Just an FYI. I bought a Cub Cadet zero turn mower and had it delivered. It came via semi and weighed 847 lbs. Before I ordered it I searched this board to see if my loader with pallet forks would handle it, and found some comfort that it would, but not certainty. The advice was a strong "maybe" and be careful.
If anyone else is considering buying a large mower or other piece of machinery, I'll share my experience. My tractor has ballast in the tires and I left the backhoe on for rear weight. The forks are quick attach Land Pride forks. The ground was a paved county road and relatively level. The hydraulics worked to lift the loader, but the tilt would bypass and not tilt the load up in front with the entire weight on the forks. When I set the load back down in the semi trailer, I was able to get the tilt to work so the load was raised in front and the portion of the pallet nearer the tractor lower. Then I was able to lift the loader and pick up the load. I crept backwards and then lowered the mower a few inches off the ground and drove the quarter mile to my house. The back tires kept solid contact.
So if your situation is like mine, and your equipment behaves similarly, you can safely order and take delivery of something weighing 847 lbs. and unload it yourself without paying the $100 for lift gate service. I just wanted to put this out there in case anyone was searching to see if it would work.
If anyone else is considering buying a large mower or other piece of machinery, I'll share my experience. My tractor has ballast in the tires and I left the backhoe on for rear weight. The forks are quick attach Land Pride forks. The ground was a paved county road and relatively level. The hydraulics worked to lift the loader, but the tilt would bypass and not tilt the load up in front with the entire weight on the forks. When I set the load back down in the semi trailer, I was able to get the tilt to work so the load was raised in front and the portion of the pallet nearer the tractor lower. Then I was able to lift the loader and pick up the load. I crept backwards and then lowered the mower a few inches off the ground and drove the quarter mile to my house. The back tires kept solid contact.
So if your situation is like mine, and your equipment behaves similarly, you can safely order and take delivery of something weighing 847 lbs. and unload it yourself without paying the $100 for lift gate service. I just wanted to put this out there in case anyone was searching to see if it would work.
