104 LOADER QUESTIONS, SEEMS WEAK ??

expressfish · Sep 21, 2009

Hi and hello , first post here and long time lurker. I was a tractor owner wanna-be for a while there until I finally pulled the trigger on a 2015HST. My question has to do with the loader capacities. I understand the loader should be able to handle 900 some odd pounds. Well this weekend I bought some railroad ties to build a retaining wall. I was really surprized that the loader would not lift 4 ties. It would only hand 3 at a time ?? Is there an adjustment some where on the hydraulic system or weak pump ??? I figure at 200lbs a tie it was only lifting about 600 lbs. seems kinda weak---or not ?

J_J · Sep 21, 2009

It would depend on how close into the bucket the ties were. I believe loader lift capacity is at the bucket attachments points, and then you subtract the bucket weight. So if they advertise 900 lbs, and the bucket weighs 150 lbs, then your lifting capacity capacity becomes 750 lbs.

expressfish · Sep 21, 2009

Im sorry, I should have mentioned this was with the forklift attachment. I slid the ties out of the bed of my truck onto the forks and pushed them all the way back so the load wouldn't be at the tip of the forks.

J_J · Sep 21, 2009

Samething, subtract the weight of the forks. You could lay one of them on a bathroom scale and check the weight.

LD1 · Sep 21, 2009

How were you carrying the ties???

Most manufactures advertise the lift capacity @the pivot pins, as JJ mentioned. But seldom does anyone lift anything at the pins.

Most loaders loose about 25% by the time you get to the bucket edge.

You can lift 915 lbs @ the pins. 915-25%= only about 686lbs at the bucket edge. The further forward you go (like adding clamp on forks) the less you can lift.

expressfish · Sep 21, 2009

so I guess thats about right, 600lbs of railroad ties and 150lbs of forks pretty much sums it up. It still beats the **** out of manual labor ! If I may add, attached is pic with some sort of hydraulic box. In the lower center there is a kinda selector lever that has two positions. A bolt holds it in place, what are the two positions for ??