Telehandler Size

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
I’m not a fan of large machinery but the time has come to replace the manitou MLT626.
With more wagons to load since the livestock went should we be moving up to 3.5 ton lift capacity?
We load maybe 1000 tons a year. Not much compared to some but lorries like to be away quickly.
I really liked the dump pedal on the MLT626 as you could set off and stop smoothly as per a conventional clutch. Quite disappointed with the “jerkotronic” joystick controls of modern telehsndlers but they all seem the same. Enough of a lurch to roll a couple of beet off a well loaded bucket but that’s progress.
 

ACEngineering

Member
Location
Oxon
I’m not a fan of large machinery but the time has come to replace the manitou MLT626.
With more wagons to load since the livestock went should we be moving up to 3.5 ton lift capacity?
We load maybe 1000 tons a year. Not much compared to some but lorries like to be away quickly.
I really liked the dump pedal on the MLT626 as you could set off and stop smoothly as per a conventional clutch. Quite disappointed with the “jerkotronic” joystick controls of modern telehsndlers but they all seem the same. Enough of a lurch to roll a couple of beet off a well loaded bucket but that’s progress.

Ignore the electric transmission disconnect switches with brake pedal, horrible to use them on any machine.

If needed flick in to neutral or press the dump button on joystick if you have too.

You might be better suited to a mlt 630 vario or a 635 vario, 735 vario even but will be abit longer machine than you old 626 but not much in it.
 

mo!

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
York
We've gone from a 627 to a 630. If I could fit it in the buildings then I would love to have gone up a size, the hydraulics are much more powerful on the wide body machines. If I had the height and wasn't off and on all the time then it would be a JCB. Hopefully Manitou will get all the niggles worked out and this will be a decent machine.
 

Boysground

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
I have 2x 635. They are a big improvement on the 634, have been much more reliable. The newest one had a spring break in the mechanism that puts it into reverse, that has probably been the biggest issue. I haven’t had to replace a ram yet……

One of them will get changed in the next year or so. I expect it will be another manitou as everyone prefers driving them. I have a new jcb dealer and they are very keen so it could get interesting.

I never use the transmission disconnect, I still think the joystick is the best on the market. Both of mine are powershift. Didn’t think the vario was worth it at the time.

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mo!

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
York
once you've had a telehandler i think it would be quite difficult to go back. part of the reason i am still refusing to buy one 😂
Absolutely, and if money is no object then you would be buying a proper wheeled loader with a 4t bucket. A 3.5t machine to do less than 50 hours a year is a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Absolutely, and if money is no object then you would be buying a proper wheeled loader with a 4t bucket. A 3.5t machine to do less than 50 hours a year is a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
The problem is they don’t send a small lorry to a small farm and I don’t like holding them up. Hiring a machine doesn’t work as I never know when lorries will turn up and neighbours machines arent stood idle.
I reckon the bucket on my 626 holds 1.2 t wheat at best so I reckon 30 buckets to fill a wagon. Struggle to load a bucket a minute as the hydraulics seem slow ( lowering ironically) so I end up taking 45 minutes to load.
The other solution I had in mind was a giant double chained Parmiter that I bought cheap. Supposed to shift 80 tons per hour. Fill it fast and low in its hopper with any old small loader more quickly than putting it over the side in the bucket but the Parmiter is a huge unwieldy beast to set up and needs work on the conveyor floors.
For the time being I’m renovating what I can on the 626 and mulling it over.
It’s true that in 200 acres we are struggling to justify the size of kit to meet the present day haulage interface but a big loader to see us through to retirement might bring more joy than any other present investment I can think of.
 

roscoe erf

Member
Livestock Farmer
The problem is they don’t send a small lorry to a small farm and I don’t like holding them up. Hiring a machine doesn’t work as I never know when lorries will turn up and neighbours machines arent stood idle.
I reckon the bucket on my 626 holds 1.2 t wheat at best so I reckon 30 buckets to fill a wagon. Struggle to load a bucket a minute as the hydraulics seem slow ( lowering ironically) so I end up taking 45 minutes to load.
The other solution I had in mind was a giant double chained Parmiter that I bought cheap. Supposed to shift 80 tons per hour. Fill it fast and low in its hopper with any old small loader more quickly than putting it over the side in the bucket but the Parmiter is a huge unwieldy beast to set up and needs work on the conveyor floors.
For the time being I’m renovating what I can on the 626 and mulling it over.
It’s true that in 200 acres we are struggling to justify the size of kit to meet the present day haulage interface but a big loader to see us through to retirement might bring more joy than any other present investment I can think of.
you don't have to buy new in the same sort of situation as you and id not be with out a tele handler it gets used day in day out for many many jobs mines a 3 ton lift which is plenty although you always wish for more reach and lift
 
