XJ2025H stability and hay bales

[joyfarmhand]

Hi! I purchased a new XJ2025H last August. I was replacing my 1952 Ford 8N. I needed the modern features of a new tractor.

We keep horses on our property, so we go through quite a bit of hay. I bought a skid-steer hay fork for the tractor. Stability of this tractor has been an issue from the very beginning. The problem is made much worse when you have such a large bale of hay on the front of the tractor. The hay bale raises the center of gravity such that if the tractor is not on a completely level surface, the tractor will become unstable and you have no choice but to let the load back down to the ground.

My property is on a hillside and is quite uneven terrain. What a problem! I've learned that I can get a hay bale off the trailer by parking it perpendicular to the concrete driveway. The driveway is a good, level surface and the tractor works fine there. I have worked on the approach to the barn. It is now level enough to get a bale of hay into the barn.

The pasture is another matter altogether. Nothing I can do will make the tractor stable out there.

I have worked on the ballast issue by putting a mixture of water and antifreeze in the rear tires. Maybe it helped a little, but not much.

Any ideas? I'm wondering if getting a hay fork for the three point hitch and forking the hay bale that way would enable the tractor to carry the load in a stable way? There is also the idea of putting three inch spacers on the rear tires. That would aid stability by adding a total of six inches across the rear of the tractor.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Don, the JoyFarmhand

 

[Diggin It]

when you have such a large bale of hay on the front of the tractor.

How large? A 2025 is not a hayin' machine. They only weight 1700 pounds and a 'large' hay bale can come close to that. Lift capacity shows around 1200 pounds.

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

There are a few things that you can do to help manage those large (5x6, 6x6?) rounds of hay... the most drastic is to get a larger tractor (35+). But that's probably not going to happen.

Tyre ballast will help, as will extending the rear wheels out. However, you need to balance the load in front with something on your 3 point hitch (3PH); either a ballast weight/box or heavy implement. You also have a problem with the added weight of the skid-steer quick attach (SSQA) on your front end loader (FEL)... the 'plate' will detract from from your lifting capacity. Dedicated, pin-on, hay forks will help but it takes away from the convenience of having a QA system.

Other than that, keep your load (in this case, the round of hay) as low to the ground as possible and go as slow as you can. When it comes to 'gradients', always go up them (front to the rise) and back-down (rear to the fall).

Enjoy the site... from wherever in the world you are.

 

[tomplum]

Uneven ground with a heavy load up front just isn't good with this light of a tractor. I have a lot of sloped and uneven areas to boot. My hand is on top of the loader control when moving firewood across the back. Grab a rut with a front tire, it can be scary. I have a heavy weight on the 3 point and a pair of 2" spacers on the back wheels too. Welcome to the TBN!

 

[DaveNJ]

This tractor is really a substitute for a wheel barrow and a shovel. (And a really good one I might add!) I love it working in tight spaces in the woods, but for heavy log lifting it can get a little scary as the lift capacity can exceed the rest of the tractor capacity. The heavy lifts are about the only time when I bring out the old ford 3550 industrial.

 

[mred2]

I have horses and go thru about 70 to 90 rolls of hay a year, 4 by 5. They will be 800 to 1100 lbs. I purchased a XR4150 due to hp and weight. My son has an emax26. He could pick up the lighter rolls and even stack them, with a 1100 lb grader blade on the back of his tractor. I was always afraid that he was going to turn over or break the tractor. It is just not made for it. My tractor is a lot bigger, 3869 lbs plus all 4 tires filled. On even ground, I still travel with the roll close to the ground. With only 1689 lbs in weight, I think you would be better to use the 3 point. It will not stack, but it will carry a lot better and closer to the ground. I went years without a FEL and feeding round bales. Just because it can pick it up, doesn't mean it can safely carry it.

 

[Avenger]

The loader can lift about 1200 pounds at the pins. Which means less on the hay fork. The total weight of the tractor without tire ballast is about 1700 pounds. A typical round bale of hay will weigh about 1000 to 1200 pounds depending on whats inside and moisture (hopefully very little moisture). But you never said what type or size of bale you are trying to lift. If you are trying to lift these large round bales on sloped ground, you are probably exceeding the capacity of the tractors ability. You can enhance it's ability by adding ballast.

Add tire ballast. Rimguard is the best option, in my opinion. But with your tire size of 23x8.5-12, you are getting about 6 gallons of Rimguard per tire. Thats about 60lbs per tire or 120lbs total... not much. But it will help and will take some of the bounce out of the tire. So, look at adding a 3pt ballast weight. Your 3pt can lift about 1400lbs. Make (or buy) about a 1000 pound concrete weight and hook up to it. I bet the tractor will feel a bit better while moving those heavier loads.

Unless you are trying to move those small square bales, then we have different problems :laughing:

Keep in mind that your tractor is not a magic wand that can do everything. It's a large, 25 horse, diesel powered, riding lawn mower with 4 wheel drive, a front end loader, and 3 point hitch. It was never designed for haying. But then again, we almost always ask more from our machines than what they were designed for.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Wheel spacers to widen out the footprint will help just as much as having the bale on the back of the tractor. Combined they will work well to make the machine more stable, but without being there it would be hard to tell.

 

[Avenger]

Add tire ballast. Rimguard is the best option, in my opinion. But with your tire size of 23x8.5-12, you are getting about 6 gallons of Rimguard per tire. Thats about 60lbs per tire or 120lbs total... not much.
)

I was just re-reading this... that seems like not enough juice for a drive tire. I looked at it again, and sure enough, that is the front tire. I'm an idiot. :newhere:

Lets try this again. Your actual rear tire size is 33x12-16.5 which can hold about 22 gallons of Rimguard or 235lbs per tire. Thats 470lbs. Again, not quite the weight, but certainly better than 120lbs! :laughing:

 

[joyfarmhand]

Thanks to all you have replied. So helpful. Just FYI, the round bale of hay I got yesterday measured 56 inches in diameter. It seems that the consensus is that this tractor is not adequate to do what I am asking it to do. That is the root of the problem. Thanks again, everyone.