In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Firewood tractors

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by D2082, Mar 1, 2015.

  1. Screwloose

    Screwloose

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    Do the 3 point forks or the carry all attachments work better for moving wood stacks than the fork attachment for the loader ?
     
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  2. Well Seasoned

    Well Seasoned Administrator

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    X2 good question!
     
  3. fuelrod

    fuelrod

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    Most tractors have a heavier lift capacity at the 3 pt. Just watch out for the wheelie's and familiarize yourself with the r/l brake pedals if you got them.:bug:
     
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  4. fox9988

    fox9988

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    C988A377-15E7-43E0-9F97-13ACC970AA87.jpeg
    White Oak that died in 2012. I lost several that year due to drought.
     
  5. 94BULLITT

    94BULLITT

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    You can lift more on the 3 point hitch. 3 point hitch forks are cheaper. If you have a top and tilt, you can level the load on uneven terrain.

    With the FEL, you can lift higher, like onto a truck. Most FEL forks are adjustable for different size pallets. You can curl/roll the forks if the pallet is not on level ground versus adjusting the toplink on the 3 point.
     
  6. Screwloose

    Screwloose

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    I was just wondering, I have a loader and fork attachment. BUT I salvaged a forklift mast that I have been intending on making a 3 point attachment out of. Only problem to overcome is the single acting cylinder will empty a lot of my hydraulic fluid.
     
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  7. Benjamin Turner

    Benjamin Turner

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    Hopefully this works...Here's my little '61 Oliver 550 gas. Freeman loader. Use it for snow plowing driveway, moving wood around property, and plowing up my large-ish garden. 20170910_134038.jpg
     
  8. trail twister

    trail twister

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    I have this new Kubota L3301, while it is a nice tractor and what and about the only thing I like about it is the front loader. I admit it just sips fuel, I have put 15 gallons in it and had 5.5 gallons when it was delivered and I have 58 hours on it. I let my wife talk me in to it as it is new so no need to buy parts for it for some time I HOPE.

    But now I have had it for 58 hours I have learned to be very afraid of it. The seat has perment pleats from my butt cheeks squeasing The cover so many times. Keep that bucket as low as possiable when moving.
    I have the tires loaded with beet juice and I need to add more weight to the wheels but the deep dish design only allows weights that sell for thousand dollars or more for 500 pounds I need about a 1000. So much for cheaper parts arguement. The silly sway bars are just that silly little threaded rod with hook up things welded on the end. Note the one on my tractor that viberated loose when I didn't tighten the jam nit hard enough and droped the 3 pt on frozen ground with weight on the rear.

    [​IMG]

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    What I had been trying to get the wife to let me buy was a 1979 Allis 175 with the front loader with power tilt for the bucket I had been wanting. It has power enough to do about any thing I have been wanting to do yet small enough to slither thru the woods with a whell stance that doesn't scare the chit out of you when you ger the bucket higher than 5 feet while moving. It is also a diesel tractor so would sip fuel compaired to my Ford 5000.
    [​IMG]


    Lawn and garden tractors are nice little tractors for slithering thru the woods collection fire wood. Their big draw back is the short wheel base and belt drives on most brands/models. ATV's are also nice for working in the woods the 4x4 models like mine any way but again has draw back of only being able to pull smaller loads than you can with a tractor and again no front loader.

    [​IMG]

    The old truck farming tractors like the Massey Harris pony and pacer, Farmall cubs, Avery, and the John Deer L are perfect sized for working IN the woods. Be a great plus perfect tractor with a front loader too.

    Big tractors with cabs you will have to be really careful IN THE WOODS with you don't hit a low limb hanging down .
    And for get those big buds and carp like that don't even under stand why they were posted on a tractor fire wood thread?


    :D Al
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2018
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  9. Flamestead

    Flamestead

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    My bucket only goes up when I’m dumping, and if I’ve got a load and am moving on rough ground the seat belt is fastened. I grew up with tricycle tractors on hillsides, but don’t figure that buys me any special dispensation in the future. Part of why we bought the Kubota was the roll bar and seat belt for our kids (rule was seat belt always fastened). Because of the hillside logging I do, I’ve got the rear tires adjusted out to their maximum width. When doing heavy work with the pallet forks (like unloading a ton of fertilizer or stack of lumber) I carry extra weight on the 3pt and try to be facing the tractor straight uphill as I pick the load off the trailer as there are few truly flat spots here.

    Stay safe!
     
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  10. trail twister

    trail twister

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    A dumb seat belt isn't going to stop a sorry designed tractor from rolling over. the stance On my bota if as wide a an 8 N Ford would make it a nicer tractor.

    If they would have put wheels on it like the MH Pacer you could add wheel weights with out having the pay that very special price because old IH, MH,JD, and ford weights don't fit and won't fit in side the rims.
    [​IMG]

    I have 1500 pounds sitting in the barn that won't work, have another 1500 pounds on tractors I can't switch because they don't work.

    If I have to about have the bucket setting on the ground to feel safe when doing any thing I don't like that.

    I grew up with these tractors and never felt afraid I was going to roll one and our farm was hilly too.
    Felt so safe the kids could ride on the fenders too.
    [​IMG]
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    All made great fire wood tractors too.


