Question about lifting large hay bales

[fluvanna]

I have an L3400 with an LA463 front end loader. I have a small hobby farm with goats and I have to move around the large hay bales that weigh between 800-1200 lbs.

A friend of mine who's a full-time farmer told me to be careful lifting hay bales with my tractor. He recommended "pushing" or rolling the hay bales in front of the tractor instead of picking the bale up and driving with it (except for short distances). He told me that with smaller tractors, the danger isn't that the front end loader will be damaged, but that when you're driving with a bale in the air it can bend the tractor frame, for instance if you're driving over bumpy ground.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Would it be safer or smarter to use a 3-point bale spear than a front end loader spear? Does my friend's advice sound reasonable or is he overly cautious?

Thanks in advance for your advice, I really appreciate it.

 

[RD Gray]

The only thing I can think of is, what frame

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I went to the Gallery section and found a fellow in here lifting bales of hay off the front and rear of his B7800.

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/kubotagallery/?page=4

 

[hodge]

I have an L3400 with an LA463 front end loader. I have a small hobby farm with goats and I have to move around the large hay bales that weigh between 800-1200 lbs.

A friend of mine who's a full-time farmer told me to be careful lifting hay bales with my tractor. He recommended "pushing" or rolling the hay bales in front of the tractor instead of picking the bale up and driving with it (except for short distances). He told me that with smaller tractors, the danger isn't that the front end loader will be damaged, but that when you're driving with a bale in the air it can bend the tractor frame, for instance if you're driving over bumpy ground.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Would it be safer or smarter to use a 3-point bale spear than a front end loader spear? Does my friend's advice sound reasonable or is he overly cautious?

Thanks in advance for your advice, I really appreciate it.

I think he is being overly cautious. I move large round bales with a Bobcat 743 skidsteer. It picks them up and moves them fine, and isn't tipsy. I have moved loads that are right on the verge of tipping the skidsteer; a large round bale doesn't. If it were my tractor, I would have confidence in the drivetrain of the tractor. It is more than strong enough to handle the bale.

 

[Kingcreek]

It will do it but you are better off using rear spear unless you need to stack them and even then you want one on the back for counter weight.

 

[Bulldog]

1200lb rolls may push the limits of your loader. I would suggest going with a spear instead of forks. It will let you cheat and have a little more lift. I would also plan to fluid fill your rear tires if they aren't done already and still plan on having something else on the back for extra weight.

 

[Bluegill]

No frame to bend. You can damage the front end, if you don't have close to the equal weight on the 3 pt hitch though. Loaded rear tires help with traction and stability, but do not take weight off the front axle.

That said, I'd be moving the bales with a rear 3pth spike.

 

[helomech]

I don't believe that you can hurt the tractor, by doing this. If the loader will pick it up it is fine. I have picked up plenty loads that without lots of ballast on the rear end would have just picked up the back of the tractor.

 

[bosshogg]

I think he is being overly cautious. I move large round bales with a Bobcat 743 skidsteer. It picks them up and moves them fine, and isn't tipsy. I have moved loads that are right on the verge of tipping the skidsteer; a large round bale doesn't. If it were my tractor, I would have confidence in the drivetrain of the tractor. It is more than strong enough to handle the bale.

Bobcats are much more stable due to a lower center of gravity and wider wheelbase. I have a L3400 and would not recommend carrying them with the loader. At 5' wide and a high center of gravity, they are extremely tippy. I would carry them with the 3ph.

 

[hodge]

Bobcats are much more stable due to a lower center of gravity and wider wheelbase. I have a L3400 and would not recommend carrying them with the loader. At 5' wide and a high center of gravity, they are extremely tippy. I would carry them with the 3ph.

Wider wheelbase, not on my 743. Shorter wheelbase, definitely. The comment was made in regard to the stress imposed on the "frame", which is longitudinal. The point is, a short, tippy 743 Bobcat handles the bale fine, so will a longer wheelbase tractor, without breaking in half.
You will need weight on the rear, as mentioned.

 

[dmanlyr]

I would also add this, anytime you are lifting something close to the capacity, and traveling with it, keep the load low so if the tipping starts, you won't tip far enough to roll over. You will also find that there is a sweet spot in your FEL's capacity, too low or too high and it will not lift as much.

I will use every pound of capacity I can get on my L3200, but I do keep safety in mind if something bad should happen and taylor my operational usages to the load at hand as well as the terrain. IE Bumpy.. slow down to ease the beating imparted on the machine.

If the load is bulky enough to where you cannot see around it, you have two choices, and one of them is NOT to raise the load up high...

First, do what taildragger pilots do when taxing... do the weave back and forth so you can get at least some view forward. Ever taxi in a jug? If so you would understand this one for sure as that big radial blocks your view forward.

Second, employ a helper as eyes forward.

Just my thoughts

David

 

[gpreuss]

Go the tph route. The rear end is built to handle the load, and then some. You will probably need some sort of weight in the loader bucket to give yourself steering stability.

 

[Bulldog]

Go the tph route. The rear end is built to handle the load, and then some.

I had a few bales this year that my 3pt wouldn't even pick up. Big bales are hard to handle with a small tractor.

 

[6869704x4]

Does anyone have any advice for me? Would it be safer or smarter to use a 3-point bale spear than a front end loader spear? Does my friend's advice sound reasonable or is he overly cautious?
Thanks in advance for your advice, I really appreciate it.

I had this made to replace a spear on the bucket. It made a huge difference bringinging the bale two feet closer to the tractor. Felt much more stable. As advised earlier, when totin these with a loader keep it low and slow.