Homemade quick attach

[Steve in MT]

OK guys, I've been away from the computer for a couple of days so it looks like I got some catch up to do. Puckgrinder, yes, the pins are staggared to keep the bucket at the same level. I thought about using my press to form the cradle like you had stated but wasnt sure that I could do a good enough job. You will still need some sort of pipe for the lower forward pin mount. If you do yours that way, take some pictures for us, I might need to do this in the future as I plan to build another bucket. VTmaple, I had a piece of 1/4x2-1/2 flat bar that needed to be used somewhere and it worked out to be just the right size. I did my very best to built this thing so that the bucket was as close to the loader as possible and the 2-1/2 flat bar was perfect. Are ya getting the bug to build one for yourself? The pins? I believe that I paid like $12.00 each with the grab handles on them. I picked them up from our local Shiptons "Big R". I suppose a guy could just weld something on some regular pins if needed. Bukitcase, sounds like you have some boogers to take care of first before you can build a QA. Is the 580B a loader/backhoe ? or was it the 580C? I know what your saying about not being able to see the tips of the forks, its hard to do on mine as well, and then when I stand up to see, the engine quits because of the saftey switch in the seat. Im sure I missed a question somewhere so ask again if needed.
Steve

 

[BukitCase]

Steve, yes the 580B is a TLB - I think that one, or the C, were the last TLB's in that series that were based on a "normal" tractor, in that the hoe mounts on a herky pair of frame cradles and a pair of upper arms and is removable. The newer ones you have to dis-assemble to take the hoe off, and AFAIK there's no way to put anything else on them.

I also found a factory 3PH (mounts the same way as the hoe, requires torquing some large fine thread clevis bolts to 450 ft.lbs.) and a Gannon 7' Box scraper for it (hydraulic rippers, 4-valve control with the equivalent of top n tilt as well as power down and float (but not draft control) - this hitch mounts in place of the hoe, usually takes me about 30 minutes to swap.

Makes a fairly powerful "push out" machine if you don't have a dozer, since that machine is heavy/powerful enough to push a full bucket of dirt AND drag a full box scraper at the same time. I used it to push out a flat area below my shop that's about 200' square, took 3 days and about 1000 yards of dirt moved.

As to the "boogers", I figure I'll "unweld" the pins and make new pins and the QA setup as part of the same project. Soon as I verify whether those pins are 1.5" or 1.75 I'll order a 6' length of hot-rolled oil hardened round stock from Enco (about $110) which should give me enough for 10 or 11 pins. In that class of machine, buying them would cost about $50 EACH.

I have O/A, Plasma (to 1") Stick (250 A AC/DC) and wire (Miller 211) so any excuse to weld (other than where it's just stupid) is OK with me.

Soon as my shoulder (rotater cuff/biceps re-attachment surgery in late august) gets close to 100% I'll be officially retiring, don't plan on being bored unless I figure out how to live an extra couple hundred years :=)

Again, thanks guys for all your pix/comments, I'll share what I do WHEN I get a "round tuit"... Steve

 

[Steve in MT]

Bukitcase, Well, ya learn something new every day. I wasnt aware that the backhoe was removable and a 3 point hitch could be put on. I've not seen an early Case like yours and assumed that these models were all dedicated TLB's because all of the 580 series that I have looked at were dedicated units. Maybe I'm thinking of a 580CK? Hm, I might have to google that one. Do you allready have a set of forks to use and is that why your interest in a quick attach bucket setup? If memory serves me, the loader and bucket on the 580's are pretty beefy. Maybe all you need is is some sort of clamp on forks for the bucket? But then again, building a QA while your fixing welded on "Boogers" will give you something new to do. Just a thought .

 

[BukitCase]

Yeah, those early 580's were built on a 535 tractor - not only could you get it as a 3-point or hoe, it was also available as a beefy fork lift where the seat and controls were (IIRC) turned around. Didn't pay a lot of attention at the time, but the 6" thick manual I bought for it shows the fork lift in its own section.

Downside - you can't have a PTO unless you're willing to remove the rear plate on the transaxle and swap it out each time you add or remove the hoe, because by my measurements the PTO would interfere with the hoe. This would also mean draining/refilling the transaxle each time.

I considered trying to make a hydraulic motor PTO setup that would hang on lengthened studs at the rear of the transaxle, then came to my senses and bought an actual "farm" tractor (no FEL) just for those "other" uses.

Oh, sorry - yes, I have a set of forks I built - 2x6 tubing, ends sectioned and re-welded, they just slip over the cutting edge and there's a section of 1/2" x 4x4 angle welded in the rear at an angle, that rides up right behind the heel of the bucket and has a 1" hole in it which I cinch up to the top of the bucket in back - they're very sturdy (picked up about 2500 lbs with 'em so far) but the blind bucket is a deal breaker without a spotter.

I now have a 6' Caroni flail mower and a 6' Priefert tiller for the AC 160 tractor, and am scheming on building a "power hiller" by adding a pseudo-3 point to the rear of the Priefert and using remote hydraulics to raise/lower a hiller.

The hiller will be a modified back blade that's a bit too light for my tastes - I'll cut it into two 3 footers with the plasma, then build a "double-boom" setup, kinda like two back blades side by side - each one will be capable of angling its blade as needed, I'm visualizing one-pass till/hill with 2' wide raised beds and 2' each side scraped flat. The next pass would give a 4' aisle between 2' beds.

