I have a 72" WoodMax snow blower with a weight of 900 lbs arriving tomorrow by freight. Just got a call to confirm that I am equipped to remove the unit from the carrier, it has no lift gate. My question is, will my Kubota with an LA524 and Land Pride forks make this pick? My rear tires are loaded and I just connected my 300lb Rankin rear blade for a some added weight. Any replies or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
L3800 with forks lifting capacity?
- Thread starter duke52
- Start date
CaveCreekRay
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3800 HST, KingKutter box scraper, KingKutter 66" rake, County Pride Subsoiler
Duke52,
The Operators Manual shows the 524 rated at 1131 lbs at the bucket pivot pin at max height. Apparently this is the load the loader up-down actuators can handle.
The problem is leverage. The bucket is about 500mm deep and the load at the lip of the bucket at max height reads 855 lb. Putting forks on the bucket only lowers this capacity, again because of leverage.
At a lower height (around 4.5 feet) the bucket lip shows 1182 lb capacity.
The really strong aspect of the loader is the "bucket roll-back force" which is over a ton in all cases.
With those loader forks, you'll be able to grab the pallet and hopefully lift it enough to slide it off the side of the flatbed trailer using bucket roll-back. Make sure your front tires are aired up to the rated pressure. Only attempt this on level ground. And get the load as low as possible as soon as possible after you clear the edge of the trailer. And don't attempt any sharp turns under load.
I lifted my KingKutter rototiller (900lbs) using a 13,000 lb nylon ratchet strap. (Home Depot $13! Cut about half the nylon off and torch the ends from getting frayed. VERY handy!) My bucket was pretty high and the hooks for the sling strap clipped behind the upper bucket lip. It was a grunt but I was able to lift the implement at 2000 rpm with my LA524. I have filled tires and had no implement on the back of the machine.
Good luck!
Ray
The Operators Manual shows the 524 rated at 1131 lbs at the bucket pivot pin at max height. Apparently this is the load the loader up-down actuators can handle.
The problem is leverage. The bucket is about 500mm deep and the load at the lip of the bucket at max height reads 855 lb. Putting forks on the bucket only lowers this capacity, again because of leverage.
At a lower height (around 4.5 feet) the bucket lip shows 1182 lb capacity.
The really strong aspect of the loader is the "bucket roll-back force" which is over a ton in all cases.
With those loader forks, you'll be able to grab the pallet and hopefully lift it enough to slide it off the side of the flatbed trailer using bucket roll-back. Make sure your front tires are aired up to the rated pressure. Only attempt this on level ground. And get the load as low as possible as soon as possible after you clear the edge of the trailer. And don't attempt any sharp turns under load.
I lifted my KingKutter rototiller (900lbs) using a 13,000 lb nylon ratchet strap. (Home Depot $13! Cut about half the nylon off and torch the ends from getting frayed. VERY handy!) My bucket was pretty high and the hooks for the sling strap clipped behind the upper bucket lip. It was a grunt but I was able to lift the implement at 2000 rpm with my LA524. I have filled tires and had no implement on the back of the machine.
Good luck!
Ray
Thanks for the info Ray. This will be the heaviest load to date with the forks and I don't believe it's going to be a piece of cake but will give it a try.
Duke
Duke
CaveCreekRay
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3800 HST, KingKutter box scraper, KingKutter 66" rake, County Pride Subsoiler
According to the directions, the capacity of the system is maximized in the mid range of the loader arms. If you can smoothly "slide" the load off the truck bed you will quickly get into this "meaty range" as you lower the load. You shouldn't have any problems but my only concern is the extension of the moment arm presented by the lift forks. Not sure whether the blower has a hard point on top but, if you have a sling, like the one I bought at Homey 'Po, you could just sling it off, pallet and all.
With my rototiller, I had the arms almost maxed up and 900 lbs was no big deal using the lift capacity alone without the bucket curl. And.. I was indoors, making an incredibly tight 90 degree turn.
Oh, and one final "don't do what I did..."
I was trying to pull a dead tree out of the ground by chaining it to the upper bucket lip and simply driving backward. What I didn't know was that is a great way to stand your tractor up on its front wheels. Its very smooth and deceptive and you'll miss it until your rears are a foot in the air. The worry is, if you get the CG high enough with the rears off the ground, the tractor can swivel like lightning and roll on its side. I am VERY aware of this happening now. I nailed the loader DOWN and planted my wheels back on the ground. Had I gone they other way, I might have rolled the tractor.