    :D Al
     
  11. J. Dirt

    J. Dirt

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    Whose in the black and white picture? What is that tractor by the way?
     
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  12. Flamestead

    Flamestead

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    Hadn’t thought of it stopping the tractor from rolling, but that would be a neat trick if it could!

    Knowing people who have died from tractor rollovers makes me take it a bit more seriously.

    Nice pics!
     
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  13. Well Seasoned

    Well Seasoned Administrator

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    X2- hilly here as well so I'm making it a habit to wear it. I rolled the atv one time, -well it flew through the air and landed on me, not something i want to experience again.

    I remember sitting on granpa's lap on the same tractor as the first 2 pics. :yes:
     
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  14. mdavlee

    mdavlee

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    If you have rest remotes you can put a small cylinder in for the top link to adjust level on the 3 pt
     
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  15. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    Adding weight to the rear tires does the tractor very little good when using the Front End Loader. It is not a weight issue that is at work, but rather lever action. The fulcrum in this case is the front axle, so the only way to make the situation better is to get more weight further out!

    The only way to counteract the effects of the Front End Loader is to get the counterweight BEHIND the rear axle. This means a counterweight hanging off the back of the tractor of some sort. I use the weight of my Fransgard Winch; it being on my tractor 95% of the time. A homemade block of concrete, or a 55 gallon drum filled with sand will do a lot more then wheel weights or that of loaded tires (and won't rot your rims or be expensive to replace when you drive over a cut sapling and puncture a rear tire). Simply adding weight OVER the axle just does not do much good.
     
  16. Dancan

    Dancan

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    [​IMG]

    I have a piece of steel plate 12" wide by 1" thick that I'm going to bolt on the back flat part of the winch , should give it an extra 100 lbs of counterweight .
     
  17. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    I respectfully disagree with the statement "All made great fire wood tractors too". because several of the tractors pictured have narrow front ends. Working them in the woods meant a logger could not straddle stumps quite like wide front end tractors, and if a logger did happen to hit a stump with their front tire, and had their thumbs inside the steering wheel like most people grip a steering wheel, it would instantly spin the steering wheel and break their thumbs.

    I like older equipment, but there is something about innovation too.

    When I bought my Kubota, I was concerned about its smaller size compared to our old Ford 900 tractor, but the salesman made me a deal; if I did not like it after 3 months, he would take it back with no questions asked. I liked our old Ford 900 tractor, but it quickly became apparent the smaller sized Kubota could outwork it.

    Of all the equipment I have used to cut wood, the Kubota does the best in money spent per cord.

    If the going is agreeable to the Kubota (no swamps, long twitches, deep snow, or steep slopes), I average 6 cords of hardwood per day and burn 3 gallons of diesel doing it. My bulldozer could do the same, but burned 5 gallons doing it, while my skidder could get out 10 cord, but burned a whopping 40 gallons. If time is not factored in (a skidder could get out 20 cord in 2 days, where as the Kubota only gets out 12 cords in the same time, but burns a LOT less fuel). That is more money per cord...if time is not a concern.
     
  18. Sourwood

    Sourwood

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    Got my Massey 255 back from having injector pump rebuilt. I generally use it with a round bale mover to lift large trunks and the cut rounds. Been without it and my Mule for a bit.

    Sunny day tomorrow so the Massey will be given the nod. My Mule had two coils replaced and the fou d the oil pressure was low, found a frozen valve and are rplacing that part of the casing. Maybe poor casting? Warranty has just a few weeks left, so the failer was just in time.

    Neither vehicle available was tough. Just moving the splitter to work on some logs was a task.

    The Massey in action at sunup!
     
  19. 94BULLITT

    94BULLITT

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    It does not matter what brand tractor you have, you should keep the loader low. Most compact tractors with loaders, especially smaller ones are sold with R4 tires for the wider stance, for more stability. R4 tires are also wider, allowing for more liquid ballast. If you want a wider stance you can add wheel spacers.Wheel Adapters, Wheel Spacers, Hub Rings for your car! | Motorsport Tech Most tractors in this size range with R4 tires are 64-66'' wide on the rear. Most importantly even though you fluid in your tires, that is not enough ballast to be working the loader with. You need something heavy on the 3 point hitch. You are going to need 600-700lbs probably. If you want to add wheel weights you can, but you still will probably need weight on the 3 point. I'm not sure if you can add much weight with wheel weights on this tractor. Wheel weights still would not be a bad thing to have. If you want wheel weights find a dealer that sells aftermarket weights. They look just like Kubota weight but are $.20-25 less a pound. This place sells weights, be sure you know what you need. Search Results - Lonestar Weights Wheel weight through kubota are $125 each. Again hang something heavy on the 3 point hitch when you use the loader.

    If you did not have jam nut tight, it is going to vibrate loose. Implements cause vibration and will work them loose. You should be able to tighten the jam nut and then periodically check it since you have a quick hitch. Kubota sell upgraded telescopic stabilizers for these tractors.

     
  20. trail twister

    trail twister

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    Have you requested the priceing on those wheel weights? I have and it ain't a pretty picture either.
    spacers not designed on the tractor from the start put added stress on the axels too.

    :D Al
     
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