Struggling installing an SSQA adapter

Shanester

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B7500HST MX5100HST
Sep 21, 2021
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Ohio
I bought an ATI Tach-All for my MX5100 and its LA844 loader to convert it to SSQA. It looks really well made but for some reason one of the bottom pins doesn't align with the ears. It is off center by at least an 1/8". I tried removing it and the other bottom pin to reverse the order. Sure enough the one I struggled with before went right in but now the other side has the issue. The pins came out of the old bucket no problem and the bucket nor the pins appear bent. The pins go into the new adapter easy enough without going through the loader arms. Either the loader arms are bent or this thing is not made right. Even if I could get it in there it seems like it might wear on it uneven. Thoughts?

IMG_20231202_172313135.jpg
 

whitetiger

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Try rotating the plate more horizontally and inserting the pins. Sometimes they are a bear to install.
 
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kubotafreak

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Try to not install the pin all the way. Do the loader pin half way through on one side then try to get it halfway through on the other. Then you need to tap it in with a brass/plastic hammer. Shouldn't have to hit it too hard. This way you are splitting the misalignment. If that doesn't work you may need to grind a bit on the adapter. Or send it back which is going to be just as fun as grinding...

looking at your picture, also make sure you insert the tapered end first. Usually the grease end is flatter.
 
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GeoHorn

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You need to find out if your bucket lower pin-holes are tweaked…or if your adaptor lower pin holes are mis-aligned. The bucket fits your loader just fine…correct? And the adaptor fits you loader just fine also…correct? If so…then it’s the adaptor-to-bucket that’s mfr’d out of alignment.
Do you have a laser-level to shoot thru the holes to confirm this?
 

Runs With Scissors

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Like suggested above, a non-marring type hammer (i.e. hard rubber mallet or dead blow) with a pry bar might help to "persuade" it into place.

One other thing I would try is to go to your scrap pile or hardware store, find some bar stock the same diameter as the "good pin" and grind/turn a significant taper to make a "tapered alignment" tool.

Then grease the holes up and start tapping in the alignment tool but; before it gets all the way through, put the "good pin" in and use it to tap out the "alignment tool".


Edit: be sure to "eyeball" where the end of the alignment pin is at. This way you can "really smack' the good pin to "jump the gap" before it goes back out of alignment. (easy to do, but hard to explain)
 
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GreensvilleJay

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Maybe I'm 'nit picking' but in the picture I see what looks like a crescent shaped hole in the upper left area and a really lousy hole in the upper tight are where the bushing is located. If this is true, I don't consider the unit 'well made'.
The bushing hole in the plate isn't a nice 100% circular hole and possibly why alignment is off.Normally you use custom made alignment jigs and precision ground bar stock to setup for critical welding of bushing to plates.
When my BX23S loader frame was rewelded after the factory defect, the pins for the QA frames slid silky smoooooth ,NO effort was required,NO hammers, NO extra 'force'. They just went in beautifully.
 
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Shanester

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B7500HST MX5100HST
Sep 21, 2021
77
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18
Ohio
Try to not install the pin all the way. Do the loader pin half way through on one side then try to get it halfway through on the other. Then you need to tap it in with a brass/plastic hammer. Shouldn't have to hit it too hard. This way you are splitting the misalignment. If that doesn't work you may need to grind a bit on the adapter. Or send it back which is going to be just as fun as grinding...

looking at your picture, also make sure you insert the tapered end first. Usually the grease end is flatter.

Are you saying to get the pins through only one side and then tap on each on a little at a time so each is getting half of the total misalignment pressure? That may help. The pins looked like the chamfers are about the same on both sides. I ground the chamfer larger on one side to help but it still wouldn't go in.
 

Shanester

Member

Equipment
B7500HST MX5100HST
Sep 21, 2021
77
34
18
Ohio
You need to find out if your bucket lower pin-holes are tweaked…or if your adaptor lower pin holes are mis-aligned. The bucket fits your loader just fine…correct? And the adaptor fits you loader just fine also…correct? If so…then it’s the adaptor-to-bucket that’s mfr’d out of alignment.
Do you have a laser-level to shoot thru the holes to confirm this?
The old pin on bucket fits the loader fine. The new adapter does not fit the loader arms. I was thinking of using a string to check the alignment of the adapter but I should check the loader arms too.
 

Shanester

Member

Equipment
B7500HST MX5100HST
Sep 21, 2021
77
34
18
Ohio
Like suggested above, a non-marring type hammer (i.e. hard rubber mallet or dead blow) with a pry bar might help to "persuade" it into place.

