Adding a Front Loader

Welding Rod

Bit of advice needed if possible.
For my sins I’m doubling up on stock numbers.
Hence double amount of silage bales to handle and feed out etc. Contractor will do the baling.

Currently I have a Zetor Proxima 7441 4WD 75hp no loader. Bought new 3,500 hours. Simple, basic but has been very reliable and it’s in fine nick.
With the extra work feeding, handling, etc, I’m thinking I need a loader.
I’m tempted to put a new loader on the Zetor, as it’s the devil I know etc, etc,. Budget in my head for this €8k or so.
Realistically though, is a 75hp tractor too small / light as a loader tractor? I figure most of the loader work would be in the yard.
Of course the other question is on the gear box, as it’s a basic box with mechanical forward reverse shuttle.

Appreciate a bit of advice .

_Brian

Wouldn’t be a bit too small in my mind

We’ve a loader on an old DB996 and I can’t understand how folk manage without.
Can lift/load bales silage bins/bags of meal, no problem. We’ve a bucket, prongs and recently pallet forks, we’ve no euro brackets but still only takes 5 minutes to change implement alone.

Ours is 2wd and lighter than your Zetor so level ground is important.

When you have it you’ll wonder how you managed without.

emaherx

As _Brian Says your tractor should be a perfect size for front loader and being shuttle and 4wd is an advantage. If you feel it's too light just add weight to the back.

Loader work may increase ware on the clutch but how much really depends on the driver. But pushing bales around with a 3pt bale spike is probably not that different anyway.

patsy_mccabe

Once you have a loader, you'll wonder how you did without it before. If only to save your back, it's worth it.

_Brian

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Once you have a loader, you'll wonder how you did without it before. If only to save your back, it's worth it.

Sounds like an ad for a good wife

Welding Rod

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Once you have a loader, you'll wonder how you did without it before. If only to save your back, it's worth it.

Sure. Often I swore as I didn’t have one. Just have the impression in my mind that ideally you would need upwards of 100hp tractor when horsing 700kg plus bales of silage. Good to hear that my impression is a false one.

patsy_mccabe

No, I'm not saying you'll be grand lifting bales. I've a 65 hp 2wd and I wouldn't lift silage bales with it. You'd be borderline, I'd say.

Grueller

90 hp 4wd here does all the feeding. About 250 bales a year, mchale bales and also about 60 acres of pit with a 4ft shear grab. Absolutely no bother to it and no weight on the back either.

emaherx

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

No, I'm not saying you'll be grand lifting bales. I've a 65 hp 2wd and I wouldn't lift silage bales with it. You'd be borderline, I'd say.

HP has little to do with ability to lift bales. The 4WD axle will be stronger than a 2WD, a counter weight will stabalize the tractor and the Zetor has more than enough hydraulic pressure to work a loader at those weights.

_Brian

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

No, I'm not saying you'll be grand lifting bales. I've a 65 hp 2wd and I wouldn't lift silage bales with it. You'd be borderline, I'd say.

That surprises me, our DB is probably 55-50hp, 1974, no major overhaul and lifts a bale full height at maybe 1200rpm, we have a balance weight at the rear but plan a bigger one.

Who2

I’d be more of the inclination that you’d be better off changing the tractor and buying one with a loader. If you put 8k to what you have and and another couple of quid you should have a more capable machine.

Dunedin

Who2 wrote: »

I’d be more of the inclination that you’d be better off changing the tractor and buying one with a loader. If you put 8k to what you have and and another couple of quid you should have a more capable machine.

+1 on that.

_Brian

Who2 wrote: »

I’d be more of the inclination that you’d be better off changing the tractor and buying one with a loader. If you put 8k to what you have and and another couple of quid you should have a more capable machine.

75ho tractor will do allot of work on most farms and be well able for a loader. Plus it’s a low enough hour one owner tractor that’s never carried a loader.
OP could go off and buy a tractor that’s had a loader on it from new, driven by god knows who and suffered dogs abuse, tarted up and sold on. Adding a loader to OP tractor is hardly going to cost the €8-10k either.

Who2

_Brian wrote: »

75ho tractor will do allot of work on most farms and be well able for a loader. Plus it’s a low enough hour one owner tractor that’s never carried a loader.
OP could go off and buy a tractor that’s had a loader on it from new, driven by god knows who and suffered dogs abuse, tarted up and sold on. Adding a loader to OP tractor is hardly going to cost the €8-10k either.

