Actual lift capacity mx 5400

[markmx5400]

Hey everybody, great forum with a lot of knowledge. I have a Kubota MX5400 on order, I will have a 3rd function installed and am looking for a grapple to haul logs, larger rocks, clean-up etc. The tractor will have beet juice loaded in the tires. I was wondering how heavy of a grapple that I should get. i was looking a an MTD with 4 inch spacing. I just want to be able to still lift a lot of weight and was wondering with the loaded tires if that will increase the loader lifting capacity. I am considering a lighter grapple but was not sure if it is worth the trade off for extra weight vs. durability. Thank you all for the replies.

 

[sea2summit]

Loading tires does nothing to increase lift capacity of the loader. It only adds stability and weight.

I’ve got the EA original wicked 54” on mine which is very heavy. I’ve never regretted it. If I need to lift something really close to maxing the loader it’s usually something on a pallet not some odd shaped object on the ground.

 

[jeff9366]

1) The grapple weight subtracts from total payload lift capacity for the Loader. So buy heavy enough grapple for your foreseeable lifting applications, but not a lot more.

2) Even with beet juice ballast in your rear tires, you will still need around 600 pounds of Three Point Hitch mounted counterbalance to keep tractor rear wheels solidly in ground contact during max FEL lifts.

3) If you are new too tractors be very cautious when lifting heavy loads with the FEL. Heavy FEL lifts are a frequent cause of tractor rollovers. If the tractor feels unstable, spread the rear wheels/tires.

4) SSQA Pallet Forks are considerably lighter than grapples designed for the same payloads.

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[rademamj1]

You have received some great advice. Heavy guage grapples provide incredible value, but do reduce your max load. You need to decide what you can live with. Just remember, to always keep heavy loads as close to the ground as possible. The risks may be quite high for not doing so. Around my area during the last six months, there has been a major increase in tractor, loader and fork lift accidents. All involved heavy loads an inexperienced operators.

 

[Hay Dude]

It’s also about how high you want to lift. My bale spear weighs about 250lbs. I can lift 3500lbs of hay bales off the ground on my bigger M series, but it begins to struggle at about 4’ to go higher. I have to rev the tractor to get the pump flowing more. Once you get over 4-5’ is where your ballast really begins to help stabilize your tractor. Over that and you need to be extremely careful.
I also suggest plenty of air in front tires and drive slowly with a heavy front load. I have experienced a high speed front tire blowout on a 2 year old Titan tire that scared me good.

 

[LD1]

So it sounds like you really don't need an exact answer to "how much will it lift".

You are just wanting a guide to select a grapple.

I have a tomahawk brand 66" single lid. I think they are 415# and I'd consider it about a perfect match for the MX.

Loading tires is fine....but not enough. And even loaded tired with 600# ballast on the 3ph is still not enough it keep the back tires on the ground.

Meaning in the real world.....your loader is plenty strong enough to lift loaded wheels and 600# on the opposite end of the machine.

Now if you actually have sufficient ballast out back of 1200-1500# in the real world and lifting to trailer height or cutting height, 2500-3000# is about what these machines can do.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

I agree that about a 400 lb grapple works well on the MX. I chose the EA wicked 60.

The caution on needing rear ballast when lifting heavy should be well heeded. Its easy to get front tippy with loads not even close to maximum without rear ballast.

I have a backhoe. Which weight about 1500 lbs and makes a great counter weight. When that is too long, I use my 8 ft box blade, which is 1000 lbs or so. Rarely I have neither on while doing loader work and it gets my attention quickly when I get greedy.

 

[Johnret]

I thought about a grapple bucket was almost gonna buy one for my X5100. I got some great advice from a friend, he said buy pallet folks. They weight less than a grapple, cost less than a grapple, and do about the same job. My pallet folks on on
my tractor more than my bucket. I have never regretted the decision to for go the grapple, and the pallet forks do not require a third function button on the joy stick.

 

[LD1]

I thought about a grapple bucket was almost gonna buy one for my X5100. I got some great advice from a friend, he said buy pallet folks. They weight less than a grapple, cost less than a grapple, and do about the same job. My pallet folks on on
my tractor more than my bucket. I have never regretted the decision to for go the grapple, and the pallet forks do not require a third function button on the joy stick.

You likely don't regret it because you have never used a grapple.

In the woods, brush and logs and firewood. Forks cannot hold a candle. Especially in a tractor this size

 

[4570Man]

You likely don't regret it because you have never used a grapple.

In the woods, brush and logs and firewood. Forks cannot hold a candle. Especially in a tractor this size

Agreed. If all you wanted to do was clean up the occasional tree that falls pallet forks aren’t half bad but there’s no comparison between pallet forks without a claw and a grapple. The only thing I’d really consider a viable replacement is a hydraulic thumb on a mini x. I have both and the grapple has its place but my grapple hasn’t seen nearly the use it used to since I’ve had the mini x.