Comparison Smallest compact tractor for lifting full size round bales with FEL

[perdurabo]

I've currently got a 2008 Kubota L3400 HST which works great for most work around the my small farm, but one thing I hate is that its not heavy/strong enough to safely pick up full size round hay bales with a front mounted bale spear. Right now I have to take off whatever implement I'm using and put rear bale forks on to move around round bales. I also have to push round bales off of the trailer before I can pick them up rather than just spearing them with the FEL and lifting them off the trailer. To me this is a PITA. I'm looking to upgrade, but I'm not married to staying with Kubota. I have good JD, Kubota, Kioti, and Mahindra dealers in the area I can work with. Branson is another option I guess but the dealer for Branson hasn't stocked them for very long. My requirements are:

- Must be 4WD
- Must be available in HST trans (I do a lot of bucket work and even a shuttle/PST is not good enough)
- At least 40HP
- Must have FEL with quick detach option for skid steer style bale spear/pallet forks as well as bucket
- Must be heavy enough to pick up a bale off of a trailer with the FEL using a bale spear without already having a bale on the back to counterweight (chicken and egg problem)
- Must be strong enough to carry a full size bale on the FEL AND on the rear forks at the same time.

Is it possible to do this without moving up to the larger M-series Kubota or the equivalent from the other makers? What tractor would give me the best bang for the buck given all the above requirements?

Thanks,
Robert

 

[IXLR8]

What do your bales weigh? The Kioti DK40 will lift 2700 lbs with enough 3pt ballast.

 

[murphy1244]

What do your bales weigh? The Kioti DK40 will lift 2700 lbs with enough 3pt ballast.

x2 The DK-40 would be a excellent tractor for you.

 

[hawkeye08]

I doubt that you will find a compact tractor that will safely lift a round bale on front spear without ballast on the back. Do you need to carry a round bale on the back or can you just hook up enough ballast and use the FEL spear?

 

[k0ua]

There is a man that needs a DK-40 in the worst way. Just ballast it good on the 3pt and your bale troubles are over. Not to mention it is one heck of a nice full featured tractor.

James K0UA

 

[Beltman60]

use a 3pt rear mounted spear for the ballast

 

[perdurabo]

The point is that when I'm out of hay I won't have a bale to use as a counterweight on the rear (chicken and egg problem), plus if I have my shredder attached I don't want to have to take it off, put the rear bale forks on, then when I'm done spend another half hour fighting with the shredder to get it back on. Although, that might be less of an issue with a newer tractor that has telescoping or hydraulic 3pt stabilizer arms. I want to be able to lift a full size (~2000lb) bale off of a trailer with the FEL with only the weight of my 5' box blade or 5' Rhino shredder on the rear as counterbalance.

 

[bigbull338]

a mx5100 HST 4x4 with LA844 loader is what you need.it will lift the bales off of a trailer with a shredder or other heavy weight on the rear.im assumming youll maining be lifting 4 by 5s an 4 by 6s.wich itll do with ease.itll also lift the 5 by 6s if they arnt to heavy.i traded the above tractor for the 7040 because it was really loaded pulling the hay hauler with 4 5 by 6 an 1 5 by 6 on the loader.

 

[homedad]

How about making a very heavy concrete counterweight with 3 holes in it and just back into it with the 3pt bail spear. Use it to unload then drop and drive away?

 

[GManBart]

The point is that when I'm out of hay I won't have a bale to use as a counterweight on the rear (chicken and egg problem), plus if I have my shredder attached I don't want to have to take it off, put the rear bale forks on, then when I'm done spend another half hour fighting with the shredder to get it back on. Although, that might be less of an issue with a newer tractor that has telescoping or hydraulic 3pt stabilizer arms. I want to be able to lift a full size (~2000lb) bale off of a trailer with the FEL with only the weight of my 5' box blade or 5' Rhino shredder on the rear as counterbalance.

It would have to be a heavy box blade, but the shredder would probably be heavy enough to serve as a counterweight for lifting 2K, but just barely. To max out the loader on a DK-40SE, they spec over 1,000lbs on the 3pt. I was thinking the Mahindra 5035 might work, and it would, but it's over 1,000lbs heavier than the Kioti. My LS can lift a similar amount to the Kioti (2,634lbs), and with only a box blade on the 3pt, anything much heavier than a guessed 1,500lbs got the rear tires pretty light.

 

[RickB]

You need a bigger tractor or a marginal one with extra rear ballast. Anything less and you might find yourself lying on your side some day.

