What tractor to buy to move large round bales??

[sd455dan]

Thanks just what I was asking for.

We just have a small place but buy large squares for the Horses because they are easier to stack and also feed for me.

I have moved 1250-1400 lb squares and have stacked and unloaded them 2 high on a standard 5 foot flatbed semi trailer with my 55 HP tractor, but that is "ALL" it wanted. certainly would not recommend any tractor under about 8000lb working weight

Have been Thinking myself of upsizing a bit for moving these bigger bales and having 2 tractors for cutting logs on another property and loading a trailer- considering maybe Another "less popular" possibility for a second tractor to move and stack large squares a Ford/ Versatile 276 bi-directional articulated tractor,.working weight of ~ 9500-15000 lb

Gives a Good view of the FEL and loader lift of 3400lb at the pins. I think it would also be a good set up in the winter for a front mount snow blower and other uses to. These are over 30 years old now though. just another possible Option for a loader tractor. Another that one of the hay growers uses that we get some hay from is the Ford TW series tractors i think it is a TW-20- loader appears to have a 5000lb at pin lift

 

[stuckmotor]

I can't make a recommendation on brand. Look to the left to see the size of my MF. It handles a bale on the loader and one on the back we!l. What I don't like is only 2 reverse gears. 1st is too slow and 2nd too fast to suit me when hauling bales.

 

[Farmer495]

I can't make a recommendation on brand. Look to the left to see the size of my MF. It handles a bale on the loader and one on the back we!l. What I don't like is only 2 reverse gears. 1st is too slow and 2nd too fast to suit me when hauling bales.

Those 8x2 MF tractors aren't the best on a loader for the two reverse gears you mention, but they are about bullet proof and will be running for years when everything else is broke. There are companies that buy up the older MFs like that and ship them in containers to places like Africa. Simple basic tractor and the Perkins power is really good on diesel too.

Some of the MF that series (263 etc) had an 8x8 synchro shuttle option which is a game changer for loader work.

 

[EddieWalker]

I currently handle round bales with a New Holland 555E loader backhoe that I modified the front bucket into a Quick Attach system so I can put a hay spear on it, along with other attachments. It's 80 hp and it handles round bales easily. I buy hay from a variety of sources deepening on what's available. The very smallest tractor that I've seen load hay has been 55 hp. In my opinion, it's barely up to the job, and what I would consider the minimum for doing this.

My goal is to buy a cabbed tractor big enough to run a 15 foot batwing when I pay off the loan on my wife's minivan later this year. If for some reason I'm unable to do this, I've thought about buying an older open station tractor that can handle hay bales for as cheap as I can find, and then focus on the cab tractor later on. I've learned that being able to buy parts for the tractor is very important. Kubota is probably at the top of my list for brands. I like that they use the Skid Steer Quick Attach system. Deere has their own system that would mean none of what I already own will work on it. Case and some of the other brands have Quick Attach, but also other types of systems to remove the front bucket. The Quick Attach system is a must have for anything that I'm going to buy. I modified and created the brackets to make it work on my backhoe, so I can do it again, but I would prefer not to.

Case and New Holland are the same and in my opinion, not a great company to deal with when you have a problem. The older the machine, the more likely to be disappointed by them becomes. I'm even more doubtful of what it will be like to fix issues on all of the other brands if I buy an older machine. so for me, Kubota has become my first choice in what to look at.

Kubota 60 hp or better. I don't know if I need 4wd for just handling round bales. My backhoe is 2 wheel drive and it does pretty good. When the area around my hay cradle gets muddy, I have a little trouble getting to it, but so far, it's never stopped me from getting a bale in the cradle. I usually move the cradle to another area when this happens. 4wheel drive would be nice, and for my cab tractor, it will be required, but if I get a open station tractor just to handle hay bales, I'm not sure it's worth the extra money.

 

[mred2]

Max size and weight of bales. How many do you go thru in a year. You unload two high. Get max lift height of unload and stacking. Load all tires. If you have any mud, get 4x4. Some times the area around hay barn will get wet and muddy. With hay on the front, loaded tires and 4 wheel drive is nice. It is not always easy to get around with something hanging off the back. And as with most of us, you will not always want to stop to put something on the 3pt for weight. Always travel with bales close to the ground. And better to have too big. Good luck!

 

[RickB]

There is zero advantage to loading front tires for this kind of work.

 

[Hay Dude]

There is zero advantage to loading front tire for this kind of work.

Unless you LIKE replacing front axle bearings and components

 

[stuckmotor]

Those 8x2 MF tractors aren't the best on a loader for the two reverse gears you mention, but they are about bullet proof and will be running for years when everything else is broke. There are companies that buy up the older MFs like that and ship them in containers to places like Africa. Simple basic tractor and the Perkins power is really good on diesel too.

Some of the MF that series (263 etc) had an 8x8 synchro shuttle option which is a game changer for loader work.

I read an article a good while back about practical minded farmers in developing countries buying up the older MF tractors because of reliability, simplicity, and plentiful parts. I'm not sure my 261 would qualify. The model was made for Massey by Ursus in Poland for only five years in the 90s, a counter person in a MF parts department called it an oddball. I'm not even sure whether it was built from scratch for MF or is a rebadged Ursus.

 

[4570Man]

I currently handle round bales with a New Holland 555E loader backhoe that I modified the front bucket into a Quick Attach system so I can put a hay spear on it, along with other attachments. It's 80 hp and it handles round bales easily. .

A full-size backhoe is cheap muscle and wouldn’t break a sweat taking 2 bales at once. Without much need for more tractor task I’d definitely look into that option if I was the OP.

 

[mred2]

Unless you LIKE replacing front axle bearings and components

The weight of the tires ride on the ground. The weight of the front of the tractor rides on the wheel bearings.
When picking up on the 3pt you need weight on the front. Then loading a bale on the front, you have weight on the back.
My older 2WD tractor has 4 50lb weights on the front to keep the front on the ground even when mowing.
Weight can be your friend on a tractor,