How well does the L2501 steer with a load on the loader?

[skipperbrown]

Properly counterbalanced it should be fine. It shouldn't be operated without a proper counterbalance as tempting as it may be. Not only is it dangerous, but it puts a lot of stress on the front axle components.

 

[jeff9366]

They're thinking about loaded R1's instead of loaded R4's, you can put 3 sets of wheel weights on the R1's and by my calculations that will add 220# of weight to the rear over the R4's.

If you are not into routine max FEL loads, this should be fine.

R1/ag tires are four ply and flexible relative to R4s.

R4/industrial tires are six ply therefore have stouter sidewalls than R1 tires.

R4s front tires support heavy loader loads better as they do not squat like flexible sidewall R1/ag tires.

With R1/ag tires you will not be able to mow over turf without rutting. I realize you have not mentioned mowing turf as a need.

Three Point Hitch counterbalance, all behind the rear axle, is much more effective as counterbalance balance pound for pound, relative to loading the rear tires.

Tradeoffs. Always tradeoffs.

 

[TBone]

Mine does fine. Nary a problem.

Same for mine.

 

[Fallon]

This was only a test. What we had asked for was something that weighed around 600-700# for a test, not over 1400#.

As I said it was a fine machine. The weak spot was just weight & ballast. My new L4060 with the middle sized loader has its weak spot on hydraulics. It stops lifting but is extremely stable even with nothing on the 3pt (which I only did once).

It course those are only the obvious weak points. It could be axle strength as well on both machines. Every system will have a weak spot. If you need that up, something else becomes the weak spot. It's just a matter of knowing where the limitations & weak spots are then working around them.

With loaded rears a 5' rotary cutter & about 200lbs of stuff piled on the back of the rotary cutter it still wasnt super stable helping a neighbor move some allegedly 1,200lbs hay bales. That was probably past the smart operating capacity of the machine.

 

[Ortimber]

Economy Ls are very unsafe without proper ballast on the 3pt when using the loader. My former L3200 (same frame & weight as a L2501, L3301 or L3901) could pull the back end off the ground with loaded tires & heavy 3pt ballast. Fine machine, but the loader is stronger than the machine can readily be ballasted.

I concur with this.

 

[wagne223]

R4 tires, loaded, 670 lb box blade, maxed out load of wet dirt in the bucket (would only lift to grille height), and I have never noticed any additional steering effort.

The thought never crossed my mind.

Of course I did not try to turn the wheels while sitting still because that is not a normal operation.

I was moving dirt half mile down a logging road.

 

[TheMadOne]

The standard Ls are light machines. I don't even really like to road mine without a weight on the 3PT to offset the loader. I also have beet juice in the tires(first person to have it done by my dealer).

 

[JPB7745]

No issues here with steering at ALL

 

[troverman]

With R1/ag tires you will not be able to mow over turf without rutting. I realize you have not mentioned mowing turf as a need.

Really? Geez, somehow I manged to mow this 30 acre capped landfill on R1 ag tires and it doesn't look rutted up to me.

 

[wagne223]

Really? Geez, somehow I manged to mow this 30 acre capped landfill on R1 ag tires and it doesn't look rutted up to me.
View attachment 590804

Pretty sure he is talking about a weekly finish mow around the homestead.

Fields and pastures rough mowed once a quarter would not be an issue.

Driving over manicured turf once a week, you would definitely notice the aggressive tread lugs on the soil.