ehb86
New member
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2015
- Messages
- 16
- Location
- Bainbridge Island, Plain, WA
- Tractor
- Kubota L4310, KX 121, SVL75-2
I wanted to put a SSQA on my older L4310 that has the LA681 loader. Kubota didn't make a SSQA at the time for theses tractors so I decided to find a later Kubota SSQA that would fit. The newest ones, the LA765 would work with a few modifications but Kubota only sells that by the part, not as a whole unit. The parts total about $1500.00. I found, with the help of Joel at Issaquah Kubota that the Kubota SSQA for the LA703 loader was available as a unit and they are only about $550.00. This is less than the good aftermarket ones I've seen and I think the Kubota units are substantially better built. I needed to get this put together and I wasn't able to find an LA703 to measure in time so I ordered it anyway and figured that it couldn't be too much different than the LA765 which is just a few years newer.
The LA703 SSQA arrived and it was a very easy process to make it fit my LA681. I've decided to post pictures and steps that I took to modify the old bucket and set up the SSQA for the older loader in case anyone else down the road is interested in doing this. So here goes, hope it works. Sorry for the fuzzy early photos I needed to use my phone at first until I got my camera back.
So here's a picture of the original bucket:
I purchased a SSQA adapter plate from Everything Attachments (really happy with the plate, very well made) and I laid out the plate locations on the old bucket and just cut off the whole original loader attachment points. I laid it out so that the cutouts in the bucket were about 1/2" inside the attachment plate so that it could be welded both inside the bucket and out.
Here it is for layout:
Here's one side cut out:
Both sides cut out:
Once both sides were cut out, I drove some wedges into the now open ended reinforcing piece on the back of the bucket to hold the attachment plate in place:
Time to cut each side was about 45 minutes with a small grinder and 5 cutoff wheels.
I tacked the whole business together and made some triangle pieces to fill in the ends of the original reinforcement and added a piece of 5" x 1/4" flatbar across the top of the bucket to stiffen everything and it also gives a nice place for a center hook.
I then welded it all up and gave it a coat of paint and I have a nice SSQA bucket.
Now on to the LA703 SSQA. All that it required was a couple of spacers at each loader attaching pin. I made up an 11/16" and a 1/8" spacer for each pin. The original LA681 pins are narrower obviously. Anyay, one set of spacers at each pin and you're all set, here's a photo:
That's all it takes, here's a couple more photos:
Now I'm in business and like I said besides being less expensive, the Kubota SSQA seems more stout than a lot of the aftermarket ones. Besides which it was designed by Kubota for 40 to 60hp tractors. We've got a lot of timber down that is a fire hazard from a bad storm a couple winters ago and I needed a setup to help clear slash, that was the driving issue for the SSQA, I wanted to add a grapple and be able to get my bucket on quickly too. I installed a WR Long third function kit at the same time. I can't say enough good things about WR Long and Everything Attachments, everything they supplied was very well made, fit perfectly and worked immediately. I may add a front mount snow blower one of these days which would use the SSQA too. I'm starting to get tired of blowing in reverse. Anyway I hope this may help someone else down the road. Almost forgot, here's a picture with the grapple on:
The LA703 SSQA arrived and it was a very easy process to make it fit my LA681. I've decided to post pictures and steps that I took to modify the old bucket and set up the SSQA for the older loader in case anyone else down the road is interested in doing this. So here goes, hope it works. Sorry for the fuzzy early photos I needed to use my phone at first until I got my camera back.
So here's a picture of the original bucket:
I purchased a SSQA adapter plate from Everything Attachments (really happy with the plate, very well made) and I laid out the plate locations on the old bucket and just cut off the whole original loader attachment points. I laid it out so that the cutouts in the bucket were about 1/2" inside the attachment plate so that it could be welded both inside the bucket and out.
Here it is for layout:
Here's one side cut out:
Both sides cut out:
Once both sides were cut out, I drove some wedges into the now open ended reinforcing piece on the back of the bucket to hold the attachment plate in place:
Time to cut each side was about 45 minutes with a small grinder and 5 cutoff wheels.
I tacked the whole business together and made some triangle pieces to fill in the ends of the original reinforcement and added a piece of 5" x 1/4" flatbar across the top of the bucket to stiffen everything and it also gives a nice place for a center hook.
I then welded it all up and gave it a coat of paint and I have a nice SSQA bucket.
Now on to the LA703 SSQA. All that it required was a couple of spacers at each loader attaching pin. I made up an 11/16" and a 1/8" spacer for each pin. The original LA681 pins are narrower obviously. Anyay, one set of spacers at each pin and you're all set, here's a photo:
That's all it takes, here's a couple more photos:
Now I'm in business and like I said besides being less expensive, the Kubota SSQA seems more stout than a lot of the aftermarket ones. Besides which it was designed by Kubota for 40 to 60hp tractors. We've got a lot of timber down that is a fire hazard from a bad storm a couple winters ago and I needed a setup to help clear slash, that was the driving issue for the SSQA, I wanted to add a grapple and be able to get my bucket on quickly too. I installed a WR Long third function kit at the same time. I can't say enough good things about WR Long and Everything Attachments, everything they supplied was very well made, fit perfectly and worked immediately. I may add a front mount snow blower one of these days which would use the SSQA too. I'm starting to get tired of blowing in reverse. Anyway I hope this may help someone else down the road. Almost forgot, here's a picture with the grapple on:
Anyway, you will love having SSQA, and that grapple too! I paid $400 for the Kubota adapter for my old 
