Richard- I like the rear-loader arrangement... and was actually considering building a mast with forks for the back of Loader-Mutt, for more capacity, and the ability to pick an extra ballast slug if necessary. Don't think I'll need it, and it'd hinder my ability to get into low-overhead-clearance locations.
I agree, garden-tractors with loaders are dangerous... ANYTHING with a bucket... actually, ANY machine is dangerous... even just a bare garden-tractor, especially when the axle lets loose at 10mph. I've stuck, then extracted a Komatsu D420 articulating loader (about 40-tons empty, 10yd bucket), and I wouldn't rate it as being any more-or-less safe than Loader-Mutt. They're machines, and they're all dangerous... so is a good steak knife. Everything is best treated with care and caution.
L-M didn't become any more dangerous as a result of the presence of the loader- it got more dangerous because the axle had a flaw worn onto one of the axle's webs. Looking at my 109, and the diesel-project, they ALL have the same wear-marks- knife gashes from mule-drive sheaves contacting, and cutting through the flange, and into the webbing. I took the two pieces in, and assembled 'em on the garage bench, and under bright light, it's quite obvious that the crack STARTED at a point made weak by the sheave-gash, and it probably started as a result of driving down the street, there's a rough manhole cover about a block up the street.
In any case, I've lifted 450lbs with Loader-Mutt so far, and had no signs of breakage (even this axle!), or any conditions of instability. Crossing side-grades, and all the other conditions which draw out the greatest instabilities of any machine, Loader-Mutt wasn't any worse-off than my 109 with dozer-blade hangin' off the front.
From a safe operations standpoint, EVERY good machinery operator knows that one should never LIFT a load any higher than absolutely necessary, as lifting the load (Even an empty loader bucket) raises the machine's center of gravity substantially. Most skid-steer accidents, especially rollovers to the rear and sides, involve the bucket being up high... good operators know that when the rig becomes unstable, the best thing to do, is to lower the bucket to the ground, then stop the machine... this improves the footprint, stabilizing the machine and load.
Regardless, I built Loader-Mutt to save my back- for lifting Cub parts, and lots of other things I've always lifted and carried by hand, but shouldn't be... heavy parts, tools, gravel, sand and dirt. I calculated and built based on a 750lb capacity, 1000lbs tops, and figured it'd likely never see the high side of 500lbs. Everything else was for convenience, safety, and durability.
