Moving round bales without a spear??

[clovergamecock]

The dairy company that I provide hay to just finished baleing it into round bales. They usually leave me 3 or 4 bales depending on what I want\need. Sometimes I am home and can catch them and they will take the bales to my barn with their skidsteer and spear. I was not able to give them access this time so now I need to figure out a way to move them without busting them open which I have done in the past.

I don't get enough hay to justify a spear purchase so I have done eveything from pushing or dragging with my Kubota L2800 w\FEL to tieing straps around them and trying to lift with my bucket. The straps just stretched.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Wade

 

[SPYDERLK]

With the bucket lip under the edge of the bale you may be able to loop a ratchet strap around the bale and back to the lift arms at the top of the curl cyl mounts. Ratchet tight to pull the bale in as far as possible - then curl a little and ratchet some more, etc. You can probably establish a balance this way. Then lift it an inch and drive where you need to go. Be sure to have some counterweight on the tractor.
larry

 

[Western]

I' try Larry's idea, if that didn't work, maybe some type of "skid" to roll the bale onto. A piece of tin? Sheet of plywood, something you can lift a couple inches and pull.

 

[7879fordman]

A stronger strap . A 3" wide one would have no problem doing what your doing .

 

[buickanddeere]

Get a spear or prongs. Ask the local rural fire department how often somebody rolls a round bale down the loader onto themselves.

 

[7879fordman]

If ya strap it to the bucket right it can't go anywhere . And if ya just raise it enough to clear the ground there's no way a bale is going to jump on u on the tractor .

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I agree with Western. Build a sled, roll the bales on it and drag them.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Get a spear or prongs. Ask the local rural fire department how often somebody rolls a round bale down the loader onto themselves.

L2800 ... Round bale ... raising the bale high enuf to roll down the arms? There would be many prior clues that something was wrong.
larry

 

[Gale Hawkins]

We have a 5x10 tilt trailer with a solid steel floor that works OK for one bale at a time.

Today we would use a set of our chain on forks.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Tractor supply i believe sells a cheap carry all that mounts to the three point. Should be enough to get done what you need.

 

[Ted Summey]

Do you have or have access to a utility trailer with ramps? Roll the bales on to the trailer and take them where you need them.

 

[Soundguy]

strap it into your bucket...

here's my 1955 ford 850 with a single arm loader and a large 1000# tifton bale and a ratchet strap holding it all together.

 

[Leejohn]

I just don't think a L2800 is going to lift a round bale, with any size, with the loader. A wide strap might cost as much as a 3pt spear.

 

[clovergamecock]

Thanks All!! I will update this, this weekend with a pic of what I did. Hopefully I won't be like one of those Wylie Coyote\Road Runner cartoons where the rock rolls back on the Coyote and smashes him flat!!! Ahhh.... Those were real cartoons, not this crap my kids watch now!!! Oh, sorry got a little off topic for a moment... ;-)

Wade

 

[texasjohn]

Remove FEL bucket (no need to lift extra weight)
snake chain thru FEL forward round brace "pipe", need several feet hanging out each end

drive metal pipe deep into/thru center of bale so it sticks out some on each end
attach chain to pipe, lift If FEL has enough capacity to do so, counterweight on rear!

haven't tried this with hay since I have a spear but have lifted heavy stuff by dropping FEL bucket and chaining to loader arm brace.

 

[buickanddeere]

Remove FEL bucket (no need to lift extra weight)
snake chain thru FEL forward round brace "pipe", need several feet hanging out each end

drive metal pipe deep into/thru center of bale so it sticks out some on each end
attach chain to pipe, lift If FEL has enough capacity to do so, counterweight on rear!

haven't tried this with hay since I have a spear but have lifted heavy stuff by dropping FEL bucket and chaining to loader arm brace.

A lot of time and work to save a little bit of money.

 

[Soundguy]

I just don't think a L2800 is going to lift a round bale, with any size, with the loader. A wide strap might cost as much as a 3pt spear.

how big is an l2800?

 

[BeezFun]

I moved a round bale in my horse trailer, rolled it up the ramp with my bucket. I rolled it into the barn at other end. They roll pretty good, you don't say how far you have to go.

 

[Leejohn]

how big is an l2800?

I'm not sure what size ford it would size up to, but I would maybe guess a 3000. I think the hyd. cyls are less then 2".

 

[wmonroe]

I also suggest using a ratchet strap to hold it in the bucket. My dad and I have used this method to move round bales using his old B8200, which is a lot less tractor than yours.