Go Bottomlifting odd loads
 | Scott Seaborne
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2000-09-29 20154
I am awaiting the delivery of my new 4300. The loader was ordered with a 61" heavy duty bucket. This is my first tractor. It seems obvious how to pick up soil, snow, rocks etc. but can anyone suggest ways to configure my loader to lift odd loads such as a large carpet roll? What's the best way to lift a box scraper onto a trailer or pickup truck bed? A friend of mine attached a large hook to the upper cross member of his bucket. To that he attaches chains or nylon snatch straps to wrap around loads with irregular shapes. I'd like to know if there are other techniques. Thanks
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2000-09-29 20165
There were discussions on this subject that should be in the archives. You also should read safety and especially blasting discussions. When carrying a heavy load in the bucket, you need weight on the rear. Box scrapers are often used for rear ballast. There are fork attachments for buckets that help: Some attach to the bucket, and some replace the bucket. One way is to carry things on top of the bucket and use chain and hooks to secure loads to the lift arms. Chain, in this case, is usually grade 70 or better transport chain, and hooks are grab hooks. Grab hooks are sometimes welded or bolted to bucket tops. Chain won't slide through a grab hook, which have a narrow slot. A chain link is inserted sideways, and the adjacent links won't slide through the slot.
Loads on chain can be lifted with the loader. Chain is sometimes run through the centre pipe of the loader arms to keep from damaging hydraulic lines. Loads should be fairly well centred. It's possible to 'spring' a loader frame. However, you should be aware that long loads on chain tend to swing and can easily mash the tractor grill. Also, loaders lift in an arc. Loads get closer to the tractor when lifted. Note that loads also go forward when lifted from ground level. It's possible to break a wall while trying to pick up something against it.
How to get a scraper out of a truck bed? I'd do it with my 3ph pallet forks. I never solved the problems using the loader for material handling to my satisfaction, so I bought pallet forks. I found as you probably will that you don't have enough reach on the loader to chain to the centre of the scraper from the back of the bed. And, the loader won't go high enough to lift over the side. Remember the arc. A high bucket is over the front of the tractor. I'd probably slide the scraper off on ramps. My wife and I managed to slide a 550# snow blower down ramps. The main thing about ramps is to get the ramp angle low. Park the truck with its rear wheels in a hole. Better yet, back up to the side of a hill. Best of all, build a loading dock. A dock can be nothing more than a bed high vertical dug into the side of a hill. Fence posts can be put in for a retaining wall if necessary. With a good dock, the scraper can be just pulled out of the bed onto skids. Ramps aren't needed. In general, things are pulled from the draw bar and nowhere else (see safety discussions) . Some people might pull with the bucket. Then, the front of the scraper can be lifted so it won't dig in. However, there is some risk, and safety subjects should be understood.
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| Randy Eckard
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2000-09-29 20167
One way I have found to lift 3ph implements with the loader is to put the cutting edge of the loader under the lower link pins/brackets, then put a pin through the top link mast and run chain around the bucket to pin you just put in(you will find that if you get a large enough chain/hook you can slip the hook over the cutting edge then the chain around the bucket). You will then find that when you curl the bucket back the chain tightens and lifts the implement up with the cutting edge carrying the load. This can be done with many other objects also once you understand where to place the cutting edge.
But always remember to stay clear of any object lifted no matter how confident you are of your means of attachment.
Randy ....
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| Scott Seaborne
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2000-09-29 20184
Thanks guys,
Excellent advice! I will have a box scaper and ballast box for counter weighting loads in the front. Will either of those be sufficient when using the loader to lift most loads? (I will be lifting/rolling some granite boulders around, moving sand as well as trying to put my implements on a trailer
When using the ballast box, what do you reccommend I fill it with? Rocks, sand, gravel, scrap iron? Will the ballast box do the job or do you think I should invest in wheel weights? I decided against liquids in the tires.
Thanks Again! ....
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| Halsey Green
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2000-09-30 20195
Getting things out of the bed of a pickup truck is always a problem, usually can't lift them high enough. I use the loader (using chains or straps) to lift the load off the bed floor then drive the truck out from under the load. Just keep an eye on clearances as you drive off, dips and bumps always cause problems. ....
