Loader Lifting Capabiliies

[SplodgyHorse]

Hello All, new member here :waves: .

I'm looking to buy a tractor to lift and move square bales of hay - 7-7.5ft long, tightly packed, estimate nearly 500kg (using 7.5 x 3 x 4 as the dimensions of the bales, and 12lbs/sq ft as the density, converted to kg), very heavy bales .

I'll only need to move them a short distance, but as my budget is around £4000 GBP I think my options will be limited without buying a tractor I'm likely to damage when asking it to carry that sort of weight.

Currently have an offer of a Massey Ferguson 240, but have seen a Leyland 270 too.

Without using one of the bales to test the lift before purchase, could anyone advise me as to what make and model of tractor might be up to the job please? I can find tail lift figures online for various tractors, but not loader lift ones. Or perhaps it's more appropriate to ask if there is even a slim chance I'll be able to afford the tractor I need?! All input gratefully received, thanks for reading .

 

[jeff9366]

Massey Ferguson 240 Attachments​

• Attachments

1980 - 1999 200 Series Utility tractor

https://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/000/7/6/761-massey-ferguson-250-attachments.html

Attachment overview

Massey Ferguson 232 loader

Massey Ferguson 832 loader

Loaders fit the two-wheel drive version of the 240.

232 Loader
1800 lbs lift (full at pin)
816 kg
2600 lbs breakout
1179 kg
42.5° dump
25.4 inches reach (dumped)
64 cm
63.4 inches reach (ground)
161 cm
13° rollback (ground line)
106 inches height (at pin)
269 cm
80 inches clearance (dumped)
203 cm
Bucket width: 60 inches
152 cm
Bucket width: 72 inches
182 cm


832 Loader
2400 lbs lift (full at pin)
1088 kg
2969 lbs breakout
1346 kg
35° dump
30 inches reach (dumped)
76 cm
67 inches reach (ground)
170 cm
17° rollback (ground line)
115 inches height (at pin)
292 cm
93 inches clearance (dumped)
236 cm
Bucket width: 60 inches
152 cm
Bucket width: 72 inches
182 cm

 

[jeff9366]

T-B-N ARCHIVE:

Three Point Hitch pallet forks site:tractorbynet.com

Three Point Hitch Bale Spear site:tractorbynet.com

 

[Hay Dude]

Hello All, new member here :waves: .

I'm looking to buy a tractor to lift and move square bales of hay - 7-7.5ft long, tightly packed, estimate nearly 500kg (using 7.5 x 3 x 4 as the dimensions of the bales, and 12lbs/sq ft as the density, converted to kg), very heavy bales .

I'll only need to move them a short distance, but as my budget is around £4000 GBP I think my options will be limited without buying a tractor I'm likely to damage when asking it to carry that sort of weight.

Currently have an offer of a Massey Ferguson 240, but have seen a Leyland 270 too.

Without using one of the bales to test the lift before purchase, could anyone advise me as to what make and model of tractor might be up to the job please? I can find tail lift figures online for various tractors, but not loader lift ones. Or perhaps it's more appropriate to ask if there is even a slim chance I'll be able to afford the tractor I need?! All input gratefully received, thanks for reading .

I am lifting 4‘x4’x8’ bales that weigh 1,500-2,100 pounds. I am currently using a Challenger MT535B. Similar Massey Ferguson model would be a 7475. It will lift one easily and actually 2 easily, but have to keep an eye on front tires and be on stable relatively flat ground with 2 bales.

 

[masseyrider]

You haven't said what kind of surface you'll be working on.
Is it a rolling or level field, a feed lot/barn yard?
How high are you lifting? Are you just positioning them for feeding purposes at ground level or stacking them 2-3 high for storage?
Will the bales occasionally be wet? That can significantly increase weight.
We've had Masseys in and around the 240 range since they began.
I currently have 2 MF563s one with the 232 loader.
I used to load pallets of fruit onto trucks with a MF253 that had the 232 loader.
They probably weighted in at about 1250 1350lbs each.
Needed a rear counter weight and I was on a level, packed gravel yard.
No problem lifting but I wouldn't want to handle that weight in a rougher area.
Don't forget when you have that much weight on the front and only brakes on the rear wheels it can lead to an interesting adventure on an uneven surface.
Does the 240 have wet brakes or drums? The earlier production 240s came with drums. Wets work much better.
Did it come with auxillary hydraulics which will increase capacity.
Also your transmission being an 8x2 could be an issue. With just a super slow low reverse you'll be crawling. It'll feel like flying with a load in high reverse. Hard to control.
Mine had/have the 8x8 trans. which gives you more choices at a safe speed.
For the occasional bale move in the right environment you can probably get away with the mf240. But if it's a daily routine hang on to get something bigger.