front end loader strength

[james9n]

was wondering how much weight can your typical front end loader thats on a 8n/9n can lift...also weight that the front end can handle?---specifically does anyone use them to move round bales of hay?
 

[JMOR]

[sfurn52]

I wouldn't want that much weight out front on mine!

In addition to destroying the front end you can get real queasy in the stomach when you lift the rear wheels off the ground - been there ---

I guess you could get enough weight on the rear end to make it work though if you so inclined.
 

[Den N Ms]

Not a good idea,to hard to steer,front axle is built to light,weight needed on the back or the rear tires will have no traction,depending on what loader(weak hydraulics).
 

[Royse]

I have a FEL on a 9N and on a NAA.
If you can get enough weight on the back to hold it down, you won't
be able to steer it once you lift the bale.
I added power steering to my Jubilee, and I've moved round bales with it,
but I will only do it as a last resort.
I find the loaders very handy for light work on the N's, but moving round
bales is just not their calling.
That's just from a usability stand point.
The wear and tear on a front end that was not designed for that is whole other problem.
Lots of N's out there with loaders, have been for years, but they come with a maintenance premium.
 

[old]

Many many factors come into play on this one. Type of loader size of cylinders and that type of thing. Plus if you factor in tires full of fluid and say a blade on the back or other such counter weight etc. A good heavy duty loader can/will stand a tractor up on its front wheels if your lift to much BTDT and not fun. I have come close to many times top laying one on its side and again not fun. This is how I counter weight my loader tractor. Heavy duty back blade as in 300 plus lbs. 6 85lbs suit case weights and a 150lbs wheel weight on the center link area and fluid filled tires and able to pick up 2000lbs plus on the loader but this is an 841 also

 

[jammison]

[james9n]

ookaaaay....sounds like a big negatory. I just happened to have seen a cheap 8n with a bucket loader attached and thought maybe i could put a spear on it......wont be buying it.

Any recomendations on a smaller reasonably priced tractor that can handle it. Handle it easy as i dont want to have any problems. I have a big case i could put a loader on but would kinda like to find something small but capable yet easy on the pocket book.

thanks for everyones replies btw...probably saved me from a big headache because even though i have a 9n already i was seriously eyeballin that 8n with the loader.--thanks from talking me off the ledge
 

[Bulldozer]

Doing a strength calculation on a napkin, come up with a safety margin of 33%, based on a front load of 1000#.
Seems like a reasonable margin, since the part is cast and castings have flaws.

The center axle is the weak link compared to the spindle, 6 center support bolts and center king pin.

Don't know if the rear wheels would lift off the ground with this load.
 

[NoNewParts]

Just my opinion,
but after removing various brand loaders from
8N/9N's and dealing with their weight.
an empty loader, lifting nothing is
still too heavy for a N

just moving them, like JMOR says, the rear lift is better.
front lifting them onto wagons or feeders= BIG tractor
 

[old]

Just some things to think about in looking for and finding a loader tractor. You want 2 way lift cylinders so you can do some real dirt work as in 2 hyd lines on each cylinder. #2 you want power steering no questions ask there or you will after a few weeks be causing it or looking like the Hulk. #3 you want a way to off set the front end weight like in the picture I posted and even then you can find it is not enough. And now the biggest thing to remember. ALWAYS when you have a loader you keep the load as close to the ground as you can so as to not flip your tractor over on its side
 

[Jerry/MT]

The N series Fords were really not structurally designed for front end loaders. The loaders that were disigned for them were used to load manure, etc. Picking up and moving big round bales with them is risky business.
Using the three point to move big round bales might be possible if you could suitably weight the front end to keep the front wheels on the ground. The lift will only pick up ~ 800-900 pounds at the lift pins and even less when the load center of gravity is a few feet behind the lift pins.
If you are serious about moving big round bales, start looking for a bigger tractor that can handle them.
 

[MeanGene1]

When my gramps had the lime spreading business in NY, we had several stockpiles around the area to load from, so had a bunch of loader tractors over the years. TO-20 and 30, 340 Utility, Fordson Major Diesel (with manual steering- miserable sucker to steer with a full bucket), 2wd Trojan, 4wd Michigan 75A, and the one he kept after selling the business for plowing snow and loading coal, a big-bore 8N with a step-through Wagner loader that had been rode hard. Loaded tires and a 55 gal drum on the 3pt drawbar filled with old cylinder heads topped off with lime for a counterweight, and they figured the weight per bucketful of Basic Bulk lime at 900lbs when loading. By the time it came home from lime pile duty, the front axle was seriously tweaked, had a lot of camber and steered pretty stiff. Tough old buggar though, I plowed snow before the school bus many days with it, 8 volt battery to start better, and the big-bore engine was pretty strong. We used to use it to change and adjust the rear wheels on the 706D's, and it would pick up the unloaded 13.6-38's OK, but not the loaded 15.5's with weights, had to kind of scoot those across the ground- you didn't even think about the loaded 18.4-34's with weights