Farmhand 8-bale grapple weight -- trying to size a skid loader

[mattv1]

Been using a large tractor/loader with the farmhand 8-bale grapple to move and stack bales.

Going to add a skid loader to the fleet soon to assist with stacking in tight quarters and speed things up.

Our bales vary from 50 to 85 pounds, depending on many factors.....so i can do that math. However, i'm having trouble coming up with a weight for the farmhand grapple unit itself. I don't need to buy a crazy big heavy skid loader, but i want to but one that is for sure big enough to pick up an 8-pack of 85 or 90 pound square bales...

anybody have any rough idea of the weight?

 

[kthompson]

Did not find it either in quick internet search but the WR Long grapplator and the Maxilator or both just under 800 pounds and those are 10 bale units so would think you would be safe to figure 75 to 100 pounds less.

 

[powerscol]

8 Bale Flat | Kuhns Mfg LLC

They show needing a loader with 1400 lb lift and their 8 bale unit is 580 lbs. I think you would be safe at 1400 to 1800 lift capacity, but be sure to get the lift weight where the center of your grapple is.

A way to do that is have them hook up long pallet forks with a pallet and put weight on it and try driving it around to see how stable it feels (mimic your grapple), or take the loaded grapple with you and try it out on the unit you are considering.

 

[Rustyiron]

I wouldn't short myself by "just enough" skid steer sizing. I'll bet you'll find a ton of other chores after having it on the farm for a while. A 2000# r.o.c. machine is as small as I would suggest for stability and general chores.

 

[Steave]

An average size skid steer is somewhere in the 2000# working range. Of course that's an average.

 

[Rustyiron]

:thumbsup: Exactly. But there are many under that 2k and it sounded to me like the OP was looking for just enough machine for 8 bales and the 600# grabber (1200#-1400#) pound load and I don't (imo) think he'd be happy with that small machine.
Depending on how high he wants to stack them or how high a truck or trailer he's loading will be another problem with a small machine. My SS lifts to just under 12' and that's not a very tall stack of hay depending on his operation, and only a "half high" load on a semi flat bed.

 

[joeu235]

skid steers are rated at 50% of their tipping weight, like my deere 317 is rate at 1750 pounds and will start to tip at 3500 pounds. Any mainstream brand can be pushed to to the limit, and other than the unsettling feeling of feeling the back end come off the ground, there's no issue with exceeding it's capacity.

You should be fine with a regular size Deere, Bobcat, etc.