Loader capacity?

[RidgeHiker]

I am a tractor novice. My son and I recently purchased a 1999 Kioti LK3054 with a Kioti KL122 loader. The bucket is 54". The loader manual shows the lift to full height capacity at 760 lbs and the break away at 1580 lbs. Here are a few questions:
1. I have no idea what a bucket load of something weighs. Any ideas on heavy, wet snow, dirt, gravel, sand???
2. What does the 760 lbs actually mean? Will it lift more but could be damaged with a heavier load? Will it just not lift more? Do we have to be cautious in what we lift?
3. Is the 760 lbs light for this sized tractor?

Thanks!

 

[Rustyiron]

Don't over think this.
Keep your load low while traveling,
Keep your tractor level when lifting above the wheels,
Keep your common sence where you can get at it real easy.
Keep the shiney side up!
Start out easy and get to know yur tractor. Pay attention to how it "feels" during different situations, nothing beats "seat time". Once you know this, you will know just how far to push your tractor safely. The weight rating is prolly a safe lawer derived weight limit. You prolly can't hurt your machine by lifting up too much. That is, if it will lift it (may not be safe) it's ok, hydraulics have preset bypass values built into the unit that will should just stall the hyd. if if the load is too heavy. Check out some weight/ cubic ft. on line of different materials, it'll suprise you, and just try to stay within the sugg. load limits. Have fun!

 

[Grandad4]

+1 what Rustyiron says. A little experience and common sense are the first requirements. The "breakout force" is how much strength the "curl" has for the loader. If you're digging in hard ground, for example, how well can it break loose packed soil. The lifting force is pretty obvious. Most loaders can lift a full scoop of wet soil or "crusher run" (gravel and fine stone dust used in road or driveway foundations)... those are some of the heaviest materials commonly encountered.

You won't be able to lift the maximum capacity unless you have counter-weight at the back of the tractor (an implement and/or ballasted tires) to hold the back end of the tractor down. And lifting a full bucket all the way makes the tractor very tippy to the side, so be careful and do it only on flat, level ground. Low and slow when transporting anything in the bucket, whether you're going 10 feet or 1,000 feet. Be in 4wd at all times, except on pavement. And wear the seatbelt.

You'll acquire a sense of your machine's limits as you use it. Just don't try to find the edge of the performance envelope in the first 2 hours of operation.

 

[JoelD]

I have a lk3054xs tlb with the 1231 loader

First the hydraulics bypass will kick in before you lift enough to hurt the machine

MY loader easily does somewhere around 1000 lbs

Please keep load low and hand on lever when on slope to drop load should you start to tip and keep your seat belt on and rops up

Joel

 

[RidgeHiker]

You won't be able to lift the maximum capacity unless you have counter-weight at the back of the tractor (an implement and/or ballasted tires) to hold the back end of the tractor down.

The LK3054 seems to be a heavy tractor for its size at nearly 3000 lbs and the previous owner filled the back tires with calcium so hopefully this will give it enough ballast.

"I have a lk3054xs tlb with the 1231 loader.
First the hydraulics bypass will kick in before you lift enough to hurt the machine.
MY loader easily does somewhere around 1000 lbs
Joel "

Looks like your loader has a capacity of about 160 lbs more.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

The LK3054 seems to be a heavy tractor for its size at nearly 3000 lbs and the previous owner filled the back tires with calcium so hopefully this will give it enough ballast.

Don't assume those ballast tires will be all you need. Doing some simple loader work it may be OK but fully weighted it could still get tippy. With my loaded tires I can lift until the hydraulics say enough but moving with that much weight is another story. I have some brown underware to prove it.

 

[RidgeHiker]

I have a lk3054xs tlb with the 1231 loader
Joel

What is the difference between the 3054 and the 3054xs?

 

[Caseycraig]

I have a lk3054xs tlb with the 1231 loader

First the hydraulics bypass will kick in before you lift enough to hurt the machine

MY loader easily does somewhere around 1000 lbs

Please keep load low and hand on lever when on slope to drop load should you start to tip and keep your seat belt on and rops up

Joel

just stumbled on this after a Google search for a used tractor I’m looking at purchasing.
My main concern is lifting a round bale of hay.
Has anyone had direct experience lifting a round bale?

