I own a 2WD L2500 with the front bumber weights maxed out (250 lbs), No Front end loader either. The entire tractor weighs 2250 lbs. The manual states it can lift impliments up to 1435 lbs with the 3 point Hitch. Curious if anyone out there has lifted 5' round hay bales with any problems? I believe they usually weigh around 1000 lbs. My main concern is if the front end will come off the ground when trying to lift something that heavy. I can lift a 700 lbs Rhino cutter with no problem, but have never tried anything heavier.
Back on the farm, we used a JD "B" I'm guessing around 3800 -4000 lb tractor w/ calcium in the tires to haul round bales, I think that our baler would make 800 to 1000 lb bales, the only thing that was hairy was the front end, it would lift the bales fine but you would have to back up the hills. If you don't have a spear, I would try and borrow one off of a local farmer and see what the L2500 will do with it. Just keep one hand on the tph lever if your able to travel with it, worst case senario you set down the bale, only don't keep driving. I did that once instead of backing up the hill I thougth I'd try it going forward, the front end came up and I lowered the bale alittle to settle the front end and the bale cought the ground when the spear came out of the bale it rolled down over the side hill and took out about 25 fence posts on its way into the pasture... One last thing if you borrow a spear you might have to switch the lower lift pins to cat 1.