Quicke basic range will be around 6k plus vat plus fitting plus attachments. Sonarol around the same and rossmore around the same. Next quicke is around 10k. 75hp is too small for any real work and Theres no point throwing good money after bad.

emaherx

Who2 wrote: »

Quicke basic range will be around 6k plus vat plus fitting plus attachments. Sonarol around the same and rossmore around the same. Next quicke is around 10k. 75hp is too small for any real work and Theres no point throwing good money after bad.

OP hasn't suggested that tractor will do any real work though. Bigger tractor may be of little advantage with a bigger fuel bill.

A good second hand loader is also a possibility.

leoch

Is it an awkward job fitting a loader and frame to a mf 5455 and is there something about a single or small oil flow or pump would make a loader perform very slow ??

emaherx

leoch wrote: »

Is it an awkward job fitting a loader and frame to a mf 5455 and is there something about a single or small oil flow or pump would make a loader perform very slow ??

Should be an easy job. Single pump shouldn't be slow. But rear arms will be isolated while working loader spools. Tandem pump allows operation of arms and spools independently but loader is slow in this mode (but has ability to manually isolate arms to speed up loader). Not too often you would want to run arms and loader at same time so either way shouldn't be an issue.

Welding Rod

emaherx wrote: »

OP hasn't suggested that tractor will do any real work though. Bigger tractor may be of little advantage with a bigger fuel bill.

A good second hand loader is also a possibility.

Not sure what is considered “real” loader work.
For me the heaviest loader work will be stacking and feeding silage bales. Say total 300 bales per year. Most will be stacked on the ground in the yard direct off 3 point link. Might stack 40 to 50 two high with loader.
Feeding them into the passage in winter would be the main work. Just break them up with the spike to make forking easier. Add to that unloading a trailer of straw or hay and stacking in shed. After that just tipping around the yard with bits and pieces.
So the idea of hanging on to the tractor I’ve had from new and fitting a loader appeals to me as I know the tractor is A1.
Anyway, think I’ll shop around between now and feeding time, to get real facts and figures on putting a loader on my own, and maybe trading for a low hour loader 90 hp tractor with loader.

Welding Rod

Grueller wrote: »

90 hp 4wd here does all the feeding. About 250 bales a year, mchale bales and also about 60 acres of pit with a 4ft shear grab. Absolutely no bother to it and no weight on the back either.

What make tractor?

emaherx

Welding Rod wrote: »

Not sure what is considered “real” loader work.

Think your tractor is well capable of doing the very real loader work you want to do. A previous poster said a 75hp tractor is not capable of real work, I'm taking it they mean general farm work.

I for example mow, bale, agitate and spread slurry with a 90hp tractor it also has a loader.

I also have a 75hp tractor with a loader and as a loader it is every bit as capable as the 90hp. Infact they are practically the same tractor except the 90hp tractor has larger tyres and a turbo.

croot

emaherx wrote: »

Not too often you would want to run arms and loader at same time so either way shouldn't be an issue.

I have a 5455 with loader and I never isolate the arms because I’d rarely just be using the loader on its own. It’s not that slow with both really.

leoch

Wat year is ur 5455 croot

fastrac94

Price Ashley gribben in northern ireland for a second hand loader,he usually has selection in stock,buy of him and get ur own man to fit and u should b around half the price of a new one,good second hand quickie or the likes would last a carefull man a lifetime with 200 odd bales a year..

leoch

There is a very good mf 946 on donedeal self levelling and suspension i think its 5150 stg good looking loader dont know if its the right size for a 5455 come to think of it i think it ssid it came of a 5455 dont think that includes the buckets

emaherx

croot wrote: »

I have a 5455 with loader and I never isolate the arms because I’d rarely just be using the loader on its own. It’s not that slow with both really.

If you have a tandem pump, it's twice as fast with both pumps linked (and rear arms disabled). If you have a single pump loader uses same pump as rear arms (which is quick anyway) but just pauses flow to arms while using spool and resumes as soon as you let go so not an issue at all either way.

