SSQA mod

[NHSleddog]

Sleddog, a guy has to get SOME exercise!

Agreed!

Loading and unloading is enough. I want the rest to be R/C - lol.

 

[pokey1416]

I dont know about that... the wedge pins have a spring between them and the handle. I think at any time you hit the bottom of those wedge pins hard enough and force them upward, i still think they can be popped out of their hole even if the handles are locked into their home position with anything. Or maybe i`m not seeing this as others are. I would think you would want a way to actually lock the wedge pins in place instead of the release handles.

EDIT:
Ok, so i went out to my shop, grabbed a prybar, and YES, you can still push those wedge pins upward even with the arms locked/chained/roped/bungee`d in the home position. So, my theory is, you will not stop the problem by just locking/securing the arms down with a chain or any other form or method to secure the handles. If the wedge pins get hit, they will not keep the bucket/grapple safely on the loader framework.

Until you find a way to lock the wedge pins from being able to move up, other than by its own spring pressure, you havent really fixed anything to actually resolve your problem.

Confirmed yesterday. Backdrag test with pusher and pins begin to retract.

Same test but taping string to both levers showing that levers are not moving as pin is retracting.

Thank goodness for this thread as I bought all the parts to drill my levers and attach chain between them. Read this post - tested it - and agree that (for my applications) this wasn't the answer. Cranked down the lever adjustment nut to the max and it really made a difference. Played with the stop block adjusting nut but ended up returning it to factory as my adjustments weren't helping pin force. Must be something to getting the two (lever and block) nuts adjusted to work together?

 

[gened14]

I fully understand and appreciate the idea of "chaining" the SSQA levers down. Several years ago I had a Kubota M95 with SSQA and a grapple bucket. I was moving heavy logs and numerous brush piles. Without me noticing right away, a branch poked though the tines on the back of the grapple and unlatched one side. Because of the heavy load, now unsupported on one side: it torqued one side of the loader. It took several hours to get it straightened out. If it hadn't happened to me, I probably never would have considered it.

 

[xrocketengineer]

Confirmed yesterday. Backdrag test with pusher and pins begin to retract.

Same test but taping string to both levers showing that levers are not moving as pin is retracting.

Thank goodness for this thread as I bought all the parts to drill my levers and attach chain between them. Read this post - tested it - and agree that (for my applications) this wasn't the answer. Cranked down the lever adjustment nut to the max and it really made a difference. Played with the stop block adjusting nut but ended up returning it to factory as my adjustments weren't helping pin force. Must be something to getting the two (lever and block) nuts adjusted to work together?

I expected that something like that could happen when I learned how the SSQA latch pins work. I do not have an SSQA so I have no clue about sizes or lengths of the parts involved. However, my initial thought to make it better without a total reinvention would be to see if possibly a spring (like a light engine valve coil spring) could be installed around the pin, to push the pin in the disengage direction and replace the spring loaded link with an adjustable rod, something like this:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...H_BRB2EiwALfbH1J2pQTrAfswlYGPMxtG64MnfY8dXPD-
0AAJ2vuzjHe8k6WDfqbk9bhoCAoYQAvD_BwE
The spring would have to be sized to fit around the pin but allow it to slide and have full travel. The rod length would have to be adjusted enough to provide full travel of the pin and some more to maintain enough spring load to keep the mechanism in the overcenter position.
That would prevent the pins from being pushed back, however, it does not resolve the issue of something hitting the levers and releasing them.

 

[Ikc1990]

I was told never trust a man that doesn't trust his own pants

Easy now I never trust my pants they fall down, they RIP they catch they arnt ever right lol. But I patch repair at all cost they are like buying a brand new truck to replace. But I can sell my used rippedstained, bleached old daddy Jean's as designer and someone will pay big bucks for them. It takes me years of wear to get there but sell 20 dollar worn out Jean's for hundred plus..

 

[BX23S-1]

Confirmed yesterday. Backdrag test with pusher and pins begin to retract.

Same test but taping string to both levers showing that levers are not moving as pin is retracting.

