Front-End Loader Bolt on Bale Spear

[farm guy]

Hi all,

I have a Branson 5220 with a FEL 55hp turbo. The loader is rated for 2200 pounds at the pins. I was wondering if I will stress the loader by using a bolt on bale spear instead of dropping the bucket and attach a bale spear directly to the arms. My dealer has a one in a quick detach for $400. The bales I plan to pick up are around 800 pounds.

 

[dusty3030]

I prefer a quick attach if you your bucket is easy to drop and then grap the spear. You can see what you are doing so much better.

On one on the bucket when you have the spear level to pick one up you can't see the tip of it most of the time.

 

[F250DSLPWR]

I tried the bucket bale spears and did not like it. I built my own quick attach bale spear, that is the way to go.

 

[IndyIan]

Hi all,

I have a Branson 5220 with a FEL 55hp turbo. The loader is rated for 2200 pounds at the pins. I was wondering if I will stress the loader by using a bolt on bale spear instead of dropping the bucket and attach a bale spear directly to the arms. My dealer has a one in a quick detach for $400. The bales I plan to pick up are around 800 pounds.

I picked up a new SSQA bale spear for $250, single 39" prong, I believe its a wildcat out the US. I almost went with welding a spear mount in the middle of top edge of the bucket but by the time I had my local welder reinforce the top of the bucket it made sense just to buy the spear on a QA frame. Do some searching online and you should be able to find a QA spear for less than $400.

 

[powerpace]

$60 spear plus 3X3 angle 1 1/4" hole for spear 2 holes 1/2" in angle iron. Two 1/2" holes in bottom of bucket. Done. Like it so much I made two.

 

[bigbull338]

do not use a bolt on bale spear on your bucket.get the quick attch hay forks or bale spear.

 

[powerpace]

do not use a bolt on bale spear on your bucket.get the quick attch hay forks or bale spear.

Takes about one minute to attach. I can lift an 800 pound bale no problem.

 

[SuperCobra]

Takes about one minute to attach. I can lift an 800 pound bale no problem.

Ditto. I think I spent about $75 for mine on eBay plus another $10 for the receiver. Bonus is I can hook chains to the empty receiver or add a 10" drop ball and move trailers around. For occasional use (I move 2-3 bales a month) I see no problems.

 

[farm guy]

Hi All,

After reading all your posts and do some more research, I tend to agree that a quick detach would be better.

While reading the posts I noticed a ad from PalletForks.com. I went and took a look and found the same bale spear for $390 and for another $125 I can get pallet forks! Delivery is free to my local feed store. As I said it seems to be the same as I saw at my dealer. So has anyone dealt with this company??

For the money seems like a great deal!

Thank for your help!!

Farm guy

 

[Bigfoot62]

Hi all,

I have a Branson 5220 with a FEL 55hp turbo. The loader is rated for 2200 pounds at the pins. I was wondering if I will stress the loader by using a bolt on bale spear instead of dropping the bucket and attach a bale spear directly to the arms. My dealer has a one in a quick detach for $400. The bales I plan to pick up are around 800 pounds.

Stay away from the bolt-on. You WILL stress the FEL. (my cousin has ruined a couple of tilt cylinders) Plus, you can't see with the bucket in the way.

As several have already said, go to a quick attach system. You can get them after-market and relatively inexpensive.

 

[SuperCobra]

Stay away from the bolt-on. You WILL stress the FEL. (my cousin has ruined a couple of tilt cylinders) Plus, you can't see with the bucket in the way.

As several have already said, go to a quick attach system. You can get them after-market and relatively inexpensive.

Thanks for the explanation of why not to use the bolt on. I guess I figured that as long as I didn't exceed the lifting capacity of the loader or have it off center I was OK. I understand that the further out from the arms you get the lower the capacity was but I didn't think it would do damage. Should we not be using pallet forks then? That extends the weight a lot further out than the bucket. Serious question as I didn't realize this was an issue.

Mounted on the top of the bucket, my spear only extends 8-10" past where a quick attach spear would and visibility is not a problem. Do those extra inches make that big of a difference? Once I curl the bale I figure most of the weight is back up over the loader arms. I'm not familiar with how other people are bolting them on but I guess I can see where bolting them on the bottom of the bucket would put the center of gravity out another foot or so - but not that much further than if you have the same amount of weight on pallet forks, or like seen here, carrying a big log on the end of the bucket - am I asking for trouble?

 

[Bigfoot62]

Thanks for the explanation of why not to use the bolt on. I guess I figured that as long as I didn't exceed the lifting capacity of the loader or have it off center I was OK. I understand that the further out from the arms you get the lower the capacity was but I didn't think it would do damage. Should we not be using pallet forks then? That extends the weight a lot further out than the bucket. Serious question as I didn't realize this was an issue.

Mounted on the top of the bucket, my spear only extends 8-10" past where a quick attach spear would and visibility is not a problem. Do those extra inches make that big of a difference? Once I curl the bale I figure most of the weight is back up over the loader arms. I'm not familiar with how other people are bolting them on but I guess I can see where bolting them on the bottom of the bucket would put the center of gravity out another foot or so - but not that much further than if you have the same amount of weight on pallet forks, or like seen here, carrying a big log on the end of the bucket - am I asking for trouble?

If you understand the possible risks involved, and you still want to do it, that's your call. I've done it both ways, and I'll never go back to a bucket-mounted spear. Yes, I do have bucket forks that I use occasionally. Most of the time, I only use them to carry off limbs when I'm trimming trees. Have I overloaded the FEL with them? Yep. Is it a good idea? I don't think so.
Granted, the bypass (relief) valve on a loader is supposed to let go before you damage a cylinder, but there's no guarantee.
You say that visibility is not an issue, but I parked a 1200# roll of hay on the hood of a truck because of lack of visibility. I admit it was with a much bigger tractor and a much larger bucket than what you have, but visibility IS a factor. Your spear mounts to the top of the bucket, rather than the bottom. I've never used one like that and it's probably better, but you still can't see through the bucket.

 

[Sterff]

I use the kind that slips over the cutting edge of the bucket. I have a hook welded on the bucket and use a binder to tighten the whole assembly.