Reasonably priced Quick Attach (SSQA) option for many Kubota's

[Billdog350]

I pieced together information from this forum and a few other forums, as well as online information in order to figure out what would work for me. My goal is to save all of you the time in case you're interested in converting your machine to a SSQA.

The L2230A is a Kubota official quick attach that conforms with the ISO standard and will fit all bobcat style attachments. This unit has a 1" diameter pin size.

The following loaders from Kubota also use 1" pins. LA401, LA402, LA452, LA480, LA481, LA482, LA680, LA681, LA682, LB402, LB552 & LB702

Additionally BF500, BF550, LA450, LA500, & LA650 do as well.

The width and distance between the "ears" on the bucket vary slightly from model to model but I can confirm that the BF350, LA402 and LA682 all will accept the L2230A coupler. It will pin on without modification and perform normally. I personally have put the coupler on these machines.

Coupler measurements:
93.8mm (37 7/8") to the INSIDE of the ears.
110mm (43 1/4") to the OUTSIDE of the ears.
9.5" center to center on the pins. Pins are 1" dia.

You will note that there is a little excess play since the L2230A is WIDER than the loaders....as a result you can order up 94639A898 or similar from McMaster and cut those to fit. They're nylon spacers that will keep the bucket from moving side to side.

I paid around $450 from my Kubota dealer and you should be able to negotiate the same.
EDIT: You will need to talk to the SALES department, not PARTS to get this adapter. They won't be able to find this with the parts lookup, but sales team can look it up easily. Since sales has freedom to mark things up or down, try to influence them to give you a "good deal".

Of course you will need to order the quick attach plates if you're going to re-use your bucket.

Forks can be had as cheap as $459 for 42" from titan on Amazon with free shipping.

Buckets on ebay or craigslist are $200 and up for used skid steer buckets.

Hope this helps save anyone time that's looking to go SSQA as inexpensively as possible and doesn't want to take the cutting/welding route with the kits you can find online.
Honestly for the extra few hundred $, you're getting an engineered part, all painted, with $100 worth of new pins (the L2230A comes with new pins) . By the time you factor in time, welding materials, cutting/grinding materials..you're probably only saving yourself $50 to fab your own.....

 

[Billdog350]

Here are some pics of the Kubota L2230A attachment. I'll try to take some of it with the bucket off the tractor.

I had an old used bent bucket laying around that I welded the SSQA plate to. Instead of cutting the bucket apart I just welded the plate to the ears for the bucket. Honestly I tested roll back force and lifting capacity and I don't think its worth cutting everything off which will weaken the bucket anyway. Welding the plate on like this re-uses the existing mounts and keeps maximum strength.

 

[D2Cat]

Billdog 350, it's always nice when someone has done all the research and willing to share it. Saves a lot of grief. Nice work.

I like your "truck"!

 

[Billdog350]

Thx D2Cat....

Lol, the crew at the dealer I frequent always laugh when I pull up. I picked up my new Excavator bucket on a trailer in back of my Chevy Cruze...and everything else seems to somehow fit in my 350hp Firebird so why not?

When diesel was $5/gal I started getting creative with what I could fit in my cars...now that its down around $2.40 here in CT, I don't mind taking the truck once in a while.

I have been driving it the past few days to drop off and pick up my rear tire on my L3710....I needed the rim swapped and the tire loaded with rim guard.....so the 'bird gets a rest.

 

[Black Dog Chainsaw]

Not to beat this horse more than needed but...

Can anyone confirm that this will fit the 481 loaders? My dealer is kind of a bone head and couldn't find me a price after 10mins on the phone. Told him to call me back but he usually doesn't. Needless to say service and knowledge isn't in vast quantity around there. I know bill said the pins were the same size and I assume same spacing just wanted to know for sure before I lay the cash down, b/c I doubt he'll take it back if it doesn't fit.

Also I want to say after googling the part number and reading some other threads... There are several who have bent the hydro rods b/c the bucket stop wasn't up far enough. Those buying these should keep a keen eye on any interference after install.

Thanks!
Nate

 

[Billdog350]

Adding a bucket stop isn't too difficult to do, good point BDC that people should track that.

As far as the loader/attachment, I think the onus is on you to measure the inside width and outside width of your loader. I can give you the measurement of my L2230A and then you will have that validation you're looking for before purchase.

