I guess I must have bent it a little at some point when trying to re-mount the loader, not going in square. The stand has bent more with use, the 90 degree bent piece that crosses by the hydraulic line. It's also twisted just a bit at the front left attachment point by the bucket. I've straightened the cross piece out a bit by pulling on it with a ratchet, but it bends again, worse.
I've currently got it held onto the left side of the main loader frame with steel cable and cable clamps wrapped tightly around it. Without that it will pull off at the front attachment point.
I guess I get a new stand for it. I assume this is a reasonable DIY replacement?
I've worked this little loader hard at times. I commonly move a few very large diameter logs at a time, and in winter, besides pushing snow around (on a sometimes uneven gravel drive), I move piles that fall off the metal roof. These loads of wet snow are at the limit of what the loader will lift.
I guess besides the DIY question, I wonder if I get a new loader should I find someone who welds and add some reinforcement to the cross piece, the one that is angled and runs along that hydraulic line? That is the main bend now, the weak part, but it has also twisted slightly where it attaches near the bucket.
I'm pretty surprised it hasn't held up. 100 hours on the tractor. I don't know if it was slight damage trying to re mount it -- assuming that -- or not holding up to use. I know it's the lightest duty tractor/loader I could get, but I'd still assume it would hold up generally to anything I'd do. I'd like to say I'll just be more careful re-mounting it, but that can be hard sometimes. I find it either takes about two minutes to re-mount the loader, or 25 minutes. The loader usually stays on, but during mowing season it's mostly off.
And a bit worried there might be something wrong with the loader itself, structurally. It seems it should have enough torsional strength that it wouldn't depend on this thin stand for any rigidity. It should be firm on its own and not bending anything. Maybe I should have the dealer come out to look at it. They do housecalls.
I've currently got it held onto the left side of the main loader frame with steel cable and cable clamps wrapped tightly around it. Without that it will pull off at the front attachment point.
I guess I get a new stand for it. I assume this is a reasonable DIY replacement?
I've worked this little loader hard at times. I commonly move a few very large diameter logs at a time, and in winter, besides pushing snow around (on a sometimes uneven gravel drive), I move piles that fall off the metal roof. These loads of wet snow are at the limit of what the loader will lift.
I guess besides the DIY question, I wonder if I get a new loader should I find someone who welds and add some reinforcement to the cross piece, the one that is angled and runs along that hydraulic line? That is the main bend now, the weak part, but it has also twisted slightly where it attaches near the bucket.
I'm pretty surprised it hasn't held up. 100 hours on the tractor. I don't know if it was slight damage trying to re mount it -- assuming that -- or not holding up to use. I know it's the lightest duty tractor/loader I could get, but I'd still assume it would hold up generally to anything I'd do. I'd like to say I'll just be more careful re-mounting it, but that can be hard sometimes. I find it either takes about two minutes to re-mount the loader, or 25 minutes. The loader usually stays on, but during mowing season it's mostly off.
And a bit worried there might be something wrong with the loader itself, structurally. It seems it should have enough torsional strength that it wouldn't depend on this thin stand for any rigidity. It should be firm on its own and not bending anything. Maybe I should have the dealer come out to look at it. They do housecalls.
