A "Neat" large hay bale solution for TLBs

[sd455dan]

Needed another tractor to move large square bales off of my trailer since we have been picking up and load hay with our own equipment in the growers field.
Hoping this works as a way to unload my trailer instead of tying the load to a big stump putting the RAM in 4 low and dragging the bales off the tilt trailer.

Ordered up a 3 spear chain on bucket bale spear from Neat Farms / attachments for my old Ford 550 TLB.

Chains on and also has large bolt thumbscrews to lock the frame to bucket edge.

rated for 3000lb this should work for moving unloading and stacking 3 X 4 X 8 squares.
Should also be handy if the other tractor is down and a bale needs unstacked.

 

[oosik]

Let us know how it works.

 

[sd455dan]

Let us know how it works.

Will do.

I would have already tried it but have to move some things in the barn to access a full an " unopened " bale

 

[OzarkChris]

Needed another tractor to move large square bales off of my trailer since we have been picking up and load hay with our own equipment in the growers field.
Hoping this works as a way to unload my trailer instead of tying the load to a big stump putting the RAM in 4 low and dragging the bales off the tilt trailer.

Ordered up a 3 spear chain on bucket bale spear from Neat Farms / attachments for my old Ford 550 TLB.

Chains on and also has large bolt thumbscrews to lock the frame to bucket edge.

rated for 3000lb this should work for moving unloading and stacking 3 X 4 X 8 squares.
Should also be handy if the other tractor is down and a bale needs unstacked.

I really hope that setup works for you. My experience with any bucket mounted accessory has been dismal at best. One of the tractors I bought several years ago had three or four different bucket attachment that came with it. Forks, tines & some other things I don't recall right now. The forks would move no matter how tight you made them. The tines would tilt up or down when engaging in a bale and I'm sure the other attachments didn't work well either or they would still be hanging around.

Again, I truly do hope it works out for you - please let us know!

 

[sd455dan]

I really hope that setup works for you. My experience with any bucket mounted accessory has been dismal at best. One of the tractors I bought several years ago had three or four different bucket attachment that came with it. Forks, tines & some other things I don't recall right now. The forks would move no matter how tight you made them. The tines would tilt up or down when engaging in a bale and I'm sure the other attachments didn't work well either or they would still be hanging around.

Again, I truly do hope it works out for you - please let us know!

I only have one other bucket "add On" attachment and it was one of the first I bought..

Chain on Pallet Forks, but they did not also have the large thumbscrew bolts that also clamp to the bucket.



They worked/ work Very well I used them on both my Rhino and Ford 3000 FELs and unloaded 1 ton energy log pallets, round hay bales, concrete loaded pallets, tree stumps and brush. even used them to get the 3000 unstuck in a mud hole after the front end sunk to the oil pan. they lifted the frontend out of the hole and was able to back the tractor out.

I repurposed an actual New Holland L778 skid steer QA forks attachment to replace the chain on forks.
Been busy rebuilding a deck and have not tried to move a large square bale yet.

The FEL on the 550 should have No problem power wise since it is rated at 8000 lb breakout and 4700lb lift to 139 inches.

The metal thickness is Much heavier in this Neat attachment will accept a 2 inch thick bucket bottom the thumbscrew bolts are a 3/4 inch thread and the bare frame weighs at least 150 LB IIANM

I would not own a bucket add on attachment that relied on thumbscrews Only

The chains around the bucket add a whole lot of rigidity


We will see, Nothing is for sure until I get a 3 x 4 x 8 square bale on it. I do almost wish i had noticed they offered longer tines than the 39 inchers that I got.

My biggest concern is the actual width... if the bales SAG on the sides there will be some attachment mods additional welding and Tines added.

 

[jonsstihl]

your bucket does seem pretty substantial but I would be worried about bending the top lip down with a large bale especially considering how the geometry of that attachment is.

 

[sd455dan]

your bucket does seem pretty substantial but I would be worried about bending the top lip down with a large bale especially considering how the geometry of that attachment is.

That bucket is really beat up but it is the heavier industrial version of the two Ford offered back in the 70's for the 550.
the bucket is 87" wide and weighs over 700 lb.
I seriously doubt the bucket will give much.
Ford always seemed to use hard steel back then.
Seen lots of cracked Ford stuff that needed welded but very little where it bent distorted and tore like mild steel does. There is a hole punched through it though

We will see.

 

[jonsstihl]

you also have plenty of capacity but for anyone thinking of doing this with their tractor. you have to subtract the weight of the bucket with all of these clamp on attachments. If it gets the job done thats all that matters and as a back up plan it doesn't look too bad. they certainly don't build them like they used to.

 

[sd455dan]

your bucket does seem pretty substantial but I would be worried about bending the top lip down with a large bale especially considering how the geometry of that attachment is.

We will see- but that is a double walled box tubed bucket top.

Again this is an industrial TLB which was the reason I posted it. Not to many old TLBs with Quick attach FELs. but they do have plenty of lifting power which is why just adding a set up like this NEAT brand made some sense for this years hay for me.
Eventually I may look for a 4x4 TLB maybe a New Holland B95 or a Case unit 10 or more years newer. But for now...

Pics
Doubt I will need to but think I could stack 4 high with this set up.

After a quick test No complaints so far-

I LIKE IT.

Also very handy that the TLB has the self leveling FEL.
Much easier than the Grapple on the Rhino to keep a bale oriented tilt wise.

 

[Sportsman762]

Had a friend with a 550 and a 655D that we would move 5x6 round bales with. I always liked using a TLB instead of a skid steer. Good visibility with the TLB, as the skidsteer was driving by brail with a 6' wide bale on the front. I would not try a chain on spear with a regular farm bucket, but the TLB buckets are much much stronger. It looks great and should serve you well.