8N Lifting capacity with boom

sundvl76 · Sep 18, 2019

Hello,
I need to lift a 500-gal LP tank into a trailer. Empty (which it is), it weighs 1,000 lb, give or take. I don't currently have a boom for my 8N, but am willing to buy one from TSC if it will lift this tank.

The boom is rated for 1,000 lb., but I am wondering whether anyone has lifted this much with an 8N. I rebuilt the hydraulics 6 or 7 years ago, and it lifts a 5' shredder just fine. Obviously that weighs less than this tank, but there is a lever component at work with the boom.

Comments? Experience?

Thanks!

Bruce (VA) · Sep 18, 2019

See tip # 44
75 Tips

sundvl76 · Sep 18, 2019

Thanks, that tells me the answer is "no".

I appreciate the input!

PatrickB · Sep 19, 2019

I lifted a weight close to that once BUT I had the ends of the lift arms sitting on oak cribbing and the boom (homemade) as vertical as possible, with a chainfall hanging from it.

I've got a 500 gal. tank here also, that's a pig I would not to wrestle with an N.

Ultradog MN · Sep 19, 2019

Your tractor would pretty easily lift
one end of the tank.
So you could lift one end and back the
trailer under it. Then lift the other
end and pull it on with a come-along.
Unload it the same way.
As PatrickB says, the shorter your top
link is set and more vertical the boom
pole is the more you can lift.
It's worth trying.

PatrickB · Sep 19, 2019

(quoted from post at 13:32:51 09/19/19) Your tractor would pretty easily lift
one end of the tank.
So you could lift one end and back the
trailer under it. Then lift the other
end and pull it on with a come-along.
Unload it the same way.
As PatrickB says, the shorter your top
link is set and more vertical the boom
pole is the more you can lift.
It's worth trying.

He's trying to put it INTO a trailer UD. Depends on how high the bed is off the ground. That method would still work.

JL Ray · Sep 19, 2019

I'm not sure about the N too. Years ago Dad told me that my super 55 Oliver had a bit stronger lift capacity then his N did. But, here is my experience. Ten years ago I did move a 500 gallon tank with a boom but just got it off the ground. I could not have lifted it to a trailer height. last week end I put my three point forks on and move one again. Thinking the forks were closer to the tractor it should lift the tank OK. I was wrong. I had to jack it up with a floor jack and chain it. Now I do believe my 55 has low hyd pressure at the pump so that could be part of my issue. I used to be able to lift the front tires off the ground with a heave load on the rear end. I can not longer do that.

PatrickB · Sep 19, 2019

(quoted from post at 20:39:59 09/19/19) I'm not sure about the N too. Years ago Dad told me that my super 55 Oliver had a bit stronger lift capacity then his N did. But, here is my experience. Ten years ago I did move a 500 gallon tank with a boom but just got it off the ground. I could not have lifted it to a trailer height. last week end I put my three point forks on and move one again. Thinking the forks were closer to the tractor it should lift the tank OK. I was wrong. I had to jack it up with a floor jack and chain it. Now I do believe my 55 has low hyd pressure at the pump so that could be part of my issue. I used to be able to lift the front tires off the ground with a heave load on the rear end. I can not longer do that.

I don't know what the lift capacity of a 55 Oliver is, but an N's hydraulics are not going to pick up 1000 pounds. But like Jerry said the'll easily do half that. And like I said you don't need no stinkin' hydraulics to pick a thousand off the back end of an N. Put wood under the lift arms and all of a sudden you got a 2500 pound counterweight. BUT you still got 67+ year old parts to worry about.

sundvl76 · Sep 19, 2019

Thanks much to all for the advice. Given where the tank is situated, I can't get the trailer close enough to lift one end onto it. I'm going to look into finding a little heavier tractor with a boom to rent for a day and compare that to the cost of renting a Bobcat with pallet forks for the job.

I made the switch from LP to natural gas last spring, so called the LP co. to come & get their tank. Unfortunately, landscaping has changed and trees have grown up in the 23 years since they placed it, so their equipment can't retrieve it. My only choices are to get it to a place where they can pick it up with their truck, or buy it for $2K plus. I can rent some good equipment for that kinda $$!

Hobo,NC · Sep 19, 2019

They should have a propane tank transport trailer unless they have gone out of style... I would think its their tank their problem... Offer them $250 for it...

You are gonna be happy you got off the bottle...

