Loader Any market for BX24 FEL's?

[bx24]

In the 4 years I have owned (and enjoyed) my BX24, I have spent more than a dozen hours total (on several different occations) measuring, calculating and generally trying to figure out the best way to enable my BX24 with a quick connect connection for the loader bucket on the FEL.

The two links below are both options ....

Versa hitch

YouTube - Kubota BX series Versa-Daptor / Quick-tach system.

I like this option, but the price ($400+ for the adapter) is a bit salty and it reduces the already limited lift capacity because of the added material as well as moving the load further away (losing leverage)

Welding and cutting mods

YouTube - Kubota BX Quick Attachment

This is a pretty clean solution, but both of these options still keep the goofy center dump cylinder. JD and other tractors with two dump cylinders are a much better solution.

So to my question .... Is there a market for the entire FEL? Rather than modify an existing system with shortcomings, I am thinking I could simply fab up an entire new FEL with everything just the way I want it for around $1000. So if I could sell my existing setup for a good price ... it would be a win win

I have been dying to get the bucket removal option worked out because I have light weight forks all ready to go, I just have to decide on the mounting bracket for them.

Any thoughts?

 

[amigauser]

The FEL on the BX series is pretty well matched to the tractor. If you try and fabricate your own setup to gain more lift you will probably destroy the front axel on the tractor. If you really want a Q/A you need to move up to the smaller "B" series.

Resale would also be very pore for a roll your own FEL on a tractor.

As an FYI, many full size TLB's have a single cylinder like the BX so that in itself is not a bad design.

 

[scott2360]

I would say yes there is a market for your FEL. You never see them on ebay. I wish I had bought one when I ordered my Bx2360.

 

[Ductape]

If I were looking to fab some sort of quick attach for a BX, I'd make a mini skid style QA. Most of the attachments are 48" and under, and the minis would be more in line with the BX's lift capacity. That would open the door to a whole host of loader attachments appropriately sixed for the BX, such as forks, 4 in 1s , grapples, etc. Not sure why no one has done it yet.

 

[not2old]

I don't know about the marketability of your loader, but I'd like to accomplish the same thing with my Massey GC 2610. The second system shown on your post appears superior to me but it also appears to be made heavier than necessary. I want to be able to quickly switch from the standard bucket to a snow bucket, to a snow plow and to a set of forks without losing any more capacity than necessary. I'm a new tractor owner and find it surprising that none of the manufacturers have developed one. They'd be able to sell lots of stuff to people who owned competitor's machines if the adapters were available. Looks like the only solution is to make our own, but like you I want to take my time to determine the best design. I think it's important to leave the loader arms and cylinders alone, make an adapter and modify the bucket. That way, whatever goes wrong, can at worst, be repaired simply by purchasing a new bucket. That would help preserve resale value and as much as I sometimes swear at the engineers, I know they aren't stupid. (It must be the bean counters)

 

[KennyV]

I have been dying to get the bucket removal option worked out because I have light weight forks all ready to go, I just have to decide on the mounting bracket for them.

Any thoughts?

On the smaller loaders that have light weight buckets and attachments, Why bother with a quick attach.
You could just pin on and pin off to change.
The reason it is handy to have a quick attach is with larger attachments, a bucket weighing over 500 pounds is difficult to align pins to reattach.
The BX size attachments would be no problem to move around for a relatively quick pinning. With no loss in lift wasted on any adapter... KennyV

 

[bx24]

The FEL on the BX series is pretty well matched to the tractor. If you try and fabricate your own setup to gain more lift you will probably destroy the front axel on the tractor. If you really want a Q/A you need to move up to the smaller "B" series.

Resale would also be very pore for a roll your own FEL on a tractor.

As an FYI, many full size TLB's have a single cylinder like the BX so that in itself is not a bad design.

I agree that if I tried to add more weight to the rear and try to pick up more with a stronger FEL that the front axle would be stressed. That is one of the reasons I don't want to simply add clamp on forks to the FEL bucket ... the load is too far in front of the tractor. My goal is to move the center of gravity fort the load as close to the front end as possible making it able to pick up more with the same stress on the front axle.

As far as this setup, I know both JD and CAT BH's use a single cylinder, but the difference is the added linkage to maintain the geometry and that makes a huge difference.

On the smaller loaders that have light weight buckets and attachments, Why bother with a quick attach.
You could just pin on and pin off to change.
The reason it is handy to have a quick attach is with larger attachments, a bucket weighing over 500 pounds is difficult to align pins to reattach.
The BX size attachments would be no problem to move around for a relatively quick pinning. With no loss in lift wasted on any adapter... KennyV

I thought about just pulling the pins, but with a bunch of ideas for attachments .... thats a lot of switching

 

[magicheater]

Does your BX24 have the LA240 series loader?

 

[medicshawn]

This is a version available from Kubota for the B7800

 

[Just2quickz28]

I have that old ATI quick attach that I made fit my BX 24, I haven't had a chance to make any more attachments for the front yet. If I was going to do it over again I would make a quick adapter plate to fit a mini skid steer due to the availability of purchased attachments within the weight range with out having to modify everything. As far as putting the load out an extra 2 inches from the original pins I have not noticed a loss in lifting capacity but have noticed extra slop and bounce when driving with the bucket on / full (more spillage).