Loader Arm Failure

[Marada]

I have a Bulldog 285 Loader on My Iseki. In the process of digging the loader arms crimped and buckled. When I got the tractor the arms had spots where the arms appeared to have a crimp to get them twisted enough to attach to the front mount. The angle from the rear to the front is about 30 degrees. My plan is to remove the front mount and bend them to a more upright position. My question is whether there is a reason for the thinner gauge steel that makes up the arms? Can I replace that with something more substantial?
Jack

 

[joes_427_vette]

Some pictures would be helpful. Depends on the hp the loader is rated for as to what thickness and grade of steel used. Sometimes the weight savings combined with a high tensel strength steel is a better combination. Adding heavy steel to one part without attention to the rest might not be the answer. I'm sure you could get alot of helpful information bu adding some pictures and additional information to the forum. Good luck !

 

[dodge man]

I hate to sound so negative, but crimped and buckeled doesn't sound good to me. If its that bad, it may be time to buy a new loader. From your description it almost sounds like someone may have bent the arms to make it fit your tractor. It thats the case, it may have weakened them.

 

[Marada]

Thanks for the fast response. I went out and took pictures. As you can see, the arms are a very light gauge as compared to the rest of the construction. And the front mount seem to me like they should be more upright.
Jack

 

[kevinj]

Thanks for the fast response. I went out and took pictures. As you can see, the arms are a very light gauge as compared to the rest of the construction. And the front mount seem to me like they should be more upright.
Jack

Hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like it was operated with loose and missing bolts.

 

[dodge man]

It doesn't look good. It doesn't really look like the loader arms failed, but it looks like its part of the mounting frame. It does look like bolts are missing, unless you had started to take it apart after the damage. I'm sure it can be fixed, but its going to take some time and a person thats really good with that stuff, such as a good welder and fabricator.

 

[Marada]

It doesn't look good. It doesn't really look like the loader arms failed, but it looks like its part of the mounting frame. It does look like bolts are missing, unless you had started to take it apart after the damage. I'm sure it can be fixed, but its going to take some time and a person thats really good with that stuff, such as a good welder and fabricator.

It's not missing and bolts. In the front it has a plate that slides in the sheet metal channal to mount to the front mount. The rear is welded. When I first got the tractor, the nut holding the arm to the front mount popped off and I had a devil of a time getting that back together because of the angle. Thats why I asked about bending the front mounts to a more upright position. I can then cut the the gauge arms out and use a 3 inch piece of 1/4 inch thick flat steel. Bolt it to the rear and to the existing piece the arm is bolted to. At least thats plan A. The other thought was taking a piece of flat steel and placing it inside the arm. Drill through both and bolt it up.
Jack

 

[dodge man]

Was this loader built for your tractor or was it modified to fit? I keep looking at the pictures and see bolt holes that aren't being used, but that could be for another application.

I don't like the idea of replacing the channel with a piece of flat steel. I know the channel may seem weak and thin, but when you shape a piece of metal into a shape like that, it makes it stronger than if it was flat. A piece of flat steel that long will be able to be twisted really easy. You really need someone that is a good welder to look at fixing it. It looks like it needs to be taken apart, straightened out, then reinforced, and put back on the tractor.

Front end loaders are subject to alot of stress, I'm afraid anything you do will just end up breaking again.

 

[Marada]

Do you think I should change the angle of the front mounts where the arm attaches. Just seems that keeping a truer angle in relation to the rear would help. I'm 30 miles away from the closest welding shop and do not have a trailer that can transport the tractor. That why I was asking about bolting on a flat plate. I'm sure this loader was added after the fact. It looks like a hydraulic hose was adapted to fit using brass adapters for the different sizes.
Jack

 

[dodge man]

I see what you mean about the front bracket being tipped out. I can't tell you if it would be better or not to straighten that bracket. I know any time you bend a piece of steel, it weakens it.

I'm hoping some other people will respond to your post that have a little more knowledge then me. To be blunt, your front end loader looks like a disaster waiting to happen without some expert intervention.

To add a little more, I studied the pictures again, and it looks like the loader is plenty stout. The problem appears that there is some kind of subframe set up that was used to mount the loader and adapated to your tractor, that appears to be the weak line. I think the pieces that are bent are meant to be a low stress item. I'm guessing that the way the loader is mounted that it is over stressing these items. You have a couple of pretty good close up pictures, how about a couple from further away, and maybe one from the drivers seat.

Good luck.