Newbee with GT-21

Sideswipe

New member

Equipment
GT-21
Jan 24, 2019
14
1
1
Vaassen, Netherlands (Europe)


Hello, I am a newbee with tractors and recently bought my first one for use with one of my hobbys (horses). Mostly for leveling the arena and lifting hay bales.

It's a gray import GT-21 with only 360 hours on it. Is has minor scratches an looks very nice for its age.

How much weight can i put on the front? Is there a standard maximum?

Regards,

Pascal (Sideswipe)
Netherlands, Europe
 
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D2Cat

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Sideswipe, welcome to the forum. I do not know the answer to your question, but I would imagine since you don't have a loader on it you could easily add several hundred pounds.

I would like to see more pictures of your drag.

And I'm curious how you were able to post a picture on your first post. Most have to wait until 5 post to make sure you're a REAL person!!:D
 

85Hokie

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Hello, I am a newbee with tractors and recently bought my first one for use with one of my hobbys (horses). Mostly for leveling the arena and lifting hay bales.

It's a gray import GT-21 with only 360 hours on it. Is has minor scratches an looks very nice for its age.

How much weight can i put on the front? Is there a standard maximum?

Regards,

Pascal (Sideswipe)
Netherlands, Europe
Here is some info that may or may not help :
http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/009/5/7/9571-kubota-gt-21.html

Do you have an FEL on the front and THEN placing a spear on that? OR you spearing the back and loading the front for counterbalance?

Are the bales - 4x4 (feet) or 4x5 or 5x5? Here in the US there are several normal sizes of bales.

IF you have a front end loader - then the spear on the front of that will be limited in the pick up weight due to the distance away from the lift points.

A 3 point spear will lift a good bit more than a spear on a bucket.;)
 

Sideswipe

New member

Equipment
GT-21
Jan 24, 2019
14
1
1
Vaassen, Netherlands (Europe)
Sideswipe, welcome to the forum. I do not know the answer to your question, but I would imagine since you don't have a loader on it you could easily add several hundred pounds.

I would like to see more pictures of your drag.

And I'm curious how you were able to post a picture on your first post. Most have to wait until 5 post to make sure you're a REAL person!!:D
There was a button where i could copy paste a link of a picture. Maybe a smart admin decided i was for real ;-)

I can not post a link (got a warning wen tried)

Now I have about 130kg (apr 290 pound) on it, wondering how far i can go.

The device thats on the picture is called a "weidesleep" in dutch. don't know correct english for it.

I will make a picture of mine. they work best in a arena where the sand is mixed with artificial fibers (like mine)

They come in several sizes and often made by local agricultural companys
 
Last edited:

Sideswipe

New member

Equipment
GT-21
Jan 24, 2019
14
1
1
Vaassen, Netherlands (Europe)
Here is some info that may or may not help :

Do you have an FEL on the front and THEN placing a spear on that? OR you spearing the back and loading the front for counterbalance?

Are the bales - 4x4 (feet) or 4x5 or 5x5? Here in the US there are several normal sizes of bales.

IF you have a front end loader - then the spear on the front of that will be limited in the pick up weight due to the distance away from the lift points.

A 3 point spear will lift a good bit more than a spear on a bucket.;)
No front loader.
I bought palletforks (is this english?) for the rear lift/hitch.

I place (by pulling the bale with a rope) the bale on a wooden pallet. Then cover the bale with a feeding "dome"

NOT my horses, used the dealer pic of the dome



The bales over here als also in somewhat standard sizes
- rectangular small
- rectangulat midi
- rectangular large

- Round midi
- Round large

I currently use the round large one (diameter about 50-55", hight 55-60", weight slighty less than 1000pounds)


Before i had the tractor and the "hay-dome", i fed the horses with a wheel barrow 3 times a day.

I've used the palletforks 2 times now and am experimenting with the front weight. Will make some pictures next time.
 

Sideswipe

New member

Equipment
GT-21
Jan 24, 2019
14
1
1
Vaassen, Netherlands (Europe)
Here is some info that may or may not help :


Do you have an FEL on the front and THEN placing a spear on that? OR you spearing the back and loading the front for counterbalance?

Are the bales - 4x4 (feet) or 4x5 or 5x5? Here in the US there are several normal sizes of bales.

IF you have a front end loader - then the spear on the front of that will be limited in the pick up weight due to the distance away from the lift points.

A 3 point spear will lift a good bit more than a spear on a bucket.;)


No frontloader. I bought a palletfork for the rear hitch to move a large round bale on a woodenpallet

Before the tractor i used a wheelbarrow to feed them 3 times a day, now i bought a plastic dome that fits over a large round bale.