Bass Reeves

OP Zetor 7441 would be well capable of lifting a bale with a loader. You may need a counter weight at the back or what a lot of lads do is carry a bale on a spike at the back.Get the loader plumbed into her rather than on the spools. A Rossmore FL45 would be plenty big for her and should come in around 7Kish. There is some eastern European loaders around which may come in 1-2k cheaper. Some lads importing them are only importing the bigger loaders. Brogan in Cloghan in importing some of the smaller Metal Technik Loaders. They are still capable of lifting a 1.5 ton payload. some lads make the mistake of putting heavier stronger loaders on smaller tractors which can often be a strain on them

croot

leoch wrote: »

Wat year is ur 5455 croot

It’s an 05

Nobbies

Not really adding much too the thread here,but i seen a mf loader not attached to tractor today in local dealers and the lower frame/beams where bent well back up towards the upper frame.both rams as well in ahoop.never seen anything like it.this loader couldn't have being more than 2year old with how clean it was.how it could happen beyond me?

emaherx

Nobbies wrote: »

Not really adding much too the thread here,but i seen a mf loader not attached to tractor today in local dealers and the lower frame/beams where bent well back up towards the upper frame.both rams as well in ahoop.never seen anything like it.this loader couldn't have being more than 2year old with how clean it was.how it could happen beyond me?

Anything is possible!

cjpm

emaherx wrote: »

Anything is possible!

Something similar happened me with a buck rake on a loader. Was speeding down a hill to pull out a stuck trailer. Loader fairly low to ground with rake angled slightly downwards. Hit a slight bump and the tips of the rake got caught in the ground. Abrupt stop! I nearly went through the windscreen. Lesson learned

wrangler

cjpm wrote: »

Something similar happened me with a buck rake on a loader. Was speeding down a hill to pull out a stuck trailer. Loader fairly low to ground with rake angled slightly downwards. Hit a slight bump and the tips of the rake got caught in the ground. Abrupt stop! I nearly went through the windscreen. Lesson learned

I saw a fairly new Fendt that that happened to too, going flat out and loader dug in and broke the tractor in two same as emaherx example

lakill Farm

if your spending 8k on a loader, spend 400/500 on a rear weight for the tractor.

Tractor will be a lot more balanced when handling bales of silage and heavy weights especially with smaller tractors. I have a weight box on 105 hp 4 cylinder and tractor is totally different now with it


and put soft ride on the loader if at all possible.

chillyspoon

emaherx wrote: »

HP has little to do with ability to lift bales. The 4WD axle will be stronger than a 2WD, a counter weight will stabalize the tractor and the Zetor has more than enough hydraulic pressure to work a loader at those weights.

+1; I agree - our (smaller) 1970s Zetor 6911 has no problem lifting bales with a Quicke 2030 loader.

twin_beacon

I would also consider a small loading shovel or teleporter, especially if turning into the shed is a little tight. Bearing in mind, that your turning circle will be reduced when you have a loader on, and a bale on the end if it. Something that articulates or had 4 wheel steering would be handy in such an instance.

I'd love one for our yard.


If you get the loader on the tractor, make sure you keep the receipt of the work done, so you can prove that the loader was only fitted later in its life if you are selling or trading your current machine.

lakill Farm

twin_beacon wrote: »

I would also consider a small loading shovel or teleporter, especially if turning into the shed is a little tight. Bearing in mind, that your turning circle will be reduced when you have a loader on, and a bale on the end if it. Something that articulates or had 4 wheel steering would be handy in such an instance.

I'd love one for our yard.


If you get the loader on the tractor, make sure you keep the receipt of the work done, so you can prove that the loader was only fitted later in its life if you are selling or trading your current machine.

Skidsteer seem the job or even jcb 2cx

Grueller

lakill Farm wrote: »

Skidsteer seem the job or even jcb 2cx

I don't get the skidsteer love at all. Yes they are handy but a jcb 520 40 or the likes would be almost as manouverable and far more versatile. I have operated both and would plump for the jcb for all bar a small number of specialised jobs.

Attie

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1526767674253462/permalink/2147126075550949/?sale_post_id=2147126075550949

lakill Farm

Grueller wrote: »

I don't get the skidsteer love at all. Yes they are handy but a jcb 520 40 or the likes would be almost as manouverable and far more versatile. I have operated both and would plump for the jcb for all bar a small number of specialised jobs.

For smaller sheds the skid steer are handy. I like the jcb robot with the side door

josephsoap

Wasn’t sure weather to start a new thread on this or not but if the op buy a loader it may be relevant then to him.

When travelling on the road with a loader and bale spike ...was is the correct position to have the loader and spike in?,

I travel with the loader up just past the height of the cab on the bale spikes tilted facing towards the road/ground,

However, I was talking to a friend the other day and he said he travels on the road with the loader down below the bonnet of the tractor and the bale spike parallel to the road , it just seemed a bit dangerous to me when traveling on country roads. However I see plenty of lads driving like this too.

Grueller

josephsoap wrote: »

Wasn’t sure weather to start a new thread on this or not but if the op buy a loader it may be relevant then to him.