Back in the Spring, I was moving solid granite boulders that were right at the limits of my FEL. In one case, I was trying to lift this monster out of the ground, slung in nylon, not scrape the side walk I was straddling, and back through a maze of cacti, including a 20' high saguaro. The tractor was on a very slight slope to the right and just about the time I would lift the boulder, the uphill rear wheel would start to go airborne. With the previous tree removal fresh in my mind, I was always ready to slam the loader lever UP to unload the FEL. My wife was in the kitchen screaming at me thinking I didn't know my wheel was airborne. After she saw me gingerly try it a couple more times, she relaxed. I added a box scraper for weight and that helped me lift the load out and away successfully.
My concern with your load is as you lower it using the forks, your moment arm is at its longest right about the time you start to lower the load. Even with an implement on back, you may find the rears getting light. Be ready to get your load down as quick as you can. On a pallet, I doubt that full speed DOWN on the FEL would damage your load if you hit the ground. Better that than rolling your tractor. Just keep that in mind and be ready to unload if the rears get airborne.
Good luck.
Ray
With my rototiller, I had the arms almost maxed up and 900 lbs was no big deal using the lift capacity alone without the bucket curl. And.. I was indoors, making an incredibly tight 90 degree turn.
Oh, and one final "don't do what I did..."
I was trying to pull a dead tree out of the ground by chaining it to the upper bucket lip and simply driving backward. What I didn't know was that is a great way to stand your tractor up on its front wheels. Its very smooth and deceptive and you'll miss it until your rears are a foot in the air. The worry is, if you get the CG high enough with the rears off the ground, the tractor can swivel like lightning and roll on its side. I am VERY aware of this happening now. I nailed the loader DOWN and planted my wheels back on the ground. Had I gone they other way, I might have rolled the tractor.
Back in the Spring, I was moving solid granite boulders that were right at the limits of my FEL. In one case, I was trying to lift this monster out of the ground, slung in nylon, not scrape the side walk I was straddling, and back through a maze of cacti, including a 20' high saguaro. The tractor was on a very slight slope to the right and just about the time I would lift the boulder, the uphill rear wheel would start to go airborne. With the previous tree removal fresh in my mind, I was always ready to slam the loader lever UP to unload the FEL. My wife was in the kitchen screaming at me thinking I didn't know my wheel was airborne. After she saw me gingerly try it a couple more times, she relaxed. I added a box scraper for weight and that helped me lift the load out and away successfully.
My concern with your load is as you lower it using the forks, your moment arm is at its longest right about the time you start to lower the load. Even with an implement on back, you may find the rears getting light. Be ready to get your load down as quick as you can. On a pallet, I doubt that full speed DOWN on the FEL would damage your load if you hit the ground. Better that than rolling your tractor. Just keep that in mind and be ready to unload if the rears get airborne.
Good luck.
Ray
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RCW
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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
With it that close to capacity, just pick it, and pull the truck away from under it. Then set it down smoothly right in place.
I've picked up almost 1000 lbs of steel with my L3000 / LA450S and it did okay. I couldn't pick it to full height but it would do good enough to move it around fine. I believe yours will do fine with 900 lbs.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Exactly, Bulldog - I was thinking he could get it low, then move it around. Good first try with a heavy pick to see how things work.
Sounds like a 900lb low carry would be a cake-walk with that tractor.
As you know, that high-up-moving-around stuff can get hairy-scary!
Using my L3901 / LA525 I picked up an straight 6 engine with the transmission attached from a 1960 Chevy pickup and set it on the back of a pickup with no problems. The scrapyard said it weighed about 900 pounds.
Eat a big meal before, you going to need the extra ballast.
L4610 unliading concrete recycling bins. Changed to forks and first pallet of two 1400 lbs went ok, rear was light with hoe on. Second one was a couple inches off centre and i nearly flipped the thing.
Cut binders and lifted one off at a time.
So if its possible to sling it with no bucket on it wil go with great ease. Improves safety margin.
L4610 unliading concrete recycling bins. Changed to forks and first pallet of two 1400 lbs went ok, rear was light with hoe on. Second one was a couple inches off centre and i nearly flipped the thing.
Cut binders and lifted one off at a time.
So if its possible to sling it with no bucket on it wil go with great ease. Improves safety margin.
have some tin snips on you when it shows up, it probably ships with the chute removed and possibly banded in the crate. If you can quickly pull some weight from it before trying to pick it up you would be safer.
