2320 lifting ????

[Foots]

I am thinking of buying a 2320 for my small 2 horse farm... I will use the tractor mainly to mow , and haul manure. I will need to lift #1200 round bales once a month for 4 months during the winter, we use #700 big square bales during the other months.. My concern is will the 2320 lift the #1200 bale into my feeder, of which is a front load feeder approx 12-18" off the ground....so its not like I have to lift the #1200 bale high.. I would like to lift it with the 200cx loader with a bale spear, but I have been told by the dealer that it will not do it.. So is my other option to lift the #1200 bale with a 3pt bale spear ? will it lift the bale high enough to get it into my feeder?

I dont want to go up to the 2520 , for the extra cost, size, weight etc...

 

[Foots]

I plan to have a #600 balast box on the rear

 

[EdC]

Well I sure like my 2320 A LOT but I think you are past the capacity of the tractor. As far as I can tell there are about 5 different sets of information on how much a tractor FEL or three point can pick up for any of the makes out there so it is pretty unclear but that would be past the 2320s. Weight is only part of the issue, the other part is size and how far out from the tractor the center of mass of the bale is.

In my newbie opinion you would be better off getting a bit more tractor and not working the machinery right at (or past) its limits.

 

[AKfish]

I think your dealer is trying to "save you, from yourself", in this case. That's alot of weight for that size tractor and granted you aren't planning to lift them to full height --- but, a 1,200 bale must be 50%-60% of what your tractor weighs.

Three or four years of that kind of use in soft ground, on uneven surfaces, etc. If you don't spring something or flat out break something... Well, I don't think that Vegas would give you very good odds on the outcome.

Lifting from the 3pt would be a much better approach but, will you be able to drop the bale from the spear into the bale ring and/or will the sway chains/links or the bottom of the 3pt arms hit the top of the bale ring? Normally, you would lower the bale to the ground and pull the spear out of the bale.

I have seen forks on the 3pt used for bale transport. If you had a hydraulic top-link to tilt the bale off the spear or forks, you'd have an easier way to drop the bale.

Heck, the more I think about what you're considering --- I wouldn't use that size of tractor/FEL for the 700 lb bales either.

You'd be money ahead, in the long run, to either move up to the 3000 twenty series or get yourself an older, 2WD ag tractor with loader.

AKfish

 

[aesanders]

I'd recomend a bigger tractor as well. A 1200 lb bale is a litle big for the 2320. It's a little big for the 2520 as well. A 3120 would be a better fit for that chore. I buy bales of that size from a neighbor and push it out the back of my truck and put the hay feeder loop over the top. I can roll them around if I need to with my 2320, but I don't think I'd want to pick something that big and bulky with the front end loader. That's a lot for the rear end as well.

 

[Dutch445]

Another vote for a larger tractor,, that 2320 is
not going to be able to lift that with the loader,
and using the 3ph, i doubt it will give you
the height you need either.

You could consider maybe a used 4310 type tractor,
with it's 430 or 300CX loader, and you should be ok
there if you don't have to go too high.

here is a picture of a 2320 with a pallet of
about 900#. it was all she wanted!

 

[Foots]

thanks for all the info guys, what about a 2520 ?

 

[Mike5252]

I don't think a 2520 would make any appreciable difference. The 2520 only weights a couple hundred more pounds than the 2320. I think everyone is suggesting a step up in the size tractor.

If moneys an object, try out a heavier non JD tractor like a MF 1528/1531. I've seen these advertised w/ loaders for about the same money as a JD 2520 and the tractor weights around 2600 lbs as I recall.

 

[aesanders]

I don't think a 2520 would make any appreciable difference. The 2520 only weights a couple hundred more pounds than the 2320. I think everyone is suggesting a step up in the size tractor.

If moneys an object, try out a heavier non JD tractor like a MF 1528/1531. I've seen these advertised w/ loaders for about the same money as a JD 2520 and the tractor weights around 2600 lbs as I recall.

I concur a 2520 would really be no different. I sent you a pm as well, but will post here some more thoughts. It really has to do with the size, weight and stability of the tractor. I'm not sure if you will need to transport the bale any distance or not. The 2320/2520 may pick it up 12-18 inches and move it a little, but I'd hate to have to move it across a field or some other distance. If you hit a little hole or somethign else you risk the chance of flipping the tractor with the bale. It's different picking up rocks or something else that might weigh the same but are contained in the bucket. these items wont move around as much and are more confined in their space. A big round bale hanging off the front end loader really puts the ballast off quite a bit and they sometimes will shift around on the bale spear. Whenever I pick something heavy up I always have my rotary mower hanging off the end. It's the heaviest and longest implement I own and creates a good counter ballast. If you do try it with a 2320, be careful and make sure you have something heavy on the 3 point hitch for counter balance. Since you are doing it only 4 times a year you may get away with a smaller tractor but you may want to look at another make to keep yourself in budget. Might want to check into something like a Mahindra to see of they have something in your budget.

 

[Foots]

Thanks for the info. I will be driving out to the feeder with the round bale in my truck, roll the bale out on the ground, then lift the bale up into the feeder.....so , no I will not be traveling any amount of distance with it....Also I will plan to either have the 3pt Ballest box or a bushhog cutter on the back for extra weight....