When travelling on the road with a loader and bale spike ...was is the correct position to have the loader and spike in?,

I travel with the loader up just past the height of the cab on the bale spikes tilted facing towards the road/ground,

However, I was talking to a friend the other day and he said he travels on the road with the loader down below the bonnet of the tractor and the bale spike parallel to the road , it just seemed a bit dangerous to me when traveling on country roads. However I see plenty of lads driving like this too.

I do the same as you. Always think bale spikes down and out are lethal.

emaherx

josephsoap wrote: »

Wasn’t sure weather to start a new thread on this or not but if the op buy a loader it may be relevant then to him.

When travelling on the road with a loader and bale spike ...was is the correct position to have the loader and spike in?,

I travel with the loader up just past the height of the cab on the bale spikes tilted facing towards the road/ground,

However, I was talking to a friend the other day and he said he travels on the road with the loader down below the bonnet of the tractor and the bale spike parallel to the road , it just seemed a bit dangerous to me when traveling on country roads. However I see plenty of lads driving like this too.

Loader up with spike facing down. But loader down if no implement on it.

josephsoap

emaherx wrote: »

Loader up with spike facing down. But loader down if no implement on it.

Right, wasn’t aware of driving with loader down if no implement.

Do you raise the loader up when say turning from a farm lane/junction onto another road for visability ?

wrangler

Welding Rod wrote: »

Bit of advice needed if possible.
For my sins I’m doubling up on stock numbers.
Hence double amount of silage bales to handle and feed out etc. Contractor will do the baling.

Currently I have a Zetor Proxima 7441 4WD 75hp no loader. Bought new 3,500 hours. Simple, basic but has been very reliable and it’s in fine nick.
With the extra work feeding, handling, etc, I’m thinking I need a loader.
I’m tempted to put a new loader on the Zetor, as it’s the devil I know etc, etc,. Budget in my head for this €8k or so.
Realistically though, is a 75hp tractor too small / light as a loader tractor? I figure most of the loader work would be in the yard.
Of course the other question is on the gear box, as it’s a basic box with mechanical forward reverse shuttle.

Appreciate a bit of advice .

I had a 7441 borrowed for a while and found it very unstable with a loader.
But I'm used to a much heavier tractor

twin_beacon

josephsoap wrote: »

Right, wasn’t aware of driving with loader down if no implement.

Do you raise the loader up when say turning from a farm lane/junction onto another road for visability ?

Keeping the loader low will reduce your center of gravity, so less chance of the tractor tipping over of you turn too fast or have to avoid something suddenly on the road. I always raise the loader if leaving a field onto a busy road.

emaherx

josephsoap wrote: »

Right, wasn’t aware of driving with loader down if no implement.

Do you raise the loader up when say turning from a farm lane/junction onto another road for visability ?

Yes, I raise it at junctions. I leave it down most of the time as it bounces less, but never with a spike parallel to the road. Will leave it up if short journys with plenty of junctions also.


Would probably leave it up if I had a soft ride fitted though.

croot

emaherx wrote: »

Loader up with spike facing down. But loader down if no implement on it.

Same here with the spike and nothing on it but also down if I have the front bucket on.

Bazzer007

Op I'd agree with the lads who think it best not to put a loader on the Zetor. We paid 5k for a secondhand Rossmore last year plus another 1200k for a grab. Ended up buying another tractor without a loader after. Having used a 520 40 and NH 160 skid steer, I would prefer the 520 40, however those machines are expensive. Skid steers are great, but can be hard to get in and out of unless you buy the robot and again you're looking at 10k plus for one of those. Perhaps an old JCB loader or an industrial Massey might be a better purchase and within budget.

Aska

emaherx wrote: »

A good second hand loader is also a possibility.

Barry Fenton (I think that's his correct name) would have something for all types be it new or 2nd hand, I was up with him pricing a loader for a 7530 and lots of stock there and arriving according to himself.

https://www.facebook.com/Monasterevin-Agri-Services-269350753200464/

emaherx wrote: »

Bigger tractor may be of little advantage with a bigger fuel bill.
.

Also big tractor = big problems as I have found out, bastard only fits in two sheds (both hay sheds) out of 6, what was I thinking, even the 7610 had problems with a small build up of dung, but at least she got into the shed.

Welding Rod

Speaking of Zetors, what in hell has happened to all the Zetor dealerships. None in Limerick now. Seems very few around the country now.

893bet

Welding Rod wrote: »

Speaking of Zetors, what in hell has happened to all the Zetor dealerships. None in Limerick now. Seems very few around the country now.

That fella died or was very sick if I recall in Limerick (old Pallas).