Help me find a tractor for firewood stacking

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98kx1927

98kx1927

Member
Jan 13, 2014
39
In TX, rennovating home in VA
I need/want a tractor around the house for bush hogging, road maintenance, moving firewood, etc. I've got about 38 acres partially wooded/pasture to maintain. I've decided to store my firewood in boxes made of pallets. I'll stack them two high in an open but covered shed. I expect to go through 10 cords of wood per year so will be storing up to 30 cords of wood.

The large amount of wood is what is making me want to reduce the handling aspect and use pallets to move from the wood shed to the boiler building.

I really don't have an issue with area in the shed, it is plenty big if I can stack them two high. The shed is 20x60.

My main concern is getting a tractor that is large enough to lift a pallet sized stack of green wood 4 feet high to stack them.

a cord of green oak weight 8200 pounds, if I get 1/4 of a cord per pallet that puts me at 2100 lbs (adding 50 pounds for the weight of the pallet/box).

Anyone out there have a tractor to do this type of work? I'd like to keep it at 50hp or smaller if possible. I don't really need a huge tractor for other purposes and getting it too large makes it difficult to do some of the bush hogging. I can read specs on front end loaders, but have no idea how weight at pins relates to real lifting capacity. I'm hoping someone here does it and can give some real world advice.

thanks,
david
 
Actually, about 50hp would be your STARTING POINT for lifting 2000 lbs using pallet forks on a tractor. Why? The FEL has weight limits for safe operation, and you also need a tractor with enough mass to counterbalance that load.

A FEL without any attachment on it (bucket, pallet forks, etc.) has a weight limit at the pivot, and that limit is much lower on a tractor than on a skidsteer or forklift. Next you need to subtract the weight of the pallet forks from your max weight limit. If you move the center of mass of you load farther from the pivot, like say 2 to 2-1/2 feet from the FEL pivot (typical for pallets), your max load goes down even further. If you plan to lift the load more than say a foot off the ground, the load limit goes down even further. All these numbers are listed in a particular FEL's owners manual.
 
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My next door neighbors switched to coal heat and they buy coal by the ton and on pallets. They have all sorts of tractors and they bought a forktruck. I would do the same thing.
 
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The utility tractor in the picture is a 1999 JD 4600 (43hp 4-cylinder diesel, 35hp CAT1 PTO) with JD 460 loader.

Specs for that combination:

Max lift height = 9.33'

Lift load to 5' with load at pivot pin = 2988 lbs max
Lift load to 5' with load 500mm (1.64') out from pivot pin = 2325 lbs max

Lift load to 9.33' with load 500mm (1.64" )out from pivot pin = 1705 lbs max
Lift load to 9.33' with forks: 1320 lbs max

NOTE that these are MAX loads. That means you don't want to reach them, and you certainly don't want to be anywhere close to them on uneven ground, at faster speeds, or during tighter turns.

When I need pallet forks, I swap bucket for the 42" version of these:
http://www.everythingattachments.co...ks-1PF-JD-4-p/cal-pallet-forks-std-1pf-jd.htm
 
For what you are talking about doing with a tractor you are looking at roughly a 80-100 or so hp using the FEL. New these are prohibitively expensive, Used older reasonably priced say in the 1960-70's age wise. Skid steer for this work used in reasonable shape around $15-25,000 ( around a 50-60 hp). Fork lift around $5,000. Now SS makes a terrible unit for mowing, tilling and such-that is tractor territory. You have to remember that a SS has very little clearance under it just like a fork lift. Fork lifts are useless on soft surfaces unless it is a rough terrain type. All that said, there are units available to put fork lift capability on the rear of a tractor using the 3 point ( min. cat 2) and frame mount system. This might be able to keep you in the 50 or so hp range with the lift capability specked. Mobility in tight quarters is another issue. If you think the prices above are nutz, wait until you start looking at compact tractors in the 40-50 hp range. Best buys in compact tractors are the 2 wheel drive units, resale wise not so hot as 4 wheel assist is where the markets at. Makes shopping for a used car or truck childs play in comparison.
 
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I have a kubota L3940 with a la724 loader. I think it has a 1850lb capacity. I think you need to pick a tractor and size your pallets for it. 2,000LB is pretty stout. Once you have a tractor, though, you won't go back.
 
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Couple of points.

The 3pt mounted forklift thing mentioned above might be worth looking for - if you can find one. It's a pain to look behind you, but it's also a pain sometimes to move pallets around with a FEL as lots of time you can't see where the ends of the forks are when you're trying to get under a pallet. But, you also might not be able to reach in as far or under a roof as well with a 3pt setup as you can with a FEL. It is a naturally much better balance to have all that weight on the back (and those big back tires) rather than the front - but not always practical. In reality, FEL tractor forks are kind of a make-shift setup. But are usually a decent compromise as long as the tractor is heavy enough. But also require a heavier machine than a purpose built FEL machine.

And, can you just let the loaded pallets sit exposed outside and dry for a while (the longer the better) before you put them in the shed? Thinking with that much land, that should be possible? That's what I do - load the pallets off the splitter then just let them sit there for a few months. That would decrease the weight you'd be lifting & moving considerably.
 
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For the smaller tractors, you will be lifting pallets with the 3 point in the back. I don't see a problem with that.
 
