Damaged Loader... How best to repair?

[NorthwoodsLife]

I set grade all the time
And this:
View attachment 124787

Is this:
View attachment 124788

Which is this:

View attachment 124789

1/2 a bubble is ~1"

I thought the OP's second pic was a closeup of the first. My mistake.

 

[FarmtoLake]

In the two pictures the bubble seems to be much further off on one picture than the other. Why the difference? One picture says leave it alone, the other says we are off too much.

If you decide to twist the frame it I'd loosen the mounting bolts prior. It could be the loader has been off a bit for a long time and the bolts were not tight enough and the loader moved and made the difference much more obvious to you.

If the steel is actually bent somewhere, bending it back will not do much good, you have a weak spot if that is the case.

Thank you for your input. The 4' level was placed on the loader arms closer to the cab. The 2' level was placed directly on the bucket. The level is off more the farther away from the loader arm pins.

 

[FarmtoLake]

I am not familiar with your bucket, I assume its a quick attach. If so my recent experience may help.
I tweaked the support tube that runs between the ssqa. It caused the exact same problem - one side over an inch higher than the other, a pia to mount anything on it.
It was very easy to see that the tube was bent. I took it to a nearby auto shop and an hour and $100 it was fixed. They straightened it.

Thanks, yes this is a quick attach bucket. I couldn't see any obvious bending of the support tube between the ssqa, but will have another closer look.

 

[FarmtoLake]

I think you will find the twist in the loader frame tower that stays on the tractor after the loader quick-detaches. I saw that on my brothers L3540 with LA724 loader. One of the long, flat straight pieces was bent, we straightened it and welded on a "fish-plate" to make it stronger in that area. And new longer bolts to hold the thicker plate to the tractor. And a similar fish-plate on the other side so it looks more like factory. And a can of Kubota-orange paint to make it not look so ugly.

I doubt that the movable H-frame of the loader itself is twisted, but I guess it could be.

You could live with it a bit crooked going forward. You could overload the other side of the loader and bend the other side a similar amount, but that will accomplish both sides bent, and possibly compromised.

The most correct thing to do is dismount the loader, and take the various parts of the loader frame off. You should be able to remove the control valve setup and set it aside without disconnecting all the hoses. The loader frame components are thick steel, and heavy, but if you take the pieces off and lay left and right side by side, you will see whats twisted, bent, or deformed. Then proceed to straighten or replace or re-inforce as necessary. This is a good time to inspect, clean, re-torque those very heavily loaded bolts that hold the frame to the tractor. Any fudgy-looking threads, replace the bolt. Grade 8.8.

Thank you. I am starting to get my head around this level of repair. Once the damaged section is clearly determined, I agree with the need to reinforce it to prevent this from happening again.

 

[FarmtoLake]

Is this unusual? 'lifting a few logs that seem to be no problem', and then a twisted FEL as a result?

Is this just a bent bucket, or actually bent loader arms?

Whatever the OP did to cause this is something I want to be able to avoid. So what, specifically is the likely root cause? Just off-center loading? I'm curious how the log (s) were rigged to the bucket...

Any chance someone tweaked the hydraulic pressure up, making it 'no problem' to lift a load beyomd the FEL rating?

It wasn't the lift. I believe it was the transporting (50') across a short distance that did the damage. From this point forward, I won't be transporting using the tractor. I would lift the log, place on a trailer or log skidder then transport.

 

[GeoHorn]

IF you USE A CHAIN…to utilize Wolfman’s idea……. BE AWARE that when the weakest-link in that chain snaps….that chain will become A WEAPON….. as it “slings” and”flails” anything/every-one nearby…. In fact, individual links can become dangerous projectiles.

Lay a heavy tarp, carpet or old blankets, etc across the chain when placing it under a potentially over-whelming force such as towning/pulling or hydraulics.

 

[FarmtoLake]

IF you USE A CHAIN…to utilize Wolfman’s idea……. BE AWARE that when the weakest-link in that chain snaps….that chain will become A WEAPON….. as it “slings” and”flails” anything/every-one nearby…. In fact, individual links can become dangerous projectiles.

Lay a heavy tarp, carpet or old blankets, etc across the chain when placing it under a potentially over-whelming force such as towning/pulling or hydraulics.

