Loader LA524 Specs ... Is this bale too heavy?

[Tx Jim]

littlehorsefarm
As has been mentioned the further out in front of the bucket pins the load is the more force is required to raise the load. It's very similar to the Fulcrum effect.

 

[teg]

Marketing !@$^%#@&* ...and I guess it works. LA524 Specs = LA463 Specs Only a different look to it and it's measured differently so the number changed.

Also, kubota sets the PSI on the lower side. Some of us have bump it up to the top end of the specs. I would recommend you letting the dealer *show* you how well the tractor can handle those round bales. Maybe he'll learn something...

 

[canoetrpr]

I have been lifting 4x5 rounds of hay with my L3400 with the LA463 loader which has about ~100 lb less lift capacity than your loader just fine. It handles them like a champ and I expect yours will as well.

I can lift bales in the middle of the winter to full height if necessary but generally don't need to do this. The highest I go is to to put them into the round bale feeder.

Where I do have difficulty is getting the second stack of bales off a semi.

If I needed to, I could stack them two high but anything higher than that gets difficult.

I have R4s filled with Calcium Chloride and always have something on my 3PT like my 600 or so lb snow blower. If you have Ag's which can hold less fluid, I would recommend some wheel weights in addition to the fluid.

My L3400 has handled EVERYTHING I have thrown at it like a champ. About the only thing it could not lift was my 2500 lb cattle chute

Now all of this said, if I had known I'd be handling round bales when I bought mine I would have stepped up to the GL3240 (GL3130 was around back then) or the GL3540 JUST so that I could have gotten the LA724 loader. Now is the time for you to make a change like this if you would like to.

If you are handling occasional 4x5s, you are going to be perfectly fine. Last year I fed about 60 bales.

You won't regret an upgrade to a bigger loader however - I'm pretty sure of that. However you don't have to be worried with your current choice IMHO.

 

[kuboman]

kuboman
Have these 1000# bales that you're lifting with your B3200 been weighed or is this a guesstimate? I pick up 1000-1200# scale weighed bales with my M4900/cab equipped with a LA1002 and it requires a lot of rear ballast to keep rear wheels on the ground.

Some but not all were weighed at just over 1000# so I think I can safely assume they would be 1000#. And yes it takes a lot of rear weight. I have 1000# on my 3 pt which will keep the back end on the ground.
I don't recommend this practice. I only do it when I have to. I can't think it is real good for the front axle. I did lift a pallet out of a half ton truck which weighed 1200# and that was dicey.:ashamed:

 

[KennyV]

You will be right on the edge of ability... if you are OK with that ... it will work.
But you should know why you need ballast ON the 3point NOT in or on the tires/wheels...

You are on the top end of your front axle, you are not going to be on a smooth surface...
I would go with a larger tractor, heavier loader AND a Lot of Counter ballast... & bigger/better tires. KennyV

 

[PoorMansCat]

I have the L4400 GST and I would NOT move hay bales on the FEL with anything smaller. I do NOT have the tires loaded, but I built a weight box for the 3pt. The bales I usually move are 4X5.5 and 5x6 Jibbs Bermuda.

 

[canoetrpr]

PoorMansCat's suggestion is a good one. A L4400 is a nice plain jane tractor which should not be much more than the L3800 with the stronger loader.

Consider the MX4700/MX5100 as well. They are also available with a hydrostat.

The MX4700 is INCREDIBLE value for what you are doing if you ask me.

It is not that your L3800 can't do it. I'm here to tell you it can. However if you are planning to do 4x5s right now already, you WILL find bigger uses for your tractor than you currently have planned and the L4400 or M or GL will do it MUCH safer.

 

[littlehorsefarm]

Ok... Two words. "Prove it!"

I emailed the dealer and will be visiting early tomorrow morning when the open. I'm going to push the bale off into his yard. Let's see how this works out!

 

[canoetrpr]

Like I said, your tractor should be able to lift the bales just fine as my L3400 does. That does not mean that you shouldn't be thinking of a larger tractor anyway to do it as safely as possible and with as little wear to your front seals as possible.

 

[teg]

While you are at the dealer, have you read about the jerky 3 point hitch??? The dealer will need to put an implement on the 3ph for counter weight to lift the bale... very, very slowly raise up the 3 point hitch and see how you like that... (lots of reading on TBN about it).