OK what I'm hearing matches what I've found myself. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing anything. I didn't think about the ground clearance of the skid steer, that is a good point. It looks like the best plan is to just size the pallets a little lighter, or leave them outside for a while until they weigh less. Both of those options are doable.

david
 
I've done this for quite a few years now. My wood is 20 inches long stacked into rows 4 feet by 4 feet on the pallet. it's all rock maple and beach. I thought I would be looking close to 2500 pounds I think it's more like 1700? Maybe even less what I found is oncethe wood stack takes up more air. but I have a new Holland tn75 tractor. Handle it easily.I have handled pallets of pellets which are 2000 pounds. They feel a lot heavier than my wood pallets.
 
I stack all the wood up in a single row and it is left outside for at least one year. When I stack the wood on pallets I round them up so I feel like a pretty close to a half a cord.
 
I just went through this exact same search, and landed on a JD 4500 with 460 loader. You can also look for one of the large Kubota L series, or a New Holland TC40. Generally something in the 40+ hp range. If you don't stack the pallets you can use the 3pt forks and get away with a much smaller machine.

Also if your budget is smaller you can also look at older industrial tractors... something like a Ford 2120, Ford 4000, Case 580, etc. They are harder to find with 4x4 but still have a PTO/3pt hitch and you can get much more lift capacity for your dollar.... I just sold a 1962 Oliver OC-46 crawler that could lift 2500 lbs and only cost $2500.


*edit* - Also if you do plan to lift with the FEL, get a real set of forks that replaces the bucket. The clamp on forks hang out too far and then you're lifting the bucket too when you don't need to. Also if you have both the 3 pt and FEL forks, you can lift a pallet with the 3 pt and use it for ballast while you life another with the FEL.
 
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I would say go with 3 pt forks and a single stack in your shed. Keep the others outside to maximize drying.

Would allow you to have a cheaper tractor and have dryer wood.

I'm going through a similar thought process and am looking for a loader tractor for the utility. A Massey 135 is very high on my list...
 
I run a mc cormick 47hp, loader rated for 2100lbs, forks rated for 3000lds and would not dream of stacking pallet racks.....single stacks, keep low to ground and slow....no joke
scott
 
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skfire said:
I run a mc cormick 47hp, loader rated for 2100lbs, forks rated for 3000lds and would not dream of stacking pallet racks.....single stacks, keep low to ground and slow....no joke
scott
Click to expand...

Are your tires loaded?
 
I keep my wood, single rows, outside for one yr sometimes longer( I mow around the rows, plus round up, wife thinks I'm nuts). But when it gets close the first of November I put the dry stuff in two different garages, stacked as you see in my avatar. But i have to go in thru out the winter put them on the ground as needed. Tractor handles them easy, but it's a good sized tractor. I plan on building bigger racks out of steel. 6ft wide, 4ft high, x 40 inches. And design the racks so i can still stack them. Wooden pallets only last so long.

BUT....if i had bought a nice pellet boiler......be alot simpler. :p
 
maple1 said:
Are your tires loaded?
Click to expand...
yes and use a 60" back blade with d.o.t. chains wrapped around the 3pt for counterweight. A 48"x42"x48" rack full of green oak is a hairy beast..
 
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skfire said:
yes and use a 60" back blade with d.o.t. chains wrapped around the 3pt for counterweight. A 48"x42"x48" rack full of green oak is a hairy beast..
Click to expand...


A buddy down the road has a 40hp JD uses the same pallets I have, he has all he can do to carry them. He does load them on a trailer but its on very level ground.
 
I have a Deere 4710. I don't remember the exact specs. I think it's 48 horse. Have 48" pallet forks on the front. The forks are very useful. Get a ballast box for the 3pt to balance things out with a heavy load. Helps a lot and the box doesn't stick out as far as a blade or bush hog. Mine has about 1600 lbs in it.

I can't speak to lifting what you are speaking of but below is a picture of the hopper I built to bring wood up to the house. It started life as a raised planting bed. I flipped it over and made this. It's 48" square. Rolls right up to the door next to the stove.

image.jpg
 
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flyingcow said:
A buddy down the road has a 40hp JD uses the same pallets I have, he has all he can do to carry them. He does load them on a trailer but its on very level ground.
Click to expand...


Level ground would be nice....I leveled the staging area some with #3 gravel, but getting to the back of the house under the porch is a PITA....hilly, bumpy, wet(april to july & sept to nov)...I take my time and also have to secure the load with chains/straps...but it beats handling them piece by piece. Last year on a 48"x42"(inside)x48" full load of green oak, just moving 25 feet outside the level area, the tractor was dancing....I am not making 48" wide pallets anymore..only 42" or 36" and 48" high

This would be nice...https://www.kubota.com/product/svl75/SVL75.aspx .... in my dreams..

scott


ps: moving my barrel sauna...that was a nightmare.....had to stage all kinds of contraptions to even unload it from the truck.....tractor loader capacities(ratings go out the window) are severely compromised with distances from pivot points...and danger increases as well...
 
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My advice:

Get the tractor that first meets your needs for field cutting, road maintenance, snow blowing/removal, materials handling, etc. For example, get a model that has enough rear PTO horsepower to run the size of brush cutter appropriate for your fields. Once you've met your top priorities, then you can tailor your firewood system to the specifications of that tractor.
 
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After reading all the input from everyone, I like TreePointer's advice.

To buy a tractor that could lift 2500 pounds easily for stacking I end up with a tractor that is too large for my other uses. I have several 1-2 acre pastures that need mowing and don't want a huge tractor. I have access to a nice big NH ~125HP tractor by driving 10 minutes to my brothers place and driving it back, so I really don't want to buy a big tractor. If I need one for one off things I'll borrow his. Things like unloaded a nice new boiler :)

I'll instead go for a tractor for the "around the house" items, and size my pallet stacks to match the tractor.

In the end the answer seems simple, it just took me a bit to figure it out :)

david
 
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