FEL Lift Capacity For Unloading Semi Trailer

rebelback · Tuesday at 4:14 PM

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 · Tuesday at 5:00 PM

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 · Tuesday at 5:02 PM

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 · Tuesday at 5:10 PM

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 · 2025-06-18T21:09:10-0400

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.