J,
I'm going to ask you a very specific question, that I would like a very specific answer to:
Exactly how much weight are you putting on your 3 point hitch when you are "butt puckering" at your 2000 pound lift?
Yes, it matters. Exactly what form does that 3 pt weight take? Is it a ballast box (and how much weight), is it an attachment of some kind, how heavy is it, and how far back from the 3 pt hitch arms is the center of that weight?
If you're maxing out your lift on your FEL, you should be very close to maxing out your lift on your 3 pt hitch with rear ballast weight FIRST. If you're not, you're doing it wrong.
So are you an "Equipment Operator", or are you a ...