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| Ted Kennedy
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-09-30 20200
Hi Scott, I can offer you an alternative to the excellent suggestions from those who have responded so far. Kasco Manufacturing (www.kascomfg.com) offers a line of hitching equipment that I have found indispensible in the landscaping business. I added a "Uni-Hitch" to the front of my loader that converts the loader to a skid steer (you know, Bobcat loader) type receiver. Now my bucket is removable by throwing two levers, and I can attach any one of the hundreds of skid steer attachments that are available. While I have a three point hitch with 1 3/4 ton lift I also have a backhoe that obstructs it. I can remove the hoe, but it does take some effort, and many jobs require switching attachments frequently and quickly. Now I don't have to remove the hoe, especially when digging out some large rocks that won't fit the loader bucket. Now I drop the bucket and hitch the pallet forks to the loader. These forks, I find, work better than the 3pt hitch type as they give me full loader height of 7 + ft. They also give better reach and work great with logs, rocks, scrap, pipe, balled plantings, etc., and even pallets. I can also hitch to a skid steer bale spike, this will work with some carpeting like large rolls of runner, however, the pallet forks would probably work well with regular carpet. Binder chain and welded bucket hooks work, but beware, a chain slung load such as granite (I use a lot in landscaping) can swing into the front of that beautiful green machine without any way of stopping it. I have a 2 ton weight box which I never use anymore, when I did, I used suitcase weights because I could accurately assess my counter-load. A rule of thumb, load the box with 50 lbs. over the lift capacity of your loader so long as it doesn't excede your 3 pt. hitch capacity. One last note, if you haven't guessed by now, there are many goodies out there for the compact tractor and as my wife has said all too often when the mailman comes, "...what next?" Let us know what you decided on and how you like you machine, good luck! ....
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| David B.
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2000-10-01 20210
When lifting 3 pt implements on or off a trailer, I tie the implement to an adjacent tree to limit swing. I like to move the trailer rather than the implement withthe tractor.
To load I lift the implement and back the traier under it. To unload, I lift and drive the trailer away, then drop.
With smaller tractors' its to easy to damage the front end with swinging implements.
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2000-10-02 20245
Just a comment on comparing 3ph and loader forks. I believe that each work well and each have their own advantages. In my case, my 3ph forks will lift more than the loader will. It lifts to 5.5 foot, which is enough to pick pallets off of most trucks. It gives a true vertical lift and carriage tilt--I didn't get the side-shift option. It also has a high backrest between you, the tractor and the load, which is very comforting when you've got a 1000 lbs. in the air. I think most loader forks also have backrests, but with either type forks, you don't want to be lifting loads that are higher than the backrest over you or the tractor. Of course, there is an advantage to being able to use the forks and the bucket without having to change them.
Since I haven't used loader forks, I don't know if the arms angle below the forks when the forks are lifted high. If they do, that would limit the reach in picking pallets off truck beds. I think they would have to be lifted higher than the bed, and then angled down, or the arms would run into the edge of the bed. With 3ph forks, the entire length of the forks can be placed flat on a truck bed, even at max height. Angling forks down and running under loads may upset them. I also don't know if loader forks are true pallet types the are adjustable in and out, and are hinged to fold up. Without the hinges, the forks can dig into the ground or jam into a truck bed when the carriage is tilted down. Without the hinges, I think I would have upset many loads or dug up a bunch of things. Without the adjustment, you can't necessarily match the fork notches in some pallets.
I imagine many of these features also are available in loader forks, and I think they're important features to consider irrespective of which type of forks are purchased. Of course, the cost of 3ph forks is greater than for loader fork attachments, but then I did end up with a hydraulic top link for the carriage tilt. Without the top link to use on my box scraper, I'd probably still be trying to finish this summer's grading. I hope some of this even contains some useful information for getting box scrapers out of pickups. At the least, remember the hydraulic top-link. Once you use one with a scraper, you'll consider the scraper pretty useless without it.
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