How big a tractor do I need to lift 6000 with forks?

[Just Duke]

How big a tractor do I need to lift 6000 with forks off a tractor trailer? Used price?
This home we want to build comes on pallets and the pallets weigh up to 6000 lbs.
I know a Gradall will lift them but there pricey to rent and I can use the tractor for digging out hole for the septic tank, food plot tilling etc.......
TIA,
Duke

[richbug]

I am not aware of any farm tractor/loader that will handle 6000 on forks. I have a 100 Hp tractor here with a front end loader, it weighs 11,000 pounds and will handle #2500. I have done 3000# in a pinch

[autofix4u]

You need to rent a fork tuck... Will run you about $175-200 a weekend here. A tractor wont do 6000# and be safe..

[Just Duke]

You need to rent a fork tuck... Will run you about $175-200 a weekend here. A tractor wont do 6000# and be safe..

Will that work in dirt?

[autofix4u]

Sure will, There are several places around that ent equipment and most have soft surface fork tr
trucks.
I sold my skid loader because i only used it 2-3 weekends a year, I can rent one cheaper than owning.

[lwknight]

You can get a case 580 backhoe or 570 landscaper or any other similar sized tractor that will lift 10,000 safely with chains but not forks.
If you can chain around the bundles and use the round rod attachment to the bucket , the job should be easy and safe.

[Loudenboomer]

Hi Duke
3 ton takes a large chassis tractor. The problem is with the forks the load is so far out. One of my 8000 John Deere's series would do the job. If you'll not normaly lift this type of load a rented fork lift will work much better. I do have a JD 5105 MFWD loader tractor that is a real joy for small farm jobs.
Heck Duke if you wern't 2000 mjles away I'd loan you a tractor. :)
Kevin

[Bret4207]

If it's a real rough area get an off road fork lift. Bigger tires, more clearance. Ain't a farm tractor around that will do what you want. Rent the fork truck, rent a hoe to dig the holes, buy a used older 45-60 hp tractor to do your food plots, etc.

[Firebricker]

Duke, A lot of time's you can pick up an older Lull forklift real reasonable. Lull's are like a Gradall but the older one's don't have telescopic boom but are good for unloading truck's. As far as digging septic tank's you might be better finding smaller local company that does it all the time. They usually have it down and will be familiar with local permit's. After you get settled in some thing a bought the size of a JD 310 with a front end loader and a three point hitch should keep you busy. FB

[Just Duke]

If it's a real rough area get an off road fork lift. Bigger tires, more clearance. Ain't a farm tractor around that will do what you want. Rent the fork truck, rent a hoe to dig the holes, buy a used older 45-60 hp tractor to do your food plots, etc.

Duly noted. I'll take this route Bret.

[Just Duke]

Hi Duke
3 ton takes a large chassis tractor. The problem is with the forks the load is so far out. One of my 8000 John Deere's series would do the job. If you'll not normaly lift this type of load a rented fork lift will work much better. I do have a JD 5105 MFWD loader tractor that is a real joy for small farm jobs.
Heck Duke if you wern't 2000 mjles away I'd loan you a tractor. :)
Kevin

I won't be that far away from you LB. But thanks a bunch for the offer.
The machine log come on 3 semi's trailers and the pallets run around and up to 6000 pounds. I know if we rent the Gradall I will glam onto it and end up renting it for the month to assemble the home. $2500.00 for the month. At least that was the price 2 years ago. Might be cheaper now.

[lwknight]

I will glam onto it and end up renting it for the month to assemble the home. $2500.00 for the month. At least that was the price 2 years ago. Might be cheaper now.

2 or 3 years ago I put up a 5000 sq ft building with rolling scaffolds because I was too cheap to rent a scissor lift. Next time I did rent a scissor lift. The rent saved me a lot more in labor time than the rent and farting with the stupid rolling scaffolds.

I have used the grade-all type lifts on big jobs too. They are worth every penny. The trick is to hire enough help to keep the lift working to get your moneys' worth out of it.
Doing a big job with rented equipment without several experienced hands just causes the lift to sit doing nothing most of the time.

[Mal Paso]

How big a tractor do I need to lift 6000 with forks off a tractor trailer? Used price?
This home we want to build comes on pallets and the pallets weigh up to 6000 lbs.
I know a Gradall will lift them but there pricey to rent and I can use the tractor for digging out hole for the septic tank, food plot tilling etc.......
TIA,
Duke

There isn't one tractor that will do all of that well.

