Lift pallet of wood pellets with front loader hack?

[gummo96130]

Is this insane? I can’t afford pallet fork at present but want to load palleted wood pellets in my garage. I really only need to lift the pallet up and drive the truck away. Then I can skid them around. Anyone ever try this?

 

[scootr]

Try what? How are you going to lift the pallet without forks?

 

[dodge man]

I suppose a guy could rig up straps or something to lift it from above. Also bolt on pallet forks are an option.

 

[gummo96130]

Did it with straps. Scary though. Gonna buy forks asap

 

[nyone]

Dont try clamp on forks with weight like that. Get a real set. Express steel and tomahawlk have made in USA stuff for less than chinese price.

 

[5030]

Keep in mind that a skid of pellets weighs 2000 pounds. You need real pallet forks not clamp on ones and a fairly good sized tractor too.

 

[repete]

According to Tractor Data your loader can lift that weight "At the pins".
I always look at the load path to the ground to find the weakest link. You have 2K hanging out front of the pins so let's adjust that to say 2400 pounds for leverage. We can then add the weight of the loader itself of about 750 pounds, we are now at around 3150 pounds. Then add the tractor weight of maybe 1500 pounds to get to about 4650.
Now the weakest link, start with your tires, are they rated for 2325 pounds each (that will be on the tire)? Then the front axle (2335 on each axle end)? Then the single center pivot pin that supports the tractor on the axle for 4650 pounds? Etc. If you can answer yes at each point then just be careful and use a counter balance.

TractorData.com LS MT342 tractor dimensions information

www.tractordata.com

Also bear in mind unless you are in 4wd you will have nearly NO braking ability with the rear axle "unloaded".

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

Is this insane? I can’t afford pallet fork at present but want to load palleted wood pellets in my garage. I really only need to lift the pallet up and drive the truck away. Then I can skid them around. Anyone ever try this?

One of my neighbors is a regular at lifting heavy loads with his tractor, when I replaced his bearing on the front left wheel it had severe spalling on the edges of the bearing race. Bearing fatigue from constantly lifting loads to heavy for the intened use of his tractor.

From time to time I used to unload equipment that is right at the limits of the weight capacity of my little tractor. But I didn't drive with the load, I set it on the ground and use a pallet jack to move it around.
tiltbed trailer and the pallet jack sovled this issue for me.

 

[jyoutz]

When I had a smaller tractor, I just had an extra pallet and loaded 1/3 the bags by hand onto the spare pallet. Then I lifted and moved them both separately.

 

[deserteagle71]

Keep in mind that a skid of pellets weighs 2000 pounds. You need real pallet forks not clamp on ones and a fairly good sized tractor too.

^This!

I unload my wood pellets with my Kubota M7060HDC12 every year. I have to have my rotary mower on the 3-point hitch or all I do is lift the back of the tractor in the air. Keep in mind all that weight is several feet in front of the front axle - tremendous leverage taking weight off the back of the tractor. And if I don't pump up the front tires to at least 30 psi, when I lift the pallet the tires look like they've gone flat.