Like the title says...So I buy 1000lb bales of hay from my neighbor. He has huge Farmalls and has been bringing them over and stacking in my barn. He had a bucket attachment bale spear that he wanted me to try so I hooked it on my L3800 4WD and it would lift the bale but my rear tires lifted a bit and I had no traction and if I tried I may have rolled...so. Here's what I have: Turf tires not loaded, a quick disconnect bucket and lots of implements one of which is a very heavy pulverizer. My question is if I load the tires, remove the bucket and install a spear (which would be closer to the front end without the bucket) does anyone out there know if I can lift and move bales like described? I could even attach the pulverizer for rear ballast if needed. Anyone do bales with there L3800?
L3800 lifting 1000lb bales
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North Idaho Wolfman
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Loader specs say it will lift it.
Look at the ply / weight rating of the front tires, most turfs are to low of a rating to hold and move that much weight.
One trick is to get a three point bale spike, load one bale on the rear then load another on the loader and you'll be good to go!
Also a three point ballast of about 1000 to 1250lbs will do the trick too.
Look at the ply / weight rating of the front tires, most turfs are to low of a rating to hold and move that much weight.
One trick is to get a three point bale spike, load one bale on the rear then load another on the loader and you'll be good to go!
Also a three point ballast of about 1000 to 1250lbs will do the trick too.
When you say, "bucket attached bale spear" is this a quick attach unit or something that actually stick out in front of your bucket?
Something like this will allow your tractor to lift much easier.
Your soil pulvrizer will make a good counter weight, but so will another bale of hay...but then you need a rear 3p bale spear.
My tractor is a tad bigger (L4240) with R4 tires loaded with windshield washer fluid (42 gallons in each tire) and handled 1000# bales easily, front and rear. It will pick up a #1000 bale without problems without a rear bale. But, 42 gal x 8 is about 440# in each tire.
Something like this will allow your tractor to lift much easier.
Your soil pulvrizer will make a good counter weight, but so will another bale of hay...but then you need a rear 3p bale spear.
My tractor is a tad bigger (L4240) with R4 tires loaded with windshield washer fluid (42 gallons in each tire) and handled 1000# bales easily, front and rear. It will pick up a #1000 bale without problems without a rear bale. But, 42 gal x 8 is about 440# in each tire.
Yes, I need to get a quick attach spear. The one that attaches on the bucket moves it further away from the front end. I need to see how much my pulverizer weighs...Still wondering if anyone with a 3800 picks them up. Even with the front turf tires if I take it slow I'm hoping they work. I can get them tubed to prevent roll-offs. I know the guy that loads tire installs tubes in the rear and then loads them.
Like Obie said... I'd invest in a rear spear. That will give you your needed ballast and it allows you to move 2 bales, not one and they are inexpensive too. When I'm loading rounds in the field, I run a rear single spear on the back (don't have to really) but it allows me to move 2 bales at once when I'l loading GN trailers. I have a double front spear but usually I use the single front, just easier to see what I'm doing when loading.
Haven't a clue about tires, I run R1's in bias.
Haven't a clue about tires, I run R1's in bias.
I lift them with an L3450 with a spike on the bucket. It's about the same hp as yours but much older, so maybe heavier. I put on the transport box with a few logs for ballast. Industrial tyres not loaded. My shed is uphill from where the bales get dropped off, so I can manage without ballast but in 4wd. Low and slow, as they say.
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Newlyme
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M4900 w/loader, finish mower, tiller, auger, rake. BX24 w/loader, backhoe
I had a front end loader with Ag tires up front not loaded. They never rolled off. They were ruined by picking up loads beyond their capacity. They never blew out, they formed bubbles on the edges and had to be replaced. I always made sure that they had the correct psi in them also. And they still didn't hold up. The hydraulics could lift the load but the tires couldn't carry it.
Check the load ratings of your turf tires. You may need to replace them, and why not do it BEFORE you ruin them like I did.
(If necessary)
Good luck.
Be aware the PSI in your front tires needs to be increased for loader work. It will be listed in the owner's manual.
Just moving from a bucket mount spear to a quick attach spear will make a massive difference in the weight distribution. I dont like bucket mount spears or forks personally unless youre doing fairly light lifting. I know several people who have bent their buckets up using these things. Having that weight shifted that much further out in front of the tractor also tends to make the tractor wobbly and unstable without some good counter weight. D2Cat also makes a very important point - you typically need to operate your front tires at the top end of their rated PSI range for heaving FEL work. This is to help protect the sidewall of the tire from collapsing under the weight. Others have also rightly pointed out that turf tires may simply not be up to the task. The safest bet to easily move round bales though is to use what I use - a 3 point hay spear. They are cheap, and having the weight right behind the seat is the easiest to accommodate for on most any tractor. The only downside to them of course is you cant lift the bales up to stack them or put them onto a trailer, etc etc. If you just need to move them however its the easiest and best option imo.
I move them with an L3901. I have ag tires and they are loaded. The guy that does bales for me usually makes them a bit smaller so I can lift easier....I have a small pallet of concrete blocks that I put on the 3 point for counter weight. I use a Titan fork/bale spear attachment to lift them....I usually can lift them but often can not tilt them with the loader....I usually pull them out of my truck bed or off a trailer and move them to the barn. Not very far distance and then set it down and use the spear to tip it up on end. We do that so we can peel it to feed our couple of goats.
I have a L3800 with Titan attachments pallet forks/spear combo. I can load/unload from a trailer new 4 x 5 round bales, but 5 x 6 are typically too heavy and older 4 x 5's that are wet can be too heavy. In some cases, I can lift them, but only a few feet off the ground.
My rears are loaded with 400lbs and I typically have a backhoe attached. But any implement (boxblade etc.) for counterweight is necessary.
My rears are loaded with 400lbs and I typically have a backhoe attached. But any implement (boxblade etc.) for counterweight is necessary.
L3450 GST moving round bales with a spike mounted to the top of the bucket. No ballast on back at this stage, although I did put another bale on the back later when I was working on uneven ground