Den N Ms · Sep 19, 2019

Sundvl76,Another option would be to jack up one end at a time and put 2 4x4s with a 45% cut on one end under the legs,bolt it to the 4x4s with lags ,cross brace the ends.Then hook a chain to the 4x4s and pull it out with your Ford to where they an pick it up.Your N will pull it when it is on skids.

sundvl76 · Sep 20, 2019

(quoted from post at 04:18:10 09/20/19) Sundvl76,Another option would be to jack up one end at a time and put 2 4x4s with a 45% cut on one end under the legs,bolt it to the 4x4s with lags ,cross brace the ends.Then hook a chain to the 4x4s and pull it out with your Ford to where they an pick it up.Your N will pull it when it is on skids.

That would actually be a little tough given the terrain and soft soil, BUT I've found one used 1500# snowmobile trailer axle with wheels on CL; if I can find a second similar setup, I'd be able to fab up something to tow it out on wheels. Getting to be less about the cost, more about the challenge!

PatrickB · Sep 20, 2019

What ever way you do it, good luck. Take pics- we like pics. This is a dull site without em.

carlntexas · Sep 20, 2019

Pick up one end put axle under go to other end pick up and roll it out.

TheOldHokie · Sep 21, 2019

(quoted from post at 11:43:47 09/20/19)

(quoted from post at 04:18:10 09/20/19) Sundvl76,Another option would be to jack up one end at a time and put 2 4x4s with a 45% cut on one end under the legs,bolt it to the 4x4s with lags ,cross brace the ends.Then hook a chain to the 4x4s and pull it out with your Ford to where they an pick it up.Your N will pull it when it is on skids.

Click to expand...

That would actually be a little tough given the terrain and soft soil, BUT I've found one used 1500# snowmobile trailer axle with wheels on CL; if I can find a second similar setup, I'd be able to fab up something to tow it out on wheels. Getting to be less about the cost, more about the challenge!

Unless you really like doing things the hard way rent a machine.

Small Track Hoe

You will have the tank out in an hour or less and the rest of the day to find some other things for which you "need" the hoe :roll:

TOH

sundvl76 · Sep 24, 2019

(quoted from post at 18:42:57 09/20/19) What ever way you do it, good luck. Take pics- we like pics. This is a dull site without em.

After further study, I elected to try @Den N Ms's suggestion (skid it). However I used 4x6's instead of 4x4's in order to give me more ground clearance on the cross members (small stumps in my drag path). I also had to shift the tank about 2 ft. to the side in order to get away from a tree next to the tank. This required my floor jack on some 2x12's and careful pushing to the side, one end at a time. Once the tank was on the skid, dragging it was a piece of cake. Total investment for the project was about $36 for the 4x6's. Everything else was in my bone pile.

Thanks @Den N Ms, worked well with minimal gouging of the yard.

The LP gas company can now come and get their tank!

Hobo,NC · Sep 25, 2019

Good deal... That's how my grandpa would have moved it are put a set of wheels under it...

PatrickB · Sep 25, 2019

Nice project, well done.

Den N Ms · Sep 25, 2019

sundvl76, Good Job,that's exactly what I have done when I moved a tank just like that but it was over 1/2 full. I knew it would work for you to.

Den N Ms · Sep 25, 2019

Sundvl76, Now that you have your tank moved you can take the runners off the tank.Then build you a deck on top of them with treated 2x6" or 8s or 10",hook a chain to the runners with a steel u strap bolted through them.Then you have a great sled for moving fire wood,rocks, logs or what ever you need to move.It's low to the ground and easy to load.We used to have one and used it for many things.You could also make it wider if you wanted to,I think ours was around 6' wide and a very handy implement and it won't tear up the ground,grass ect.

HFJ · Sep 26, 2019

i did something similar a while back...

sundvl76 · Sep 26, 2019

(quoted from post at 23:59:44 09/25/19) Sundvl76, Now that you have your tank moved you can take the runners off the tank.

The tank is unbolted from the skid, so the gas co. will now do their pick and I'll have my sled.

Then build you a deck on top of them with treated 2x6" or 8s or 10",hook a chain to the runners with a steel u strap bolted through them.Then you have a great sled for moving fire wood,rocks, logs or what ever you need to move.It's low to the ground and easy to load.We used to have one and used it for many things.You could also make it wider if you wanted to,I think ours was around 6' wide and a very handy implement and it won't tear up the ground,grass ect.

I think adding a skin of 22 or 24 ga. galvanized steel to the bottoms of the runners, wrapped around the sides a little, and with a more gentle curve up in the front, would pull easier and maybe do less plowing. Our soil here is pretty soft (sandy loam) so there was some tearing when I pulled it.

1 Acre Warrior · Oct 27, 2019

(quoted from post at 18:16:16 09/18/19) Hello,
I need to lift a 500-gal LP tank into a trailer. Empty (which it is), it weighs 1,000 lb, give or take.

Are you sure? Tanks aren't generally that heavy.

Propane companies use boom cranes to move tanks. You can probably hire one at each end pretty cheaply.

8N Lifting capacity with boom

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