Loader Front end Loader Lift Question

[drajj5]

Leverage. At the bucket edge and flat on The ground, curl will be stronger.

Curl is strongest in about the middle of its range, gets progressively weaker nearing the ends of its travel.

Loader lift is strongest at ground level and gets weaker the higher you go.

Given the leverage ratios, the further out in front of the bucket you go, the curl looses force at a much faster rate than the lift. The curl starts off strongest near the bucket, then there is some point where they are equal, then beyond that point loader lift is stronger. The tank must have been beyond that point.

The Bucket attached to my loader has radius sides - this radius matched perfectly to the radius of the tank. I agree that the tank was way to large for the bucket.

Bucket level and driven up to the tank - Sides of bucket did not meet the side of the tank. Tried to curl bucket to (roll the tank back) unsuccessful.

What I ultimately did; Dropped bucket to the ground and rolled the bucket without a load to displace the dirt underneath the tank - fit like, "O.J.s glove" well... close enough. Then ratchet strapped the heck out of it, all this knowing not to touch the lever for the curl.

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I knew I would catch some flack about this but, "He who hasn't done something stupid may cast the first stone" Police? Safety was a concern, however I took precautions I.E. (went super slow). and made sure the lid was secure that covered the tank valves. I am not sure how much liquid was in there but I agree there was "some" there. I survived the experience but recommend to others - don't try this at home.

I was shocked none the less that it would not curl the tank but lift it only.

Zebrafive
I did lift off of the back of the bucket initially but the tank 'swayed' and my bucket was high off the ground which scared the heck out of me on uneven and un-level ground. this made me rethink the whole operation.

 

[drajj5]

It amazes me that people will take a $20K asset and push it to it's absolute breaking point in order to avoid a hundred dollar moving fee.

Thinking back on it now.... I should have spent the 100bucks instead of "hold my beer and watch this" technique.

 

[Utopia Texas]

I had to move this 1,000 gallon tank this last year with my tractor as buildings and fences had been built around it over the years and there was no other way to get it over to and on the propane companies flat bed trailer. Decided to use the forks instead of the bucket and all went well though I did have to go up a small incline at a slight angle. Kept the tank close to the ground and had no problems and I went really slow.....

 

[kthompson]

It is so easy to do something dumb and even a really dumb thing and be blessed and thankful it went fine. Glad it did for you with the move.

My question just asking here: will the welded on hooks lift a loaded tank? I know on fuel tanks they are not rated to lift loaded fuel tank (or ones I have seen) and wondered if same with propane tank.

 

[roadhunter]

Had a policeman seen you moving this . . you would have been stopped IMMEDIATELY. .

I love stuff like this. LOL

 

[AxleHub]

It is so easy to do something dumb and even a really dumb thing and be blessed and thankful it went fine. Glad it did for you with the move.

My question just asking here: will the welded on hooks lift a loaded tank? I know on fuel tanks they are not rated to lift loaded fuel tank (or ones I have seen) and wondered if same with propane tank.

Welded on hooks on 125 gallon, 250 gallon, and 500 gallon propane tanks (usually referred as "pickles" ) are designed to lift empty tanks . . . not filled tanks. In fact 5 lb, 20 lb, 30 lb, 40 lb 60 lb and 100 lb verticals are the only ones in WI allowed to be transported in a filled condition for propane. Even the 100 gallon verticals must be filled "on pad".

The tiny 5 lb vertical tank that looks like a dwarf version of a 20 lb. grill tank . . is explosive enough to blow a tractor bucket off a scut tractor. If you recall these little miniature grill tanks are what terrorists had in backpacks in Paris and yes that is the smallest size other than 1 lb campstove units. Propane is so dangerous because it goes down . . Not up . . Like natural gas or gasoline does. As a result propane delivery trucks never have tanks in front of the engine.

Propane companies are happy to relocate and move tanks . . They pump the propane out . . Transfer the tank and pump the propane back in plus fill to full. While they do that process it also filters out part of the condensation in the tank as well. They keep charges to do this low because its another way to encourage the user to use lp which is the way to make money.

My original post was less worried about the operator . . who makes his own choices . . . its about kids and adults and their lives, limbs, or personal property that come within a 100+ yard blast zone who have no choices.

Remember . . in Paris the blast zone for a 5 lb tank was 25 yard radius. The smallest "pickle" tank is 125 gallons . . thats 200 times the 5 lb tank.

 

[LD1]

drajj5: how large was your tank?

If I had to move a tank any distance at all, I'd have done it just as you describe. Chained solid to the bucket.

I had to move my 500 gallon tank just a few feet closer to the house so the copper line would reach. The standard 20' length of copper I bought was just a tad too short. The tank still had about 15% in it to. My best guess is 1400-1500# I wouldn't

The hooks are for empty only. With only 15% in the tank I wasnt worried. But wouldnt have dine it with any more in the tank.

 

[Grandad4]

Mother nature did not give humans very good talents for judging risks. We all see drivers taking insane chances in traffic, good old boys trying things that have poor odds of success, etc. When someone's life is at stake, doing something that has only a 99% chance of succeeding is really not good odds. If airline pilots flew their planes to that level, there would be a dozen or so plane crashes every day. As for moving propane tanks with a tractor, if enough people try it, eventually someone will have a really bad day.

 

[Looking4new]

I have 6" teeth on my bucket and if I had to do the same move I would put wood across the teeth and then up both sides of the bucket and go in from the bottom and strap the tank to the bucket and move. Steel won't spark against wood.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would have let the propane company move it if possible.

However if I were in the position of HAVE TO move it with a tractor, I would have done it just like the OP did by placing the tank into the FEL bucket and strapping it down tightly. If I were going to sling it like LD1 and my tractor had lift issues, I might have removed the bucket, passed chains around each end in sling fashion (where the tank legs attach) and then attached the chains to the lift arms and slowly raised it to transport height. Then using ratchet straps, strap each end to the tractor (grill guard would work for this) and tighten the straps so the tank doesn't sway back and forth. Slow travel as required to keep everything in position.

Note: keep all chains well away from the propane valves and make sure the valves are properly closed.