Thank goodness for this thread as I bought all the parts to drill my levers and attach chain between them. Read this post - tested it - and agree that (for my applications) this wasn't the answer. Cranked down the lever adjustment nut to the max and it really made a difference. Played with the stop block adjusting nut but ended up returning it to factory as my adjustments weren't helping pin force. Must be something to getting the two (lever and block) nuts adjusted to work together?

Thank you for posting your videos Pokey. It proves my point that the pins will still move regardless of the handles being tied/locked in home position.

 

[Old_Paint]

Thank you for posting your videos Pokey. It proves my point that the pins will still move regardless of the handles being tied/locked in home position.

I figured out that they would all by myself just by looking at the design. I could see they were spring loaded. But, if you're using a rock rake / brush fork, I can see the possiblity of something lifting the lever, so perhaps the idea is not without merit for securing the levers, but it still won't stop the latch pins from backing out with the levers fully engaged and latched.

 

[Yooper]

Some men wear both a belt and suspenders at the same time. I have nothing further to say.

Now that is just funny!

 

[BX23S-1]

I figured out that they would all by myself just by looking at the design. I could see they were spring loaded. But, if you're using a rock rake / brush fork, I can see the possiblity of something lifting the lever, so perhaps the idea is not without merit for securing the levers, but it still won't stop the latch pins from backing out with the levers fully engaged and latched.

But if the wedge pins are locked somehow, whatever the handles do wont matter. The handle`s would be more apt to stay in the home position better if the wedge pins are locked.

 

[nbryan]

But if the wedge pins are locked somehow, whatever the handles do wont matter. The handle`s would be more apt to stay in the home position better if the wedge pins are locked.

My Kubota loader ssqa has metal tabs right above where the pins sit when they are fully locked into place, so if the levers are locked down, there's no way for them to travel up more than about 1/2" max before being stopped by the stop tab.

The bucket also has solid plating protection all the way around the bottom where the pins poke through so the pins can't come into ground contact or be pushed around at all.

But the pallet forks area different matter. They are Martach forks and are great, except there's ZERO protection around the pins under there.

Either way, the pins have limited up travel while engaged by design.
My pallet forks were on when the right lever got pushed up enough to release it fully, by a branch in the bush, while backing up with the boom lowered. The forks frame caught the ground or a stump which bent the ssqa frame out out alignment with itself. Really easy with only a 1 1/4" tube keeping them aligned with only one pin engaged.
I used the bucket curl hydraulics and a carefully placed and sized block of hardwood to straighten it.
So I'm also looking for an easy way to keep those levers DOWN so I don't permanently bend or break the loader. A drill and a bungee sound like a good start, but really need something that won't succumb to stiff branches and tractor torque like a bungee will.

 

[pokey1416]

As others have said there are two issues here: Pins being pushed up and debris catching levers and releasing pins.

I suspect that in my case (the former) the pins could not be pushed up any higher than what I was experiencing. I was afraid to backdrag further to find out but you're probably right, they will only retract so far without being released by the levers.

Here's a couple of photos that show how much unwanted travel I was experiencing.

 

[pokey1416]

My Kubota loader ssqa has metal tabs right above where the pins sit when they are fully locked into place, so if the levers are locked down, there's no way for them to travel up more than about 1/2" max before being stopped by the stop tab.

View attachment 52478

The bucket also has solid plating protection all the way around the bottom where the pins poke through so the pins can't come into ground contact or be pushed around at all.

View attachment 52479


But the pallet forks area different matter. They are Martach forks and are great, except there's ZERO protection around the pins under there.


View attachment 52480

Either way, the pins have limited up travel while engaged by design.
My pallet forks were on when the right lever got pushed up enough to release it fully, by a branch in the bush, while backing up with the boom lowered. The forks frame caught the ground or a stump which bent the ssqa frame out out alignment with itself. Really easy with only a 1 1/4" tube keeping them aligned with only one pin engaged.
I used the bucket curl hydraulics and a carefully placed and sized block of hardwood to straighten it.
So I'm also looking for an easy way to keep those levers DOWN so I don't permanently bend or break the loader. A drill and a bungee sound like a good start, but really need something that won't succumb to stiff branches and tractor torque like a bungee will.

