Question about loader attachements

[TNCitySlicker]

I am a brand new tractor owner. I've run skid loaders, excavators, and zero turn mowers for the past 20 years. But tractors are fairly new to me. My question is regarding the attachments for the loader... Will a skid loader grapple bucket or similar skid loader attachment fit and work on a Tractor loader? I just bought a Kubota MX6000. I have a friend that literally has almost any skid loader attachment available. It would be super convenient if those attachments could work on my tractor as well. I do own a S750 Bobcat skid loader, but hoping some of these loader attachments can be used on tractor as well?


Thanks!

 

[rScotty]

I am a brand new tractor owner. I've run skid loaders, excavators, and zero turn mowers for the past 20 years. But tractors are fairly new to me. My question is regarding the attachments for the loader... Will a skid loader grapple bucket or similar skid loader attachment fit and work on a Tractor loader? I just bought a Kubota MX6000. I have a friend that literally has almost any skid loader attachment available. It would be super convenient if those attachments could work on my tractor as well. I do own a S750 Bobcat skid loader, but hoping some of these loader attachments can be used on tractor as well?

Thanks!

It is usual to get the Skid Steer Quick Attach (SSQA) front mount on the loader, and also a front accessory hydraulic control so that you can run FEL attachments that require hydraulic power. Just about every loader offers both of those as options and that is what most buyers do..... Either or both can also be added later.

With SSQA and a front accessory hydraulic outlet on a larger tractor like yours.... you will be able to run almost every skid steer implement made.
Congratulations on your purchase.
rScotty

 

[TNCitySlicker]

It is usual to get the Skid Steer Quick Attach (SSQA) front mount on the loader, and also a front accessory hydraulic control so that you can run FEL attachments that require hydraulic power. Just about every loader offers both of those as options and that is what most buyers do..... Either or both can also be added later.

With SSQA and a front accessory hydraulic outlet on a larger tractor like yours.... you will be able to run almost every skid steer implement made.
Congratulations on your purchase.
rScotty

Thanks for the quick response! That is awesome news! Can't wait to take delivery of the new tractor!

 

[LouNY]

I believe that you will find that your hydraulic flow is only about 9.5 gpm which is inadequate for many hydraulically power attachments.

 

[cglaser104]

I believe that you will find that your hydraulic flow is only about 9.5 gpm which is inadequate for many hydraulically power attachments.

Lou is correct here. While you can hook up to SSQA attachments with a properly equiped tractor you likely can't power drive motors as tractor have puzzlingly poor hydraulic flow rates vs skid steers. Check the implements needs va what your machine can offer.

Congrats on the new machine!

 

[TNCitySlicker]

I believe that you will find that your hydraulic flow is only about 9.5 gpm which is inadequate for many hydraulically power attachments.

Awe, great point on the hydraulic flow! Hopefully something as simple as a grapple bucket would work. It is puzzling that tractors wouldn't have the equivalent of skid loaders in terms of hydraulic flow. That reduces some of the utility of the tractor.

 

[TNCitySlicker]

I imagine something like a skid loader trencher attachment would probably require too much hydraulic flow?

 

[DK35vince]

Awe, great point on the hydraulic flow! Hopefully something as simple as a grapple bucket would work. It is puzzling that tractors wouldn't have the equivalent of skid loaders in terms of hydraulic flow. That reduces some of the utility of the tractor.

You have more than enough flow for a grapple.
Skid steer power brooms, mowers, trencher, Etc. may be an issue.

 

[ptsg]

Any attachment that uses just cylinders to actuate whatever movement it has, will work with your tractor. Just slower than a skid steer.

When you get to skid steer attachments that use hydraulic motor, that's where it needs lots of flow, so basically you're very limited on what you can use on your tractor.

There manufacturers out there that make "smaller" versions of attachments to be used on tractors, like post hole diggers, brush mowers, post hole drivers, etc. These require much less flow than a skid steer attachment, however you can't expect the performance/speed to be anywhere near the skid steer ones.

 

[jeff9366]

1) Hopefully something as simple as a grapple bucket would work.
2)It is puzzling that tractors wouldn't have the equivalent of skid loaders in terms of hydraulic flow. That reduces some of the utility of the tractor.

1) Yes, a grapple bucket should be fine.

2) High flow hydraulic pumps and the associated plumbing are expensive. Then you need a more powerful tractor engine to power the pump(s). Then the FEL has to be redesigned to handle additional stress.

All of a sudden the tractor becomes comparably priced to an expensive Skid Steer.

Orchard & Vineyard tractors come standard with high flow hydraulic pumps to operate sprayers and harvesting equipment. Very expensive tractors and not available with Loaders to keep center-of-gravity low.