Since I took the information for the above loaders from an ATI or similar website, I can say with 99% certainty that the L2230A will pin on to your LA481. Apparently Kubota keeps the width of their loaders from the B AND L series of most newer machines very similar.

Again, the L2230A may be WIDER than your loader, but you will just have to shim it.....I have not seen examples where it is narrower or wouldn't line up....

 

[Black Dog Chainsaw]

Adding a bucket stop isn't too difficult to do, good point BDC that people should track that.

As far as the loader/attachment, I think the onus is on you to measure the inside width and outside width of your loader. I can give you the measurement of my L2230A and then you will have that validation you're looking for before purchase.

Since I took the information for the above loaders from an ATI or similar website, I can say with 99% certainty that the L2230A will pin on to your LA481. Apparently Kubota keeps the width of their loaders from the B AND L series of most newer machines very similar.

Again, the L2230A may be WIDER than your loader, but you will just have to shim it.....I have not seen examples where it is narrower or wouldn't line up....

Cool, still waiting to hear from my Kubota shop to see if they will pull their heads out for 10mins today...

Edit for update: ask for the sales department!!!! Guess I missed that bit of info. The parts department does not have the L2230A listed as an actual part number. The parts department needs a 10 digit number to find anything.

I contacted another Kubota dealer and they seem to know what's going on. He is emailing Kubota for price and availability for me.

In the mean time... BILL!!! Can you measure the distance from in-between the l2230A ears and distance inside of the ears?? This will give anyone looking the measurements to know if the L2230A will fit on their loader arms. Just thinking forward to others who's loaders may not be listed or even other people with brands besides Kubota. The price is right so why not let other people with 1" pins in on this???

I'll confirm measurements on my LA481 loader since they told me no returns. I'm sure I'll end up ordering this ssqa and I'll post back with pics and any interferences it causes.

The distance between the pins and bucket stop locations are the two things that will determine whether or not you'll contact your hydro rods! On LA513 and LA463 loaders it has been shown that the stops are too far back or missing. Or the pins are too close together causing the hydro rod to contact the end of the loader arm.

Your two options to correct this are...
1: to move the bucket stops forward, which may limit full bucket curl for unloading
2: relocating the top hydro pin. By moving the pin upward and away from the arm (spacing the pins further apart) you will maintain your curl without contacting the hydro rod. The amount of distance needing to be moved is unknown. Also, full curl may already be very close without relocating pins. That's why this is option 2. There may be better results with a combination of both. I am unsure.

All said and done anyone installing the L2230A should be measuring where full curl is achieved on OEM non-ssqa and then trying to match that once the L2230A ssqa is installed.

Just food for thought...

 

[Billdog350]

My local shop is an Industrial Kubota dealer, but they have a sister store over in NY that does AG, so they work with them to get me parts. They have gone over and above to look up parts for me, order things, etc... they have even offered to drop my larger parts off IN PERSON for free...its too bad your dealer "doesn't have time" to make a sale!

Maybe call another dealer and see if they will drop ship it to you?

I found this isn't a "parts department" item....they won't find it....you need to go to "sales" where people buy machines and implements...they can look up the L2230A and find it....be aware there is a markup in sales, so make sure they know that you know people are paying around $450 for that or they might try to mark it up.

 

[Black Dog Chainsaw]

My local shop is an Industrial Kubota dealer, but they have a sister store over in NY that does AG, so they work with them to get me parts. They have gone over and above to look up parts for me, order things, etc... they have even offered to drop my larger parts off IN PERSON for free...its too bad your dealer "doesn't have time" to make a sale!

Maybe call another dealer and see if they will drop ship it to you?

I found this isn't a "parts department" item....they won't find it....you need to go to "sales" where people buy machines and implements...they can look up the L2230A and find it....be aware there is a markup in sales, so make sure they know that you know people are paying around $450 for that or they might try to mark it up.

Good to know. I already told him what I have read people have been paying. I have read some people are paying under the $400 mark out the door.

Thanks again Bill!!!

 

[BAP]

Things like quick couplers are what's called "Whole Goods" and are obtained thru sales department not parts. If you ask parts they usually won't know what you are talking about. This is a common practice with most brands of equipment.

 

[houser52]

Cool, still waiting to hear from my Kubota shop to see if they will pull their heads out for 10mins today...

