Bucket chain hook placement

[John Churchill]

Just got a L3301 with a 60" bucket. Bought a couple of bolt-on chain hooks from eBay. Don't plan on any super heavy lifting, but missed having something like that on my last tractor. No particular use intended. Is there a preferred location for mounting? The mounting in the photo seems poor with a gap between hook and backing plate.

 

[85Hokie]

If mounting 2 of them - mount them inline with the hydraulic cylinders.

Try not to pull on ONE hook at a time - for example, you need to pull something heavy across the ground and you attach to one hook - do not!

make it so both are being used. If single is used, good chance of bending or stressing metal on that one side.

The gap you are referring to - that is just an exploded view showing how they go around the bucket.

ALSO - on that bucket the lip is much thicker - there is space behind that lip - but that will not be a good place to use those hooks - you will need to bolt on the lip to be effective.


This is the bolt info on those hook sets - 1/2" x 1-1/2" Grade 10.9 Bolts

I would use grade 8 bolts not the ones mentioned.

EDIT - those bolts in the picture USED on that particular bucket are not the ones that come with the kit - those bolts had to be at least twice as long to get through the thickness of THAT bucket area. (Kit says 1.5" bolts - those are much longer! )

 

[TheOldHokie]

Just got a L3301 with a 60" bucket. Bought a couple of bolt-on chain hooks from eBay. Don't plan on any super heavy lifting, but missed having something like that on my last tractor. No particular use intended. Is there a preferred location for mounting? The mounting in the photo seems poor with a gap between hook and backing plate.

Ot aint super critical. This arrangement has worked well for me - three hooks placed left, right, and center. I am not much of a welder but this is as easy as it gets.

Dan

 

[Kennyd4110]

If mounting 2 of them - mount them inline with the hydraulic cylinders.

Try not to pull on ONE hook at a time - for example, you need to pull something heavy across the ground and you attach to one hook - do not!

make it so both are being used. If single is used, good chance of bending or stressing metal on that one side.

The gap you are referring to - that is just an exploded view showing how they go around the bucket.

ALSO - on that bucket the lip is much thicker - there is space behind that lip - but that will not be a good place to use those hooks - you will need to bolt on the lip to be effective.


This is the bolt info on those hook sets - 1/2" x 1-1/2" Grade 10.9 Bolts

I would use grade 8 bolts not the ones mentioned.

EDIT - those bolts in the picture USED on that particular bucket are not the ones that come with the kit - those bolts had to be at least twice as long to get through the thickness of THAT bucket area. (Kit says 1.5" bolts - those are much longer! )

View attachment 124637

Those are our hooks on that bucket, with the welded spacer to clear the lip.

Nice of the seller on eBay to steal our picture for their own. WTF.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Those are our hooks on that bucket, with the welded spacer to clear the lip.

Nice of the seller on eBay to steal our picture for their own. WTF.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I have had numerous experiences like that. Even had an article I wrote explaing engine oil viscosity grades posted word for word by a third party. Right now there is an eBay seller with a dead copy of one of my gadgets.

In my case I dont feed and house my family with these things so I just ignore it.

Dan

 

[85Hokie]

Those are our hooks on that bucket, with the welded spacer to clear the lip.

Nice of the seller on eBay to steal our picture for their own. WTF.

I thought about you when I saw this picture ............ I too had a picture "stolen" on an ad for Ebay!

 

[The Evil Twin]

I agree that they should be as close to in line with the loader arms as possible. Less chance of bending the bucket.
Grade 8 and 10.9 are very very close. Close enough that you will damage your loader or bucket before breaking 2 or 4 bolts. That said, Chinesium steel 10.9 bolts could be questionable. I wouldn't use them, but would have no issue using a quality 10.9 fastener for that application.

 

[John Churchill]

We had some website hawking some quackery that stole a picture of our medical professional staff and use it as their own.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Those family got hosed.

Family finds out their photo has been used in adverts around the world

A photo of a family from Pennsylvania that was meant to remain in a personal album ended up being used in adverts around the world after the picture was stolen from a blog.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[TheOldHokie]

I agree that they should be as close to in line with the loader arms as possible. Less chance of bending the bucket.
Grade 8 and 10.9 are very very close. Close enough that you will damage your loader or bucket before breaking 2 or 4 bolts. That said, Chinesium steel 10.9 bolts could be questionable. I wouldn't use them, but would have no issue using a quality 10.9 fastener for that application.

