Forks for FEL

[dennisleary]

Ok so as far as I understand this I need to get a ssqa plate, cut the ears off my bucket with a torch, and weld the plate to the lift arm assembly? Sorry if these are obvious questions I'm new to the world of farm machinery

 

[Xfaxman]

I need to move a few hundred straw hay bales around my property and I'm wondering if I should buy a bale spear attachment for the FEL, or buy a set of pallet forks instead, with the idea that they might not do the job as well, but might be more versatile, in the long run. Anyone have an opinion on this? Thanks

My guess of small squares was based on the quantity and that they are used for mulch when planting trees.

Also they aren't likely going into a barn to store for bedding cattle.

Apparently you were accurate with your guess but there is no info in the original post suggesting that.
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The way I read the original post the info was there. A few hundred and moving them around his property, brought small squares to my mind. We used to have a small 13 acre hay field that would produce about 45 big round bales. I hauled them from the field to were they where stored, not around the property.

Here are 17, 5x6 bales stored up off of the ground on two rows of 4 inch diameter 40 feet long pipe.

 

[Xfaxman]

Ok so as far as I understand this I need to get a ssqa plate, cut the ears off my bucket with a torch, and weld the plate to the lift arm assembly? Sorry if these are obvious questions I'm new to the world of farm machinery

My recommendation is to trade your tractor for one with the SSQA and the hydraulics to operate a grapple already on it.

It might be better and cheaper than paying some one to modify yours.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I bought my tractor with forks and a bucket, I have never used the bucket, it just sits in my barn.

I get by feeding my cattle with forks, this year I will weld a mount for a spear on my fork base so I can take the forks off and put on the spear. Big round bales are a bit of a hassle with forks, I have never lost one yet, I just curl the loader and keep the loader close to the ground during transport.

I love my forks, I use them all the time and they have 1000 uses. I would only use a spear on round bales, maybe a big square bale if it was a double spear.

If your moving lots of bales at a time, you need to get a trailer or wagon, carrying 5 or 6 bales at a time on a loader can sure burn diesel if your doing 200, be better to park a wagon loaded with small squares and work off that.

Just don't forget to chock your wagon before you unhook it from your tractor lol.

If you only have a bolted bucket just buy the clamp on type forks, by the time you add a SSQA to your loader, for one your bucket is useless without modification and two if all you wish to gain is forks, that's a heck of a lot of coin just for that.

If you plan on getting a handful of other FEL attachments, a SSQA may be worth it. Just to move bales? Not likely.

P.S. my fork guard is bent, idk how the previous guy managed that, I bought the tractor from a dealer and convinced him to throw in the forks. I really wanted the forks lol. Mine are 42in

 

[newbury]

I'm not totally familiar with the terms here but the bales I'm dealing with are rectangles, prob about 60-70# each

Normal bales of that size need a wagon, a strong back, good gloves and pallet forks, and clamp-ons with a stabilizer would do. But if they are just 2 dimensional rectangles I don't know how you would move them

I spent the better part of two summers in the late 60's tossing straw bales like that. Definitely a muscle builder.

 

[aczlan]

Normal bales of that size need a wagon, a strong back, good gloves and pallet forks, and clamp-ons with a stabilizer would do. But if they are just 2 dimensional rectangles I don't know how you would move them

I spent the better part of two summers in the late 60's tossing straw bales like that. Definitely a muscle builder.

I would recommend stacking them on pallets and moving the pallets with forks.

Aaron Z

 

[Xfaxman]

How are the bales getting to your place? Will you have to unload them?

If you don't have a trailer or a hay wagon that you can pull with your tractor, get forks for the front and a Carry All for the 3 point:

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Unfortunately with small square bales no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to get out of handling them by hand, throwing them on a loader or carry all ext. round bales are a diff story, I buy them from a farmer who loads them with his tractor, I transport them home and stack them for storage/ feed them to the cattle with my tractor, I have moved around 7,000lbs of round bales so far and haven't had to lift a lb.

I bought 75 square bales before the tractor, had to unload a wagon into my hay loft in the barn (3700lbs) for storage, than throw 2-4 bales down at a time and carry them to the feeder, my back likes feeding with round bales more lol but my point is you can't get away from handling small squares.

 

[chrisfol82]

I made a set of forks for the rear three point. When i bought my tractor it had a pin welded to the top of the bucket that fits the top link connection perfectly. I welded two tabs on the bottom of the forks that hold against the bucket. Its not perfect and it can come off on the bottom but with weight on it its worked great for when i want to lift stuff higher than the rear 3 pt can lift. Also good for piling brush on to load up more than the bucket alone would hold, not as nice as a grapple though.

My bucket isnt quick attach so this has worked pretty good for me.

 

[M5farms]

see if you have a siding place in your area and can score a few siding pallets they are 12' x 4' You can cross stack and get 24 bales on one with out an issue and just set them under the barn , Pallet forks will be required