Overview
This is a real-world load test, not a spec-sheet review: an owner tries to lift a fully-packed 310-gallon IBC tote of green oak firewood with a used 3039R and 320R loader, using Titan pallet forks. It lifts easily, but rear tires spin and the tractor feels unstable on wet ground, exposing the need for rear tire ballast. Useful for buyers weighing real loader lift capacity and ballast needs, not polished specs.
An owner-operator documenting hands-on use of their own tractor for firewood work, including honest setbacks and unresolved issues.
John Deere 3039R
- PTO horsepower
- 31.1 hp
- Loader lift capacity
- 2,855 lb at pivot; 2,032 lb @ 19.7 in
- 3-point lift capacity
- 2,530 lb at hitch ball
- Hydraulic flow
- 4.6 gpm
