Tractor Sizing Want to fit a Beaver loader on a Buck without modifications (is it the same frame)?

grandschmu · Feb 10, 2014

Hi everybody,
I have a Satoh Beaver with a blackhawk loader. But I'm a little bit tired by the CCW PTO and the 12 PTO HP... So I found a Buck with a snowblower and I want to fit my loader on it without any modification. Is the Beaver and the Buck have the same frame to fit the loader directly?

Thanks a lot!!

Ilikeurtractor · Feb 11, 2014

The S373D (Beaver with 3-cylinder engine) and S470D appear to be the same frame. I'm not sure about the S370D (2-cylinder) though in comparison to the others. I would think in a worst-case scenario it would only require minor adaptation.

deerseeker001 · Feb 11, 2014

Welcome from Wisconsin

grandschmu · Feb 11, 2014

But if I search for a Buck with a blackhawk loader, there's nothing on Internet. Maybe the blackhawk is not a good loader for the buck... I don't know if it is better for me to switch the blackhawk loader to the buck I found on used market or if it is better to wait to find one with a loader already...

Ilikeurtractor · Feb 11, 2014

Here is a thread that has a S373 with a Blackhawk loader:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/mitsubishi-satoh/228528-mitsu-beaver-iii-480-a.html

Don't assume there was only one kind of Blackhawk loader made though. There may have been one made for the S373/470 and a different one, or modified one, for the S370.

In addition to the physical fit of the loader you'll also want to verify the hydraulic connections to the tractor are the same - if the Buck doesn't already have hydraulics.

grandschmu · Feb 13, 2014

Thanks to all. After many searches, I'm disapointed to see that the Buck and Beaver do no share the same frame. So the loader will not fit. As it is bolted to the frame, the holes will be out of phase....

I must find a Buck with a loader, OR another tractor brand, similar to the Buck (small, reliable, strong, simple for repair).

Any suggestions?

oliver28472 · Feb 13, 2014

It is not uncommon to modify loaders to fit different tractors. Do you know any welders/fab shops?

techwrtr2 · Feb 15, 2014

grandschmu said:
Thanks to all. After many searches, I'm disapointed to see that the Buck and Beaver do no share the same frame. So the loader will not fit. As it is bolted to the frame, the holes will be out of phase....

I must find a Buck with a loader, OR another tractor brand, similar to the Buck (small, reliable, strong, simple for repair).

Any suggestions?

A x55 series John Deere like my 855? Old enough that they aren't full of electronics. Reasonably easy to work on and plentiful parts availability. Service manuals are readily available for the person who wants to work on it himself. The 70A loader is a quick detach taking less than a minute to remove. Takes far longer to roll the mower deck under the tractor than it does to attach/detach the loader. I think Deere ceased production on them in 98. You probably will pay more for it than comparable tractors (I know we did) but it has been an awesome asset to my chores. If you do a lot of loader work, you'll find the HST a boon. I spent a few hours in the saddle Thursday clearing snow with the loader, very little of it in long/straight runs. Lots of back/forth movement.

More likely to find one of them than a Buck with a loader.

I still say you may be able to build/have built a custom mount for the Beaver loader to the Buck. Not knowing a Buck's dimensions I cannot speculate on whether it's actually possible or not.