Edit for update: ask for the sales department!!!! Guess I missed that bit of info. The parts department does not have the L2230A listed as an actual part number. The parts department needs a 10 digit number to find anything.

I contacted another Kubota dealer and they seem to know what's going on. He is emailing Kubota for price and availability for me.

In the mean time... BILL!!! Can you measure the distance from in-between the l2230A ears and distance inside of the ears?? This will give anyone looking the measurements to know if the L2230A will fit on their loader arms. Just thinking forward to others who's loaders may not be listed or even other people with brands besides Kubota. The price is right so why not let other people with 1" pins in on this???

I'll confirm measurements on my LA481 loader since they told me no returns. I'm sure I'll end up ordering this ssqa and I'll post back with pics and any interferences it causes.

The distance between the pins and bucket stop locations are the two things that will determine whether or not you'll contact your hydro rods! On LA513 and LA463 loaders it has been shown that the stops are too far back or missing. Or the pins are too close together causing the hydro rod to contact the end of the loader arm.

Your two options to correct this are...
1: to move the bucket stops forward, which may limit full bucket curl for unloading
2: relocating the top hydro pin. By moving the pin upward and away from the arm (spacing the pins further apart) you will maintain your curl without contacting the hydro rod. The amount of distance needing to be moved is unknown. Also, full curl may already be very close without relocating pins. That's why this is option 2. There may be better results with a combination of both. I am unsure.

All said and done anyone installing the L2230A should be measuring where full curl is achieved on OEM non-ssqa and then trying to match that once the L2230A ssqa is installed.

Just food for thought...

I went through this several months ago with my LA680 loader. I was wanting to convert my loader to SSQA but couldn't find out which model would fit my loader. NO Kubota dealers anywhere had the tech specs info on what Kubota SSQA would fit my loader. I found another forum member that had done the same research about his loader, a LA681, and found one (L2228) that would fit. Since his loader had the same dimensions as mine, I got all of his info and called a local Kubota dealer and ordered one. Cost was $441 + tax and no shipping.

The L2230A may have been the SSQA that I needed to begin with but with no other info available I got what I needed with the info that was available at the time.

The SSQA went right on my loader and worked good after adding a few spacers at the pins since the brackets were a little wide inside. With that being said, the bucket stops or the geometry is a little off. I get more curl than needed but at full lift height I'm not getting a full dump. Either the bucket stops are too close or the pin spacing is too far apart. My original pins were 9 1/2" on center and the new SSQA is 9 3/4" on center. I knew this before I bought it but wouldn't have thought 1/4' would have made that much of a difference and it may not have. I don't know.

I've using it for several months this way it hasn't caused any problems I couldn't work around and I love the being able to easily/quickly switch between attachments.

I'll have to look at the bucket stops again and see if I can relocate them without causing any problems. If not I'll continue to use it and be happy.

Here's a pic of the added pin spacers.

 

[Black Dog Chainsaw]

I just got a call from my dealer and he said it would be $457 + freight + tax. For the L2230A.

Ugh... I was hoping to be at about $450 or less.

What did you use for spacers? Looks like big metal washers...

You have me questioning which one of the SSQA's I need now. The LA680 was used on L3600, L4200 which are 2x size bump over my L2900. I'm sure either would work but have to wonder if the L2228 is the better choice or heavier duty?

 

[tempforce]

the loader on my L3200 needs some of those spacers installed. the pivot joint is getting real sloppy.

 

[houser52]

I just got a call from my dealer and he said it would be $457 + freight + tax. For the L2230A.

Ugh... I was hoping to be at about $450 or less.

What did you use for spacers? Looks like big metal washers...

You have me questioning which one of the SSQA's I need now. The LA680 was used on L3600, L4200 which are 2x size bump over my L2900. I'm sure either would work but have to wonder if the L2228 is the better choice or heavier duty?

The dealer I bought from had Kubota stuff being shipped to them anyway so mine got a free ride. You might be able to see if you dealer can do that.

Yes the spacers are washers. The washers that are used with 1" bolts fit the 1" loader pins perfectly. Some guys have used 1" ID steel, brass or bronze tubing cut to the correct length but with washers there was no cutting involved and works good.

I don't know anything about the L2230 but the L2228 is heavy. It's made from thicker steel than the rest of the loader or the bucket's pin on brackets. I think the SSQA brackets are either 5/16" or 3/8" thick but I can't remember exactly. Certainly thicker than 1/4" for sure.

