Loader capacity?

[jeff9366]

Bare tractors are designed with a standard weight distribution of 40% front, 60% rear.

Add a Front End Loader and the weight distribution becomes 50% front, 50% rear. (+/-)

Fill the bucket and the weight moves forward, leveraged by low-forward position of a laden bucket.
Could be 60% front, 40% rear. (Tractor wheelbase affects weight distribution.)

Traction is reduced because weight has transferred away from the driving, heavy tread rear wheels.
(Hence the need for liquid rear tire ballast or iron wheel weights.)

Rear wheels may or may not lift from the ground at this moment, but they will certainly be "light" if bucket payload is wet.

Green tree trunk sections and laden pallets on pallet forks are often heavier than wet bucket loads. Laden pallets protrude forward. Weight distribution could be 70% front, 30% rear. Rear wheels will lift.

Suffecient Three Point Hitch counterbalance restores weight distribution to 40% front, 60% rear. (+/-)

 

[jeff9366]

I have no idea what a bucket load of something weighs. Any ideas on heavy, wet snow, dirt, gravel, sand???

A heaping bucket load of DRY soil is normally equal to the lift capacity of the bucket..... with ample counterbalance mounted on the Three Point Hitch.

If your tractor is 2-WD you may lack traction to load a heaping bucket of DRY soil.

 

[jeff9366]

My main concern is lifting a round bale of hay.
Has anyone had direct experience lifting a round bale?

Round bales vary from 800 pounds to 1,400 pounds. A wide spread.

A 4,000 pound bare weight tractor can lift the lighter round bales with an FEL bale speer on smooth, level ground. It takes a 5,000 pound bare weight tractor to lift, carry and stack the heavier round bales safely with an FEL bale spear.

 

[ljjhouser]

Jeff and a couple others have mentioned ballast. I will mention it again. If you lift the loaded bucket, the bucket load weight will pivot on the front axle - sometime making little to no traction on the rear wheels - Where the brakes are. If you attempt a hill or slope, you may find the brakes are not effective and rear tires will slide creating a dangerous situation. I cannot guess on your tractor. But on my tractor, with a full load of crusher base in the bucket, and tires filled with methanol, and 400 pound box blade on the 3pt, I will not have enough traction to climb a hill on my gravel road. I have to use 4WD because most of the traction is on the front axle still.

Just a word of caution. Ballast will become and important consideration in the operation and safety of the tractor when you consider operating with fully loaded bucket.Best Wishes and enjoy your tractor.

 

[jeff9366]

The LK3054 seems to be a heavy tractor for its size at nearly 3000 lbs and the previous owner filled the back tires with calcium so hopefully this will give it enough ballast.

Loaded rear tires will improve traction, especially for 2-WD tractors.

Loaded rear tires are not a substitute for ample counterbalance mounted on the TPH when intending max FEL loads.

Do we have to be cautious in what we lift?
You cannot enjoy your tractor if you are dead.



Kioti DK5010 with KL5510 Loader & 72" Bucket.
What is the meaning of above in your T-B-N PROFILE?

 

[K5lwq]

I am sure the OP has figured out what he can and cannot do since 2011. The current question was about round bales specifically. They can weigh up to 2000 lbs. Too weak of a loader on the older LK3054 for his task.

 

[ljjhouser]

I am sure the OP has figured out what he can and cannot do since 2011. The current question was about round bales specifically. They can weigh up to 2000 lbs. Too weak of a loader on the older LK3054 for his task.

Boy, I would hope so. I hate it when I miss the date on these older threads. I laughed - that is the best post on this thread. Ha.