loader opinion

[JCD]

Looking for a few quick opinions. I use my 650 for general light chores from mowing to snow removal. I don't think I can afford an upgrade, and I know how handy a loader is so I'm thinking of using the Wagner I've had laying around for a few years. I don't know the model but it has separate brackets that stay on the tractor, with 2 bolt holes and an alignment dowel. It is fully hyd. with down pressure, and single tilt cylinder. Is this the early form of quick-attach? If so how long for "on-off" if I hung the loader from a chainfall or something similar. Overall do you think this would ruin a perfectly good 600 or be a valuable asset?

 

[oldtanker]

If used within the design capabilities of both the tractor and the loader it should be very handy. Go to any used equipment dealer and you can see busted up, patched up loaders on tractors. These are the ones that someone thought they had more tractor and loader than they did. Work slow, take small bites and don't try lifting too much and you will be fine. I have an IH 2001 loader on a 1206 IH tractor. Yea it will handle round bales but my tractor/loader/backhoe plays with em. The TLB is designed to work in the dirt. Most of your older farm tractor loaders are designed for farm chores, like loading a manure spreader. And even then the manure buckets were small so as not to overload the loader frame. The 2001 manure bucker is about 4 feet and takes about 6 buckets to fill my spreader. The TLB has a 1 1/4 yard bucket, 2 buckets fill the spreader.

If you need to move a lot of dirt or do heavy work you can always reat a skidsteer when needed and just use the Wagner for lite stuff.

Rick

 

[souNdguy]

loaders are darn usefull.. if ya got a free one laying around.. put it to sue!

soundguy

 

[Hobbs]

Loaders are great and very worthwhile. I have a Ford 335 that enables me to do many things. Very useful and glad to have it.

 

[Ecnerwal]

Just pay close attention to what oldtanker has said already. It's not hard to overload a farm tractor, and you can rack up a lot of repairs ($$$) if you do - you are stressing the front axle and steering a lot more than any other work the tractor does. Even industrial loader tractors with heavy front ends can be broken. You may also need to hang something off the back to maintain traction.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here and ask if you really want to ruin a perfectly nimble 650 by putting a loader on it?
I'm not saying it would hurt the tractor but a loader sure makes a behemoth out of one of these little Fords. Heavy, hard to steer, long, unweildly.
I would say if most of the tasks you do with your tractor requires a loader then by all means put it on. But if you only occasionally need a loader then having it on will make all the other tasks a real bear.
I have gotten by with a boom pole for lifting heavy objects, a rear scoop for digging and hauling gravel or mulch and a back blade for grading. The rest of the time my tractor stays handy for mowing, plowing, discing and brush hogging.
A guy needs two tractors really. One old galoot with a good loader on it for occasional use.
Another one for everything else.

 

[Big 86]

(quoted from post at 20:26:57 03/15/11) Looking for a few quick opinions. I use my 650 for general light chores from mowing to snow removal. I don't think I can afford an upgrade, and I know how handy a loader is so I'm thinking of using the Wagner I've had laying around for a few years. I don't know the model but it has separate brackets that stay on the tractor, with 2 bolt holes and an alignment dowel. It is fully hyd. with down pressure, and single tilt cylinder. Is this the early form of quick-attach? If so how long for "on-off" if I hung the loader from a chainfall or something similar. Overall do you think this would ruin a perfectly good 600 or be a valuable asset?

JCD,

My Ford 640 had a loader on it when I first got it. As others have already mentioned, added weight causes hard steering, long turn radius, etc. For me, the worst side effect of the loader was in the winter, when I used my tractor to move snow. Way too much weight on the front with the loader, I was constantly getting stuck due to lack of weight on the rear/drive tires. I took the loader off about four years ago, and it was like a whole different tractor, easy steering, short turns, etc.

I am not familiar with the Wagner loader, as mine is a Dearborn and is VERY heavy; so the added weight may not be such an issue for you. I do miss not having the loader at times, sure is handy to lift heavy objects and works great for moving brush/etc without the sore neck from constantly looking over the shoulder. I may put the loader back on one day if I need to, probably take an hour or so to get back on. I am thinking I spent about two hours taking it off, mostly due to moving slow and cautiously since it was the first time and I wasn't exactly sure how to proceed. I know it can be done much faster, and with practice I would guess it can be removed or attached in a half hour or so. My $.02.

As for 'ruining' your tractor, I doubt putting a loader on it will do that. The added weight is hard on front supports, steering componets, tires, etc and will cause a bit more wear. If you are careful using the loader and don't push the limits I doubt you will see any undue failure. The worst possible thing to do is lift overly heavy loads that exceed tractor limits, or even worse use the tractor/loader as bulldozer!!

 

[Firewood]

We have a Ford loader (trip Bucket) on our Ford 861 and I would not be without it. There is just a whole lot of things you can do with it.

The loader has been on there for the 23 years I have owned it and so far no big wear problems on the front end. Course I don't put over 100 hours a year on it.

Folks that talk about a loader making a tractor so hard to steer have had a different experience than I have. Move the tractor a half inch and the steering is no problem.