Front loader for a B7200

[PoTreeBoy]

Haha - it did yesterday. Today the sticks of steel still look like sticks of steel, but the sheet has been cut and has a couple of folds....then I had to leave to see my GP.

You've done the hard part, pay for the steel. It's looking good.

 

[torch]

For this relief valve, would I simply need to tap into the line that goes to the lift side of the lift cylinders, and does the relief go back to the tank return line ?

It goes between the control valve and the cylinder on both lines. IE: UP line from control to cross-over relief valve inlet port 1; outlet port 1 to cylinder UP. Same with Down -- from control to cross-over inlet port 2, outlet port 2 to cylinder down.

It actually contains 2 relief valves, one for each direction. If the pressure is exceeded in one line, it just dumps the flow to the opposite line, bypassing the cylinder.

 

[Paul Allwood]

It goes between the control valve and the cylinder on both lines. IE: UP line from control to cross-over relief valve inlet port 1; outlet port 1 to cylinder UP. Same with Down -- from control to cross-over inlet port 2, outlet port 2 to cylinder down.

It actually contains 2 relief valves, one for each direction. If the pressure is exceeded in one line, it just dumps the flow to the opposite line, bypassing the cylinder.

Is this the type of valve you mean ? Where 'V' and 'C' are raise and lower or lower and raise ?

I can understand how this function could help on the raise side by limiting the maximum pressure to the raise side of the lift cylinders, and therefore limiting the front axle load. But I don't understand the reason behind limiting the pressure on the lower side of the lift cylinders, except maybe to protect the loader assembly or attachments ?? Not arguing, just don't understand.

 

[Paul Allwood]

You've done the hard part, pay for the steel. It's looking good.

Thanks

 

[Paul Allwood]

Yep looks like a sheet of steel and some sticks of steel!

A bit more like a bucket

 

[Paul Allwood]

Now it's looking like a bucket. The ends are just tacked on so far and no brackets or other stiffening bits added yet.

@torch - the dimensions might look a bit (a lot) like the bucket you made for yours. Thanks again.

 

[Paul Allwood]

I'm just looking at the 2nd photo above and noticed that with the loader arms raised a little to meet the bucket, the bucket is a bit further forward than I had intended. Don't remember who here mentioned it, but I was aiming for about one front tyre diameter from the leading edge of the front tyre to the back of the bucket.

I guess this is one of the problems with making it up as I go. I'm not going to change it now - I think I'll get it working and see how it goes.

 

[torch]

Is this the type of valve you mean ? Where 'V' and 'C' are raise and lower or lower and raise ?

I can understand how this function could help on the raise side by limiting the maximum pressure to the raise side of the lift cylinders, and therefore limiting the front axle load. But I don't understand the reason behind limiting the pressure on the lower side of the lift cylinders, except maybe to protect the loader assembly or attachments ?? Not arguing, just don't understand.

Yeah that's the device. And no, I don't think downpressure is really so much of an issue with the typical FEL build. But that's how they come. (Unless there's another style were one relief valve is replaced with a check valve. Dan?)

 

[Paul Allwood]

Yeah that's the device. And no, I don't think downpressure is really so much of an issue with the typical FEL build. But that's how they come. (Unless there's another style were one relief valve is replaced with a check valve. Dan?)

Maybe the relief pressure on the down side can be adjusted high enough to effectively not do anything ?

 

[torch]

Yup.

Maybe the relief pressure on the down side can be adjusted high enough to effectively not do anything ?

Yup. Just going to lift the front of the tractor off the ground. Typically your downforce is inherently less than your lift anyway. The piston area is reduced by the rod diameter when retracting the cylinder.

 

[Paul Allwood]

I decided the bucket was a bit big for the tractor so I shrunk it a little. This drops it from about 5.3 to 4.3 cubic feet. With the SSQA bits and the mechanical disadvantage I've got by copying the LA344 single dump cylinder design, I think this will be big enough. Reducing the length of the bottom edge will also increase the leverage when trying to curl the bucket up to break up the dirt.

Next I'm going to try a cutting edge using 100 x 8 mm mild steel. It won't last forever but I won't be using it all day every day, and if needed I can weld the edge with Weldall rods to make it nice and hard.

Also making a bolt on tooth bar using some tiger teeth. I was able to buy the adaptor and tooth for $20 a set locally which I thought was pretty good. I would have prefered a Piranha tooth bar but I can't find anyone here that sells them and $812 (Australian) to come from the US is a bit steep.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I decided the bucket was a bit big for the tractor so I shrunk it a little. This drops it from about 5.3 to 4.3 cubic feet. With the SSQA bits and the mechanical disadvantage I've got by copying the LA344 single dump cylinder design, I think this will be big enough. Reducing the length of the bottom edge will also increase the leverage when trying to curl the bucket up to break up the dirt.

Next I'm going to try a cutting edge using 100 x 8 mm mild steel. It won't last forever but I won't be using it all day every day, and if needed I can weld the edge with Weldall rods to make it nice and hard.

Also making a bolt on tooth bar using some tiger teeth. I was able to buy the adaptor and tooth for $20 a set locally which I thought was pretty good. I would have prefered a Piranha tooth bar but I can't find anyone here that sells them and $812 (Australian) to come from the US is a bit steep.

I used those exact (nearly exact) teeth for my homemade “tooth bar”.

I did a “Non-scientific” test, and was shocked at how much better the bucket performed with the tooth bar attached.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the performance.

 

[Paul Allwood]

I used those exact (nearly exact) teeth for my homemade “tooth bar”.

I did a “Non-scientific” test, and was shocked at how much better the bucket performed with the tooth bar attached.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the performance.

View attachment 164889

Good to know - thanks. I think mine will dig even faster....they're red.

Edit: I had seen a photo of yours - don't remember how I found it.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Good to know - thanks. I think mine will dig even faster....they're red.

To dig really fast, should they not be orange?

 

[Paul Allwood]

Help needed with bucket cutting edge

Tomorrow I'm going to have a go at grinding a bevel on a piece of mild steel to form a cutting edge for the loader bucket. This will mostly sit behind a bolt on tooth bar.

From pics of purchased edges it looks like the angle is around 65 degrees and the flat in the leading edge is about 1/8" high. These are X and Y in the attached sketch.

Do these dimensions seem anywhere near right ? Would you recommend something different ?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Give me a few minutes, I will go take a “close up” of mine.

I beveled mine “by hand”, so it was all “eye-balled”.

 

[torch]

I wouldn't go more than 65° for sure, especially with mild steel. IIRC, I think I settled on something closer to 45°. But mine is also home-grown and I didn't experiment with various angles to really say what is the best. Whatever I settled on depended heavily on what angle was achievable given the thickness of the AR5 steel and max cutting depth of my little 40A plasma cutter.

 

[Paul Allwood]

I wouldn't go more than 65° for sure, especially with mild steel. IIRC, I think I settled on something closer to 45°. But mine is also home-grown and I didn't experiment with various angles to really say what is the best. Whatever I settled on depended heavily on what angle was achievable given the thickness of the AR5 steel and max cutting depth of my little 40A plasma cutter.

Thanks

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Mine come down to a point.

If I were to guess, i would say the angle is about 55-65 degrees from horizontal.

 

[Paul Allwood]

Mine come down to a point.

If I were to guess, i would say the angle is about 55-65 degrees from horizontal.






View attachment 164986

Thanks. When you say it came down to a point, are you referring to the orange cutting edge ? Is this the one you beveled by eye ? If so, nice job. Is it mild steel or something else ?