It won't lift it! Arrrrr!

[JFoy]

So, twice I've tried to lift loads with the forks on my new BX25D and it wouldn't do it. First was about 500lbs of lumber using the forks. Tonight, I had 400lbs of cement blocks to load in the back of my truck for rear weight due to the snow. Oh yeah! Pallet and tractor time! Loaded the pallet, strapped down the blocks, moved the tractor into position, started to lift, lifting speed got slower and slower, stopped about 6in below my tailgate. What? No! You're kidding me! It's rather disheartening considering I just bought it. sigh.

 

[k0ua]

So, twice I've tried to lift loads with the forks on my new BX25D and it wouldn't do it. First was about 500lbs of lumber using the forks. Tonight, I had 400lbs of cement blocks to load in the back of my truck for rear weight due to the snow. Oh yeah! Pallet and tractor time! Loaded the pallet, strapped down the blocks, moved the tractor into position, started to lift, lifting speed got slower and slower, stopped about 6in below my tailgate. What? No! You're kidding me! It's rather disheartening considering I just bought it. sigh.

Time to buy a pressure gauge/hose/fitting and test the relief pressure against the workshop manual. I think it should have lifted the 400 lbs load. I don't have the manual to tell you for sure and you don't have the gauge. It should set you back just a few dollars. Several of the advertisers here sell them, and you can make up your own too if you are inclined. Then you will know, and can shim the relief valve if necessary. Now you are just guessing (and me too) if it should lift it or not.. but a gauge will tell you. Or ask your dealer to test it and adjust if not to spec.

 

[dchemphill1]

Your tractor is only able to lift 680# 24" from pin. Probably too much weight to far out in front. Try less blocks until you can lift it where you want it.

 

[C4Ranch]

Sorry to hear. If your loader is the la243, should lift 518 away from pins. Sounds like you're right at max...

Here are options...
- try finding a lighter set of forks
- stack your load heavier near the tractor and lighter away from it

 

[Grandad4]

BX's basically lift something around 500 lbs. in the bucket. 500 lbs further out front, such as on a pallet, has more leverage on the tractor and is much harder to lift and very unstable. Load a bucket full of cinder blocks and the BX should lift it without problems. Probably it's not much consolation to you, but the BX's lifting limits are pretty much in line with what can be handled with reasonable safety by such a small tractor using the bucket, just based on what I've seen in using one for 10 years. Even with plenty of counterweight from your backhoe, that's a mighty small machine (narrow in width and short wheelbase), to be getting 500 lbs far out in front and high off the ground.

 

[bcp]

My BX weight lifting test:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/311309-bx-weight-lifting-test.html

Bruce

 

[JFoy]

I knew it was the distance forward of the tractor that was the issue. I put the blocks in the middle of the pallet and should have put them on the edge towards the tractor. Still might have overloaded things but might have pulled it off that way. Ultimately, I loaded them by hand. Heh. Thanks everyone.

 

[bcp]

WARNING! SAFETY VIOLATION AHEAD!

In an "emergency," loaders will hold more than they can lift. So, you can lift an empty pallet into a truck, holding it several inches off the floor, load it, and CAREFULLY move it out. Don't overdo it, and move very slowly and carefully, only as short a distance as needed to lower it to the ground.

Bruce

 

[xring100]

sorry to hear that. There's just no such thing as a perfect tractor. Probably why so many people here have more than one. I think some guys have a tractor for each implement. My tractor will easily lift 3000 lb pallets out of a semi but it's size and weight make it a poor choice for other task.

 

[mdhughes]

This is from TractorData.com:

Breakout force (at 19.685" [500mm]): 992 lbs [449 kg]
Lift to full height (at pin): 745 lbs [337 kg]
Lift to full height (at 19.685" [500mm]): 518 lbs [234 kg]

 

[4570Man]

Were you using bucket clamp on forks? If so wait until scrap prices rise and haul them off. Then buy a real set of pallet forks. Hopefully you got SSQA. You will be amazed at how much more it will lift using a set of forks rather it be SSQA or pin on.

 

[dstig1]

Well all tractors have limits... You work within them. In this case I would have taken off a few blocks until it could lift it high enough. Now you know your upper limit for one. Then slide that partial pallet into the truck, and either hand load the rest (if only a few), or put them on a new pallet and raise that up so you can easily hand load them onto the pallet on the truck from the forks. It doesn't have to be all or nothing, you know...

I ran into a similar situation with my L5240 last fall, but with bigger numbers. I lifted a pallet with 25x80lb bags of mortar = 2000 lbs with my ~400 lb forks. By all accounts, I should not have been able to lift this much (2400 lbs!) - it was a test for my own education on the tractor's limits. That concerned me, so I pulled the top layer of 5 bags off, and then safely loaded the pallet onto my PU, then lifted up the remaining 5 bags by hand. Still a heck of a lot easier than lifting 25 bags by hand.

 

[4570Man]

Loading by hand sucks. When my tractor can't lift it it's time to bring out the big guns. In the past when I didn't have a forklift available I just grabbed an empty pallet, and hand loaded some of the load on it.

 

[JFoy]

Were you using bucket clamp on forks? If so wait until scrap prices rise and haul them off. Then buy a real set of pallet forks. Hopefully you got SSQA. You will be amazed at how much more it will lift using a set of forks rather it be SSQA or pin on.

The forks are a single attachment. I thought about the clamp on forks but decided against it. Wish I had the SSQA but the BX25D dealer did not have that option for me so they're all just quick attach.

 

[JFoy]

Loading by hand sucks. When my tractor can't lift it it's time to bring out the big guns. View attachment 454355 View attachment 454356 In the past when I didn't have a forklift available I just grabbed an empty pallet, and hand loaded some of the load on it.

Ah, if only... SWMBO rolled her eyes when I said I was getting the BX25D. heh

 

[4570Man]

Next time try curling the pallet up. If you can get the tip of the pallet on the tailgate, then curl down and lift up at the same time. It should raise the FEL up and you can push the pallet in the truck.

 

[k0ua]

I still say it should have lifted the 400 lbs to tailgate height, and I still say the relief pressure is likely low. One way to find out is put a gauge on it. If you buy the gauge, and it is within spec, you can blame me.

Hydraulic Pressure Tester

Ken's Bolt on Grab Hooks <<Hydraulics>>

 

[4570Man]

How was the pallet loaded? If it was mostly loaded towards the back of the then I think the BX should have lifted it. If it was evenly distributed over the whole pallet then it probably won't lift it. I lifted a pallet with 1000 pounds of concrete on it with a L3800. The loader is rated to lift 1300 pounds, and by the time you add in the pallet, pallet forks, and SSQA it was easily over 1300 pounds.

 

[JFoy]

How was the pallet loaded? If it was mostly loaded towards the back of the then I think the BX should have lifted it. If it was evenly distributed over the whole pallet then it probably won't lift it. I lifted a pallet with 1000 pounds of concrete on it with a L3800. The loader is rated to lift 1300 pounds, and by the time you add in the pallet, pallet forks, and SSQA it was easily over 1300 pounds.

I loaded the blocks in the center of the pallet so I could strap them down better. That obviously was part of the problem.