LA302 BUCKET LEVEL INDICATOR

[600rider]

Hey Kubota, whats with the crappy level indicators on your smaller FEL's?
Week 3 of projects for me....since there is no snow to ride the sled on, I decided to get another project done.
Do you have the crappy level indicator that Kubota puts on the smaller loaders? I laughed when I saw it and asked the dealer if there was an option for the rod type indicator, Nope was the answer so I have been looking at different types and Used a modified version I saw on a Mahrinda.
I started by making new pins for the curl cylinder to make them 1" longer then drilled the center and tapped it with 5/16x24x 5/8 deep. Made an "L" bracket out of .090 material at work with a 5/16 hole on one side and 3/4 hole on the other side. Then made a rod 7/16 dia. 28 1/2" long and welded a small lug on the end with a 5/16" hole and bolted it to the lower curl pin. Then I bolted the "L" bracket to the upper curl pin. Next I cut a piece of 1/2" i.d. tube 22" long slid the tube over the rod and into the "L" bracket, with the bucket level I matched the end of the tube to the end of the rod and welded it there. DONE! About 3 hrs. and I now have a level indicator that is usable!! Simple as that Kubota!!! Total cost is about $5.00!
When the rod is flush with the end of the tube the bucket is level!
I will get some paint on it as soon as it warms up enough.

 

[rickshaw]

Nice job 600rider I have a B3000 HST andasked Kubota the same question
and got the same answer. I think i'll try your answer to the fix.:thumbsup:

 

[600rider]

Nice job 600rider I have a B3000 HST andasked Kubota the same question
and got the same answer. I think i'll try your answer to the fix.:thumbsup:

Thanks rickshaw, It really was that simple to make!
I took it off today and painted it. Hows it look now?

 

[toolbox5]

Looks great ! sometimes it's the simple things that make us happy .

 

[wdchyd]

Pretty slick 600rider......You could make-em and sell-um.......

TBN needs more advertisers........:thumbsup:

 

[600rider]

Thanks Guys, I thought about making them and selling them.......for just a second! :laughing: I will be making one for my buddy that let me copy his quick hitch though! :thumbsup:
Here's a couple more pics of it. I also shot the ends of the pins that will be sticking out.

 

[creekbend]

Innovative. :thumbsup:

 

[Zebrafive]

Very nice job! I like how you mounted the tube to the upper pin. My JD uses brackets and hose clamps to the curl/dump cylinder. You way is much cleaner looking. Have you tried it out? any binding issues?

To save the cost of new pins, you could weld the head of a bolt to the oringinal pin. Use a spacer on the lower pin and make the "L" longer bracket to suit at the upper pin.

I would use 3/8 or 1/2 diameter bolts, length to suit and locking nuts.

 

[600rider]

Very nice job! I like how you mounted the tube to the upper pin. My JD uses brackets and hose clamps to the curl/dump cylinder. You way is much cleaner looking. Have you tried it out? any binding issues?

To save the cost of new pins, you could weld the head of a bolt to the oringinal pin. Use a spacer on the lower pin and make the "L" longer bracket to suit at the upper pin.

I would use 3/8 or 1/2 diameter bolts, length to suit and locking nuts.

Thanks Zebrafive, I have tried it out and it works perfectly! I drilled the holes shallow and bottomed out the bolts to lock them and left enough room so they didn't bind the indicator. My pins are just 3/4" so I figured 5/16 bolts would be fine. I didn't want to weld the bolt heads to the pins because I wanted to protect the threads for easy removal if needed. I had some 3/4" round bar on the shelf to make the longer pins so cost was minimal

 

[BStraight]

I have always wondered why a pendulum type level indicator is not used. It would have the advantage of showing a level bucket / forks no matter what elevation the FEL is at.

The "no moving parts" level indicator (sticker :laughing: ) on my Kubota bucket is worthless because the previous owner used it to hook a chain and it is bent up into a hump. I've been thinking of hammering it back flat then using it for a base for an angle with a pin and a suspended rod. Am I missing something?