I think you’re onto something. My last pic shows a stop above the bolt too, built into the SSQA plate. I’m curious if the attachment will unlatch if that pin bolt is all the way up against the plate stop? If not, that is the failsafe design built into the SSQA plate. Judging by how much space is between top of the bolt and plate stop it’s going to be close. Thanks for pointing this out. There’s very little info out on the web for explaining the design considerations on the SSQA. None for Kubota even in the WSM (other than make sure to adjust).

 

[pokey1416]

I went out and took pics. Nbryan solved it for the pin push-up! I would like to see a little longer bolt so there’s less push-up travel but hey this is great information. I’ll try and photograph in the next few days but we’re under winter storm watch for lake effect next couple days.

Bottom line. Lock pin engagement MUST BE greater than bolt - stop block distance.

This does not address the brush etc releasing a lever.

 

[xrocketengineer]

I went out and took pics. Nbryan solved it for the pin push-up! I would like to see a little longer bolt so there’s less push-up travel but hey this is great information. I’ll try and photograph in the next few days but we’re under winter storm watch for lake effect next couple days.

View attachment 52512
View attachment 52513
Bottom line. Lock pin engagement MUST BE greater than bolt - stop block distance.

This does not address the brush etc releasing a lever.

That is great news! That was a piece of information that I did not have. So, it is not so bad as originally thought.

However, if you want the "belt and suspenders approach" all you need is a cap nut on the threaded end of the spring rod and that would reduce the distance to the stop and the maximum pin travel.

I guess that the lever lockout issue pointed out by the OP and his solution remains as the topic.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I think all of you are trying to re-engineer the wheel!
The SSQA system has been used for over 30 years on bobcats and there is no mass issue with it working properly or just coming disengaged.

 

[xrocketengineer]

I think all of you are trying to re-engineer the wheel!
The SSQA system has been used for over 30 years on bobcats and there is no mass issue with it working properly or just coming disengaged.

When I was gainfully employed, I used to say that "every time we reinvented the wheel, we added another flat spot". One of the guys would tell me that "after enough flat spots are added, the wheel would be round again, but eventually the diameter would have been reduced so much that we would be just on the axle again".

 

[nbryan]

I think all of you are trying to re-engineer the wheel!
The SSQA system has been used for over 30 years on bobcats and there is no mass issue with it working properly or just coming disengaged.

Just the same I'd rather not have it pushed loose again by wayward branches while working it in the bush. Nothing against the system. Just have to find a simple way to make those levers stay put!

 

[NHSleddog]

Just the same I'd rather not have it pushed loose again by wayward branches while working it in the bush. Nothing against the system. Just have to find a simple way to make those levers stay put!

Drill a hole in the end of each handle.

Get a strong bungee cord (about 18"-2')

Put one end in the hole at the end of the handle,

Wrap the bungee around the bar of the front loader QA plate.

Put the other end into the end of the other handle.

Easy peasy.

I still want a kit to automate/power mine.

 

[nbryan]

Drill a hole in the end of each handle.

Get a strong bungee cord (about 18"-2')

Put one end in the hole at the end of the handle,

Wrap the bungee around the bar of the front loader QA plate.

Put the other end into the end of the other handle.

Easy peasy.

I still want a kit to automate/power mine.

I considered a bungee cord tie system already. Strong bungee or not, if a thick/stout enough branch or stick rises up between the loader booms while I'm moving in reverse and looking backwards, and catches the bungee or one of the levers, I doubt I'll notice as the bungee meets its maker and flies away as the stick gets forced against it under the power of the tractor. My lever locking solution, after some reflection, will involve some kind of steel contraption or modification with a positive latch so it will laugh at wayward sticks trying to push the levers around.

 

[NHSleddog]

I considered a bungee cord tie system already. Strong bungee or not, if a thick/stout enough branch or stick rises up between the loader booms while I'm moving in reverse and looking backwards, and catches the bungee or one of the levers, I doubt I'll notice as the bungee meets its maker and flies away as the stick gets forced against it under the power of the tractor. My lever locking solution, after some reflection, will involve some kind of steel contraption or modification with a positive latch so it will laugh at wayward sticks trying to push the levers around.

Weld a solid steel bar. That should do it. Personally, I have never had an issue with them coming loose.