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

just stumbled on this after a Google search for a used tractor I’m looking at purchasing.
My main concern is lifting a round bale of hay.
Has anyone had direct experience lifting a round bale?

We it the forks on and spread wide. Jab forks in two bales on front and one on spike at rear when moving hay. When it's stacked we get 3 of 6 x 6 rolls on front.

 

[K5lwq]

I think it would struggle. Depends on bale size and density. But stacking would be out of the question. I have the same loader and have the pressure turned up and I would not want to move hay with it.

I suggest keep looking.

 

[jeff9366]

Bare tractors are designed with a standard weight distribution of 40% front, 60% rear.

Add a Front End Loader and the weight distribution becomes 50% front, 50% rear. (+/-)

Fill the bucket and the weight moves forward, leveraged by low-forward position of a laden bucket.
Could be 60% front, 40% rear. (Tractor wheelbase affects weight distribution.)

Traction is reduced because weight has transferred away from the driving, heavy tread rear wheels.
(Hence the need for liquid rear tire ballast or iron wheel weights.)

Rear wheels may or may not lift from the ground at this moment, but they will certainly be "light" if bucket payload is wet.

Green tree trunk sections and laden pallets on pallet forks are often heavier than wet bucket loads. Laden pallets protrude forward. Weight distribution could be 70% front, 30% rear. Rear wheels will lift.

Suffecient Three Point Hitch counterbalance restores weight distribution to 40% front, 60% rear. (+/-)

 

[jeff9366]

I have no idea what a bucket load of something weighs. Any ideas on heavy, wet snow, dirt, gravel, sand???

A heaping bucket load of DRY soil is normally equal to the lift capacity of the bucket..... with ample counterbalance mounted on the Three Point Hitch.

If your tractor is 2-WD you may lack traction to load a heaping bucket of DRY soil.

 

[jeff9366]

My main concern is lifting a round bale of hay.
Has anyone had direct experience lifting a round bale?

Round bales vary from 800 pounds to 1,400 pounds. A wide spread.

A 4,000 pound bare weight tractor can lift the lighter round bales with an FEL bale speer on smooth, level ground. It takes a 5,000 pound bare weight tractor to lift, carry and stack the heavier round bales safely with an FEL bale spear.

 

[ljjhouser]

Jeff and a couple others have mentioned ballast. I will mention it again. If you lift the loaded bucket, the bucket load weight will pivot on the front axle - sometime making little to no traction on the rear wheels - Where the brakes are. If you attempt a hill or slope, you may find the brakes are not effective and rear tires will slide creating a dangerous situation. I cannot guess on your tractor. But on my tractor, with a full load of crusher base in the bucket, and tires filled with methanol, and 400 pound box blade on the 3pt, I will not have enough traction to climb a hill on my gravel road. I have to use 4WD because most of the traction is on the front axle still.

Just a word of caution. Ballast will become and important consideration in the operation and safety of the tractor when you consider operating with fully loaded bucket.Best Wishes and enjoy your tractor.

 

[jeff9366]

The LK3054 seems to be a heavy tractor for its size at nearly 3000 lbs and the previous owner filled the back tires with calcium so hopefully this will give it enough ballast.

Loaded rear tires will improve traction, especially for 2-WD tractors.

Loaded rear tires are not a substitute for ample counterbalance mounted on the TPH when intending max FEL loads.

Do we have to be cautious in what we lift?
You cannot enjoy your tractor if you are dead.



Kioti DK5010 with KL5510 Loader & 72" Bucket.
What is the meaning of above in your T-B-N PROFILE?

 

[K5lwq]

I am sure the OP has figured out what he can and cannot do since 2011. The current question was about round bales specifically. They can weigh up to 2000 lbs. Too weak of a loader on the older LK3054 for his task.

 

[ljjhouser]

I am sure the OP has figured out what he can and cannot do since 2011. The current question was about round bales specifically. They can weigh up to 2000 lbs. Too weak of a loader on the older LK3054 for his task.

Boy, I would hope so. I hate it when I miss the date on these older threads. I laughed - that is the best post on this thread. Ha.