Loader CK35 Loader Problem

[TBDonnelly]

This post will get people talking. A couple of years ago I turned my curl brackets on my DK45 into pretzels. The brackets are made out of 3/8" plate with the ends doubled to provide pin bearing surface. Local dealer a couple hours away wanted about $85/ea plus shipping and figured a couple weeks delivery. I had a plate shop cut new ones out of 3/4" plate and a machine shop bore the pin holes and threaded pin retainer holes. My cost was about $55/ea and I was down for less than 2 days. At the time down time was critical. Yes I greatly strengthened the curl function of the loader. Yes I took it easy for a while looking for the next weak spot. It has now been a couple of years and no problems.View attachment 405706View attachment 405707View attachment 405708

You're livin' on the edge of glory if you're aggressively back dragging. If damage does occur in the future please share with us, so we can all learn from your experience.
My concern is, it could be a much more expensive repair. As long as your budget can handle the expense....forge on.

 

[ozley]

I always put the loader into float and and some rocks in the bucket for weight.

 

[pmsmechanic]

You know I was thinking about all of this and I am going to reverse my position completely on the op's original pictures. I don't think these brackets would break from back blading. I think the cylinders would bend instead. This break is caused by having the bucket curled all the way down (or forward) and then pushing forward into something. Your thought's?

 

[skipples]

PMS
I said I was backdragging with the bucket blade curled all the way under toward the tractor; why is this so difficult to comprehend?
I measured and found that the link BELOW the half moons (as some have termed them) is 50% thicker material. Half moons=6 mm, lower link=9mm.

 

[lostcreekranch]

This post will get people talking. A couple of years ago I turned my curl brackets on my DK45 into pretzels. The brackets are made out of 3/8" plate with the ends doubled to provide pin bearing surface. Local dealer a couple hours away wanted about $85/ea plus shipping and figured a couple weeks delivery. I had a plate shop cut new ones out of 3/4" plate and a machine shop bore the pin holes and threaded pin retainer holes. My cost was about $55/ea and I was down for less than 2 days. At the time down time was critical. Yes I greatly strengthened the curl function of the loader. Yes I took it easy for a while looking for the next weak spot. It has now been a couple of years and no problems.<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/kioti-owning-operating/405706-ck35-loader-problem-wp_000186-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/kioti-owning-operating/405707-ck35-loader-problem-wp_000174-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/kioti-owning-operating/405708-ck35-loader-problem-wp_000175-jpg"/>

I think you just made your curl cylinders the weak point in your FEL but, it's your money so carry on. I would make sure that your dealer keeps spares on the shelf for you.

Back dragging with the bucket even close to 90 degrees makes no sense? If you want to dig with bucket, as opposed to smoothing which is the reason for back dragging, why not turn around and do it in forward? If you were going forward, with bucket at same angle, you would create same damage if you hit something immovable.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[pmsmechanic]

PMS
I said I was backdragging with the bucket blade curled all the way under toward the tractor; why is this so difficult to comprehend?
I measured and found that the link BELOW the half moons (as some have termed them) is 50% thicker material. Half moons=6 mm, lower link=9mm.

It's not the comprehending that is difficult. It's just the visualising in my mind how this happened. I think I got it now. It's the fact that the pieces are in a half moon that takes the strength out of them.

 

[DK35vince]

This post will get people talking. A couple of years ago I turned my curl brackets on my DK45 into pretzels. The brackets are made out of 3/8" plate with the ends doubled to provide pin bearing surface. Local dealer a couple hours away wanted about $85/ea plus shipping and figured a couple weeks delivery. I had a plate shop cut new ones out of 3/4" plate and a machine shop bore the pin holes and threaded pin retainer holes. My cost was about $55/ea and I was down for less than 2 days. At the time down time was critical. Yes I greatly strengthened the curl function of the loader. Yes I took it easy for a while looking for the next weak spot. It has now been a couple of years and no problems.View attachment 405706View attachment 405707View attachment 405708

That's quite the difference in metal thickness/strength on your curl brackets.
Judging by your pictures of the bent ones I afraid I would have done the same thing.
3/4" plate may have been a little extreme, but I would have had them made up stronger than the OEM brackets

 

[Coyote machine]

Here's what I don't 'get'. How did you manage to pretzel the 1/2 moons on a DK-45 series? That setup is so much stronger than what my DK-35 had, and the 1/2 moon brackets are much beefier than those on the CK series? And how did you avoid cylinder damage and just destroy the curl brackets? Spill!

 

[dave1949]

Not that it makes any real difference but, both of those broken brackets look like they had started to break earlier. There looks to be rust on the edge of the cracks, which usually means it was cracked there long enough to build a little rust before it finished breaking.

 

[Coyote machine]

Not that it makes any real difference but, both of those broken brackets look like they had started to break earlier. There looks to be rust on the edge of the cracks, which usually means it was cracked there long enough to build a little rust before it finished breaking.

Forces crack paint, atmospheric moisture enters equation, metal begins process of rusting, further extreme forces are applied, twist, bend, snap. Spend money.:confused3: