Loaders' first job !

[ve9aa]

I've had my BX2380 nearly a year, but only could recently afford to add a loader, which I just got a day ago. LA344S (SSQA type, not pin-on)
The first job for it was yanking out a 100??lb roll of steel fencing so my wife could protect a new garden from deer.

This roll was kinda wedged downhill in a corner of the woods and has been sitting there 10-12 yrs or so, with grass and weeds growing all through it.

I knew hooking a rope or strap to it and yanking it out would be possible, but messy.

Idea !

I attached an 8' long pressure treated 4x4" post to the bottom of the loader with a brand new HD ratchet strap I bought @ Costco only last night.

I nosed down into the edge of the woods and ever-so-gently "speared" the heavy roll of fencing, much like I imagine real farmers poke a big bale of hay with a
spike (or whatever they're called) and then picked up it and drove it ever-so-slowly over to the makings of the new garden.

If I had to do it again, I would've put on my rear blade for more ballast. I was definitely nose heavy, but thankfully my land is pretty flat with not too many bumps.

Later, I dug up an old pile of topsoil trying to get used to the loader controls. Definite Newb.

What fun !

(p,.s.-yes, there is a slice deleted from the photo--people and cars not wanting to be on the net)

 

[ddavis83864]

Excellent! Enjoy the new toy

 

[sagor]

A possible danger strapping a 4x4 that way, under the bucket. If, for some reason, the bucket is high enough and you run into something with the 4x4, it might poke right back through your front grill, depending if you have a steel grill guard or not.
Just an idea to think about.

There are bucket clamp-on spears I believe...

73
Steve

 

[RalphVa]

Would have been a good job for bolt-on forks. I've had a couple needs for them but haven't bought any yet.

 

[ve9aa]

All good suggestions.

I held the load very low after the initial "pull it up out of the weeds" part.

I will probably invest in a set of SSQA pallet forks when I can save up some more $$, later this year or next.

I considered clamp on pallet forks. There is nobody local selling them and a lot of scary ones on Amazon where the welds broke on the first use etc.

So far scraping some grass along the driveway, playing in an old pile of topsoil and carrying a few (heavy) things around the yard has made me wish I had a tractor (and bucket!) 20 yrs ago.

I never realized how easy it is to move stuff around. For a long time, it was either the car or the TG1860 diesel, just dragging stuff around (which comes with its own challenges)

I can see why folks like buckets so much !

 

[OrangeKrush]

Adapted and overcome the first chore.. sometimes you do with what you got!
I got the pallet forks for mine when I purchased tractor and so glad I did. I've made good use of them for sure and just getting started. Have fun with it.. game changer for sure!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Agree SSQA forks should be your next purchase ! I have the HLA 900# unit and th eBX23S will just lift a set of semi duals off the ground. Probably 50/50 which I have on the loader at any time. I place everything on 'double high' skids. Lower one is 'sacrificial'..a donation to Mother Earth.

 

[chriscozi]

All good suggestions.
...
I never realized how easy it is to move stuff around. For a long time, it was either the car or the TG1860 diesel, just dragging stuff around (which comes with its own challenges)

I can see why folks like buckets so much !

I order 4 cords of firewood a year and we stack it in the woodshed.
This usually means the truck comes, dumps, repeats.
I end up with two or three piles about 20 ft or so from the shed.
Next my wife (both over 60) and I spend an hour or so a day or several weeks carrying and stacking.
Leave it covered with a tarp in between.
Last year I was busy with the tractor in the yard when the truck came.
Drove up to the wood pile, looked at the shed, and said 'Huh.'
Used the loader to scoop it ALL into the shed, and stacked it before the truck got back with the second load!
Best use of a loader ever!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

It's common around here for firewood to be stored in the IBC tote 'frames'. Keeps wood off the ground, lots of air and EASY to relocate. One guy 'modified' his totes, extra feet on a side, so he turns them allows real easy access to ALL the logs.

 

[JeremyBX2200]

The loader on my BX is great. There are times when I wish the tractor was bigger and loader had more power, but I always seem to be able to get the job done.

Clearing brush and small trees that had totally enclosed my pond. Instead of having to cut them in to smaller manageable sizes to haul them to the burn pile, I was able to cut them down and then push them to the burn pile without cutting them up. A huge saver of time and my back.

 

[steveh]

The bolt-on pallet forks are, of course, useful for endless things. They are not intended for really heavy things. But I can hang mine off one end of my wood shed, out of the way and easy to grab. Bought mine at Northern Tool. I had borrowed a pair from a friend, and his are heavy steel. I got the aluminum version from NT, and they are much easier to use. I expect the steel ones will handle greater weight, but if one tries to lift too-heavy a weight with the bolt-ons, it can lead in worst case to a bent loader bucket.