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Poncherello1976

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Oxfordshire
We changed our Merlo a couple of years ago from a 3.2 lift to a 3.5T lift. I think with all the modern safety cut outs on the new one it lifts about the same as the older one. Something to bear in mind, if all telehandlers are the same. Would not change it back though, it is a better machine, and we went from 6m to 7m reach.
Did not want to go to a 4T lift as that is a bigger machine, and wanted to stay as compact as possible.
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
I won’t be buying new on my budget.
My present machine is all levers and Bourdon cables but it means you can be very gentle and progressive with actions like lifting a cylinder head off or placing it on. I’m very concerned that I just won’t be able to do these jobs with on off switch control. The transmission dump pedal is very good indeed. I can’t understand why all of these excellent features were ditched.
Anyway I’m in no rush so I’ll keep looking. Thanks for the pointers. Much appreciated.
 

dave mountain

Member
Livestock Farmer
The problem is they don’t send a small lorry to a small farm and I don’t like holding them up. Hiring a machine doesn’t work as I never know when lorries will turn up and neighbours machines arent stood idle.
I reckon the bucket on my 626 holds 1.2 t wheat at best so I reckon 30 buckets to fill a wagon. Struggle to load a bucket a minute as the hydraulics seem slow ( lowering ironically) so I end up taking 45 minutes to load.
The other solution I had in mind was a giant double chained Parmiter that I bought cheap. Supposed to shift 80 tons per hour. Fill it fast and low in its hopper with any old small loader more quickly than putting it over the side in the bucket but the Parmiter is a huge unwieldy beast to set up and needs work on the conveyor floors.
For the time being I’m renovating what I can on the 626 and mulling it over.
It’s true that in 200 acres we are struggling to justify the size of kit to meet the present day haulage interface but a big loader to see us through to retirement might bring more joy than any other present investment I can think of.
I think if I were in your situation I would look very closely at an ex-mod loading shovel and a big toe tip bucket. You can get nice ex reserve machines with less than 2k hours and a nice big Cummins for less than a half decent telehandler. Shovels are built 10x as tough as telehandlers too, not to mention the speed of loading.
I looked into it a while back, immaculate low hour case 721 with 8.3L Cummins were under 30k at the time, didn't suit what I needed at the time but may suit what you need now
 
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Boysground

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
I won’t be buying new on my budget.
My present machine is all levers and Bourdon cables but it means you can be very gentle and progressive with actions like lifting a cylinder head off or placing it on. I’m very concerned that I just won’t be able to do these jobs with on off switch control. The transmission dump pedal is very good indeed. I can’t understand why all of these excellent features were ditched.
Anyway I’m in no rush so I’ll keep looking. Thanks for the pointers. Much appreciated.

I do think the manitou hydraulics are very good. You can get a lots of feel of what you are doing. If you want to be gentle you can

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DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
I think if I were in your situation I would look very closely at an ex-mod loading shovel and a big toe tip bucket. You can get nice ex reserve machines with less than 2k hours and a nice big Cummins for less than a half decent telehandler. Shovels are built 10x as tough as telehandlers too, not to mention the speed of loading.
I looked into it a while back, immaculate low hour case 721 with 8.3L Cummins were under 30k at the time, didn't suit what I needed at the time but may suit what you need now
10 ton bucket. Now you’re talking.👍
 

mo!

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
York
The problem is they don’t send a small lorry to a small farm and I don’t like holding them up. Hiring a machine doesn’t work as I never know when lorries will turn up and neighbours machines arent stood idle.
I reckon the bucket on my 626 holds 1.2 t wheat at best so I reckon 30 buckets to fill a wagon. Struggle to load a bucket a minute as the hydraulics seem slow ( lowering ironically) so I end up taking 45 minutes to load.
The other solution I had in mind was a giant double chained Parmiter that I bought cheap. Supposed to shift 80 tons per hour. Fill it fast and low in its hopper with any old small loader more quickly than putting it over the side in the bucket but the Parmiter is a huge unwieldy beast to set up and needs work on the conveyor floors.
For the time being I’m renovating what I can on the 626 and mulling it over.
It’s true that in 200 acres we are struggling to justify the size of kit to meet the present day haulage interface but a big loader to see us through to retirement might bring more joy than any other present investment I can think of.
I wouldn't worry about a 45 minute loading time. Wagons regularly wait 4 hours to tip. Get yours properly serviced by a specialist or get a decent 627. Don't buy our old one...
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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