They are aprox 1000 pound, 50-55" in diameter and roughly 55-60"high.
Now starting to experiment with frontweights. With 130kg (286lbs) is it ok on pavement, on sandground the rear wheels tend to "sink" bit in the ground and causes the front wheels to scratch the ground.


Example of the plastic bell/ dome:



Other size that are common here:
Rectangular (brick model): Small/Midi/Large
Round : Midi/Large

*Small and Midi is possible to transport manualy with kart or wheelbarrow
Large must be handled mechanical (to heavy)
 

Sideswipe

New member

Equipment
GT-21
Jan 24, 2019
14
1
1
Vaassen, Netherlands (Europe)
Here is some info that may or may not help :

Do you have an FEL on the front and THEN placing a spear on that? OR you spearing the back and loading the front for counterbalance?

Are the bales - 4x4 (feet) or 4x5 or 5x5? Here in the US there are several normal sizes of bales.

IF you have a front end loader - then the spear on the front of that will be limited in the pick up weight due to the distance away from the lift points.

A 3 point spear will lift a good bit more than a spear on a bucket.;)

(this is my third attempt to reply your post. The first 2 attempt won***8217;t post on ott so i will not add links or photos this time ;-) )




I don't have a frontloader. Because the round bales are heavy , I bought a set palletforks for the 3point rear hitch.
I have the large round bales wrapped in plastic, there easier to come by. (about 950-1000lbs/ round 45-50***8221;/ high 55-60***8221;)

We have several sizes and shapes in rectangular (brick model shape) and round.
There is also a difference in if its realy dry hay or slightly less dry than hay (called: pre dry hay) wrapped in plastic.



My workproces as if I done it now two times:
- I pull the bale on a wooden pallet.
- Transport the pallet to the feeding place
- Unwrap the bale
- Wrap the bale with a slowfeedernet
- Cover the bale with a hard plastic feeding dome/bell

Before the tractor and feeding bell I***8217;ve used a wheelbarrow to feed the horses 3 times a day.
So i am still experimenting and especially with the amount of frontweights. I have a additional 100kg (220lbs) with the standard aprox 60lbs and on sandground the front wheels tend to scratch the ground.
How much frontweight can a tractor like this handle?

I will make some pic***8217;s next time.
 
Last edited:

85Hokie

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Side,

sorry to ask about the front-end loader .....the filter at MY workplace "bans" most pictures that are not embedded into the post..(ONLY seeing your pictures for the first time at home!) And I assumed that you were asking about a spear attachment to the front end loader:(

To answer your question better than I did before - as for weights on the front end, I would imagine that you could place anything from 100 kilos to 250 kilos if you have weight to place.

your machine weighs in at about 2000 lbs without any attachments. SO picking up a 1000 pounds on the rear - you would want weight on the front too.

Typically a tractor has as a loader up front and weight is added at the rear so the tractor has traction at the rear and so that the rear does not come up when the load up front is too heavy. In you case, you are doing just the opposite.

Here is what I would recommend - find the amount to place on the front that is not too heavy, something you can leave there and be able to use the tractor with the bales on the rear - yet once the bales are loaded on the rear, it will be enough weight to offset the bale itself.

You have 100 kg now - how does that work? IF not well, add more till you find that amount that works the best;)
 

D2Cat

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I'm curious about your feeding process. The feeder net, do you have one big enough to around the entire big bale? Then have a cover you install over the entire bale (to keep the hay dry)?

I feed two horses (portable yard ornaments) using 1200# bales. I put them under a lean-to (on the side of the barn) back in a corner and have a couple of panels around the hay to keep the horses out. My cover is the top of the shed, and I have no net. I would imagine the net saves a lot of wasted hay.

With your forks on the back and hay on a pallet you have a good way to use your tractor with out needing a front loader. I would just keep loading weight on the front bracket and experiment with how it handles.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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2 posts were stuck, so anyone posting, D2Cat and 85Hokie go back and reread. :D
 

D2Cat

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That's interesting. I've never seen a hay dome like that, but makes good sense. I even looked online and didn't see them.
 

sheepfarmer

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Somebody down the road from me has put out something similar for two horses. Seems to have openings for heads and necks, and then a panel with clear plastic for light. I wondered if it wouldn't promote heaves since the hay dust is confined to the bell too.
 

85Hokie

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2 posts were stuck, so anyone posting, D2Cat and 85Hokie go back and reread. :D
I did notice something odd.......and something popped up in the middle....

Thank you Sean - thought I was going crazy. Which still is a possibility:D:p
 

Sideswipe

New member

Equipment
GT-21
Jan 24, 2019
14
1
1
Vaassen, Netherlands (Europe)
That's interesting. I've never seen a hay dome like that, but makes good sense. I even looked online and didn't see them.

