a pain. As has been stated, it is hard to see what you are doing and it takes a large tractor to do the work of a little cheap forklift. And the leverage issues are huge. I think our Mahindra 8560 is rated at 4100 lbs at the pins to full height, but put that weight 24" or maybe 36" out from the pins and I suspect it would be closer to 3000 lbs max. And working a tractor at max lift means the rear of your tractor is wanting to lift, your front tires are squatting, and your hydraulic controls are slow in lifting and a little fast in dropping.

So, I second, or third the motion for a cheap forklift.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

The Kubota M59 is about the only compact tractor that has a prayer of doing what your describing, infact, its spec'ed the way it is for that exact senerio. I've seen it fork a full pallet of pavers.

 

[muckdp]

Thanks Folks --

I think you're right about buying a tractor to do a forklifts job... Right now the solution is a "retaining wall" I drive the tractor onto, and back the truck up to. As long as I load the pallet at the very end of the bed, it usually works out ok - and if not I get the exercise of restacking :laughing:

I really don't want (not to mention, can't afford!) to get into the big 90+hp realm, so I won't be going there.

Thanks!

 

[Ken45101]

Just for other people thinking about forks, I don't think any of the forks that attach to buckets are rated for heavy loads. Most are in the 500# range, maybe 800#. For heavier loads, you need to replace the bucket with the forks, preferably with a skid steer type attach.

As has been noted here, putting the load further out in front (e.g. in front of a bucket) reduces the capacity of the loader.

Ken

 

[Duffster]

That pallet would be a cake walk for a skidloader. Most SS would easily reach past the endgate of a pickup.

 

[Ken45101]

That pallet would be a cake walk for a skidloader. Most SS would easily reach past the endgate of a pickup.

Not quite. The biggest Deere SS is only rated for 3300#, the biggest Bobcat only 2800# (that includes the weight of the bucket or forks). Yes, they can lift more (tipping load), but then you are beyond the safe operating range, certainly not a "cake walk".

Ken

 

[Duffster]

Not quite. The biggest Deere SS is only rated for 3300#, the biggest Bobcat only 2800# (that includes the weight of the bucket or forks). Yes, they can lift more (tipping load), but then you are beyond the safe operating range, certainly not a "cake walk".

Ken

Do you own or run a skidloader?

I own a mid size Deere and can handle that pallet, it would be a cake walk for a bigger Deere.

You got to keep in mind how these machine are rated before you can comment on safe operating range.