# tractor capacity for bale grab



## Keith (Aug 8, 2009)

hello-is there a general rule about how large a tractor/skidsteer is needed to handle a bale grab ? most units that I've seen
{all pictures or videos} seem to have fairly large machines on them
for instance-would a 40 HP tractor or skidsteer be enough power
to handle a 12 bale grapple?
any comments welcome-ks


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## suhrj (Oct 23, 2008)

I think a 40hp tractor would be fine.
I once saw a farmhand 8 bale grapple on an M farmall and it worked great!
Just make sure that your rear end is heavy enough to account for the grapple + bale weight, and I would think that a sturdy wide front would be a must.


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## nwfarmer (Jun 16, 2009)

I have a NH TC55DA 4W and I load 14 seventy pound bales in the bucket to move around the farm. My rear wheels are weighted. I probably could load more but the load gets too unstable.


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

A lot of it depends on how heavy the bales are. Our grabber picks up 18 bales, and it's on a jd7410, with 2 pair of wheel weights (no fluid) and it does fine. i know a guy who uses a 2555 with a similar setup and it seems to work for him. I think that 40hp would be marginal, mostly cause of the size of the tractor - you could either have a big garden tractor, or a small farm tractor. The big factor is how far out front will the weight that you are lifting be? The farther out it is, the more tractor you need to hold it down. 12 bales might be alright on 40hp, but I for sure wouldn't go any smaller, nor would I want to be the guy running it.

Rodney


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

I have a 10 bale and a 12 bale grapple, both on M farmall's. Remember on the grapple, the weight sticks out farther in front of you. Our grapples weigh about 600 pounds and usually run about 70 lb bales, therefor I have about 1300-1400 lbs on the loader. However, this feels more like 1800-2000 lbs comparablly to the bucket or pallet forks. By the way, not your average farmall M's either. Both are equipped with wide fronts, Westendorf quick attach buckets, power steering, live hydraulics with triple remotes, slight modifications to the horsepower, and are weighted to about 10,000 lbs each.


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## chief-fan (Aug 27, 2009)

I use a 8 bale grapple on a Farmall 400. Bales run right at 60 pounds. No fluid but have 2 full wiehts on each rear wheel. I also have the narrow front end. The 400 is rate at 50 hp max but just a little heaver than a standard Farmall M.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

chief-fan said:


> I use a 8 bale grapple on a Farmall 400. Bales run right at 60 pounds. No fluid but have 2 full wiehts on each rear wheel. I also have the narrow front end. The 400 is rate at 50 hp max but just a little heaver than a standard Farmall M.


My M's have fluid, 15.5-38 tires, and 5 sets of rear weights. Run about 60 hp on dyno.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I wouldn't press your luck though, all it takes is one accident to wish you had used a bigger tractor.

I stack with a old JD 400 backhoe and use a JD 401C Industrial to load in the field. The Backhoe is just plain heavy, around 16,000 lbs is what Father claims and the 401C is around 10,000 I'm guessing. Have 2 weights per rear wheel, tires are literally filled full and it also has the cast iron spacers between the wheels and the axles. I also have a rear spear on it and always try to have a bale on the rear to add more counterweight. It's low and wide and I still wouldn't let just anybody start loading bales in certain fields.


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## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

not sure if you want to use an existing tractor or if you are looking to purchase something for the grapple...so I will assume you are looking. If so, do not cut your self short to save a few dollars on size. Also, if you get a tractor vice a skid steer I would get a little bigger tractor and get MFWD if you can fit it into the budget. It will be safer in the long run with a bigger tractor and allow flexibilty if you breakdown with the other tractor. I thought about a skidsteer and talked to alot of folks...they showed me how they actually tore up some ground using a skidsteer and were going back to a tractor. Of course it has been wet here for two years in a row. good luck


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## jeff outwest (Sep 13, 2009)

I have ran a tractor with a balefork my entire life. We have used several tractors over the years. The bigger we get the better we like it. Let's take for example I have a John Deere 4030 with a 265 loader. My cousin runs a John Deere 6420 with a 670 something loader. Both have 12 bale forks on the front. I take the 4030 any day. 4030 being longer and heavier than the newer tractor it just plain works better. Today's 40 hp tractors are nothing like the M's of yester-year. A large frame tractor is your best bet no matter what.


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## BCFENCE (Jul 26, 2008)

Ive got a 15 bale grappel on a 6430 JD fWA, It handels it great but i use the the front wheel assist, Like one poster said theirs going to be alot of weight way out front, Just be carefull , You only need one bad time to mess alot of stuff up, or get hurt or killed.
THOMAS


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## Feed Hay (May 30, 2008)

Friend of mine down the road purchased a small Massey 2625, which even with the MFWD he has said has been a disappointment. Said he wished he had at least gotten a 90hp plus. Also said a bigger two wheel drive would have been better than the small utility he got. Wanted to save money and does not have the hydraulics or size he really needs. As others have said and I agree after talking to my neighbor, it is better to have some size and weight on your side. As he tells me, I should have known little tractors are for mowing yards, regardless of whats the salesperson said it could do. By the way he has a 12 bale grabber and a spike for rounds.


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## Production Acres (Jul 29, 2008)

Keith, you sent me a pm and I cannot get the message board to allow me to respond - something about a security token - I don't understand the problem.

Call me If you want. 800-579-8115 Calvin @ Production Acres 7am to 4pm est.


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## Keith (Aug 8, 2009)

You are going down below the email message & clicking on the Quick Reply, this doesn't work for me either.
What you need to do is right after you read the email there is the green "reply" button, click that & it will pull up the email form for you to write in & then click the "post Quick Relpy button under that.


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## NCSteveH (Jun 30, 2009)

BCFENCE said:


> Just be carefull , You only need one bad time to mess alot of stuff up, or get hurt or killed.
> THOMAS


No kidding, things happen in a flash and when there is weight involved it seems everything is fine till you hit that critical point, then all hell breaks loose and you don't even have time to think "oh crap".







I agree go big with a bale grab, 1000+ lbs hanging out front is nothing to sneeze at. on a sad note I bet this fellow never knew what hit him.Hay Bale Kills Clovis Man - KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo, TX: newschannel10.com


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