FEL work

[Lakebuster]

Wanted to move a pallet of bricks to under back shed.
Looked up my FEL capacity and it was close to maximum.
Have Industrial tires on L5040 filled with water and some type of antifreeze.
Removed front bucket with quick release and put pallet forks on.

Got forks set perfectly on pallet and pulled back slowly on lifting lever.
Those bricks must have some lead in them as it raised the back end of tractor in the air.

For those tractor operators according to FEL specifications I should have been able to lift. Should I place weights on rear or bite the bullet and hand load the FEL brick by brick and then do the same unloading?

 

[Kennyd4110]

Filled/ballasted tires do NOT replace proper REAR ballast, you should absolutely have weight on the rear 3PH when using the loader, especially near capacity.

In general, filled tires don't help as FEL ballast since they are not behind the rear axle, but they are great to help with traction. The goal of rear ballast is to transfer weight for the front pivoting axle to the rear fixed one, so the weight need to be behind it.



Here an article I wrote years ago:

What is "Rear Ballast"? And why do you need it?

Let me start by saying that this subject is often hotly debated. It is my intention to provide what I believe to be facts, and I will back them up by providing links and references when possible. It is not my intention to cause any controversy or flame wars. A few definitions from the...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[Kennyd4110]

as it raised the back end of tractor in the air.

Your loader used its energy/power to do that, PROOF you need rear ballast.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

The backhoe on my BX23S weighs about 700# and I've never had the backend lift off due to the loader being overloaded. It'll just refuse to lift.
So, for sure you need 'ballast'. The manual 'should' say how much is needed,but I suspect a 1 to 1 ratio could be good ?? Others may know....

 

[NCL4701]

If you didn’t have anything on the 3 point what the tractor did sounds normal. Yes I’m aware the rears are loaded. Still normal.

With the size of the tractor and loader capacity, I’d be looking for something in the 1000lb to 1500lb range to put on the 3 point for counterweight and try it again. Something heavier would be OK but I wouldn’t even start with something under 1000lb. Just an opinion.

 

[Turfturd]

Wanted to move a pallet of bricks to under back shed.
Looked up my FEL capacity and it was close to maximum.
Have Industrial tires on L5040 filled with water and some type of antifreeze.
Removed front bucket with quick release and put pallet forks on.

Got forks set perfectly on pallet and pulled back slowly on lifting lever.
Those bricks must have some lead in them as it raised the back end of tractor in the air.

For those tractor operators according to FEL specifications I should have been able to lift. Should I place weights on rear or bite the bullet and hand load the FEL brick by brick and then do the same unloading?

Two things I think about.
Keep in mind that, with the load out on the forks. That increases the leverage on the load. You are not lifting from the same point that your bucket is designed to lift.
With that said I installed wheel weights about 280 lbs together and I run with box blade when I use my loader at full capacity. The wheel weights helped with stability big time.
Good luck.

 

[cthomas]

The further you get from the 3 point the less weight you need. I have used the rotary cutter and a couple humans standing on it to lift a lathe(okay, my tractor held the lathe and we let the air out of the trailer tires to unload trailer). Also my tractor can tilt more weight than it can lift. Your results may vary.

 

[Lakebuster]

Filled/ballasted tires do NOT replace proper REAR ballast, you should absolutely have weight on the rear 3PH when using the loader, especially near capacity.

In general, filled tires don't help as FEL ballast since they are not behind the rear axle, but they are great to help with traction. The goal of rear ballast is to transfer weight for the front pivoting axle to the rear fixed one, so the weight need to be behind it.



Here an article I wrote years ago:

What is "Rear Ballast"? And why do you need it?

Let me start by saying that this subject is often hotly debated. It is my intention to provide what I believe to be facts, and I will back them up by providing links and references when possible. It is not my intention to cause any controversy or flame wars. A few definitions from the...

www.orangetractortalks.com

This was a a very good read. I had my 72” woods box blade, I have a 7’ bionic blade that is heavier. Off to work I go, but when time allows I will swap out to Bionic blade and chain some barbell weighs off of the back
i never left my tractor get more than a few inches off of the ground before lowering front end.

 

[nbryan]

My 450 lb 5ft boxblade on the 3-point is all that's needed to pin the rear wheels down when trying to raise a forks load at the tractor's lift capacity. The boxblade is plenty enough ballast for my B2650HST carrying max load. Can't lift the rear tires up with it on.