Educate me on beefing up the FEL bucket to add hooks

[srs]

With the ball on top of the bucket, I couldn't get it under the coupler of my trailer. I use a ball mount with 6" or so of drop. Also, the 2" receiver tube leaves the mounting location open for other uses, should they arise.

Joshuabardwell, if you look at one of the three pictures I posted earlier in this thread you'll see how I made a drop type ball hitch to move my trailer around. It really works nice. I did have to reinforce it cause I was able to bend the steel with my 16' utility trailer.

Based on what everyone has suggested I'm going with a 3X3 piece of angle mounted on the back of the lip like this.
The top flat portion of the 3X3 will stop about 1/4 inch or so before the radius of the bucket lip downturn starts so I'll have enough space to run some beads. The back/lower leg of the 3X3 will hit the back of the bucket about half way between the lower radius and the back edge of the top lip. A bunch of weld beads along there will hold that together and make a box. The flat top of the 3X3 will give me a good surface to weld the hooks on to.

I appreciate all the input!

Teikas Dad, that is exactly what I used, again see my pictures in this thread.

 

[Teikas Dad]

Teikas Dad, that is exactly what I used, again see my pictures in this thread.

I just hope I can get mine to look as good as yours!

 

[jerrybob]

I haven't had a chance to wring it out yet but based on all the reviews I could find all the users love them. The edge on the teeth are really sharp so if I build up enough speed, I could probably mow the lawn with it!

There's another thread on the Kubota forum on the Piranha tooth bar....check it out below. I will have one in a few days....looking forward to it.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/235016-got-piranha-toothbar-bxpanded.html

 

[JIGBUILDER]

I lift with steel cables/chain and straps depending on whats needed. Thats why I like the bolted on 11k lb - 15k lb D rings On my bucket. If I trade tractors these lifting rings stay with me. They were free as the company I worked for was excessing several heavy 30' bond jigs. We were allowed to take all the lifting rings we wanted. Mine are bolted on with 5/8 grade #5 bolts and nuts and 1/4" backing plates to keep from bending the bucket behind the D ring.

 

[displacedPA]

I have a B2320 with a similar bucket design to the original posters B3200. My thoughts were to go with the 3x3 angle route or take 3/16 flat stock and welds it flat to the top lip of the bucket then weld the hooks to it. I dont want to over build it but I also dont want to under build it.

 

[Teikas Dad]

OK, my OCD is kicking in.....

I've got the 3X3 angle all set to weld on, but I started thinking (I know, too much of that will get me in trouble!)

Here's what I'm doing with the angle - this is a piece of 2X2, I've got 3X3 that I bought after I took the photo.

The top leg of the angle (horizontal) will lay flat on top of the bucket lip. I'm going to stitch weld the angle to the lip along the front. Then I'm going to stitch weld the lower leg of the angle (vertical) to the back of the bucket.

As all of you are aware, my tractor is a B3200 so the front loader is only listed to lift 800 lbs. or so. I'm not going to be lifting any cars, trucks, cows, horses or any other heavy items. I'm going to use the hooks and shackles so I can chain or strap things like mower decks and things like that to move around.

My question for all of you is this. Will just welding the the angle at the top of the lip and the base of the angle leg on the back be enough to stiffen the bucket lip, considering the weight capacity? Or, should I drill a few holes through the angle so the top (horizontal) surface of the bucket lip is exposed and essentially spot weld those locations to lock the back edge of the lip to angle? I can't get under it to weld the underside of the joint between the angle and the bucket lip so I thought this might work. Here's a Sketch Up cross section of what I'm talking about.

Or....am I being too OCD about it and overdoing it? :confused2: I know there's people out there that just weld the hooks to the bucket without reinforcement and the world doesn't come to an end!

I know...you guys just want me to weld the d*mn thing on there and stop bothering you!!!!

 

[kennyd]

Go for it! Its great practice!

Drilling the holes and welding through them (Called "plug welding") is really not needed in your case, but you certainly wont hurt anything by doing it either.

 

[joshuabardwell]

The plug welds I have seen are bigger in diameter than you depict. Big enough that you can lay a bead around the edge and have bare metal in the middle.

 

[Teikas Dad]

The plug welds I have seen are bigger in diameter than you depict. Big enough that you can lay a bead around the edge and have bare metal in the middle.

Would a 3/4" opening be big enough or are you talking bigger?

 

[joshuabardwell]

Would a 3/4" opening be big enough or are you talking bigger?

You know, I am really going to have to defer to more experienced fabricators than myself here. All I know is, when I looked at your sketchup model, to me, it looked like if I was going to weld up those holes (assuming a 1/8" rod) the weld would totally fill the holes. In that case, I wouldn't be confident about the weld tying in to the base metal. If you make the hole big enough, you can treat the whole thing like a circular fillet weld, ensuring adequate tie-in to both the bucket and the angle iron.

Just to throw out a number, with a 1/8" rod, you're going to end up with maybe somewhere between a 3/16" and 1/4" bead, or a total of about 1/2" of bead since there are two sides to the circle. Personally, I would go up to about 1" or maybe 1.5" just to give myself room to work. Thing is, you're probably not going to get yourself in trouble making the circles a little bigger than absolutely needed. But, again, you should get better advice from those who are more experienced than myself.