Just wondering if anyone has bolted or welded a set of these to their bucket? If so, did you use backer plates for added support or did you weld/bolt straight to the bucket? I have a set of Ken’s hooks (weld) delivering shortly and plan to install them as soon as they arrive. Thanks in advance.
L3200/L3800 FEL Hooks (LA524)
- Thread starter senecak19
- Start date
I welded hooks to plates and bolted them to the bucket.
1. I wanted to be able to remove / repair easily
2. I couldn't stand to burn the new orange paint with my welder
1. I wanted to be able to remove / repair easily
2. I couldn't stand to burn the new orange paint with my welder
Attachments
I've used a different approach on the last two tractors. Heavy angle with slots. Works whether you want the chain on the front or the rear of the bucket. Plenty of extra slots to hold excess chain. The binder pic is how I hold the new brush forks on.
Attachments
Chim - I meant to ask you how the strap was holding? Based on the designs, it doesn't appear it takes much to hold the brush forks on? All things considered, I feel like a regular tie down could hold these things. I've been cutting mounting hardware for the last hour and I feel like I'm going over kill since I intend to hold it down similar to yours. Because I didn't use angle iron up against the bucket edge, I'll have to rethink a few areas.
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The strap works pretty well. I wouldn't want anything lighter, and have even thought of using a chain binder. Running into the brush pile or picking up a load puts minimal strain on the strap.
Any upward force on the tines has a 3:1 advantage on it. There's 3' in front of the cutting edge and 1' behind it. For example, if I'd try to dump a load on a pile without raising the bucket high enough.
Any upward force on the tines has a 3:1 advantage on it. There's 3' in front of the cutting edge and 1' behind it. For example, if I'd try to dump a load on a pile without raising the bucket high enough.
85Hokie
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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Bulldog,
I too couldn't burn mine either! I wept when I drilled holes in the brand new bucket! Got over that very quickly!
I had some 1/2 plate laying around and some grade 8 bolts.....however after using, I like Chim's idea, get the chain up and bit and NOT beat up the top edge of the bucketAttachments
I think Chim's idea will work. I think I'll go the plate route with hooks on the outside and clevis in the center. The advantage being I can swap them out whenever necessary. I have quite a bit of 1/4" angle iron kicking around as well, so a set of those may be in order as well.
I've welded a bunch of hooks on several buckets Always just welded them to what ever was there. They have taken some great abuse. The only added thing was on my blue tractor bucket center hook. The heavy abuse placed a slight bend in the top rim of the bucket. I added a section of fence post there and now no more problem. None of the welds have broken and none of the supports have bent. A can of orange paint sure does wonders.
The slotted angle iron may be OK, but what about the time you make a crane boom sticking out of the bucket and have chains to the top of the bucket going off at an angle above the horizon. Not good idea.
The slotted angle iron may be OK, but what about the time you make a crane boom sticking out of the bucket and have chains to the top of the bucket going off at an angle above the horizon. Not good idea.
If I had to do a hookup on something like that, I'd just take the chains around the back of the bucket and drop them in the slots after making a full wrap.
I might also add a chain or two to wrap under the bucket for something like that in the other direction just in case something went awry and it went over-center so I didn't eat the boom pole. Goofy things have a way of happening.
I don't see much room to use plate on the LA524. The top plate is 1/4" with a flat surface on top approx 3" wide. There's a weld along the front of the plate and a weld beneath it (used for mounting the QA plating). I don't see it bending much if at all. My center clevis will be bolted and my hooks will be welded.
I'll have to check, but I think they were pieces of 4x4x1/4. The one leg was trimmed off so it wouldn't stick way back over the bend of the bucket. There's one in the center and two in line with the lift arms.
The slots were made by drilling what is the bottom end of the slot, then sawing from the edge to the hole to make a U. Heat was avoided out of concern for affecting the strength of the steel. They functioned well on the other tractor for 10 years, and on this one for a year. They work with the chain pulling either direction. It's nice to be able to drop excess chain in extra slots to keep it out of the way.
Chim - I didn't realize you don't have the QA bucket. I think I got some versatility with my setup (maybe not as much as yours). I got the clevis mounted to the center of my bucket, but have yet to weld the hooks on.
Right now I have 1/2" grade 8 hardware with two washers beneath the bucket. The bend in the plate should add some strength to the bucket as its only 1/4" thick. The actual clevis mount is welded to one of Ken's Bolt on Plates that's 1/4" as well. Because of the lack of support beneath the bucket for this one mount, I'm not expecting it to pick up a huge amount. It may, but I'll be cognizant about bending the bucket.
As for the heavy lifting, the hooks in line with the hydraulic cylinders should do the trick. Again, I intend to weld the hooks directly to the buckets 1/4" plating, but beneath it is a long seam weld that's used for the QA assembly. I don't foresee that area bending much if at all.
Right now I have 1/2" grade 8 hardware with two washers beneath the bucket. The bend in the plate should add some strength to the bucket as its only 1/4" thick. The actual clevis mount is welded to one of Ken's Bolt on Plates that's 1/4" as well. Because of the lack of support beneath the bucket for this one mount, I'm not expecting it to pick up a huge amount. It may, but I'll be cognizant about bending the bucket.
As for the heavy lifting, the hooks in line with the hydraulic cylinders should do the trick. Again, I intend to weld the hooks directly to the buckets 1/4" plating, but beneath it is a long seam weld that's used for the QA assembly. I don't foresee that area bending much if at all.
gssixgun
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L3600, FEL, SnoBlower, Box Blade, Rear Blade, Forks, Cultivator, Plow
I really like these ideas, the previous owner welded on a loop in the center of my bucket and everything went wrong. from bending the top to burning the steel and paint
I think I am going to use these ideas for the outside lift arm attachments and perhaps change the center one and try and "Repair" the old damage...
Thanks Gents
Well, after much debate, this is what I ended up with. A brand new bucket with two new holes and two new hooks welded to it. It only stung for a minute and now all is well.
