Not that I doubt anyones facts or experence, but there has to be more involved here. Is the tractor loader combination that different between the 5140 and the 8540?
Using the 8540: "Loaded tires and ~1500 lbs of ballast on the 3pt the in 2wd the loaders effective capacity is barely just the loader and empty bucket. "
Using the 5140, lifting 2400lbs; "I had rears loaded and it was still alittle light,couple more hundred of wheel weights would be good. I had a 700lb box blade on back " Foreman says
"I load round bales 4x5 around 900-1000lbs with just loaded tires nothing on back without any problems.. The issue when you get around the ton mark is the rears slipping and I could run in 4x4 to help out with traction."
Note; AROUND THE TON MARK, with no counterweight.
On the 8540 it needs 1500lbs to counterbalance the loader bucket, yet a 5140 can lift 2400 lbs w/700lbs ballast? The photo of the 5140 has him lifting a 1200# ATV with no ballast! How is this possable?
Based on this I would think that if you picked 2400# with only 700# of ballast on a 8540, it would stand on its nose. There must be something very different in the design of these two machines. Maybe a different anchor point of the loader relative to the WB?
My tractor in picture just had loaded rears,picking up the prowler. Here are some with the 7040 without loaded tires unloading my feed one pallet is 2,000 and the other is 2400lbs


My other 7040 has loaded rears and it handles them way better...