Educate me on beefing up the FEL bucket to add hooks

[Reyer Farms]

I welded mine to the top with no extra plate or angle. My bucket has a rectangle tube at the top, so I just welded there. As I read your post and thoughts about the d rings, I had a thought. What would be wrong with welding them on the inside of the bucket? That may not be appealing for you but it would be more functional than having them on the back.



I cut off one of the ears on the hook and held hook against front edge and made vertical weld. While it was hot I bent the remaining ear over on top of bucket, and welded. I don't know what it's rated for but I know it is good for 1400 lbs at least.

 

[jerrybob]

Interesting looking tooth bar ya got there.

That's a Pirranna Tooth Bar from BX Expanded. I just ordered one for my small Yanmar 186D. It will be here next week. Great for digging and clearing.

 

[Mercmaniac]

I think I'd go with the second picture, angle iron out front. Yes you want to skip weld it, so you don't warped the bucket! Before painting I would use some chalking between the welds, and ends so you don't have to worry about water getting under the angle iron. I really like the idea of using angle iron, better than a double plate under the hooks or D-rings. Pickup more surface with the angle iron.:thumbsup:

What is this "chalking"?

 

[Shield Arc]

What is this "chalking"?

Sorry about that, should have been caulking! Sometimes my fingers are faster than my mind.

 

[Chilly807]

Now that is a very intelligent idea! :thumbsup:

Thanks! We do a lot of fence repair with the tractor, so the bucket is usually full of tools. Using the FEL to pull old fence posts is easier than doing it by hand.

New pics of the hooks, the reinforcing plate I added was 3/8 by 3", I think. Enough to hold the top lip from folding forward under load. I screwed up when I welded them in place by not leaving enough space to get a chain in past the snow screen I have on in the winter. I don't use the FEL much for lifting in the winter anyway, and the heel hook is still available. If I had to I could chain around the screen, too.

You don't need a lot of reinforcement, these small loaders won't generate enough force to bend things too badly as long as the basic structure is stiffened a bit. At least the LA463 won't, it has fairly thick steel in relation to the lift force it has. My reinforcing plate could have been 3/16 plate with good results, it has lots of strength in tension which is the situation here.

How come nobody wants to weld on their buckets?? I do like the stepped hook plates Steve used though, nice looking job.




Sean

 

[pedalstomper78]

I bought one of the Tractor Help bolt on hooks for my Case. It puts a plate above and below the loader so you don't have to worry about bolts pulling through or anything like that. If you want more strength, I would just suggest using a bigger plate on the bottom.

 

[Mercmaniac]

Sorry about that, should have been caulking! Sometimes my fingers are faster than my mind.

LOL, I thought that is what you meant, but also thought that maybe this is something I don't know about. I have been using JB weld for sealing up.

 

[Shield Arc]

LOL, I thought that is what you meant, but also thought that maybe this is something I don't know about. I have been using JB weld for sealing up.

Yeah happens all the time with me, must be my age. My mind is thinking of one thing and my fingers are thinking of something else!

 

[Teikas Dad]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the input.

So far I've determined that:

I want to stitch/skip weld the angle to the bucket so I don't warp anything.

Keep the hooks even with the loader arms, not to the outside.

The D ring on the lower back of the bucket may or may not be a good idea. I was thinking of doing that based on other threads that I read about trying to keep the load closer to the tractor for better lift. I'll have to ponder that idea to see if I really want to go that route or not.

I'm still up in the air regarding putting the angle on the front edge of the bucket lip or behind it. I understand about it looking better on the back side, but I'm more concerned with strength rather than looks. I'm OCD about doing stuff like this anyway so where ever I mount it, it's going to look good.

I've got a MIG welder, so I don't need or want the bolt on hooks...just another bolt that Mr. Murphy will loosen at an inopportune moment, like when I've got something a couple feet up in the air. I'd rather weld it and not have to worry about it coming loose.

So I guess at this point I'm looking for guidance as to which position (front mount or back mount) is going to give me the most strength with the angle steel, or doesn't it matter strength wise because the angle steel welded to the bucket is stronger than what the loader can lift regardless of position? Also, do I need to run the angle all the way from one side to the other side of the bucket or would it be sufficient to extend it past the loader arms?

By the way, the toothbar is a Piranha bar. I researched the various styles available for toothbars and for the cost vs what I could find for user reviews, the Piranha came out on top. One thing I was really surprised about when I got it, besides being heavy it's SHARP on the edges. If you get one wear gloves when you mount it.

 

[Shield Arc]

I would put the angle on the front of the bucket. Reason being, when the chain, or wire rope choker wraps over the heel of the angle less chance on bending it. If the toe of the angle iron is out front it will bend in time. I think I'd run the angle iron out all the way to the edge of the bucket.