TC45DA lifting with pallet fork on FEL

[julichris]

Just for reference, the other day I lifted pallets of soil mix off from a tractor trailer with a pallet fork on TC45DA front end loader. Pallets weighed 1600 lbs each. I have no wheel weights. My tires are filled with air. For rear ballast I used a 3-pt bale fork with a wooden bin on top of that filled with 1000 lbs of assorted material. Counting the weight of the bale fork and bin, there must have been about 1150-1200 lbs on 3 pt hitch. The rear weighting seemed fine. However, the fel hydraulics seemed just barely adequate to lift that much weight. I was able to to just nudge the pallets up from the back of the truck, back up, and then lower them.

 

[jk96]

Still waiting for delivery of my DX45 but sounds about right basing on experience with forks on my DX33. With an evenly loaded pallet, you have alot of weight that is placed way out in front of the loader and not close in to the bucket. The farther out the less you'll be able to lift. My DX33 is rated around 1000# and I could just lift a #1000 pallet off of my trailer. Not enough to raise it much but enough to unload it.

 

[jinman]

You are lucky to have been able to handle those pallets at all. The 16LA loader (and it's new sibling the 250TL) are rated to lift about 2000 lb at the loader arm pins (on the back of the loader). At 19" in front of the pins, that is reduced to 1759 lb. Your pallet forks probably weigh 250 lb, so if you lifted 1600 lb, your loader is on steriods.

In all seriousness, you slightly exceeded the loader's maximum. You would want to be very careful because you might drag a pallet off the truck, but as soon as you moved the joystick off center, the load might drop. The reason is that there is no relief valve in the circuit until the joystick goes off center, and then the normal hydraulic relief valve at 2500 psi comes into play. You could easily drop your load on the pallets. Also, remember that when the joystick is centered, there is nothing to cushion the hydraulics, so if you hit a bump, there is a dynamic shock load that may be enough to blow a hose. You should always be cautious when operating at or near the maximum lift of your loader.

If you will be lifting pallets like this all the time, I suggest you get a bigger tractor. This is really right on the verge of being dangerous.

 

[julichris]

Jinman is probably right that I should not have attempted this. To be clear, I was able to actually lift the pallet up off the bed of the truck a few inches before backing up and lowering it (I didn't drag the pallet off). I will think long and hard before ever trying this again. I have lifted a number of pallets around 1000 lbs and that has been very doable provided I have adequate rear ballasting. I definitely agree that if you plan on lifting 1600 lb pallets off of trucks you should buy a larger tractor.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Jinman is probably right that I should not have attempted this. To be clear, I was able to actually lift the pallet up off the bed of the truck a few inches before backing up and lowering it (I didn't drag the pallet off). I will think long and hard before ever trying this again. I have lifted a number of pallets around 1000 lbs and that has been very doable provided I have adequate rear ballasting. I definitely agree that if you plan on lifting 1600 lb pallets off of trucks you should buy a larger tractor.

You were safe. If you can lift it you can lower it. Mechanical advantage gets better as the arms go down. Thats why you see max lift at ground level is always greater than the amt it will lift to full height.
larry

 

[jinman]

You were safe. If you can lift it you can lower it. Mechanical advantage gets better as the arms go down. Thats why you see max lift at ground level is always greater than the amt it will lift to full height.
larry

Larry, you are right. If you can lift it slightly, then things only get better as you go down. I'm glad that julichris realizes the potential of the tractor and its designed limits. As long as you don't expect a tractor to do more than it was built to do, you are okay. What I hate to see is when someone wants to adjust the relief pressure to get more lift. That's a dangerous step and I'm glad to see that isn't a suggestion here.

 

[AndyMA]

Larry, you are right. If you can lift it slightly, then things only get better as you go down. I'm glad that julichris realizes the potential of the tractor and its designed limits. As long as you don't expect a tractor to do more than it was built to do, you are okay. What I hate to see is when someone wants to adjust the relief pressure to get more lift. That's a dangerous step and I'm glad to see that isn't a suggestion here.

Having taken many loads off of truck and trailers with forks that were at or near the limit of my loaders, many times you're in for a suprise. If the load is off center, the ground is uneven or the load shifts you may find your tractor having one of your front tires as the only tire on the ground. This happens very quickly and leaves you with no option but to drop the load quickly. Sometimes you can actually drop the load into the side of your trailer or truck. All in all I try to avoid loads this close to capacity. The last time this happened I was unloading 2000 plus pound roudn bales form a semi. They were loaded 3 across and the center ones were a handful.

Andy

 

[LoneCowboy]

A TC45 with forks on the NH 16LA loader will lift EXACTLY 1650lbs (33 bags of 50lb fertilizer) on a 4x4 pallet
not one pound more
and it has to be at full throttle to do it. It will curl it fine but barely lift it.

which is great

except fertilizer comes in 50 bags to a pallet.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

"If you can lift it, you can lower it." But, does anyone sit there in one spot lifting and lowering? No. It's when you try to move that the load tips you over. After being a forklift mechanic for 22 years, I've seen it happen way too many times.
Technically, whenever you purchase a piece of equipment new with any attachments, the dealer is supposed to send to the factory for a modified data plate with the new capacities. Check OSHA CFR 1029. Whenever you modify your machine so as to alter it's lifting capacity, you are supposed to contact the dealer for a "permission to modify" and an amended data plate.
The one out, is that agricultural applications are exempt.

 

[jinman]

A TC45 with forks on the NH 16LA loader will lift EXACTLY 1650lbs (33 bags of 50lb fertilizer) on a 4x4 pallet
not one pound more
and it has to be at full throttle to do it. It will curl it fine but barely lift it.

which is great

except fertilizer comes in 50 bags to a pallet.

It won't lift a pallet of Sakrete either. It won't even try. But the good news is it will scoot it across the ground.