Need Ideas on Unloading 21 Tractors from a LoBoy

RTR · May 22, 2017

My grandfather just bought 24 IH/Farmall Tractors (non-running parts tractors) and the guy is delivering them on his Landoll LoBoy to our farm. We have a John Deere 240 skid steer and an Allis Chalmers 210 Tractor. We typically use the John Deere 240 Skid Steer to unload and move around smaller Farmall Tractors (Cubs, A's, C's, and 140's); but he just bought a bunch of H's, M's, an M with a Corn Picker, and a McCormick W-9 Standard. We don't think the John Deere 240 Skid Steer can unload and move those tractors around becuase they are bigger than the smaller Farmalls we are used to. His idea is to build a hitch to go on the rear 3 point of the Allis Chalmers 210 and use it to hitch to the front of each tractor and raise it off the ground enough to tow them in the woods.

Does anyone have any ideas on how we should unload them? Different ideas or something along what we are thinking but a better way? We just want it to work and be a safe way so the tractors don't get damaged while unloading and moving them. A bunch of parts have just been saved from the scrapper!!

jeffcat · May 22, 2017

If the trailer does not have that removable front end then you need bigger power. You need at least half a dozen of those big 3 inch cargo slings and rent or find someone with a big and I mean a big construction bucket back hoe loader. At least that big ! Just watch some of those Russian videos on U'tube. Stuff can get away and out of hand before you can blink ! I had some thing almost nail me just last week.

RTR · May 22, 2017

The Trailer has the removable front end that lowers to the ground. We do have about 4-6 nylon slings but planned on just picking up the fronts and pulling them letting the rear wheels roll.

Do you think that would work or would a boom pole/wrecker pole (solid metal) work better? We are going to either build a tow bar for the A/C 210 or a heavy duty boom pole.

High Octane · May 22, 2017

I'd rent a forklift. Jmho

RTR · May 22, 2017

(quoted from post at 21:08:15 05/22/17) The Trailer has the removable front end that lowers to the ground. We do have about 4-6 nylon slings but planned on just picking up the fronts and pulling them letting the rear wheels roll.

Do you think that would work or would a boom pole/wrecker pole (solid metal) work better? We are going to either build a tow bar for the A/C 210 or a heavy duty boom pole.

Here is a picture of the John Deere 240 and the Allis Chalmers 210 Tractor so you can see what we have to work with. The picture of the A/C 210 is a random photo from the internet, but the photos of the JD 240 is of our actual machine.

RTR · May 22, 2017

(quoted from post at 21:10:54 05/22/17) I'd rent a forklift. Jmho

thought about that but there isn't a place to do so for about 100 miles.

2002sliverado · May 22, 2017

Some years ago, I bought a 1953 Super M. It was a complete tractor. The family who had the auction had a long time family friend who is in the earthwork business. This friend arrived with his excavator for this very purpose of loading tractors and heavy items onto trailers from this estate auction. I cannot think of any better way of handling these tractor, since you are short on lifting and carrying capacity with the equipment you have. Just my thoughts....................

showcrop · May 22, 2017

Since the trailer has the gentle slope towards the front, and your 210 is plenty heavy, your idea of setting up a lift with the three point should be easy and safe. It would be advantageous to make it adaptable between wide and narrow fronts, as well as provision for a heavy load strap to go around the front axle pedestal.

Dick L · May 22, 2017

I never wanted anyone around to be in the way or for me have to watch out for when unloading dead tractors. Several that had the tires I backed up to a tree, chained it fast and drove away.

Dick2 · May 22, 2017

A BIG forklift.

Adirondack case guy · May 22, 2017

Sounds like a jocky load to me. With that many tractors, parts and pieces, on one trailer they have to be stacked/piggybacked. You need an alltarain forklift to separate and unload them.
If the truck is making several trips, then perhaps your skid steer will be enough. You weren't very clear about the trucking logistics.
Loren

47fivewindow · May 22, 2017

KCTractors · May 22, 2017

I don't know where you are located, but if you have somebody around with a log truck with log loader on it, he would be able bring them down one at a time safely.

RTR · May 22, 2017

He is just loading them up and hauling them to me from his yard about 80 miles away. Will take about 3 trips to get them all I think.

RTR · May 22, 2017

Thanks. That is what my grandfather was thinking. He would just lift it a foot or two off the ground and just pull them to their spot and lower and release. They are all narrow front tractors except for the W9
Gas Standard. Now the M-Diesel with the 2 row corn pickers will be trickier.

