Bucket Hooks Hooks on buckets

[TomG]

I've got to take some measurements and write stuff down today when I'm out at our camp. Good chance I'll remember to read my hooks too. Maybe the explanation is that it's part of the free-trade marry-go-round. It wouldn't be the first time a country exported virtually all of some manufactured product.

 

[W5FL]

Yeah, I have noticed that you can't get a car on the North South Freeways in Texas in the last couple of years since NAFTA. All of those truck must be going somewhere. At least 3 of them manage to hit another moving vehicle every morning, so I will be on the lookout for chain hooks on the freeway. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[TomG]

The hooks are grade 70. There's not much else on them except a logo that probably ID's the company. The pins do have 'A BM' stamped on them, but the pins and hooks could come from different places.

While I was at it, I noticed my ag tow chains (ring on one end and a 'C' hook with a bale on the other) don't have a country of origin on them. The hook and chain links are ID'd with grade 70, and there's a plate on the ring. The plate gives a 10,000 lbs. towed vehicle rating and cites several standards. Wonder where they came from? Off a Texas highway maybe.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The problem I've seen with hooks mounted to the center of of a loader bucket is that over time the top of the bucket gets bent and deformed. The service shop at my dealer had a good idea that I've used very successfully for a few years now.

You weld two hooks (3/8" in my case) one on each side of the bucket. They mount flat against the side panel of the bucket at the top edge where it joints the top plate of the bucket. It's very stron there and will not deform. You can lift moderate loads from either corner of the bucket where it's easier to see what you are doing, and for heavy loads you drape a chain between the hooks and center the load.

If you are interested, I could probably take pictures.

Peter

 

[Bird]

I agree with the two hooks which is what I have, but I wouldn't recommend picking up anything but very light stuff with one corner of the bucket. I'm afraid you'd either turn the tractor over or bend the boom arms and do more damage than bending the top of the bucket. I always drape a chain between the hooks to center the load if I'm using a single pickup point.

Bird

 

[W5FL]

Bird,

Did I miss something. I have the Kubota Quick Bucket Detach Kit, but there are two really nice slots on each side. I drop a 3/8 chain through that and pick up 2200# easily. Never did see any real reason for hooks. I usually just wrap a chain when I need a single attach in the center of the bucket to pull T posts.

I noticed the Kubota place had a really nice hook that was about 5/8 inch and about 12 inches long. They used it from a loader to pick up box blades and set them in trailers without scratching them. Pretty neat.

 

[Bird]

Wen, I don't have one of those great big tractors like you have./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

 

[W5FL]

Just depends on where you are. On the Ag board, less than 100 HP is a toy tractor to those guys. On alt.rural, all sizes are tolerated. Point was that it had a neat place to drop a chain for the load at each bucket attachment point.

Sometimes you can fool those 100HP guys when they see these little tractors with 4WD can operate the same HD equipment that they can.

 

[jgh]

7/24

A local chain & related specialties dealer told me to be careful when welding hooks on a bucket, etc. He advised the use of hooks that are backed with a particular kind of steel designed to retain its strength when heated to welding temps. Of course he was selling such items, at a pricey level.

Comments?

Jim

 

[RobertN]

please describe hooks

Can someone please explain the various types of hooks? What are slip hooks, grab hooks, ect?

I'm sure I've used both and didn't know what they were called.

Are there other hooks?

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif