Repair bent roller bar on LA535 loader

[Tmando]

Lock handle was disengaged by heavy brush and right side of bucket came loose during operation.
Bent the roller bar. Is there a way to straighten the bar without damaging the lift cylinders?

 

[woodman55]

retract fully, then drive up against a solid object to push the bent side back in. If needed you may need to keep the other side out a bit before you push against the bent one to compensate for spring back of the cross tube.

 

[Pony Doc]

That's a fair amount of bend. Consider checking carefully for fractures before and after correcting the bend.

 

[BigG]

retract fully, then drive up against a solid object to push the bent side back in. If needed you may need to keep the other side out a bit before you push against the bent one to compensate for spring back of the cross tube.

Pull up to a tree then use the hydraulics to push the one side against the tree. This will give you much better control then trying to push with the tractor itself.

 

[D2Cat]

Here's a picture of how straighten it back.

 

[Pau7220]

Dump the loader, stick a block of wood between the right ssqa mount and the loader arm, use the loader hydraulics to curl it back in place. You’ll probably have to overthrow it a bit to make it even when resting. Unlikely you’ll find any cracks other than paint, it’s all mild steel. It’s only job is to sync the mounts.

 

[Chanceywd]

Because I have seen others have this problem I came up with this before i used my grapple. It may need something different with other styles but for mine it just flips over to lock or unlock. I also added some perforated steel to the large opening in my grapple. The hole for the lock is drilled thru the handle and tapped for a 5/16 bolt. I then tighten the bolt so there is a little tension on the lock but moves easily and then i tighten a lock nut to keep it there. The other bolt is just a handle. I find in using it to flip it over as far as possible when open ( actually farther that the picture shows) to keep from hitting on the attachment I am changing. So far it has worked well for me

Bill

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Have seen that here, all to often, it's a really ,really bad design. While you can 'tweak' it back to normal, the steel is 'stressed',so weaker, meaning it'll bend again,under less stress. Adding a second bar(pipe) near the lower edge would strengthen the frame,lessen the chance of bending,adding maybe 20#s .
Curious if this is just a Kubota problem with SSQA frames or do other mfrs fail as well ??

 

[Chanceywd]

Have seen that here, all to often, it's a really ,really bad design. While you can 'tweak' it back to normal, the steel is 'stressed',so weaker, meaning it'll bend again,under less stress. Adding a second bar(pipe) near the lower edge would strengthen the frame,lessen the chance of bending,adding maybe 20#s .
Curious if this is just a Kubota problem with SSQA frames or do other mfrs fail as well ??

I agree Jay. It would seem like some kind of small I-beam shape or box tubing maybe 4" or so would resist twist better than a piece of round stock only about 1-1/4" that is the oem design.

Bill

 

[CGMKCM]

I responded in this thread about repairing and reinforcing the SSQA bracket.

SSQA fix

 

[D2Cat]

Dump the loader, stick a block of wood between the right ssqa mount and the loader arm, use the loader hydraulics to curl it back in place. You’ll probably have to overthrow it a bit to make it even when resting. Unlikely you’ll find any cracks other than paint, it’s all mild steel. It’s only job is to sync the mounts.

Pau7220, I can load a picture as fast as you type !!! Same subject, same idea, same time.

 

[nbryan]

My response on how I straightened the ssqa - https://www.orangetractortalks.com/...n-the-cheapest-way-possible.58458/post-562560

And my solution which has worked flawlessly keeping the ssqa release bars from getting popped loose by wayward branches while working the bush.

 

[D2Cat]

The cure is to confirm the locking pin is totally engaged at the beveled end. That is it's down in the opening in the lower plate. Take time to check when one lowers the latching lever and it won't happen.

 

[nbryan]

The cure is to confirm the locking pin is totally engaged at the beveled end. That is it's down in the opening in the lower plate. Take time to check when one lowers the latching lever and it won't happen.

I can assure you that is the unintentional release of one of the ssqa latches it CAN happen, even though the latching levers have been properly engaged with the pins fully locked into the lower plate.

In my case the cause was a wayward brush branch on the forest floor. While backing up and looking backwards, with the forks mostly lowered a stick poked up between the tractor and ssqa and popped open the right lever unbeknown to me. My motion brought the bottom right of forks against a solid stump and slowed the tractor which I of course compensated for with a little more hst pedal which didn't work - of course bending away the right forksaway from the ssqa frame about 1 1/2" on that side.

My "design correction" has kept the levers locked for 3 years now with ongoing and sometimes approaching severe bush abuse. I don't worry about shit popping up and screwing up my ssqa while I'm not looking, any more.

 

[Donystoy]

Looks like I will have another "mod" to do to my new tractor so I do not have the same issue.

 

[Russell King]

@nbryan
Clever idea and nicely designed
I assume you did not want the leg of the angle iron below that bar for easier unlatching (only have to remove one pin)?

 

[Pau7220]

Pau7220, I can load a picture as fast as you type !!!

Yepper… I didn’t know there was a youtube video for it. We must have hit submit at the same time.

 

[Pawnee]

My response on how I straightened the ssqa - https://www.orangetractortalks.com/...n-the-cheapest-way-possible.58458/post-562560

And my solution which has worked flawlessly keeping the ssqa release bars from getting popped loose by wayward branches while working the bush.
View attachment 84113
View attachment 84115
View attachment 84114
View attachment 84112

That modification is a beautiful thing!

 

[nbryan]

That modification is a beautiful thing!

Stared long enough at my various parts ("junk") piles/bins, and given a drill, metal cutoff blade on my circular saw, and grinder, made it work. I am good at visualising shapes, systems, and solutions and sketching quick plans if a sketch needed. My career as construction contractor made use of those skills all the time.
I'm quite happy the lock bar has not needed any tightening or adjustment at all, either!

 

[nbryan]

@nbryan
Clever idea and nicely designed
I assume you did not want the leg of the angle iron below that bar for easier unlatching (only have to remove one pin)?

I only have to remove/install that one lock-pin I added. It's all that's needed to keep the angle down. The angle pivots up and away once the pin is removed.