One other thing I would try is to go to your scrap pile or hardware store, find some bar stock the same diameter as the "good pin" and grind/turn a significant taper to make a "tapered alignment" tool.

Then grease the holes up and start tapping in the alignment tool but; before it gets all the way through, put the "good pin" in and us it to tap out the "alignment tool".


Edit: be sure to "eyeball" where the end of the alignment pin is at. This way you can "really smack' the good pin to "jump the gap" before it goes back out of alignment. (easy to do, but hard to explain)
I thought of making a tool like that and it might work. If I do get it in will it wear the pins or loader arms much quicker than normal?
 

Shanester

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B7500HST MX5100HST
Sep 21, 2021
77
34
18
Ohio
I'm going to see if I put some of the weight of the tractor on just one of the loader arms to see if the loader frame is tweakable enough to pound it in. Still doesn't seem right. I may call ATI tomorrow too.
 

MapleLeafFarmer

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I often use a small hydraulic bottle jack on the floor between the floor and bottom of loader arm (or plate or whatever) to make very small adjustments to get holes to align. Sometimes not always vertical adjustments so a little help at uncommon angles takes extra blocks of wood or whatever.

I've also used ratchet straps to grill guards, hitch of a truck, bucket of another tractor etc to get the angle of adjustment just right... a mallet solution is just frustrating for me.

not uncommon for used equipment to get tweaked to situations of pads being way out of timing!

a little mechanical advantage like a ratchet strap to some fixed object or bottle jack usually is my go to.
 
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PoTreeBoy

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I'm going to see if I put some of the weight of the tractor on just one of the loader arms to see if the loader frame is tweakable enough to pound it in. Still doesn't seem right. I may call ATI tomorrow too.
I like your idea of using a string to check your loader arms, bucket and adapter. Or as someone else suggested, a piece of rod, pipe or conduit to determine what's tweaked. (My ATI adapter fit like a glove.)

If you use a string, you may want to have the pins sticking out to the inside so you have a longer length to align to, if this makes sense.
 
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Runs With Scissors

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I thought of making a tool like that and it might work. If I do get it in will it wear the pins or loader arms much quicker than normal?
It's not off by that much IMHO, so I doubt you would see any extra wear.

But if you think it is, then replacement seems like your only other option.

Or possibly having it "line bored" and a custom pin/bushing made, or something equally crazy like that.
 
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Soopitup

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If this is a manufacturing error they should be paying for return shipping and shipping the new one to you.
Personally, returning it would be my first option. If it's not made correctly there's more chance of a problem down the road.

I often use a small hydraulic bottle jack on the floor between the floor and bottom of loader arm (or plate or whatever) to make very small adjustments to get holes to align. Sometimes not always vertical adjustments so a little help at uncommon angles takes extra blocks of wood or whatever.

I've also used ratchet straps to grill guards, hitch of a truck, bucket of another tractor etc to get the angle of adjustment just right... a mallet solution is just frustrating for me.

not uncommon for used equipment to get tweaked to situations of pads being way out of timing!

a little mechanical advantage like a ratchet strap to some fixed object or bottle jack usually is my go to.
Yeah, I was going to suggest a jack or something under one of the arms.

I thought of making a tool like that and it might work. If I do get it in will it wear the pins or loader arms much quicker than normal?
I have no experience with loader arms specifically, but there's going to be more pressure on that pin/socket. And it will be harder to force grease (if any) into the high pressure "side" of the fitment, so potentially less lubrication.
As I said above, I would suggest returning it. The pin is relativey cheap to replace (I think), the loader arm socket and adapter socket not so much....
 
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PoTreeBoy

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What if he returns it and the problem is that his bucket and arms are tweaked? I'd try to determine what's off first.
 
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GeoHorn

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From the picture in post #1 it certainly appears that the zerk/bushing is not installed in alignment within the boss. I’d send that pic to ATI and ask them how to fix the problem, rather than “tweak” my equipment to correct Their mfr’g error.
 
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kubotafreak

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I would not be surprised if you find the ssqa plate square. The bores in the ssqa plates generally rotate with the pins, all the wear is in the center of the pin, and the loader bushing. Which to my memory is the only wear item. Chances are the loader is slightly bent. It will more than likely need a ratchet strap to bring them closer together or a port a power to put a little pressure on them(think diamond). Or grind the bore of the ssqa plate...
 
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