Best Option for bucket mounted bale spear

[Wagtail]

Based on experience with the tractors listed under my user name, I suspect you'll have problems with any round bales larger than 4'x4'. This goes for both a loader mounted spear and a 3pt hitch spear. If your Boomer has front wheel drive, that might help. I have no experience with that. It might be best to buy or borrow a spear and one bale and give things a try before getting hung with a
trailer load of hay you can't move. Good luck.

I agree. If the OP is going to feed out and stack large squares or rounds of hay, his 24hp tractor is not going to be up to the task and adding spikes to the bucket will reduce the lifting capacity (plus balance) even further. He needs at least a 40hp tractor to accomplish what he wants to do.

Sorry Mate (OP)... on the other hand, this is a great reason to get a new(er) tractor!

 

[stuckmotor]

I agree. If the OP is going to feed out and stack large squares or rounds of hay, his 24hp tractor is not going to be up to the task and adding spikes to the bucket will reduce the lifting capacity (plus balance) even further. He needs at least a 40hp tractor to accomplish what he wants to do.

Sorry Mate (OP)... on the other hand, this is a great reason to get a new(er) tractor!

I'm not even sure that sized tractor will satisfactory handle 4x4 bales. I recently moved some bales with the MF 260 with only a post hole auger for rear ballast and had real trouble with the rear wheels spinning on wet ground. I think my brother told me he had problems keeping the front end of the AC WD on the ground using a spear on the 3pt hitch.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I would say "use caution" when throwing out HP numbers for bale moving criteria. It's more to do with lifting capacity and chassis weight. Those 2 things don't always coincide with "hp".

Here's a 37 hp tractor moving and feeding a round bale with filled rear tires and only a box blade on for ballast. Tractor weighs 7100 lbs so configured (minus the round bale obviously). It will also pick off and set bales on a 2 high stack.

 

[Wagtail]

I would say "use caution" when throwing out HP numbers for bale moving criteria. It's more to do with lifting capacity and chassis weight. Those 2 things don't always coincide with "hp".

That's a fair call.

I still reckon that the OP's tractor isn't going to be up to this regular task, though.

 

[TheMan419]

Friends have a 1 series痴 jd. They regularly lift and move round bales. I understand the physics of counter weight needed. My tiller weighs in at 630 lbs and the bush hog at 500. One or the other would be used. The bush hog actually provides more effective counter weight due to hanging so far off the back end. Of course the trade off is not being able to work in as close of quarters.

The issue is so many hay suppliers in the area are only producing large squares.

Budget does not allow for purchase of a larger tractor.

 

[Brakeman]

Friends have a 1 series痴 jd. They regularly lift and move round bales. I understand the physics of counter weight needed. My tiller weighs in at 630 lbs and the bush hog at 500. One or the other would be used. The bush hog actually provides more effective counter weight due to hanging so far off the back end. Of course the trade off is not being able to work in as close of quarters.

The issue is so many hay suppliers in the area are only producing large squares.

Budget does not allow for purchase of a larger tractor.

My Dad used an IH 384, its a 38 hp with the bale spear that goes on the end of the bucket. For counter balance or for added traction he would put a bale on the 3 point hitch. He didn't always use the 3ph as it did get in the way.
We used to do 5x4 ft round bales and he could easily stack 2 to 3 high.
Rear tire were loaded with calcium, and the 384 has really good hydraulics.
If your tractor can lift the bales just be careful on rough ground and turining.

 

[TheMan419]

My Dad used an IH 384, its a 38 hp with the bale spear that goes on the end of the bucket. For counter balance or for added traction he would put a bale on the 3 point hitch. He didn't always use the 3ph as it did get in the way.
We used to do 5x4 ft round bales and he could easily stack 2 to 3 high.
Rear tire were loaded with calcium, and the 384 has really good hydraulics.
If your tractor can lift the bales just be careful on rough ground and turining.

Thankfully shot from where hay stored to where Fed is fairly straight. Also I am in northern Indiana so FLAT land. Like we make Kansas look hilly.

 

[RickB]

My Dad used an IH 384, its a 38 hp with the bale spear that goes on the end of the bucket. For counter balance or for added traction he would put a bale on the 3 point hitch. He didn't always use the 3ph as it did get in the way.
We used to do 5x4 ft round bales and he could easily stack 2 to 3 high.
Rear tire were loaded with calcium, and the 384 has really good hydraulics.
If your tractor can lift the bales just be careful on rough ground and turining.

Here is where the comment discounting HP and emphasizing size and mass comes into play. A 384 with a Bale on a rear spear could maybe lift the Boomer 24.

 

[RickB]

Friends have a 1 series痴 jd. They regularly lift and move round bales. I understand the physics of counter weight needed. My tiller weighs in at 630 lbs and the bush hog at 500. One or the other would be used. The bush hog actually provides more effective counter weight due to hanging so far off the back end. Of course the trade off is not being able to work in as close of quarters.

The issue is so many hay suppliers in the area are only producing large squares.

Budget does not allow for purchase of a larger tractor.

Can your heirs budget for a funeral? At least get a spear attached directly to the loader frame. Ditch the bucket.

 

[Halftrack]

I concur with those suggesting the Boomer 24 is not up to the task for a 800 to 900 lb bale. It is fortunate the supplier is willing to unload and stack the bales, most would simply dump them. I would suggest dealing with partial bales with your boomer, either by mounting a short 24" spear at the top center of your bucket and stabbing the end of the bale, with the lip of the bucket under the end, cutting the strings and retrieving that portion for feeding.
If an end approach is not possible, 3 or 4 short spears, 12 to 16", mounted again across the top of the bucket, would allow a side approach to retrieve a partial bale.
The single spear would have to be fabricated to be load bearing, the 3 or 4 would simply be retainers, assuming the bucket is supporting the load.
Ready, set, go, guys, tell us why it won't work.