Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer?

   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer? #1  

Hay Dude

Super Star Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2012
Messages
16,248
Location
3 miles from where the gun was discarded
Tractor
Challenger MT655E, Massey Ferguson 7495, Challenger MT535B, Krone 4x4 XC baler, Kubota F3680 & ZD331 Ram 5500 Cummins 4x4, IH 7500 4x4 dump truck, Kaufman 35’ tandem 19 ton trailer, John Deere CX-15
Just trying to get an idea of the level of satisfaction good/bad with using a skiddy to load/unload LARGE bales.
 
   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer? #2  
I have seen several farmers in this area using skid steers and CTL to load trucks and trailers in the field. Squares I believe are 3 ft x 8 ft. Rounds both 5 and 6 ft. Have never done this myself but have watched them and seemed like skid was stable.
 
   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer? #3  
The skid steer is plenty strong enough to do the job. The visibility is going to suck with the bale blocking most of your view but I don’t see why it won’t do the job. There’s videos of people with multiple bales at a time on skid steers.
 
   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
I was wondering how they like them little itty bitty tires on bumpy fields and stability with 2000lb bales up in the air, too.
 
   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer? #5  
I handled many 4x5 silage bales on hard surfaces with skidsteer. Loader tractor did the field pick up and hauling, skid steer in yard loading wrapper. Lift height is an issue if you want more than one high on a deck. Skidsteer is light in front with bale spear, rode fine with bale on spear.

Personally I'd find skidsteer slow and cumbersome in field and apt to get stuck if ground soft.
 
   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer? #6  
I was wondering how they like them little itty bitty tires on bumpy fields and stability with 2000lb bales up in the air, too.

I have a Kubota SVL75 which a medium sized tracked machine. I’m not a fan of the wheeled ones. They get stuck all the time. This pallet weighed 4380 pounds at the rock quarry and the 75 unloaded it.
IMG_0637.JPG
 
   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Tracks smoother than wheels on bumpy fields
 
   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
I handled many 4x5 silage bales on hard surfaces with skidsteer. Loader tractor did the field pick up and hauling, skid steer in yard loading wrapper. Lift height is an issue if you want more than one high on a deck. Skidsteer is light in front with bale spear, rode fine with bale on spear.

Personally I'd find skidsteer slow and cumbersome in field and apt to get stuck if ground soft.

Better with tracks on bumpy fields. I wonder if tracked skiddy more stable with big bales?
 
   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer? #9  
I've lusted after one of these (though I really don't have any use for one- too heavy for my property). Big haying operation near me recently bought one: they advertise it for rent. The bigger units can do all that any large tractor can/could do PLUS!

https://www.merlo.com/eng/products/tractor-thl
 
   / Anyone load large hay bales with a skid seer? #10  
Better with tracks on bumpy fields. I wonder if tracked skiddy more stable with big bales?

Tracks are better to bridge a hole in the ground but they’re worse going across a bump like a curb. Tracks have a longer foot print than the same model with wheels and are more stable and lift more.
 
 
Top