Ford/NH 1520 HST/4x4

[Jnasystems]

Well, I will be the proud owner of a shiny new (to me) blue tractor on Monday. It has a 60" mid mount mower and a Rhino 2408 loader with it. I am a little worried that the loader is a little big for the tractor though. The factory loader has almost half the capacity this one does. Anybody have any experience with a larger loader on this size tractor? What are your thoughts, should it be ok, or is it pushing it too far? The lift capacity of the loader is 1300 to full height and 2200 breakout.

 

[yooper1]

Congrats on the new acquisition.

And yes, we wanna see pics


and no, I have no advice on the loader....sorry

 

[mcgyve]

Front tires come to mind, I have a 1520/7108 loader with all 4 tires loaded and when I move big rocks and am maneuvering my front tires look like they're going to roll right off the rim sometimes in a tight turn. Go slow and keep an eye out

 

[jinman]

If your Rhino loader also has a subframe, I would not be worried about stressing the tractor running gear. If it does not have a subframe, your concerns may be valid. Is your tractor the older 1520 or the newer T1520 tractor? The lift capacity for that 2408 loader is around 1300 lb at the pins, but New Holland always rates loaders at 19" forward to more closely represent a loader bucket attached. With that measurement the 2408 has a lift capacity of a bit over 1000 lb, so it is not excessively more than the 7308 in my opinion. It's always good to take it easy with maximum loading, but I would not be terribly worried. I think you've bought a tractor with nice loader and one you will enjoy.

 

[Jnasystems]

Well, I think it is the older style, but I am not 100%. Also not sure about a sub frame either, for that matter; I didn't know that loaders ever had sub frames. My Kubota just had a couple of brackets that bolted to the tractor frame, but I didn't pay too much attention to this one's mount. I did notice a channel that goes around the front of the tractor that appears to also be the rear support when removed from the tractor. The loader looks a lot like the 7108, but again I am not sure. I will have the tractor Monday, so I will take some pictures then and post them here. I will definitely know more about it then - should be able to look up the serial number and find out a bunch more about it.

Thanks for the info about how they are rated - that makes me fell both better and worse. Better in that I don't need to be as worried, but worse in that it may not lift as much as I thought. Still a bunch more than the BX.

 

[jinman]

Thanks for the info about how they are rated - that makes me fell both better and worse. Better in that I don't need to be as worried, but worse in that it may not lift as much as I thought. Still a bunch more than the BX.

The fact that you are concerned and asked the question means you are on top of this issue. I'm afraid I'm a guy who says if your loader won't lift the load, don't get a bigger loader, but rather get a bigger tractor. I think the Rhino loader is at the top of the capabilities for your tractor. My TC45D with 16LA loader has a subframe mount and only lifts about 1600 lb at the very most. That's a 45 hp tractor that weighs 3500 lb. Lifting a ton or more with an Ag loader takes a very big tractor. Many manufacturers publish numbers at the loader arm pins, and those numbers are just not realistic in the "real world."

 

[Jnasystems]

Well, I didn't have enough daylight and forethought to get the serial, but I did drive it around some and used it to grade the drive way with a 7ft rear blade I have for my old Allis WD. Wow was it nice. The Kubota could do it and make it easy on me, but it is hard on the tractor. The Allis can do it just fine, but it doesn't have a real 3pt, so it wanders and doesn't do a good job. This Ford was just right. Pulled it easily, even in 'M', and with the position control it was even easier than the Kubota. Here is a picture I was able to get before loosing light. Maybe I will go out and get it later.

 

[WilliamBos]

Well, I didn't have enough daylight and forethought to get the serial, but I did drive it around some and used it to grade the drive way with a 7ft rear blade I have for my old Allis WD. Wow was it nice. The Kubota could do it and make it easy on me, but it is hard on the tractor. The Allis can do it just fine, but it doesn't have a real 3pt, so it wanders and doesn't do a good job. This Ford was just right. Pulled it easily, even in 'M', and with the position control it was even easier than the Kubota. Here is a picture I was able to get before loosing light. Maybe I will go out and get it later.

Beautiful tractor!! Check ALL loader mounting bolts by what Ford recommends.

Did you get a manual for it??

 

[Jnasystems]

Went out to try and get the serial - much harder to read than I thought. Best I can tell it was built Aug. 18, 1986 on day shift. Is that the old or new style? What is better?

I was also concerned about the loader, still don't know what a subframe consists of, but it does have a bracket on each side, but I couldn't tell if it was bolted onto a frame, or part of the drive train. There is also a bracket that is bolted to the frame up front. It holds the hoop that goes around the engine.

 

[WilliamBos]

Gets some pics of the loader mount on daylight, and post them here.