The John Deere 870 loader lift capacity is 920 lb at full height at the pivot pin with the John Deere 80 or 440 loader.
John Deere 870 Loader Lift Capacity
Tractor Model
John Deere 870
Machine Type
Compact utility tractor
Common Loader Models
John Deere 80 loader and John Deere 440 loader
80 Loader Lift Capacity
920 lb / 417 kg at full height at pin
440 Loader Lift Capacity
920 lb / 417 kg at full height at pin
Breakout Force
1,790 lb / 811 kg
Bucket Breakout Force
2,065 lb / 936 kg
Maximum Lift Height at Pin
93.7 in / 237 cm
Clearance with Bucket Dumped
75.6 in / 192 cm
Clearance with Bucket Level
87.2 in / 221 cm with 440 loader
Reach Dumped
23.6 in / 59 cm
Reach at Ground
53 in / 134 cm
Dump Angle
39 degrees
Rollback Angle at Ground
22 degrees
Best Real-World Number
Use less than 920 lb for forks, logs, pallets, bales, and forward loads
How Much Can a John Deere 870 Loader Lift?
The John Deere 870 can lift 920 lb / 417 kg at full height at the pivot pin with either the John Deere 80 loader or the John Deere 440 loader.
The loader also has 1,790 lb / 811 kg breakout force and 2,065 lb / 936 kg bucket breakout force. That gives it decent digging and curl strength for a compact tractor, but the full-height lift number is still modest.
Use 920 lb as the pivot-pin rating, not the pallet fork rating. Forks, logs, pallets, grapples, and bales move the load forward, so safe usable lift is lower.
Quick Loader Specs Overview
920 lbLift at Pin
1,790 lbBreakout Force
2,065 lbBucket Breakout
93.7 inLift Height
John Deere 80 vs 440 Loader Specs
Loader Model
Best Published Lift Capacity
John Deere 80 Loader
920 lb / 417 kg at full height at pin
John Deere 440 Loader
920 lb / 417 kg at full height at pin
Main Difference
The 440 listing includes more bucket width options and level clearance data
Best Real-World Limit
Less than 920 lb when the load sits forward from the pins
Best Use
Light property work, mulch, loose soil, firewood, small logs, and light material handling
John Deere 80 Loader Specs
Lift Capacity at Full Height
920 lb / 417 kg at pin
Breakout Force
1,790 lb / 811 kg
Bucket Breakout Force
2,065 lb / 936 kg
Maximum Lift Height at Pin
93.7 in / 237 cm
Clearance with Bucket Dumped
75.6 in / 192 cm
Reach Dumped
23.6 in / 59 cm
Reach at Ground
53 in / 134 cm
Dump Angle
39 degrees
Rollback Angle at Ground
22 degrees
Raise Time
3.0 seconds
Dump Time
3.3 seconds
Lower Time
1.8 seconds
Rollback Time
2.0 seconds
Bucket Width
53 in / 134 cm
John Deere 440 Loader Specs
Lift Capacity at Full Height
920 lb / 417 kg at pin
Breakout Force
1,790 lb / 811 kg
Bucket Breakout Force
2,065 lb / 936 kg
Maximum Lift Height at Pin
93.7 in / 237 cm
Clearance with Bucket Dumped
75.6 in / 192 cm
Clearance with Bucket Level
87.2 in / 221 cm
Reach Dumped
23.6 in / 59 cm
Reach at Ground
53 in / 134 cm
Dump Angle
39 degrees
Rollback Angle at Ground
22 degrees
Bucket Widths
53, 60, or 73 in
Loader Capacity Chart
Bucket Breakout
2,065 lb
Rear 3-Point Lift
1,880 lb
Breakout Force
1,790 lb
Loader Lift
920 lb
John Deere 870 Tractor Specs That Affect Loader Performance
Engine
Yanmar 1.4L 3-cylinder diesel
Engine Power
28 hp / 20.9 kW net
PTO Power
25 hp / 18.6 kW claimed
Drive
2WD or 4WD
Transmission
9-speed unsynchronized gear or 9-speed partially synchronized
Hydraulic Type
Open center
Hydraulic Capacity
5.5 gal / 20.8 L
Hydraulic Pressure
2,250 psi / 155.1 bar
Hydraulic Pump Flow
8.1 gpm / 30.7 L/min
Total Flow – Manual Steering
8.1 gpm / 30.7 L/min
Total Flow – Power Steering
12.4 gpm / 46.9 L/min
Steering Flow
4.3 gpm / 16.3 L/min
Rear Hitch
Category I
Rear Lift at 24 in
1,880 lb / 852 kg
Weight
2,515 to 2,670 lb depending on setup
Loader vs Rear Lift Capacity
Bucket Breakout
2,065 lb
Rear 3-Point Lift
1,880 lb
Breakout Force
1,790 lb
Loader Lift at Pin
920 lb
Real-World Lifting: What a John Deere 870 Can Handle
Mulch Bucket
Easy normal use
Loose Topsoil
Good, but wet soil gets heavy fast
Gravel Bucket
Partial buckets only; full buckets can overload the loader
The John Deere 870 is useful, but it is not a skid steer. The 920 lb loader rating is at the pin, and real fork/grapple loads will be lower.
Best Uses for a John Deere 870 Loader
Moving mulch, compost, loose dirt, and garden material
Light driveway and gravel work
Firewood and small log handling
Small acreage cleanup
Snow removal with bucket or blade
Light pallet fork work with proper ballast
General property maintenance
Not Best For
Heavy pallet lifting at full reach
Round bale handling
Full buckets of wet gravel or wet clay
Using the loader as a crane
Commercial loader work
Replacing a skid steer, telehandler, or larger utility tractor
Loader work without rear ballast
Ballast: The Part People Ignore
The John Deere 870 needs rear ballast for safe loader work. Without enough rear weight, the tractor can lose traction, steering control, and stability.
Best practical setup: loaded rear tires plus a ballast box, box blade, rear implement, or proper 3-point counterweight when doing loader work.
No Rear Ballast
Bad idea for loader work
Loaded Rear Tires
Good baseline stability
Ballast Box
Best simple counterweight option
Box Blade
Useful if heavy enough
Pallet Fork Work
Needs extra care because the load sits farther forward
Older Tractor Reality
Inspect front axle, steering, loader pins, mounts, hoses, and hydraulic leaks
Common Mistakes
Using the 920 lb pin rating as the pallet fork rating
Ignoring how far forward the load sits
Lifting heavy loads without rear ballast
Driving with the loader raised high
Trying to lift full buckets of wet gravel or wet clay
Forgetting that bucket, forks, spear, or grapple weight reduces usable payload
