TC30 with Bushhog M246 Loader ?

[dirtwhisperer]

I've been looking at and specking the TC30. I like the tractor - but the 7308 loader with only 875 lb lift seems to bother me. Does anyone have a TC30 with a BushHog M246 loader ? That loader specs at 1530 lb lift (Max height @ pins). Is this too much loader for the TC30 ? The M246 is a mid mount and can be purchased with the quick detach skid-steer bucket which I really like. The M246 is for tractors of 20-40 PTO HP.

 

[dirtwhisperer]

Just read about moseys experience with the tc29 and the M246 - sounds like it could be too much FEL for a tc30

M246 and TC29

 

[jinman]

Dirtwhisperer, I doubt that Bush Hog makes an adapter kit for the TC30/M246. I'd be really cautious about putting a loader on that tractor if it lifted over 1000 lb. If you want that kind of power, you'll need to step up to the new Class IIs with the 14LA or the Class IIIs with the 16LA. Even if you could lift 1000 lb with the TC30, you'd probably have to put 2000 lb of ballast on the rear just to keep the wheels on the ground. Remember, you not only have to lift the load, but also the weight of the bucket and loader arms. It wouldn't take much to have a combined weight almost as heavy as the whole tractor.

 

[dirtwhisperer]

Is there that much difference in the TC30 and the Class II boomers (tc29,tc33) as far as FEL weight capability ? Why can the tc29 carry a heavier duty 14LA - but not the TC30 ?
I would think it is not with the hookup - as both could use the 7308 before the newer 14/15LA came out ?

 

[jwstewar]

The new TC29/33 have beefed up front ends to handle the additional capabilities of the 14/15 LA loaders. The 14/15LA loaders will not fit the older Class IIs or the TC30. His problems were with a TC29.

See these two threads from Mosey about is M246 loader:

Goodbye M246, hello 7308!

When is rear ballast needed with a FEL?

 

[jinman]

The older Class II tractors used the 7308, but I don't think the undercarriage/adapters was the same. I believe the loader itself was the only interchangeable part. The new Class IIs will give you a little more lift, but if you are talking about 1500# or more, I think you need to consider a Class III tractor or above. If 1200# is all you need, the new Class II tractor and 14/15LA would be fine.

As a rough number, I figure the loader weight + it's maximum load should not be much more than 1/2 the weight of the tractor. That's a safe combination in my book for most types of terrain. If you are not careful, you can easily lift the rear wheels when going downhill. If that happens, the rear end of the tractor trys to swap ends with the front end and it gets real messy. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[have_blue]

I looked at an M246, and really liked the design. The bucket is shaped correctly, and the geometry is right for efficeint dirt work. Down side, the bucket was uber heavy, and there was 1 pin near the bucket with no bushing on it. Once that already heavy bucket is loaded, I think it would be a little too much for a TC30.

I had a Woods 1009 on my TC29 and really liked it. I put 600 hours on it, of which over 400 hours were loader work. I found that loader a perfect match for the TC29, and it was super efficient. It was way faster than my current 16LA loader, especially at dumping. The bucket tucked in close to the front wheels, making "skimming" possible without gouging. It would lift a little too much for the TC29's own good, so I kept a 5' brush hog on for ballast. I recommend you at least look at Woods before buying any other loader.

 

[Mosey]

I'm chimming in a little late here, but better late than never I guess (I've been busy and haven't been keeping up here at TBN). I hope you read my threads on my experience with the M246. Let me just say that even after spending several hundred dollars to get rid of the M246 and getting the 7308, I'm glad I did it. The 7308 is the right loader for my tractor and I'm very happy with it. When it's dettached, the tractor is light and usable for mowing the yard. Brackets are not in the way of ground clearance and servicing the tractor. For example, I can check the oil now without opening the hood (which I had to do with the M246). Changing the oil filter or fuel filter is easy now, which would have been a real pain with the M246. When the FEL is on, it lifts everything I need it to. Any more weight capacity would be too much for the tractor. I made a mistake when I got the M246!

Let me also point out another thing. Look at a new TC29/33 tractor with the new 14LA FEL (or a new Case DX29/33 with a LX114 FEL which is the same thing). It has a much higher lift capacity than the 7308, but the FRONT AXLE HAD TO BE STRENGTHENED TO HANDLE THE EXTRA WEIGHT. That means the front axle of the TC29/30/33 was not strong enough to handle more than the 7308 could lift. So, why does bush hog think they can put the M246 on a TC29/30/33? The extra mounting brackets strengthen the frame of the tractor, but do not strengthen the front axle.