Do you have a particular design in mind? He was thinking about a 2 inch solid square bar with 3 point lift pins on the ends with maybe a small plate welded as a platform to lift the narrow front off the
ground.

used red MN · May 22, 2017

If you have fair skills and a welder I would think you could fab a reasonable boom fixture for that
210 3 point. A 10 ft 2 1/2 square 1/4" wall should be able to cover what you need. Cut it up to
make an upside down T to connect to the 3 point arms. Then a 3-4 foot horizontal boom section
with a 45 degree gusset below it making at a triangle with a foot
Long leg to the attachment point. The boom connect point would be near or slightly above
opposite side of where the top 3 point top link attachs. Wish I was at a computer I would try to
make a rough sketch to attach. No guarantee just seat of the pants
Engineering.

RTR · May 22, 2017

That is exactly what I was thinking too. Then use a nylon sling to lift and tow. Get near a computer and sketch that idea up!! Wish I knew how to on this thing. He and my great uncle can weld it. We have tons of steel to make it with. They were welders by trade for 40 years with US Steel.

ss55 · May 22, 2017

Can you inform the shipper what is available for unloading and ask him to adjust his loads to suit?

jeffcat · May 22, 2017

Now things are sounding much better. Just be darn careful.

craigco · May 22, 2017

Depending on the style of lowboy but I would scoop the front ends up with the skid and push them around. Some landolls are like roll back trucks. The Axel's move forward and it tilts back for a full width ramp. I would think the skid and a couple chains would be the simplest with what you have.

kcm.MN · May 22, 2017

Sorry, just now coming into this conversation. I think Craig is onto something. If you build a 3-pt lift for the AC210 and try pulling them, I'm afraid the movement of the parts tractors will be erratic and may roll forward and possibly slam into your AC210. The slings would act as a pendulum allowing for this effect. However, if you can scoop under front wheels with skid loader and secure to the bucket, there will be no chance for that kind of movement.

On the M with corn picker, how difficult would it be to remove the picker prior to unloading? ...Just did an image search for them and I see three safe ways to unload that machine:
1) use a crane or excavator to lift off the trailer and onto the ground
2) use a large forklift and find the balance point, get underneath, lift and move
3) remove the corn picker, then move the tractor.

IF you go the 3-pt with sling approach, I would also definitely tie some old tires (no rims) to anything your hitch could get slammed into. And most of all, BE SAFE!!

RTR · May 22, 2017

Thank you for the replies everyone.

Also, we got these tractors to part out or to sell whole if anyone is interested. My email is [email protected]

MAX-KY · May 22, 2017

Use that skid steer to dig a hole for the trailer to back down into until the bed is level with the ground. Fill in at the back of the trailer with dirt until you can back that 210 onto the trailer and pull them off one at a time. When they are all unloaded and the trailer is pulled out use a garden hose to wash his rear lights off.

steve_in_mo · May 22, 2017

How about you take the skid steer and dig a slot long and wide enough to back that trailer into, so the
tractors are roughly at ground level. With that visual, it might be easier to figure out how to safely
tow the tractors. Have a big air compressor handy to inflate tires - lots of really bad looking tires
will hold enough air long enough to roll a short distance.

The M with the corn picker is the big puzzler. It is heavy and fragile.

26Red · May 22, 2017

I would seriously consider hiring for a semi truck wrecker for the day with the crane boom and hoist.

showcrop · May 22, 2017

(quoted from post at 13:55:38 05/22/17) Use that skid steer to dig a hole for the trailer to back down into until the bed is level with the ground. Fill in at the back of the trailer with dirt until you can back that 210 onto the trailer and pull them off one at a time. When they are all unloaded and the trailer is pulled out use a garden hose to wash his rear lights off.

Why go through all that when the top surface of the trailer is already at ground level?

grandpa Love · May 22, 2017

Post some pictures of the process. And the parts tractors. Thanks. Crappy weather in Al this week for that kind of project!!

RTR · May 22, 2017

(quoted from post at 03:16:22 05/23/17) Post some pictures of the process. And the parts tractors. Thanks. Crappy weather in Al this week for that kind of project!!

Will do. Yeah it sure is!

donjr · May 22, 2017

Hire a crane for part of a day....

caterpillar guy · May 23, 2017

Just rent a telehandler for the day. After you use one of those, you will wonder how you got along without one for that work. You could then sling them from the top side. If there are 24 tractors as I understood it. They will be stacked up past the reach of your skid steer anyway. Will be much safer with the telehandler.

Need Ideas on Unloading 21 Tractors from a LoBoy

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