 

[jeff9366]

1) Hopefully something as simple as a grapple bucket would work.
2)It is puzzling that tractors wouldn't have the equivalent of skid loaders in terms of hydraulic flow. That reduces some of the utility of the tractor.

1) A moderate weight SSQA grapple bucket should be fine.

2) High flow hydraulic pumps and the associated plumbing are expensive. Then you need a more powerful tractor engine to power the pump(s). Then the FEL has to be redesigned to handle additional stress.

Suddenly the $40,000 tractor becomes comparably priced to a $75,000 Skid Steer.



Orchard & Vineyard tractors come standard with high flow hydraulic pumps to operate sprayers and harvesting equipment. Very expensive tractors and not available with Loaders to keep center-of-gravity low.

 

[TNCitySlicker]

1) A moderate weight SSQA grapple bucket should be fine.

2) High flow hydraulic pumps and the associated plumbing are expensive. Then you need a more powerful tractor engine to power the pump(s). Then the FEL has to be redesigned to handle additional stress.

Suddenly the $40,000 tractor becomes comparably priced to a $75,000 Skid Steer.



Orchard & Vineyard tractors come standard with high flow hydraulic pumps to operate sprayers and harvesting equipment. Very expensive tractors and not available with Loaders to keep center-of-gravity low.

Thanks Jeff. That is very helpful and makes sense.

 

[TNCitySlicker]

I did not add the 3rd function for the FEL... I just called the dealer to get a price on adding the third function and he quoted me $1040 + labor. Didn't say how much labor as I was a little surprised by the price of the 3rd function. Does that sound about right for 3rd function on FEL?

 

[LouNY]

Sounds a bit high to me, I would prefer a diverter over a third function.
But you will find supporters of each here.

 

[ericm979]

The WR Long kit is about $840 from EA. A Kubota-made kit might integrate a bit better into the tractor.

You can make your own for about half that or less, depending on the switches you use.


Grapples made for skid steers are often heavier than ones made for tractors, which usually have less loader capacity than skid steers. Grapple weight excess of what's needed for strength just reduces the load capacity. I've maxed out my loader many times picking up heavy logs with the grapple. If I'd gotten a 750 lb grapple instead of a 450 lb one, that'd happen even more often.

 

[cglaser104]

Over $1k is a bit steep. I'd be curious if it's a true 3rd function or an electronic diverter 3rd function as I've found that some dealers don't do a great job of distinguishing the 2 despite them actually being different system types.

You could create a kit yourself for roughly half and do the work yourself. It comes down to your comfort of working on hydraulics and having to fab a bracket to run your hoses to on the loader. Premade kits like the one for WR Long are pre-sized to your machine and represent a middle ground between ordering all your own parts, pieces and couplings and having a full on factory unit installed.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

I did not add the 3rd function for the FEL... I just called the dealer to get a price on adding the third function and he quoted me $1040 + labor. Didn't say how much labor as I was a little surprised by the price of the 3rd function. Does that sound about right for 3rd function on FEL?

That sounds about right. Easy enough to install yourself if you are so inclined. I rolled my own for about half that or so. If you are in East Tenn and want to see it in person, send me a message. You need to build a bracket for the valve and figure out how to deal with a switch without spending crazy money on an OEM joystick knob. Not too hard.

 

[i7win7]

Good works tractors just posted video for diy diverter system - if clamping system has plastic parts, think I would make steel replacements
SAVE $1 IN 9 MINUTES & MAKE YOUR TRACTOR GRAPPLE READY! - YouTube

Have Kabota 3rd function myself

 

[buck12]

Last year I paid $900 including parts and labor for Kubota third function. I had a WR Long third function on my last tractor. I think I paid about $700 for it ten tears ago. I actually preferred the button location with WR Long kit more than the Kubota’s button location.

 

[Texasmark]

Yes, I just passed by an ad yesterday about a rotary cutter for the SS rotary mower.......neat, you can put the mower in front of the power source, not have to run the power source over the vegetation and then cut it like a 3 pt on a tractor.....flow was min spec. at 16 GPM......but with the SS bucked attachment, lots of things you can use and enjoy that don't need 0 GPM. I did notice that JD uses their OWN connection for QD coupling.....really nice of them to fix you right up with having to use THEIR implements rather than an industry standard, readily available, popular, surely lower cost....bla bla bla!!!!

Since you have the experience you have you are surely aware of the foot-lbs thing...distance from the reference point for a rated load capacity. Case in point, I was buying skids of fert. at a ton and my tractor is rated a ton at the lift points on the FEL. I had rigged up a couple of pipes and associated chains and had no problem lifting the ton off my trailer at the farm......fast forward, get a SS fork lift attachment......added weight of the attachment and foot-lbs since the load was forward of the ref point and it wouldn't pick it up the first time I tried to unload a ton skid off my trailer.