How about a Chinesium Grade 8 which is what you are likely to get at your local tractor supply. So lets put all of that to rest and simply consider material specifications:

DIN 10.9 - minimum UTS of 150.8 KSI amd minimum yield of 135.8 KSI yield

SAE Grade 8 - minimum UTS of 150 KSI and minimum yield of 130 KSI

So DIN specifies a slightly stronger material.

Next consideration is area in stress. That stacks up like this:

M8 = 5/16
M10 > 3/8 and < 7/16
M12 > 7/16 and < 1/2
M14 > 1/2 and < 5/8
M16 = 5/8
M20 > 3/4

And if we really want to pick nits we would have to calculate the max loads for each size and grade fastener using the actual cross sectional areas and applicable tensile and yield strengths. I will leave that to the spread sheet experts in the crowd.

Dan

 

[The Evil Twin]

How about a Chinesium Grade 8 which is what you are likely to get at your local tractor supply. So lets put all of that to rest and simply consider material specifications:

DIN 10.9 - minimum UTS of 150.8 KSI amd minimum yield of 135.8 KSI yield

SAE Grade 8 - minimum UTS of 150 KSI and minimum yield of 130 KSI

So DIN specifies a slightly stronger material.

Next consideration is area in stress. That stacks up like this:

M8 = 5/16
M10 > 3/8 and < 7/16
M12 > 7/16 and < 1/2
M14 > 1/2 and < 5/8
M16 = 5/8
M20 > 3/4

And if we really want to pick nits we would have to calculate the max loads for each size and grade fastener using the actual cross sectional areas and applicable tensile and yield strengths. I will leave that to the spread sheet experts in the crowd.

Dan

My reference to the Chinesium isn't that it is from Red China. It is because the bolts provided are from an unknown supplier. There is the real possibility they came off the generic bolt line and simply stamped (if even) with 10.9. A lot like the Chinesium blade fuses that are marked as 10 amps, but will carry twice that.

 

[6869704x4]

Mine came with with hooks welded to the ends of the bucket. Picking up something heavy with one hook can get the tractor ‘tilty’.

 

[John Churchill]

Thanks, everyone for the input. Here’s what I’m thinking. At the lift arm. Easy to drill. Out-of-the-way, but usable. I have some potential to bend the upper lip where the chain runs across it, but I don’t anticipate lifting terribly heavy items.

 

[85Hokie]

Place a spacer UNDER that - raise it up a bit, I had to do the same thing to product the lip

 

[GreensvilleJay]

You 'might' be able to put a section of say 3/16" angle iron under the lip ( upside down), drill holes in bucket AND the angle iron to bolt the hooks onto. The angle iron being full width of bucket distributes the load better than 2 'pads' AND keeps bucket from deforming cause we all know you'll want to lift or pull 'something' a tad heavier one day.......

 

[Kennyd4110]

Thanks, everyone for the input. Here’s what I’m thinking. At the lift arm. Easy to drill. Out-of-the-way, but usable. I have some potential to bend the upper lip where the chain runs across it, but I don’t anticipate lifting terribly heavy items.

You will be top loading the hook that way, and risk the chain slipping off. Either way, totally unsafe.

Pleased consider a local weldor to help you, or our hooks that are designed for buckets like yours.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

You will be top loading the hook that way, and risk the chain slipping off. Either way, totally unsafe.

Pleased consider a local weldor to help you, or our hooks that are designed for buckets like yours.

+1 on this

That looks like a disaster waiting to happen with the position of that hook under the lip.

Either make a spacer, or buy the correct hook for that particular bucket.

 

[mikester]

I prefer hooks near the bucket sides to make it easier to see picks and to get closer to things i.e. pulling T-posts between trees.

 

[jimh406]

I'd buy a third one or d ring, and put it in the middle.

 

[jyoutz]

I'd buy a third one or d ring, and put it in the middle.

I’ve never seen the need for a middle hook. If I want to lift something with a single line centered, I just hook it on both side hooks and drape the chain end hooked in the middle.