Great point thank you for your input.

 

[fried1765]

It wasn't the lift. I believe it was the transporting (50') across a short distance that did the damage. From this point forward, I won't be transporting using the tractor. I would lift the log, place on a trailer or log skidder then transport.

Trading/selling for a larger (more robust) tractor/loader would likely be the most effective way to eliminate future issues of similar nature.

 

[Donystoy]

I do not know if this is the case or not but not long after I took delivery of my LX2610 in the fall of 2022 I was contacted by my dealer who wanted to come out and check my loader attachment points. It appeared that some of the connection points on the loaders were improperly assembled before been welded. Using a guide, they were able to determine that mine was fine. They said that the affected loaders could end up twisting the arms. Maybe the OP's loader was already checked for this. If this is a possibility a simple cardboard template made from one side could be compared to the other side.

 

[FarmtoLake]

Trading/selling for a larger (more robust) tractor/loader would likely be the most effective way to eliminate future issues.

Thank you, I am considering upgrading to a larger tractor that would better meet my current needs. Unfortunately, I bought the LX2610 new based on my short term needs. It is now too small for my current and future requirements. I need to repair the loader before selling or trading it in.

 

[FarmtoLake]

I do not know if this is the case or not but not long after I took delivery of my LX2610 in the fall of 2022 I was contacted by my dealer who wanted to come out and check my loader attachment points. It appeared that some of the connection points on the loaders were improperly assembled before been welded. Using a guide, they were able to determine that mine was fine. They said that the affected loaders could end up twisting the arms. Maybe the OP's loader was already checked for this. If this is a possibility a simple cardboard template made from one side could be compared to the other side.

I do not know if this is the case or not but not long after I took delivery of my LX2610 in the fall of 2022 I was contacted by my dealer who wanted to come out and check my loader attachment points. It appeared that some of the connection points on the loaders were improperly assembled before been welded. Using a guide, they were able to determine that mine was fine. They said that the affected loaders could end up twisting the arms. Maybe the OP's loader was already checked for this. If this is a possibility a simple cardboard template made from one side could be compared to the other side.

Hello Donystoy, thank you for this good information. I took delivery of my LX2610 at the beginning of November 2021. I wasn't contacted by the dealer to measure the loader, but will contact them this week to see if my SN was in the range of any known manufacturing issues.

 

[fried1765]

Thank you, I am considering upgrading to a larger tractor that would better meet my current needs. Unfortunately, I bought the LX2610 new based on my short term needs. It is now too small for my current and future requirements. I need to repair the loader before selling or trading it in.

You are not alone!
Many tractor buyers violate the first rule of tractoring......
BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR!

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

I'm pretty darn happy with my LX2610.

Sure, I'd love a MX with a cab... but I don't NEED one.

I'd rather have the extra 25 grand or so still in my pocket.

And personally speaking, the emmisions over 26 HP is not something I want.

 

[FarmtoLake]

Thank you. I am starting to get my head around this level of repair. Once the damaged section is clearly determined, I agree with the need to reinforce it to prevent this from happening again.

I think you will find the twist in the loader frame tower that stays on the tractor after the loader quick-detaches. I saw that on my brothers L3540 with LA724 loader. One of the long, flat straight pieces was bent, we straightened it and welded on a "fish-plate" to make it stronger in that area. And new longer bolts to hold the thicker plate to the tractor. And a similar fish-plate on the other side so it looks more like factory. And a can of Kubota-orange paint to make it not look so ugly.

I doubt that the movable H-frame of the loader itself is twisted, but I guess it could be.

You could live with it a bit crooked going forward. You could overload the other side of the loader and bend the other side a similar amount, but that will accomplish both sides bent, and possibly compromised.

The most correct thing to do is dismount the loader, and take the various parts of the loader frame off. You should be able to remove the control valve setup and set it aside without disconnecting all the hoses. The loader frame components are thick steel, and heavy, but if you take the pieces off and lay left and right side by side, you will see whats twisted, bent, or deformed. Then proceed to straighten or replace or re-inforce as necessary. This is a good time to inspect, clean, re-torque those very heavily loaded bolts that hold the frame to the tractor. Any fudgy-looking threads, replace the bolt. Grade 8.8.