Try to google : "JFC haybell" That's the one i have...

Or perhaps only haybell ?

If i typ the dutch word in google i got several (could be that the domes are more popular in Ireland, UK and northwest europe because of the wheater )

 
Last edited:

Sideswipe

New member

Equipment
GT-21
Jan 24, 2019
14
1
1
Vaassen, Netherlands (Europe)
Somebody down the road from me has put out something similar for two horses. Seems to have openings for heads and necks, and then a panel with clear plastic for light. I wondered if it wouldn't promote heaves since the hay dust is confined to the bell too.
Most uses here are the pre-dry hay. Large bale rounds wrapped in (green) plastic.

Thats hay that was just not dry enough. Plus side is that those bale doesn't have the ammount of dust that really dry hay has.

Downside is when unwrapped the bale starts to heat up after 2 weeks (soonen in the summer) so for 1 horse you have more wastehay.

Picture (from internet) of wrapping a bale:


Picture of a bale (from internet) with a person so the size is vissible:
 

Sideswipe

New member

Equipment
GT-21
Jan 24, 2019
14
1
1
Vaassen, Netherlands (Europe)
Side,

sorry to ask about the front-end loader .....the filter at MY workplace "bans" most pictures that are not embedded into the post..(ONLY seeing your pictures for the first time at home!) And I assumed that you were asking about a spear attachment to the front end loader:(

To answer your question better than I did before - as for weights on the front end, I would imagine that you could place anything from 100 kilos to 250 kilos if you have weight to place.

your machine weighs in at about 2000 lbs without any attachments. SO picking up a 1000 pounds on the rear - you would want weight on the front too.

Typically a tractor has as a loader up front and weight is added at the rear so the tractor has traction at the rear and so that the rear does not come up when the load up front is too heavy. In you case, you are doing just the opposite.

Here is what I would recommend - find the amount to place on the front that is not too heavy, something you can leave there and be able to use the tractor with the bales on the rear - yet once the bales are loaded on the rear, it will be enough weight to offset the bale itself.

You have 100 kg now - how does that work? IF not well, add more till you find that amount that works the best;)

Thanks for the reply!!

Spears are not very common, some use them with dry small bales an pick up multipe with a small tractor. The farmers who produce the bales use mostly a frontloader with hydraulic clamp to prevent damage when harvesting wrapped bales.

The standard iron cast block weighs about 60lbs mounted with 2x M10 fine. I've bought five (caterpillar) plates 50kg ( 110lbs) each. The standard block with two plates mounted worked fine on pavement, when driving on sand the frontwheels are barely touching the ground.

I think the best thing is to remove the standard block and only mount the "catterpillar" plates. Reason for that is the the standard blok is mounted with two m10 bolts only and i have now mounted the first caterpillar plate on the block with 2xM12 (two pre drilled holes in the block).
If i mount a plate first i can use multiple bolts.
Once the first plate is mounted the next can be mounted on the first ect etc (they are pre drilled and have M12 thread)


It's a good idea to choose the ammount of weights so it can stay on the tractor with or without bale.
Is it no problem to leave 150kg (330lbs) or 200kg (440lbs) on front? Risk of front axle wear etc?

Some pictures how it is at this moment






The standard cast iron block

 
Last edited:

Sideswipe

New member

Equipment
GT-21
Jan 24, 2019
14
1
1
Vaassen, Netherlands (Europe)
I'm curious about your feeding process. The feeder net, do you have one big enough to around the entire big bale? Then have a cover you install over the entire bale (to keep the hay dry)?

I feed two horses (portable yard ornaments) using 1200# bales. I put them under a lean-to (on the side of the barn) back in a corner and have a couple of panels around the hay to keep the horses out. My cover is the top of the shed, and I have no net. I would imagine the net saves a lot of wasted hay.

With your forks on the back and hay on a pallet you have a good way to use your tractor with out needing a front loader. I would just keep loading weight on the front bracket and experiment with how it handles.
Nice ornaments..... :)

Still figuring out the best ammount of front weight. try to choose the the right ammount enough for countering the bale and not to heavy without a bale ;-)

This feeding proces is also new to me and a attempt to make my life easier.
Now "they" are working on their second bale. The general idea of the net is its works like a slow-feeder. The horse(s) eat slower (smaller ammount per bite) and needs to work harder (pulling out of the net) to get his food.

I still see some hay waste outside the dome.

This is a example of a net. I have the net (bottom picture) to use with a dome. The first picture looks something for your location?




 
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