Wife is already drooling over this plan :=)

My old AC 160 has 4 gears slower than 1 mph in the low range, perfect for a really fine seed bed in one pass. I have all the fittings, etc, to add 4 more rear remotes for projects like the above. That's one of those "indoor where it's warm" winter projects for this year :=)

I guess you could say that my interest in a QA setup for the Case is because I know how many things I'll wanna hang on there just "because I can..." Steve

 

[Steve in MT]

Yessireebob, there is no such thing as too many tractors. After I brought home the 3rd tractor, my wife asked me "How many tractors do you need?" Good question, so I said "One per acre" That leaves me some wiggle room ya know. What I wanted was a modern tractor with 4x4 ,live PTO ,power steering and the such and the Kubota L3400 was a perfect fit for me. The next best tractor in my arsonal is a Ford 860 that works very well for drawbar work. Below is a picture of the fork set up that I built (not painted yet) and the reason for building a bucket QA. I had to replace the roofs on all the buildings due to a hail storm and needed a way to lift 21' panels up 13' high. Yeah, it looks a little goofy but it sure saved me some hard work. I also built a quick and dirty platform for the forks to work off of when I replaced the siding on the house. If you build a QA for the Case, you wont be sorry and you will also find that the forks are way handy as well. Another thing about a QA is that other attachments can be built and quickly swaped out as needed. OK guys, lets see your home made QA's and your attachments.

 

[600rider]

Here is the link to my thread on my quick hitch build I did this last spring for my LA302L loader. I copied the the qh from the LA304 loader as Kubota doesn't offer one for my loader. it took me about 4 hours to make but I have access to a shear, punch press and press brake. so all fabrication was done at work and only the welding was done at home. Hope this helps.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/234595-la-302-bucket-quick-hitch.html

 

[PILOON]

I think I can get two pins from that link and have it shipped to me cheaper than one of the pins costs from tractor supply. Thanks for the offer though, i'll hit you up if they are nutso on the shipping, i know they do that sometimes. 12$ for the part and 25 to ship it. lol

That's because they use flat rate boxes and charge for delivering to the post office and naturally quote the greatest distance fee.

You project has me going!
Checking out my metal scraps to see if I have everything I need to build one.

For your pins: most metal suppliers could sell you cold rolled rod or DOM rod of the correct diam to fab your pins.
Another alternative is to buy graded bolts and cut off the threaded end and bevel the tips on a grinder.
My pins are mostly grade 8's with a drilled hole for the retainer pin. I weld a 4L X 3/4 inch flat on the head end to act as a hand grip.
Works for me.

 

[Chilly807]

Hmm... and here I was wondering what to do for winter projects..

Nice job Steve, really nice.

I've been toying with the idea of buying the Kubota SSQA adapter for my LA463 loader, haven't priced it yet but I'm sure it'll scare me. The trouble with that is, then I either have to buy a new bucket or re-work the pin-on one I have now with an adapter plate. K0ua did this with his, I recall it was a ton of work. Someone locally was selling the SSQA plates for $129 recently, that price I could live with.

I'm really kicking my azz for not ordering the tractor with the SSQA loader in the beginning.. the extra $500 really looks like a bargain now.

The good thing about it doing it that way is, then no matter what I buy for attachments, they'll hook up with no further work. But, how many attachments am I looking at getting? Maybe a grapple (though I doubt I'd use it enough to be worthwhile) but more likely only a set of pallet forks and a bale spear. So if I only have to convert those two items to fit on the LA463 loader using a much cheaper QA like this, it's worth doing.

Sean

 

[Steve in MT]

Chilly807, It looks like you have the same tractor that I have. I looked at tractors this size for 15 years before I could finally afford one. When I was looking at this one on the dealers lot, the thought of changing buckets didnt occur to me. I was given a set of forks some years ago and they were sitting it the "Roundtoit" pile. (was thinking for 3PH) It wasnt untill after I build the cradle for the forks that I realized what a PIA it was to un-pin and pin attachments when needed. I agree with you that the SSQA is the way to go and should had have gotten it at the time of purchase. Hind sight they say. I researched pretty heavy about building a SSQA style set up but the thought of the added (high) expence and the fact that I had to cut into a near new bucket didnt appeal to me. Then if you buy a different attachment, you have to buy another $129.00 adaptor if its not allready on it. There are some nice builds here on tractor bynet and else where, but it wasnt until I seen the video that puckgrinder posted here that made me build the "Pin" style QA. You hit the nail on the head with "How many attachments am I looking at ?" I used the forks pretty heavily when I had to replace the roofs here after a hail storm and also when replacing siding on the house and such. Now thats done and the bucket is back on and dont see a need for the forks in the near future, but its sitting there if I need it and only takes a minute to change it out.
I spent about $30 dollars for a short lenth of heavy wall pipe and $24.00 dollars for a pair of pins with grab handles. The rest was scrap steel that I had laying around. Even if you have to buy everthing that you need, it will still be under $100.00 bucks. You (or anyone else) will not be sorry to build one and I am very happy how mine turned out. I have a manure bucket off of an old Farmhand F-11 loader that Ill work over to use on the L3400DT and that is about all that I need for attachments that I can think of. OK, I may or may not have a use for a manure bucket but could use it for brush work? No? How about the fact that its there and I simply gotta do something with it. Yep, just something new to tinker on.
Puckgrinder, your kinda quiet, does this mean that your out in the shop building a pin on style QA ????
Steve

 

[puckgrinder85]

I'm actually waiting on a few parts (dom tubing) and a carbide hole saw for the pin holes. Im also in the market for a plasma cutter which the money will be coming from a sale at the end of the week. So I'm waiting on a fwe things to happen before I really dig in, I want it to be a nice piece because we have a nice tractor. I'm pretty **** retentive so all this is getting done, I have the stock steel I need and the pins should be on their way as well. Too many irons in the fire I guess.