need help for a hay bale lifter

[schwede]

hey i was just wonderin if anybody has any ideas for a forklift type deal that can go on the front part of a tractor that can lift large square bales of hay. a normal 3 point used to feed large round bales wont cut it so just wonderin if anybodys got any ideas. see the pic to see the basic size of a large square bale.

[DSW]

Does the tractor have a loader bucket? If so I can think of 2 options.


First you build a plate to replace the bucket with a plate with forks. You frequently see bobcats with something of this sort.
fork 2.jpg



The 2nd option is to have the forks hang from the top of the bucket. The cutting edge of the bucket supports the bottom of the forks. Backhoes or rubber tire loaders frequently use this method to quickly switch between forks and the bucket. Usually there is a rod that goes into hooks or brackets that are welded to the top of the bucket.


forks.jpg

Here's a site with a number of diferent fork options.

http://www.hunttractor.com/other%20a...ents.htm#Forks

[Bigiron]

Yeah. There are many options as far as forks go. The cheapest and easiest route I can think of in case the tractor has a front end bucket is to build a set like they have in the northern tool catalog that you position directly on the cutting edge of the bucket and they actually run back under the bucket for support, and have a clamp type set up that clamps down on the inside of the bucket. The one thing I noticed about this type is that they should have a jam nut so you wont have to keep retightening them every five minutes. I would have to know more about the actual tractor set up for any further input that would be of use. How big are those hay bales in the picture? They look huge!

[Bodybagger]

I use the forklift type to move the 700lb round bales into tight spots. Agreed, the rear mounted 3pt hitch bayonet rod does not allow you to maneuver it very well at all.

The forklift attachments i've seen are a rectangular frame of angle steel and forks of standard C channel. They move bales real nice and allow them to slide off.

Look at the front mounted forklifts at Tractor Supply that replace the front loader bucket. Then use your noggin to duplicate it.

But thinking about it, it would be relly nice to have a trolley crane installed in the big barn...

[Dmaxer]

Schwede,

May not be necessary, but another forum dedicated to welding/metalworking on the farm such as the Tractorbynet may have additional responses from farmers. Consider joining/checking http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/ .

[Twocentsworth]

I made a set of forks with the brackets that weld to the top of the front bucket. If I was lifting and setting pallets they worked real well. The problem with their design is the bottoms of the forks are not attached to the bucket. When trying to set something down, especially something irregular, the forks would pull away from the bottom of the bucket and I could not get free from the lift. If I tipped the bucket forward to compensate for the forks trying to point up, the forks would come off the brackets.
In an emergency I did use them for large round bales.
Hope this helps.

[willy]

Not sure what you have for a tractor/loader, but a friend of mine and myself have been toying around with the idea of building something for their JD8830. What we had in mind was to make an attachment that would replace the loader bucket (some type of quick-attach device that would fit on the loader arms/frame). It would basically have fork lift style tines on the bottom to support the bottom of the bail and frame work around the back with sides that would squeeze in on the sides of the bail using the tractors hydraulics. I have some drawings I made up a while back - I can dig them out and post them if this sounds like it might interest you...let me know.

[schwede]

that would work.

[Super10]

I made a set of forks with the brackets that weld to the top of the front bucket. If I was lifting and setting pallets they worked real well. The problem with their design is the bottoms of the forks are not attached to the bucket. When trying to set something down, especially something irregular, the forks would pull away from the bottom of the bucket and I could not get free from the lift. If I tipped the bucket forward to compensate for the forks trying to point up, the forks would come off the brackets.
In an emergency I did use them for large round bales.
Hope this helps.

At work we have welded hooks inside the bucket and we run a chain around the the forks to keep them from swinging out away from the bucket edge.

[Twocentsworth]

At work we have welded hooks inside the bucket and we run a chain around the the forks to keep them from swinging out away from the bucket edge.

Thanks. That's a good idea and would make these style of forks work much better if the OP wants to go that way.

The bucket I have these on is a 4 in 1 so I can just moditify your idea and wrap the chain around the bottom of the forks and bite the chain with the bucket.