It's strange because Woodmax Specs say that the weight of this SB-72 snow blow is 755 pounds, however, the shipper (Old Dominion) lists it at 915 lbs. I do remember that last year, my grapple was shipped in a 2" angle iron cage that had to add 75 lbs to whole thing. Anyway, I just chained 200 more pounds of weight to my back blade just to be on the safe side.
Thanks again to all who replied to my question. I feel alot more confident now.
Duke
Thanks again to all who replied to my question. I feel alot more confident now.
Duke
Lots of good advice on this thread. I lift and move big round bales of hay with my L3800 with loaded tires and a box blade on the back. While I have never weighted the bales I'm pretty sure they weigh in the range you are talking about. I second the advice to stay on level ground and no sharp turns.
What I was thinking, too.
It's pretty easy to lighten a load by a couple hundred pounds if you placed some of the parts in the bucket and lowered those down first.
Yeah, it would involve some manual labor though....
Do you have filled tires or an implement on the rear?
We have the same machine so I'm just curious for my own future lifting.
You may already have this done but if not loading your rear tires makes a world of difference moving hay. I also built a spear for mine and quit using the forks. This also helped the lift capacity and made it much easier to handle the rolls.
CaveCreekRay
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3800 HST, KingKutter box scraper, KingKutter 66" rake, County Pride Subsoiler
I had my Everything Attachments York Rake that was hooked on the back of the tractor with a Speeco quick hitch. That would be about 470ish pounds on the back of the tractor.
I don't have the rear tires filled but will be doing so soon.
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Thanks again guys for all the great replies. After I chained a 16" log to my back blade, I did exactly like Ray recommended. The carrier showed up around noon and pulled up just beyond my driveway. The blower was enclosed in and fastened to a 2" angle iron cage, however two of the feet had broken off so the driver could not get his pallet jack under it. We hooked a strap to it and pulled it with the Kubota to the rear opening. We then had to wrestle it around so the heaviest auger portion was facing the opening. I was just able to slide the forks under the cage. I started to raise the boom just to test the load, I then curled it slowly toward me. At that moment I realized there was going to be no problem. I backed the tractor up about 4 foot and lowered the blower toward the ground. Within a minute or two I was in my driveway doing a thorough inspection of the blower and cage. The angle iron structure was bent in several areas (This happened prior to me touching it) but the snow blower was undamaged. Boy, I sure do love my Kubota!!
Duke
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Its great when things like this go without incident. All the anxiety and whatever scenario playing through your mind, can make a person a little stressed out.
I think that this is a good thing, like self preservation, yet it can also go the other way- thinking that the tractor will carry anything.
Its on the ground. Thats all that matters. Now a new toy, can also be a counterweight.
I think that this is a good thing, like self preservation, yet it can also go the other way- thinking that the tractor will carry anything.
Its on the ground. Thats all that matters. Now a new toy, can also be a counterweight.
CaveCreekRay
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3800 HST, KingKutter box scraper, KingKutter 66" rake, County Pride Subsoiler
Duke,
Congrats!
Makes you wonder doesn't it? How the heck the packing cage gets mashed and bent??? Good thing they didn't ship in cardboard only.
At least the innards were fine. Good for you. That thing will be worth its weight in gold if the El Nino forecasts for this winter play out. You'll be chucking snow far and wide with that beastie.
Another example of "What would I do without a tractor!" Check at your Home Depot and see if they stock the 13,000 ratchet straps ($13). They have big gold galvanized hooks that hook securely over the upper bucket lip. You can use those to safely lift all kinds of stuff and they are so versatile because they are adjustable. You might be able to pick up your blower in summer with those. And they don't scratch paint.
Here's me hauling a 500lb granite boulder slung with a ratchet strap and two Harbor Freight 6000lb slings. Made cake work out of the boulder moving...
Congrats!
Makes you wonder doesn't it? How the heck the packing cage gets mashed and bent??? Good thing they didn't ship in cardboard only.
At least the innards were fine. Good for you. That thing will be worth its weight in gold if the El Nino forecasts for this winter play out. You'll be chucking snow far and wide with that beastie.
Another example of "What would I do without a tractor!" Check at your Home Depot and see if they stock the 13,000 ratchet straps ($13). They have big gold galvanized hooks that hook securely over the upper bucket lip. You can use those to safely lift all kinds of stuff and they are so versatile because they are adjustable. You might be able to pick up your blower in summer with those. And they don't scratch paint.
Here's me hauling a 500lb granite boulder slung with a ratchet strap and two Harbor Freight 6000lb slings. Made cake work out of the boulder moving...
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