My tractor handles the L2228 just fine but my loader might have more lift than yours. Mine has 1489# of lift. You probably don't want to use up your lift capacity with a SSQA that's too heavy.

 

[Black Dog Chainsaw]

The dealer I bought from had Kubota stuff being shipped to them anyway so mine got a free ride. You might be able to see if you dealer can do that.



Yes the spacers are washers. The washers that are used with 1" bolts fit the 1" loader pins perfectly. Some guys have used 1" ID steel, brass or bronze tubing cut to the correct length but with washers there was no cutting involved and works good.



I don't know anything about the L2230 but the L2228 is heavy. It's made from thicker steel than the rest of the loader or the bucket's pin on brackets. I think the SSQA brackets are either 5/16" or 3/8" thick but I can't remember exactly. Certainly thicker than 1/4" for sure.



My tractor handles the L2228 just fine but my loader might have more lift than yours. Mine has 1489# of lift. You probably don't want to use up your lift capacity with a SSQA that's too heavy.

You're 100% correct. I was looking for thinner gauge higher graded steel to do my conversion with originally until I found this ssqa from Kubota option. I will still look for higher grade thinner still plates to convert my bucket. I only lift dirt and push snow for now. Maybe get a log grapple/root rake in the future.

 

[Billdog350]

My whole L2230A coupler is around 88# and I can't imagine fabricating something that's lighter and stronger at the same time.....Do we really think our backyard skills better than Kubota engineers that have been making these things for 40+ years? I sure as heck don't...but I know some of you guys are professional welders and machinists....

Sorry I was out on vacation for the past week and now I'm away in Indianapolis for work. When I get home I'll get those measurements so they're in this thread for future people considering the swap.

 

[ShaunRH]

My whole L2230A coupler is around 88# and I can't imagine fabricating something that's lighter and stronger at the same time.....Do we really think our backyard skills better than Kubota engineers that have been making these things for 40+ years? I sure as heck don't...but I know some of you guys are professional welders and machinists....

Sorry I was out on vacation for the past week and now I'm away in Indianapolis for work. When I get home I'll get those measurements so they're in this thread for future people considering the swap.

A person's 'skills' are really up to them to decide. It's not rocket science here. If you can weld a decent bead and know how to change the settings for your given welder to create enough penetration, then it's a job you can do and be successful at it.

Not to knock factory professionals, but I've seen welds come out of a factory that would've gotten an "F" from my high school metal shop instructor. I mean undercut, lack of fusion, the whole kitchen sink of failures. The object in question would've broken the second I would've tried to use it. I took it back and purchased a better built one from a different dealer.

I will be welding my own SSQA for my LA524 loader, NIWolfman is right about where to get the locks and parts. It will be less than half the price of the Kubota one and I'll know how to fix it if something goes wrong.

On the plus and minus side of factory stuff, you usually have no idea if they've heat treated something. If they have and you need to weld on it to repair it, you've just killed the heat treatment and it will be weaker all the way around. The plus side is heat treated stuff is usually stronger and can be made lighter to get the same strength, you just can't shop repair it though.

 

[Drewdaman]

I have a M4950DT with the M1840 FEL and the owner's manual indicates that the pins are 1-1/8" (not the 1" that the B and L models have) - is there a similar Kubota SSQA that fits this loader?

Thanks in advance,
Drew

 

[Billdog350]

Thanks for all of your patience. Here are the pics and measurements of the L2230A esp on my LA672 loader.

93.8mm (37 7/8") to the INSIDE of the ears.
110mm (43 1/4") to the OUTSIDE of the ears.
9.5" center to center on the pins. Pins are 1" dia.

The stops on the L2230A and my LA682 work perfectly, cylinders do not have an issue.'

@Drewdaman, the TL1709A fits the Kubota L48 tractor which also uses the larger pins. I haven't done research to confirm if those are 1 1/8 or 1 3/8" pins on that QT.

 

[WELD]

I know this has been dead for a little bit but I'm bringing it back.
My loader LA352 was not listed in the original post as being compatible; i have to check some of the measurements before committing to buy but I'm fairly certain it will fit mine.

for those that had to use spacers, did you have to buy the pins separate or did the ssqa come with the required pins?