A large skid loader with the fork attachment can handle 6000# easily and move a lot of dirt but you would have to cut a ramp to do the septic tank.
You really want a backhoe (or excavator ) for septic, but putting forks on the bucket won't work for 6000#.
You would have to have a huge farm tractor to handle 6000# not something you could turn around in a small plot.
A small Kubota would be perfect for a small farm and light road work but can't lift much.
Maybe look at Skid loaders. You can get like 500 kinds of attachments from Forks. Buckets, and snowblowers to pavement grinders.

I have a small Caterpillar Tracked Loader with a 4 way bucket and Forks. And want all the rest.

Warning: Tractors are every bit as addictive as Guns

[waksupi]

Tell them to pallet the loads in bundles no more than 2000#, and things will be a lot easier for you, if you want to use a small implement.

[geargnasher]

The problem with skid loaders and forks is that they are so fundamentally unbalanced as to be almost useless for loads exceeding a ton. You might get a big one that can do the lifting, but then you have to drive, turn, maneuver, etc. and that gets real scary real fast, even on flat, smooth ground. Even with four-wheel-drive and front tires rated to carry the weight, a backhoe isn't ideal either. I'd vote for a four-wheel-drive-four-wheel-steer Gradall or Terex brand offroad/soft surface forklift with telescoping boom, they are safe, handy, and easy to operate, especially when unloading heavy stuff from the side of a semi flatbed. This is the voice of experience.

Oh, and you know, Duke, that if it flies, floats, or fornicates, you're better off renting it! I've found that goes for heavy equipment, too.

Gear

[chaos]

The problem with skid loaders and forks is that they are so fundamentally unbalanced as to be almost useless for loads exceeding a ton. You might get a big one that can do the lifting, but then you have to drive, turn, maneuver, etc. and that gets real scary real fast, even on flat, smooth ground. Even with four-wheel-drive and front tires rated to carry the weight, a backhoe isn't ideal either. I'd vote for a four-wheel-drive-four-wheel-steer Gradall or Terex brand offroad/soft surface forklift with telescoping boom, they are safe, handy, and easy to operate, especially when unloading heavy stuff from the side of a semi flatbed. This is the voice of experience.

Oh, and you know, Duke, that if it flies, floats, or fornicates, you're better off renting it! I've found that goes for heavy equipment, too.

Gear



I agree Gear, I grew up operating various tractors and can say that standing one on 2 or 3 wheels is a real scary experience. I never turned one over, but we did push them to the limits.


Stay safe Duke, spend the extra change and get a big fork lift. Good luck with the new place.

Edited to add: you really need a backhow to dig a septic tank. Not gonna happen with a front end loader, without digging a Super Sized Hole to get it done.

[bhn22]

Duke- call the local rental yard and tell them what you need to do and ask for recommendations. It sounds to me like you'll need a couple of different machines. Material handlers make lousy excavators, and excavators make lousy material handlers. You can put a bucket on some material handlers, but they dig poorly, being more suited for scooping light material from piles and moving the load to heights. An example would be lifting gravel to a buildings roof for roofing purposes. Also, the weight restrictions on material handlers change depending on boom extension. These are all things you need to know about the machines that are available for rent in your area.

[bigdog454]

A couple of years back I needed to set roof trusses on our new (then) home. Rental company wanted $100 per Hr + $1,000,000 in insurance to rent crane + a big deposit. found a construction crew that had a crane and 5 workers. Cost me $100 per hr for the crew and crane and I did'nt have to do a thing. They finished in one day what would have taken me a week or more to do myself. check around there may be other options.

[Just Duke]

Tell them to pallet the loads in bundles no more than 2000#, and things will be a lot easier for you, if you want to use a small implement.

They are already pallet-tized. But thanks.

[Just Duke]

OK, I'll rent the Gradall for a month.
Hire some local boys to dig the septic hole.
Buy a tractor for around the Farm/Ranch.
Thanks guys for all the help.

[BAGTIC]

How HIGH do you need to lift them?

Most farm tractors will lift considerable more on the rear end using the three point hitch than they will using the front end loaders. Often nearly twice as much.

Check the specs on several representative models in the 5000 pound chassis weight class.

[Rick459]

OK, I'll rent the Gradall for a month.
Hire some local boys to dig the septic hole.
Buy a tractor for around the Farm/Ranch.
Thanks guys for all the help.

Duke, if you are going to go with the Gradall(aka Pettibone) and you will be working in soft dirt and uneven ground get the 4 wheel drive one and also equipped with the foward outriggers. with the outriggers down you can extend the forks a reasonable distance with out flipping the Gradall over. with that set up it will make the job a lot easier and alot safer.
Rick