 

[Piston]

a mx5100 HST 4x4 with LA844 loader is what you need.it will lift the bales off of a trailer with a shredder or other heavy weight on the rear.im assumming youll maining be lifting 4 by 5s an 4 by 6s.wich itll do with ease.itll also lift the 5 by 6s if they arnt to heavy.i traded the above tractor for the 7040 because it was really loaded pulling the hay hauler with 4 5 by 6 an 1 5 by 6 on the loader.

I have the same loader, and I can't see any possible way that I could ever be able to lift a 2k lb roundbale with my tractor, even with my rears filled with 1100lbs of fluid, and a 1400lb stumpgrinder on the back. I just don't see how my loader could lift that much weight. There is no way an MX5100 with a 5' box blade on the back, can lift 2k lbs.

 

[Piston]

Can you guys with the DK40 lift 2k lbs with only a small implement on the back? That is pretty impressive, I know my little Bota couldn't do that.

 

[murphy1244]

I can do it with my Wallenstein on the back

 

[coobie]

The point is that when I'm out of hay I won't have a bale to use as a counterweight on the rear (chicken and egg problem), plus if I have my shredder attached I don't want to have to take it off, put the rear bale forks on, then when I'm done spend another half hour fighting with the shredder to get it back on. Although, that might be less of an issue with a newer tractor that has telescoping or hydraulic 3pt stabilizer arms. I want to be able to lift a full size (~2000lb) bale off of a trailer with the FEL with only the weight of my 5' box blade or 5' Rhino shredder on the rear as counterbalance.

I burn wood pellets.Each skid weighs 2,000 lbs.My rear tires on my Kioti DK40 HST cab model are loaded with rimguard.I still need a 1,000 lbs rear ballest box as a counter weight to unload.My front pallet forks weigh about 400lbs.also.coobie

 

[newbury]

What tractor would give me the best bang for the buck

Last January I bought an M4700 (no HST), 4WD w/FEL and canopy in pretty fair condition that will lift 2000 lbs on the FEL and 4000 lbs on the 3pt, and spent $11,500. I consider that a lot of bang for the buck.

Similar tractors on https://www.tractorhouse.com/list/list.aspx?ETID=1&Manu=KUBOTA&Mdltxt=M4700&mdlx=exact&units=metric have asking prices around $16,000. The list price on a comparably configured MX4700 is about $30K, probably about $27K out the door.

So a lot depends on what you care to give up to get a bigger bang. Often if you go used and can "wait for the deal" you can get a lot bigger bang.

You should make up a list of the major manufacturers and the tractors in their line that will meet your minimum spec. Search Tractorhouse, Barlow's, Messicks, Craigs List and auctions for at least a few weeks.

Try looking on Tractorhouse for tractors w/ 4WD, FEL, 40-99HP and a major mfg for $11,500 or less. There aren't a lot.

I've got one.

 

[Piston]

It sounds to me like your right on the edge of utility sized tractor territory. You could get everything you want, except the HST. I think you'll have to compromise somewhere, whether it be giving up HST (which I understand why you wouldn't want to do) or maybe buying a heavier duty implement for rear weight. I don't know if you can do that with a 5' shredder on the back. Maybe you could get a quick hitch with the new tractor and it wouldn't be as much trouble to change implements?

I think you would find it a lot easier to change implements with the telescoping rear links, so perhaps that could solve a lot of the problems too. Regardless, I would stay away from the Kubota and go with only the heaviest tractors with highest lift capacity like your looking for.
I think your looking for 40hp, is that PTO? I'm not sure the DK40 has 40PTO hp? You may want to look at the DK50, that sounds like a great tractor as well.

 

[bigbull338]

now i would not try taking a 2nd bale off the top of another balewith the mx5100.but id unload a single stacked trailer with it with a bale on the rear.

 

[MHarryE]

I have a L5740. It will lift our 4 x 6 and 5 x 5 round bales, which weigh between 1200 and 1500 pounds, okay with the loader but can't lift 2,000 pounds centered 2 feet in front of the skid steer mounting plate on the loader so that pretty much puts the Grand L Kubotas out of the picture before even thinking about rear weight. We get seed wheat in 1 ton totes plus or minus 20 pounds because they are weighed and tagged before we get them. The L5740 will strain its guts out to get enough load off so I can skid them along the ground.

 

[Piston]

I have a L5740. It will lift our 4 x 6 and 5 x 5 round bales, which weigh between 1200 and 1500 pounds, okay with the loader but can't lift 2,000 pounds centered 2 feet in front of the skid steer mounting plate on the loader so that pretty much puts the Grand L Kubotas out of the picture before even thinking about rear weight. We get seed wheat in 1 ton totes plus or minus 20 pounds because they are weighed and tagged before we get them. The L5740 will strain its guts out to get enough load off so I can skid them along the ground.

For reference, this is the largest loader that Kubota offers in any tractor available with HST. I'd say Kubota could be scratched off your list.