We built a front loader from CadPlans. It was fun and educational. The Kubota B6000 is pretty much identical, 2 cyl, 4x4.
Last edited:
ZB7000 front loader
- Thread starter Bob923
- Start date
Thanks for the kind words. I did load some photos of the project in "Gallery'. I'm headed to our home in AZ to do some landscaping and move some rocks. There's a small detail I omitted. I've been a machinist for 30 years and own a machine shop which makes building this a snap. Although we used "CadPlans" we modified the plans to suit our needs. I'd be happy to help anyone with details/photos who might want to try their hand building one. Also I've learned a lot searching this site. Lots of good info for us "Gray" Kubota owners.
LOVE IT! Was it inexpensive to build yourself? I understand you are a welder by trade. I have a B6100 I'd love to have a loader for but my dealer here said it would not be a good idea beacuse its to small, only 2wd and not power steering. I tried to tell them I grew up on an L275 with a loader, 2wd and no power steering that my dad owns. I've been priceing a loader over the years and they run new anywhere from $2,500 to $3,500. I know its not going to move a mountain. I do alot of grading and I'm sure I can knock down a pile of dirt and grade it out alot faster with an FEL then just a grading box, and probably with less fatigue and back pain too.
After a few weeks using my new loader I am completely amased of what it can do. I'm building a retaining stack block wall. I carry 12 - 60# block from the front driveway where Home Depot unloaded the pallets to the rear yard. I use it to back fill the block. Although the bucket design is from a skid steer I like the extended reach it has. 4WD has better traction but still hard to steer. The new AG tires are filled with liquid also. The plans are available from cadPlans.com. The kit is from metkit.com, the cylinders and spool valve I bought from surpluscenter.com and northerntool.com. You will need access to a machine shop. I found nothing fits correctly and had to modify and make some parts. I added a bucket angle indicator. The only other change I'll make is adding a rear weight box for counter balance. The gannon is too long and I back into things. I'll be selling my plans for $60 after Jan 1st as I don't need them anymore. E-mail me at easy48@yahoo.com if interested. I'll post more photos today. Thanks and good luck.
Last edited:
I can tell you from experiance and loader on a tractor with no power steering sucks! But it is a great way to build up arm muscle if you work on it all day long. A little trick I use in tight spots is push the loader all the way down and take pressure off the front end and its alot easer to turn the wheel in tight areas. There was a fantastic book that my dad has, it was published in the early 70's called "Moveing the earth" It gave you all kinds of tips and tricks to useing a FEL. For example you can roll the bucket all the way down and apply down pressure, that will pick your front end about a foot or more off the ground and then roll it backwards and drive the tractor back at the same time if your stuck in the mud. My fathers tractor is an L275 with a FEL and we've never had it stuck that bad in the mud or soft ground.
Matter of fact I just found the 5th edition of this great book on Amazon.com. its a little pricey ad $97.00 but the information inside is priceless on tractor and loader operation.
http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Earth-..._1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261698566&sr=8-1#noop
http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Earth-..._1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261698566&sr=8-1#noop