Hello Jiggseob, you were right on the loader frame tower. The right side is perfectly straight. The left side is out by 1/4' over 24'. Next step is to remove the loader and then the loader frames to do a similar repair as you mentioned. Thanks again

 

[jiggseob]

Once the loader is off, I think those frame towers come off fairly easily, a bunch of big fine-thread metric bolts. A Milwaukee M-18 hi-torq rattle gun will make quick work of them. If you don't have a spare strong-back-weak-mind helper to hold those ~150lb things up as you take the bolts out, you can use an overhead hoist or engine crane. They aren't super heavy to handle if you can have two hands to get a heave on them. Hard to heave on them with two hands while operating rattle-gun.

They are held on by like 8 bolts. When my brother and I took his apart, we had some longer spare bolts of that thread (John Deere combine) that we zipped the heads off then threaded in two bolts we took out first, then took out the rest of the bolts and the frame tower just hung there on the two headless bolts, and we slid it off. The headless bolts make putting it on way easier as well.

Headless bolts are an assembly trick that makes many tasks easier. Head gasket... lay the headgasket on the block, and place those various oil o-rings on, and thread-in a couple of headless head-bolts. Drop the head on, guided straight home by those headless bolts. No more o-rings smushed over across their ports.

 

[PaulL]

It wasn't the lift. I believe it was the transporting (50') across a short distance that did the damage. From this point forward, I won't be transporting using the tractor. I would lift the log, place on a trailer or log skidder then transport.

This is likely. I feel like Neil from Messicks had a video on this, if you get any speed up transporting it can put a surprising amount of force on the loader. You may not have an undersized tractor - if it could lift the logs then it's enough tractor. You may just have done a thing with it that really compounds the forces it's under. If you can transport in another way, you might be fine ongoing.

Logs onto a trailer, tow a trailer full of logs, unload at the other end. Probably more efficient too.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Trading up to a bigger tractor ,only means you get to carry heavier logs ,improperly and cause more expensive damage.
it's the technique not the tool that has to be changed.

Reminds me of the 60min/UofM 'JEEp Jturn test.. Yes, JEEPS were 'unsafe' ,due to the SPEED. Heck, I could take a Caddy or Porsche and do the same Jtune and roll them too ~

 

[FarmtoLake]

I'm pretty darn happy with my LX2610.

Sure, I'd love a MX with a cab... but I don't NEED one.

I'd rather have the extra 25 grand or so still in my pocket.

And personally speaking, the emmisions over 26 HP is not something I want.

I was happy with my LX2610 as well until I pushed

Once the loader is off, I think those frame towers come off fairly easily, a bunch of big fine-thread metric bolts. A Milwaukee M-18 hi-torq rattle gun will make quick work of them. If you don't have a spare strong-back-weak-mind helper to hold those ~150lb things up as you take the bolts out, you can use an overhead hoist or engine crane. They aren't super heavy to handle if you can have two hands to get a heave on them. Hard to heave on them with two hands while operating rattle-gun.

They are held on by like 8 bolts. When my brother and I took his apart, we had some longer spare bolts of that thread (John Deere combine) that we zipped the heads off then threaded in two bolts we took out first, then took out the rest of the bolts and the frame tower just hung there on the two headless bolts, and we slid it off. The headless bolts make putting it on way easier as well.

Headless bolts are an assembly trick that makes many tasks easier. Head gasket... lay the headgasket on the block, and place those various oil o-rings on, and thread-in a couple of headless head-bolts. Drop the head on, guided straight home by those headless bolts. No more o-rings smushed over across their ports.

Jiggseob, Great idea and approaches. Thank you again!

 

[Henro]

I was happy with my LX2610 as well until I pushed

I think it might be more like “ until I pushed it the wrong way…”

Over the last 22 years I pushed my B2910 loader a lot also but I’ve always kept the load balanced for the most part side to side. So the worst case was I reached the limit of the ability to lift, tripped the pressure relief valve, and damaged nothing.

Small point, I know, but your comment caught my eye, and I thought I’d share my experience, perhaps for future reference.

 

[Henro]

Here’s one example. I could only lift this stump about 3 inches off the ground, but it was enough that I was able to move it where I wanted to dump it.

And for the naysayers, yes I did dig it out with my three-point-hitch backhoe…