LA 302 bucket quick hitch

[600rider]

Well since we don't have any snow to go snowmobiling on and since Kubota doesn't offer a quick hitch for the bucket on my LA302 FEL I took to the shop and built one. I copied the Kubota design mainly because the loader is rated at something like 590# and I wanted it to be as light as possible. I know a guy who has a B7800 with the BL1676 quick hitch and used it for the pattern to make mine. I work in a sheet metal shop and had access to a shear punch press and press brake so it was all pretty simple to do.
I started by going to my friends house and measuring his QH and taking some pics.

[creekbend]

Innovative. Good job.

[600rider]

Next I drew up a print and went to the shop and cut the parts out. I used .179 hot rolled pickled and oiled steel for the brackets. I had to go to a local steel yard to find some 3/4 id heavy wall pipe for the pins to go into. I needed this pipe before I punched the holes into the brackets to be sure I got the right size holes. I hunted in his shop for about 45 minutes before I found what I wanted, a "drop" about 2' long and some other steel for feature projects $15 and I had what I needed! I also stopped at TSC and bought some 3/4 hitch pins and lynch pins and I was ready to start fabricating! I cut the 3/4 id pipe on my HF band saw and drilled holes for the cotter pins. Next was to punch the 1.25 holes in the brackets for the pipe. I then took the brackets home and counter sunk the holes for the pipe (for welding in the pipe). The pipe was 1.265 od and the holes were 1.25 id so a pressed fit was obtained by pressing them in with my bench vise. Then tacked together and test fit.

[600rider]

Here is what Kubota offered for the bucket, just pinned on. And here is the brackets I made. As you can see I am a better fabricator than welder!! But still these will make changing from the bucket to the pallet forks (one of the future projects, actually the next one!)

[Johndeere3720]

Nice job! Very good fabricating skills!

[Jerry/MT]

Here is what Kubota offered for the bucket, just pinned on. And here is the brackets I made. As you can see I am a better fabricator than welder!! But still these will make changing from the bucket to the pallet forks (one of the future projects, actually the next one!)

Nice work and you saved yourselves some bucks! Don't worry. When you paint those welds over, it'lll look like a factory job!

[600rider]

here is a video of the hitch in action. Sorry for the poor quality of my cell phone but as I said earlier I am a better fabricator then welder or videographer!
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53esF1UzVDQ]Kubota LA302 bucket quick hitch - YouTube[/ame] I will try to get a better video later in the week.

[k0ua]

Your ability to envision, a project and fab up the pieces is first rate. Far far better than I could do, but your welding could use a little help. I was wondering if you could tell us what you were using for a welder/rod/settings. and if some of the more experienced welders on here could help you with some recommendations. This is a great project and it would not take much to make it really beautiful as well.

James K0UA

[600rider]

Thank you for the props! I used a Miller 250 amp Mig welder and I think I just needed some more heat, because I turned it up near the end of the welding and laid better welds!
Bucket off to on and back off, time elapsed was 60 seconds! way better than pulling the cotter pins, beating the pins out a and horsing the bucket around!

[k0ua]

Thank you for the props! I used a Miller 250 amp Mig welder and I think I just needed some more heat, because I turned it up near the end of the welding and laid better welds!
Bucket off to on and back off, time elapsed was 60 seconds! way better than pulling the cotter pins, beating the pins out a and horsing the bucket around!

Good deal on turning up the heat!.. Yes a Quck disconnect is way better than pins. I thought about getting a pin on set of forks. but gave up that idea after messing with getting pins lined back up. I went SSQA ( have bigger tractor/loader) and it has been a blessing. I did go ahead and put a SSQA plate back on my old bucket. and it works great. I bought a larger 66 inch new SSQA bucket when I got the adaptor. and it has been good for those jobs when you need a wider bucket like snow for instance. It is so easy now to change buckets and to forks in just seconds now. Makes me hungry for a grapple maybe.

James K0UA