Anyone ever straighten a twisted FEL?

blueriver · Oct 19, 2010

This is setting on conrete ... no visable damage. She is obviously out of wack.

Coyote machine · Oct 19, 2010

Tractor make/ model, fel model? All the above would help figure out what to do.

blueriver · Oct 19, 2010

Branson 5530 with a BL30B FEL

Coyote machine · Oct 19, 2010

I'm not familiar with that particular setup, but I think if you post some more photos of the area that holds the loader to the frame it might help diagnose what is causing the skewed bucket situation. FWIW, I had a similar problem with my DK-35 Kioti which is posted in the Kioti forum. My eventual solution was to upgrade the tractor/bucket to a heavier duty model. That may not be your solution- so check out the thread I posted to see if any of it applies to your situation.

blueriver · Oct 19, 2010

Coyote machine said:
I'm not familiar with that particular setup, but I think if you post some more photos of the area that holds the loader to the frame it might help diagnose what is causing the skewed bucket situation. FWIW, I had a similar problem with my DK-35 Kioti which is posted in the Kioti forum. My eventual solution was to upgrade the tractor/bucket to a heavier duty model. That may not be your solution- so check out the thread I posted to see if any of it applies to your situation.

Thanks..I'll try to find your post. I can not see any visable bends, breaks, cracks or the like.

It appears to be in the very front of the two loader arms where the pipe connects across. When its raised to just about the hood level its definatly out of wack.

I believe the left went down.

yooper1 · Oct 19, 2010

By chance do you have hooks on the very outer end of the bucket?

If so, a heavy load on one of them may have twisted the loader arms themselves.

Sounds like that happens more often than we know

Coyote machine · Oct 19, 2010

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/.../161951-front-end-loader-pistons-housing.html
Above is the link to my original post about having bent my loader arm pistons/cylinders; which were temporarily fixed by adding new, and later reinforcing the new 1/2 moon arched plates and doing a bunch of welding of bent stops etc. Thing is, it all occurred again in short order probably as a result of my use, and IMHO the poor quality design of the bucket/ loader arms; pertaining to the strength of the loader to do what the bucket, operator and tractor are capable of- which is beyond the loader's ability to support the bucket's capability.

reddog176 · Oct 19, 2010

Everyone expects the tractor is at fault. Are you sure that concrete's level?

blueriver · Oct 19, 2010

reddog176 said:
Everyone expects the tractor is at fault. Are you sure that concrete's level?

Yes the concrete is level. You can even see the difference when the hay fork is on.

blueriver · Oct 19, 2010

yooper1 said:
By chance do you have hooks on the very outer end of the bucket?

If so, a heavy load on one of them may have twisted the loader arms themselves.

Sounds like that happens more often than we know

Yes hooks on each side ...

Zork · Oct 19, 2010

Is the left side of your loader your favored slicing edge?

sandman2234 · Oct 19, 2010

Before I would do anything, I would start measuring everything closely, including air pressure and especially axle height front and rear. Remove all varibles before you start or it will still be wrong when you get it "straight".
David from jax

Gale Hawkins · Oct 19, 2010

blueriver said:
This is setting on conrete ... no visable damage. She is obviously out of wack.

You might look all the way back to the mid point of the tractor to make sure it is not all in the bucket.

The bucket does not looked abused.

blueriver · Oct 19, 2010

Gale Hawkins said:
You might look all the way back to the mid point of the tractor to make sure it is not all in the bucket.

The bucket does not looked abused.

The bucket is on for reference ... its visable even with out the bucket. When your in the cab and raise the FEL you can look over the hood and see one side is lower (or maybe one side is higher)

blueriver · Oct 19, 2010

sandman2234 said:
Before I would do anything, I would start measuring everything closely, including air pressure and especially axle height front and rear. Remove all varibles before you start or it will still be wrong when you get it "straight".
David from jax

Thanks for the advise. Seems as though I have gone over and over this thing with the same concerns you share. I have concluded its in the arms. They have got to have a twist in them.

KnuckleDragger · Oct 19, 2010

Several years ago, we (brothers and I) twisted a FEL trying to pick up some iron scrap up out of the dirt that had buried itself over time. It was twisted pretty bad, if I recall. Bad enough that we could tell it was out of whack out the moment we caused it. We straigtened it out against a tree by carefully driving the leading edge against a tree. Back then, the tree, FEL, and we survived. I'm not sure I would try the same fix today, but I know it is possible.

kebo · Oct 19, 2010

reddog176 said:
Everyone expects the tractor is at fault. Are you sure that concrete's level?

And do the tires on each axle have the correct and equal pressure? No excessive tire wear on one side or the other?

If that's all good, then like was suggested start making precise measurements to find out where the difference is. If your loader can be removed, I would start there by parking the FEL on a level concrete pad, if you can. Measure the main support brackets bolted to the sides of the engine/chassis. See if they are equal heights. If the loader by itself still sits unlevel on a level pad, then you know the problem is at least in the loader arms and/or bucket, but you could still have some differences with the main support brackets. Good luck, hope you figure it out and get it straightened out!

ray66v · Oct 19, 2010

I have done a few of these in my body shop.

It's pretty easy, if you have the right set up.

I would talk to your local shop, and see if they are interested in the job.

This is usually the slow season; they might make you a fair offer.

blueriver · Oct 19, 2010

kebo said:
And do the tires on each axle have the correct and equal pressure? No excessive tire wear on one side or the other?

If that's all good, then like was suggested start making precise measurements to find out where the difference is. If your loader can be removed, I would start there by parking the FEL on a level concrete pad, if you can. Measure the main support brackets bolted to the sides of the engine/chassis. See if they are equal heights. If the loader by itself still sits unlevel on a level pad, then you know the problem is at least in the loader arms and/or bucket, but you could still have some differences with the main support brackets. Good luck, hope you figure it out and get it straightened out!

Tires have equal pressure and equal wear. Removing the FEL ...thats my next step .. it is a QA so I am going to take it off and do more measuring with it setting on the concrete slab.

blueriver · Oct 19, 2010

KnuckleDragger said:
Several years ago, we (brothers and I) twisted a FEL trying to pick up some iron scrap up out of the dirt that had buried itself over time. It was twisted pretty bad, if I recall. Bad enough that we could tell it was out of whack out the moment we caused it. We straigtened it out against a tree by carefully driving the leading edge against a tree. Back then, the tree, FEL, and we survived. I'm not sure I would try the same fix today, but I know it is possible.

I here ya ... thoughts are going in and out of my mind. Chains, hydraulics, bending, pushing, pulling ... Ramming a tree in C4 (seat belted in) ... no just kidding ... did think about it though!!

They seem to straighten car frames ... there has got to be a solution to get this thing tweeked back into shape.