Quick Attach Forces Questions

[mmranch]

I have Quick Attach on my tractor. On any of the implements... the Quick Attach plate basically consists of the overhang on top and some holes on the bottom and the mateplate at the back. The FEL plates tuck under the overhang and the Quick Attach pins go down in the holes which pushes the FEL plates against the mateplate.

The overhang steel seems substantial (steel all across the top keeping the FEL plate edge from popping out). But the pin tips going down in the holes only go down a little bit... (I haven't measured but it looks like 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch).

(Seems to me that a for a better connection, the pins should go deeper into the holes? (Why don't they go deeper?))


Here's my theoretical question:

What if I took a blank quick attach plate (made of 1/2" steel) and welded a 15' long - 4"x4" square steel pipe (parallel) to the flat face of the quick attach.

When considering the quick attach plate connected to the tractor FEL... when the quick attach plate is vertical, the pipe stands up like a flagpole. But when the quick attach plate is horizontal, the pipe is horizontal to the ground. When the pipe is vertical, the forces on the quick attach connection seem workable. But when the pipe is horizontal, it seems the forces would threaten the connection making the pin tips or something fail. If there was weight out on the end of the pipe, it would seem the failure threat would be much greater.

Any idea how much weight would be required to make the connection fail? For example, if I put 300lb basket on the end of the pole, when the pole is vertical - no problem. But when the pole is horizontal, would 300lbs added to the end make the connection fail?

Thanks for any ideas!

 

[hawkeye08]

If I understand correctly, the forces that would apply when back dragging your bucket if bucket bottom is perpendicular to the ground and catches on something? I hope the bucket comes loose before my FEL gets bent up. Perhaps it is a designed weak point? I have never had anything come loose that was properly attached.

 

[ovrszd]

I've saw this issue many times. Different manufacturers build to different specs. Some of my attachments have a deep pin set, some a shallow pin set.

Only time this is an issue would be a similar situation as described by hawkeye08. Under normal situations all of the load is carried at the top.

I wouldn't worry about it. The concept in having the tips angle cut is so they constantly tighten.

 

[RNeumann]

You don't specify where in the 15' the 4"x4" is welded- center or one end etc. But even in the center that's about a 6' lever outside of one of the FEL arms. I know folks grapple logs without issue but they tend to grab them in the middle as opposed to creating an extreme side load.
Ive never seen SSQA specs although I assume they exist. But from a practical standpoint I'd hope my failure occurred at the SSQA instead of causing a failure to a FEL arm, ram, frame or pivot point.

 

[mmranch]

Thanks for the ideas!

I'm not talking about digging with this apparatus... just lifting the weight of itself. So for example, this device would be stored with the pipe (& quick attach plate) horizontal to the ground. Tractor would roll up and have to attach with the plate horizontal, then when attached... rotate the quick attach plate upright so the pipe rotates into the vertical position. It would be used with the pipe in a (mostly) vertical position and then rotated back down to the ground for storage.

I'm wondering what weight on the end of that pipe (during horizontal rotation) would be acceptable before the quick attach link fails?

Thanks again.

 

[mmranch]

Sorry, I should have been more clear.

About 16" of one end of the pipe would be welded to the flat side of the quick attach plate. The pipe would not be perpindicular to the flat plate... it would be parallel. So when the quick attach plate is vertical... the pipe would be pointing to the sky. When the plate is horizontal the pipe would be pointing straight out in front of the tractor.

Thanks!

 

[mmranch]

I guess the more I think about it... the weight when the pole is horizontal (out in front of the tractor) would still be causing the quick attach plate to be pressing strongly against the FEL plates... thus continuing the connection.

Hmmm.

 

[k0ua]

I guess the more I think about it... the weight when the pole is horizontal (out in front of the tractor) would still be causing the quick attach plate to be pressing strongly against the FEL plates... thus continuing the connection.

Hmmm.

True, BUT, a 15 foot 4x4 steel tube sound like a big load to start with. That is a heck of a lever sticking out there. What does the 4x4 tube weigh just by itself? What is its wall thickness? And what if you roll that back over past vertical and over the tractor and your own head? What the heck are you up to anyway? Also have you thought about how fast that 15 foot pole is going to move and how well you will be able to control it. Better have a very fine control on that curl/dump valve. Anyway , just some thoughts. If your tractor is big enough it can work, and from the avatar, it looks like yours is pretty good sized. I wonder if you could lift a 300 lb basket out on the end of a 15 foot pole. Maybe... but that is a ship load.

 

[k0ua]

Richard, you have experience with big ole loads sticking way the heck out there in front of your loader.. What do you think?

 

[ovrszd]

Richard, you have experience with big ole loads sticking way the heck out there in front of your loader.. What do you think?

I don't worry about those loads if the QA plate is mostly vertical. This wedges the load into the top angle brackets.

When horizontal we are dependent on the spring loaded wedge pins to keep the upper bracket tight. Not good. If the lower pins were of a latched type so no movement was allowed I wouldn't worry so much.

I've got some great pics of applying tremendous forces on the top angle brackets. I'm on my phone now and can't access them. I'll post tomorrow. Sorry.