Tractor Lifting Capacities

[vfauto]

I had a John Deere 4310 (32hp)HST 4x4 and I just upgraded to a Kubota L5240 (54hp) HST 4x4.The rated lifting capcity was almost double on the new tractor but it does not seam to lift much more if any than the old smaller JD. What is everyone using and what can you lift weight and log size?

  

 

[Magicman]

Nothing Runs Like a Deere.   

[ladylake]

 Seems like the newer machines have a relief safety valve built in so they wont pick the back end off the ground where most older machines didn't.   Steve

[UpInATree]

Lifting capacities are typically exaggerated now by testing it at the pivot pin (where the back of your bucket or forks attach.  If your new tractor has longer forks or a longer front to the bucket which places the load further away from the loader it will decrease performance from the spec significantly.  The weight of the bucket and/or the pallet forks is subtracted from the lifting capacity as well, so if your new machine has heavier hardware it factors in.  I got myself a beautiful hydraulic grapple from Bradco and mounted a hydraulic wrecker winch onto it.  The tool works great but weighs about 1300 lbs itself.  I have had a few very large logs that I could grab, but couldn't lift even with my Kubota M9540!  If I take the grapple off and use forks, I can pick up more weight.

[Magicman]

It still has to be disheartening to vfauto and others who read the specifications, crunch the numbers, buy a new machine, and then are not pleased with the performance.   

It almost seems like you need to back up 30 years. 

[Lance T]

Ive got a 10yr old 35hp Mahindra 3510 and the front end will lift more than my uncles 3 yr old 40hp Kubota tractor.

[5quarter]

Comparing your pictures, it seems that the bucket on your Kubota extends further from the tractor than the forks do on your Deere. As upinatree says, may be the big reason for the discrepency. Still a great tractor though.

[lumberjack48]

By pass the safety valve, turn the valve bank wide open, she'll lift on till something brakes.

This is the way father did it, then as stuff broke he reinforced it   

We bought a new Barko 60 loader, the first month all he did was weld on it, but it would lift.
I picked up a 1958 Buick, the complete car and set it on the truck.

[POSTONLT40HD]

I have a 1994 Ford 555C backhoe / loader with the 4 in 1 bucket on the front. Built a set of forks for the front.
She'll pick up a 3,000 pound log easy. But when I do, I never raise the load no higher than the bed of my LT 40.

On your new Kabota, put a heavy weight in the back digging bucket. This will let you pick up a little more on the front.

[redbeard]

Shooting from the hip without looking at a spec. Sheet there are to numbers lifting capacity and breakout capacity which is the pin point, it is the highest number. The further out or away from breakout point less you will lift. Pic of the deere shows log rolled back on forks and closest to the breakout pin point that would be the max lifting that it could lift.

[kevinlt15]

Yea I don't like lifting heavy logs any more than I have to.  I use an olliver 1650 gas and push it to its limits  I break the spindels on ocation. Wich reminds me of A story. A few years we had A horse that died mid summertemps were close to 100 deg. so we had to do something quick. I called the rendering truck to come get the carcus thinking I would get 100$ for it . come to find out they wanted 100$ to pick it up   I had this great idea of bury the horse on my land so I dug the hole with the crawler 5gal desel $18 since I was on A hill side Ionly picked the carcus of the groundjust A little bit and got it over to the hole and snap goes the spindel $175 (used part). I pushed it in the rest of the way with the crawler more fuel $ 20. so it cost me double the money and A day of running an wrenching.  I SHOULD OF PAYED THE $100!!!!

[POSTONLT40HD]

    Good story Kevin! But that's life! 

[bugdust]

I recently bought a JD 5065 and it has great lifting power, but I maxed it out on a big red oak. Regardless of the size you pick most likely you'll be disappointed somewhere. Something to remember, the more weight you attempt to lift the danger factor rises too.

[Don_Papenburg]

I have a little 7710 JD with a 740 loader It will pick up 4000# and breakout 5000# If I can't lift a log with the loader I can tilt the bucket down and raise the loader over the log chain up and lift the log by rolling back the bucket. 

[tractormanNwv]

My newest tractor is a 1969 Massey Ferguson 150 that I'm getting ready to put a loader on, My other tractors are 1951 and older.....I have to agree with MAGICMAN about going back 30yrs, if you want to buy a tractor then buy a tractor, and I'm saying this Respectably as an equipment operator by trade.....some of the older machines are more durable than new machines twice there size, My brother in law has a 1996 case 580 super L backhoe,  and had a 2004 caterpillar 420D, both with cabs, 4by4, and extendahoe, he used his forks on both to set his 6ft by 6ft firewood cage up on the 2nd floor porch out back, the case would do it with no problems....but the cat was a dangerous situation trying to lift it...the bucket cylinder would not hold it and the whole thing would slide off the forks when they tilted down. If you get on YESTERDAYSTRACTORS.com  or ANTIQUETRACTORFORUM.com   you can deal with individuals and not sales companies just wanting to move a machine, nice to have the new smell in the cab, the heat and air, the fesh paint, but what good is it if it's just a grocery getter? not trying to sound mean, but you may want to deal with smaller logs or look at getting a horse.... ( bigger tractor ) I wish you the best of luck, with what ever you do, just don't get hurt in the process.

Jim

[captain_crunch]

Here is my baby Ford 2910 Loader is oversize fer the tractor so it will lift way more than it should

[Bibbyman]

 

 

We tried out a number of loaders back in 94 when we had this big red oak log on the lot.  I tested every machine to see if it would lift this red oak log. The little JCB telescopic boom loader would as would this Terex (the one we bought).  We had a big John Deer loader that was considerably bigger and heavier and about twice the horse power that would not lift it.  A CAT 910 wheel loader wouldn't lift it.

[ladylake]

 I'll never understand why they put the loader so far out front  and front tires too far back .    Steve

[bandmiller2]

Reach on a loader is as important as capacity,thats what lets you load a truck with loose material.The old Bobcats had a reach problem lift the bucket high enough to get over the side boards and you dumped in your lap.That Kubota has reach to load trucks.All loader valves have provisions for a relief valve and a way to adjust it some with the external screw outhers with washers.You want the valve to squeel and bypass just before you lift the rear wheels,thats all shes got.You have to be smart and carefull lifting heavy.Ask one of the mechanics where you bought the tractor how you can raise the bypass pressure. Frank C.

[jdonovan]

I had a John Deere 4310 (32hp)HST 4x4 and I just upgraded to a Kubota L5240 (54hp) HST 4x4.The rated lifting capcity was almost double on the new tractor but it does not seam to lift much more if any than the old smaller JD. What is everyone using and what can you lift weight and log size?

Youve got a deere 4010 series and a Kubota L, I think the 4010's compare more to the smaller Kubota M's. Frame size/weight has a lot to do with how much lift the engineers can put into the design.

Look at where the 'spec' for lift is... more and more I see lift spec's listed as at the loader pin, to 59" high. I don't lift much at the loader pins. The middle of bucket to full height can be as much as 50% less lift capacity. 

I've got a Kubota M59, and with forks on it I've lifted pallets of brick weighing 3500lbs.