FEL Lift Capacity For Unloading Semi Trailer

[rebelback]

I have a 2010 Case Farmall 45 tractor with an L350 loader. The loader's listed lift capacity on tractordata.com is 2,000 (full at pin). I have 26 pallets of wood shavings being delivered next week and am intending on using my tractor to unload them. The manufacturer has stated that a loader with a lift capacity of 2,000lbs at 4' should be used.

My pallet forks weigh roughly 340lbs. I plan to have my box blade attached to the rear. It weights 679lbs per manufacturer specs. My rear tires are also filled with water which should add another 392 lbs per tire of weight to the rear if internet math is correct. So, I should have roughly 1,463lbs of counter weight to the rear of the tractor.

Should I have any problem lifting these pallets off and out of the rear of a semi trailer? I feel like I've lifted logs this heavy before with my grapple, but I've never actually weighed any of them.

 

[RayIN]

It should be capable of that task. Just be sure you don't have to back uphill from the semi-trailer and keep the load as close as possible to the ground just as soon as the load clears the trailer.

 

[dodge man]

If you have 2000 lbs at your pins you’re not even close to 2000 lbs 4 feet out. Counterweight is critical for safety but adds nothing to your lift capacity.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Mine has ~1850lbs lift at the pins.. With forks, I could *barely* lift ~900lb pallets of shingles off the flatbed delivery truck, about 48" deck height. They were originally loaded to ~1250lbs, but we had to remove bundles since the loader couldn't move.. at all.

You should cut your expected lift capacity about in half when lifting with forks.

 

[rebelback]

I did a quick test tonight and was only able to lift 1400lbs of feed 3' off the ground. I'm going to do a pressure test to see if I'm within specs on my hydraulics, but either way a ton at 4' isn't happening. At least not with pallet forks.

 

[dougtrr2]

The manufacturer recommendation probably has a safety factor built in. How heavy are the pallets?

Doug in SW IA

 

[SmallChange]

Sounds like this isn't going to work, based on specs, and based on your experiment.

I think the first thing to go wrong will be when you first try lifting the pallet. Your system will go into relief instead.

But, this seems like a safe thing to try, maybe if the numbers get somewhat better (partial unloading each pallet, or getting a heavier machine, or whatever). Worst case would be tipping forward before you get the load close to the ground, but you can kind of plan for preventing that, like the stuff RayIN suggested.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Can someone explain how the math works? I'm sure I'll be in this situation soon enough. (or link to it) Thinking of a flail mower, 600# shipped weight.
My tractor is capable to lift 1900# at pin height of 60"
Using clamp on forks, how can I determine how much weight the tractor can lift at this height? Forks rated for 2000#

 

[5030]

Whatever you do, lift or not, be sure to lower the load close to the ground as soon as you can. I had that issue a while ago with full pallets of quick crete (2500 pounds) and while I was able to lift them to get them to slide on the trailer deck, once clear of the deck, I quickly dropped them to grade height. Conversely, you want to get your forks as far under as you possible can and it you cannot dead lift the, use your curl (rollback) to help out.

3 days ago, I offloaded a full 350 gallon tote of DEF and the tare weight on the tote was 2900 pounds, well beyond the lift capacity of my loader. I used the lift and curl method to get it off the truck and on the ground. Two things I did was first I made sure the pivot pins on the loader were wll greased as dry pins will drastically reduce your loader capacity and I used the front wheel assist to get it off the truck but immediately disengaged it because moving that much weight will play hell on the front axle if engaged. In fact, I rarely use front wheel assist except when loading large round bales.

 

[ericm979]

Measure the distance from the pin the loader arm pivots on (by the operator station) to the pins where the bucket or skid steer quick attach frame mounts on the loader frame. Call that distance A. Then measure from the loader arm pivot to the estimated center of gravity of the load on the forks. Call that B.

Your lift capacity of the load on the forks is:

published capacity at the pins * ( A / B ).

i.e. if A is 100 inches and B is 200 inches, the load capacity is cut in half. Don't forget to include the weight of the bucket and bolt on forks as part of the payload. Since their CGs are closer to the loader arm pivot than the CG of the actual load they reduce payload by a little less but it's close enough.

 

[5030]

Like the old saying goes... you can lift the world with a long enough lever. I've been exceeding my lift capacity quite a bit lately but using both the lift and curl functions to 'lever' the skids off truck decks or tailgates as the situation dictates.

 

[ning]

Don't forget to include the weight of the bucket and bolt on forks

I suspect "bolt on" was a mistype as wouldn't using those put the load that much farther out from the pins? (besides the "ouch" to the bucket lifting that much with them!)

 

[Bavarian]

Truck driver here.
I hauled wood shavings. And there is no way that a pallet weighs 2000 lbs. It is considered a light load at full capacity by volume.
But be prepared, there is not much room at the top to lift it up if they are delivered by a box truck.
Just to make sure, put everything on the back of your tractor that you can find as counter ballast.
You should be good.

 

[rebelback]

Truck driver here.
I hauled wood shavings. And there is no way that a pallet weighs 2000 lbs. It is considered a light load at full capacity by volume.
But be prepared, there is not much room at the top to lift it up if they are delivered by a box truck.
Just to make sure, put everything on the back of your tractor that you can find as counter ballast.
You should be good.

You are 100% correct. A good friend helped me off load all 26 pallets yesterday with his fork lift. We loaded several on my gooseneck to haul to the farm. My 45hp tractor picked them up effortlessly. I would say those pallets were closer to 900-1000lbs. I wish the manufacturer would have been more accurate on their weight info, but it was a nice surprise for next time.

 

[nyone]

What's the actual shipping weight?

Worst come to worse you just drag them off the truck and let them hit the ground. It's not like your going to damage wood shavings.

 

[eKretz]

That 2,000 lbs at 48" was likely meant as height off the ground, not distance from the pin. Almost all loaders lose power as they ascend due to geometry changes between the loader arms and cylinders as the load is lifted. What they're telling you is that a 2,000 pound breakout machine might not make it. Whether that's accurate is a whole 'nother story.

 

[dnw64]

Worst case would be tipping forward before you get the load close to the ground, but you can kind of plan for preventing that, like the stuff RayIN suggested.

Note too, that the center of the load will move AWAY from the tractor as you lower it. This will increase the potential of tipping forward as you lower it.