Bent Loader

[SteelyDan83]

Hello,
Looks like I have bent loader arms or maybe just a bent bucket. Hit a large boulder on the left side of the bucket going 3-5mph in the snow while plowing. Blew 2 hoses and now the bucket is 3 inches low on the side of impact. I’ve used a T square, level and tape to check distances between loader arms. Nothing is off aside from the obvious(see picture). Haven’t taken bucket off yet. What is the next step from here? How do I know if it’s the bucket or the loader arms and frame that are bent?

 

[Fordtech86]

From that pic it looks like its not the bucket thats bent. Maybe post a couple more pics from sides and behind.

 

[dirtydeed]

maybe start with relaxing the loader frame bolts with the bucket flat on your solid level surface then re-tightening? Perhaps the loader frame bolts just shifted a bit (best case obviously).

 

[RCW]

First, I would do what FordTech said...more pictures, etc.

Are the top mounts of the curl cylinders on the booms level, or close? Left boom looks low....

Not trying to be a smarta**, but an uneven loader is often caused by a problem with the rear tires.

If the left-rear tire is low, then it can make the right-front edge if the bucket to be high.

Since it's over 10-12 feet, only 1 inch low at one rear axle can cause a 3 inch difference at the front of the bucket.

Check the height of both rear axles from the level floor. Will give you a good starting point, and it doesn't cost anything....

 

[SteelyDan83]

Is the tube behind the bucket between the two loader arms bent? From that pic it looks like its not the bucket thats bent. Maybe post a couple more pics from sides and behind.

It’s square with the arms. You can see in the situation in this photo with a level. Floor is level, 3 pt is level, axle is level.

 

[jimh406]

I feel for you. I just spent hours straightening my mounts for my snow plow on my Polaris Ranger. I’m pretty sure I was going much faster > 10 probably when I came to my sudden stop. It worked ok to finish the season. I straightened it out to be ready for next year.

In my case, it might have made more sense to buy mounts, but at this point, it’s much improved.

There were a few threads on uneven loaders with some good ideas. I’d look for those threads.

 

[je1279]

Assuming the floor is level, I would try to loosen the loader mounts to get it as level as possible. Once there, re-tighten to spec but unfortunately, I'm not sure you will be able to get back to completely level with the pictures you have provided.

 

[Russell King]

I believe you know that the rear axle is level but I have to point out that the level on the 3PH arms being leveled does not prove that.

There is generally at least one side of the 3PH that can be adjusted up and down to tilt the implement so it is possible to have the arms level even if the tractor is leaning.

 

[85Hokie]

DO this and report back

Measure as best you can the chrome cylinder rods that are extended from the main cylinders on each side - the( red arrows)...... a small difference here will be magnified when it moves away towards the arms.

IF this is the case - crack the fitting on the right side and allow that cylinder to leak a bit then close the fitting when level.

 

[kubotafreak]

Look at all the welds for wrinkled/bubbled paint on that left side.

 

[xrocketengineer]

Look at all the welds for wrinkled/bubbled paint on that left side.

Particularly on the bottom. I would also measure from the ground up to the bottom of the bucket hinge pins while the FEL is leveled as in the last picture. It looks like the left boom is bent down or the welds at the gusset gave way.

 

[Fladogman]

Check the lower spreader bar at the coupler. I bent mine today and had to cut out the bar and replace it.

 

[Steve Neul]

Have you checked to see any of the cylinder rods is bent. I find it hard to believe running into a rock would bend the lift arms.

 

[SteelyDan83]

DO this and report back

Measure as best you can the chrome cylinder rods that are extended from the main cylinders on each side - the( red arrows)...... a small difference here will be magnified when it moves away towards the arms.

IF this is the case - crack the fitting on the right side and allow that cylinder to leak a bit then close the fitting when level.

View attachment 56569

6 1/4 on the left, 6 3/4 on the right. All welds are good. I just replaced most of the lines after this occurred and drained all hydro fluid, filter, screen, etc. it looks like the bucket is torqued to the left pretty bad. I think the bent bucket might be causing the unevenness. You can see in the pictures that it is like a squished trapezoid when lining the bucket sides up with tires.

 

[Shadow_storm56]

Unfortunately this can happen, smaller tractors are easy to overload and damage. I had a deere that I hooked somthing plowing snow at full speed. Snapped the plows angle cylinder but did not hurt the loader (so I thought) it actually bent one of the loader arms slightly to the right, noticeable if you look down the seem but otherwise it had no effect.

You could have torqued the bucket mounts but most likely you bent part of the loader or mount. I'd say start at the beginning and just move along making sure everything is strait and square.

 

[airbiscuit]

Take the bucket off and lower the loader arms to the ground. Then it will be obvious whether or not your loader arms are sprung.

 

[xrocketengineer]

Take the bucket off and lower the loader arms to the ground. Then it will be obvious whether or not your loader arms are sprung.

That might be fun if the pins are loaded and you will need to be careful if anything springs back. But it might be the only way to tell if anything else is bent besides the bucket.

 

[SteelyDan83]

6 1/4 on the left, 6 3/4 on the right. All welds are good. I just replaced most of the lines after this occurred and drained all hydro fluid, filter, screen, etc. it looks like the bucket is torqued to the left pretty bad. I think the bent bucket might be causing the unevenness. You can see in the pictures that it is like a squished trapezoid when lining the bucket sides up with tires.

Unfortunately this can happen, smaller tractors are easy to overload and damage. I had a deere that I hooked somthing plowing snow at full speed. Snapped the plows angle cylinder but did not hurt the loader (so I thought) it actually bent one of the loader arms slightly to the right, noticeable if you look down the seem but otherwise it had no effect.

You could have torqued the bucket mounts but most likely you bent part of the loader or mount. I'd say start at the beginning and just move along making sure everything is strait and square.

So...took the bucket off. Loader arms bent perpendicular to ground, frame bent in the same direction. Had no idea just hitting a snag would cause so much damage. Welds are all good. Might modify things to be level through reverse engineering. Plan on altering bucket pins/ joints to be be level even though the loader arms aren’t. Is ther a problem going about it this way?

 

[whitetiger]

In your picture of the back of the bucket with the level on the top, look at the distance down from the loader torque tube to the lower bucket mount pins. The LH pin is lower than the RH, they should be exactly the same. Your loader is bent, either the LH boom arm or at the torque tube.

 

[Shadow_storm56]

So...took the bucket off. Loader arms bent perpendicular to ground, frame bent in the same direction. Had no idea just hitting a snag would cause so much damage. Welds are all good. Might modify things to be level through reverse engineering. Plan on altering bucket pins/ joints to be be level even though the loader arms aren’t. Is ther a problem going about it this way?

You wouldn't believe the force that loader would take when hitting something. It's actually not uncommon for big farms to bend loaders in 2-300hp tractors as well. Everything has a limit although usually they hit somthing on the other side to fix it. The newest kubota I bought has a very smart bucket design very similar to a skidsteer with a narrow but really deep bucket which helps keep forces closer to the middle.