moving round bales

[phunter]

i have john deere 4410 compact utility with front bucket. i am hoping to use this tractor to move round bales to unload off trailer and to put in storage building. would the spears that attaches to the front bucket using a bracketwork well or is it best to remove the front bucket and attach a a bracket where the bucket is. I want the best product and I am looking for practical advice. thanks in advance.

 

[RjCorazza]

Round bale weights vary, and larger bales may exceed your loader capability. In any case, I would think removing the 300 lb bucket and using an ssqa spear would maximize your lifting ability.

 

[ddbackhoe]

What size round bales? The 430 loader is only rated for ~1250 lbs and the bucket weighs ~200. Dont forget to add counterweight. I would use a dedicated spear but prefer a bale grabber.

 

[Hay Dude]

Detaching the bucket and installing a spear not only decreases the weight on your loader, but it brings the bale closer to the tractor, which increases your loader lift capacity.
Loader lift capacity is higher at the pins of the loader than at the cutting edge of the bucket.
Don’t forget to put some counterweight on the back of the tractor, too.

 

[Farmer495]

If you have quick attach (i.e skid steer) get the proper spear attachment. Life if much easier, less weight on the front, bale is closer to loader, you can see the tip of the spear much easier.

 

[Egon]

Will you have the reach to unload from a trailer?

 

[Hay Dude]

Seen bucket lip, bottom panel get messed up if spear is overloaded, too.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've been buying round bales for awhile now, and I've found that everyone selling round bales, lies about what they weigh. A guy on YouTube took one 4x5 round bale to the TXDOT Scale and had his trailer weighed with the bale, and without the bale. Actual weight of a tightly rolled bale was just over 700 pounds. Say 750 for easy math.

I agree with everyone else that you are better off removing the bucket and getting a proper hay spear. I have two tractors with hay spears. Both are the double spear designs. They work great, but I've never used any other type.

I also have a 3 point spear for my smaller 37 hp tractor without a loader. I use it when the other tractors are broke down and I'm desperate to get a bale out. I can pick up the bale and bring it into the pasture, but I can't get it into the cradle, so I just unwrap it and leave it on the ground. It goes twice as fast without being in the hay cradle.

 

[Eagle1]

I've even used a BX with bucket to "roll" 4x5s into the truck so I could get it to the cattle. You do what you gotta do.

 

[Ernie-32]

These round bails come in different sizes and also depend on type of grass that was mowed. But for a general guidance the average 1M³ bail weighs 250 kG. See photos (FR)

for reference, the trailer's interior size is 1M9 x 1M1
I used to push them off of the trailer by tilting it and then straight on a pallet, which my tractor could pickup with a palletfork on the rear of it.