DK40 Loader

logdog · Feb 27, 2012

I am looking for some feedback on the DK40 loader. I am thinking of replacing my current tractor with one because I need the increased capacity. I know the spec is 2761 at pin, but as I have found out the numbers do not always apply in the real world once you start factoring in what type of load and how far out from the pins it is.

What I want to know is, can any current owners of a KL401 loader confirm or deny if the tractor can pick up a 2000 lb skid? Equipped with QA forks and properly balanced of course. I know it *should*, I am just looking for anybody that has actually done it.

logdog · Feb 27, 2012

I may have said "properly balanced" but I meant "properly ballasted"

MotorSeven · Feb 27, 2012

2k? Yes it will pick that up and more.

There are 28 - 6x6x8' Cedar logs in this bundle. They weigh between 85 and 105 lbs each. Since they were cut green and stored outside I would lean more towards 100lb ea. It didn't like it, but it lifted and curled it. I regularly lift around 2K with no problems and traded in a CK30 for the DK mostly for the extra loader capacity...it has not disappointed me in over 600 hrs..

MotorSeven · Feb 27, 2012

This beam is 32' long, 8x1/4x12" I-beam. I tried to figure out it's weight, but ended up guessing it at 2,000lbs. It was originally a 44' county bridge beam and the DK would not lift it before I cut 14' off. However, this is even more than a full height lift since I had to put almost 3' of blocking on the forks to get it up past a 12' lift height:

kiotiken · Feb 27, 2012

MotorSeven said:
This beam is 32' long, 8x1/4x12" I-beam. I tried to figure out it's weight, but ended up guessing it at 2,000lbs. It was originally a 44' county bridge beam and the DK would not lift it before I cut 14' off. However, this is even more than a full height lift since I had to put almost 3' of blocking on the forks to get it up past a 12' lift height:

Pretty impresive and nice pics. As a note, you could add 100feet of blocking and it wouldn't change the lift capacity, it's just the geometry of the loader, the top height of the load, as long as it's sraight up, doesn't factor.

MotorSeven · Feb 27, 2012

I don't know about that, it would not lift the stack of cedar logs to full height, the relief valve would kick in at much higher than the pic. {not that I would want to lift it any higher.....even with the HD BB on the back it needed more ballast}

IndyIan · Feb 27, 2012

Motorseven, you've sure given the loader a work out! Good to know I've only used only a bit over half its capacity.

logdog · Feb 27, 2012

Thanks everybody. That is the kind of real world info I was looking for. I am going to take a bit of a bath by trading up in size and wanted to make sure I wasnt going to have any issues.

MotorSeven · Feb 27, 2012

logdog said:
Thanks everybody. That is the kind of real world info I was looking for. I am going to take a bit of a bath by trading up in size and wanted to make sure I wasnt going to have any issues.

Yeah, I took a bit of one too, but heck it will get paid off this year so looking back I would do it again.
Just in 2011, my DK has hauled almost all the materials up to the log house(long steep driveway), assisted in decking the roof off my FEL man lift cage, lifted 30' green Poplar tie poles(trees w/bark still on) up onto the 10' tall house walls, come to the rescue of my 350 Dually 4x4 that spun out on the aforementioned steep driveway while hauling a trailer load of 24-5x10x22' Hemlock rafters, cutting, teddering, raking and bailing then moving & stacking over 150 4x4 rolls of hay, bush hogging, drilling holes, moving dirt & gravel, etcetc,,,,,sheeze the list is loooooong.

Beside my stupidity, the only thing that has failed is the head gasket, which was covered under warranty. :drink:

Coyote machine · Feb 28, 2012

What MotorSeven said and showed in his pics. I too traded up from a DK-35 for the lift capacity of the KL-401 loader. It is awesome and has not let me down. Everyone who works around me stays clear so they don't end up being too close if I push something beyond its limit. Between my pallet forks, backhoe and log grapple and winch, I've moved, lifted, pushed, dragged, knocked over/down and around massive loads of boulders, rocks, wood, snow, (last winter), and done anything and everything I could think of to do with or to a tractor. My DK-40 se/hst has never let me down. And to be honest neither did my DK-35 either; it just wasn't enough machine for my specific needs. If I could have afforded to keep it I would have. 700 hours between the two machines since May of '09.

MotorSeven, Can you give some details of your head gasket failure and repair. Thanks, CM