Linear actuator for power SSQA?

[varmint]

Sorry if this is old news, but I noticed that Kubota now offers hydraulic SSQA actuators on their bigger new models. I have only seen a brochure on this, but I will be curious to check it out at a dealers in the future.

 

[Fallon]

Sorry if this is old news, but I noticed that Kubota now offers hydraulic SSQA actuators on their bigger new models. I have only seen a brochure on this, but I will be curious to check it out at a dealers in the future.

A lot of skid steers have the option, not surprising it's elsewhere. I have yet to see the option listed on CUTs from Kubota, JD or Kioti when I go drooling over a deluxe cabed model building them on their respective sites. The prices I've heard for the option on skid steers is $400+. My first revision was about $75 and a day's worth of fiddling & fabricating. My 2nd revision was $175 or so and under 2-3 hours of work (no welding required).

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah, I think you did good and your system will probably work for a few years in it's present state.

For a commercially used tool I think the actuator would be a nuisance. That's why the heavily used machines use hydraulics.

I'm not a hydraulic guru so I'm not sure how Bobcat plumbs theirs. But running my brother's it seems to hold hydraulic pressure against the cylinder all the time in the latched position. And if you unlatch to change attachments, after a couple minutes it will start latching with no action from the operator. Again, not being hydraulic savvy, I'm not sure how they do that. But it works very, very well.

I think I could add a hydraulic system for less than $250. That's on an FEL with 3rd function. I'd use a diverter valve and a small cylinder. But I'd not have a system as slick as Bobcat's which, left to it's own vices, tries to latch all the time.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I think I could add a hydraulic system for less than $250. That's on an FEL with 3rd function. I'd use a diverter valve and a small cylinder. .

You are right on the money. I've started to build a hydraulic quick attach using this diverter:

12 VDC 13.2 GPM SAE 8 SOLENOID DOUBLE SELECTOR VALVE

and this cylinder:

1X8X0.5 DA HYD CYL

I am indebted to the OP and these linear actuator threads for making me start thinking about automatic quick attach possibilities.

 

[Fallon]

Yeah, I think you did good and your system will probably work for a few years in it's present state.

For a commercially used tool I think the actuator would be a nuisance. That's why the heavily used machines use hydraulics.

I'm not a hydraulic guru so I'm not sure how Bobcat plumbs theirs. But running my brother's it seems to hold hydraulic pressure against the cylinder all the time in the latched position. And if you unlatch to change attachments, after a couple minutes it will start latching with no action from the operator. Again, not being hydraulic savvy, I'm not sure how they do that. But it works very, very well.

I think I could add a hydraulic system for less than $250. That's on an FEL with 3rd function. I'd use a diverter valve and a small cylinder. But I'd not have a system as slick as Bobcat's which, left to it's own vices, tries to latch all the time.

I'd suspect a leaky valve or something rather than it being designed to work that way. There is nothing special about using a cylinder in this manner, unless you consider a lower pressure relief valve, which isn't uncommon at all.

Hopefully it will last a good long while & I'll be around to keep you posted. The new actuator is from a reputable manufacturer & IPS 66 rated (water sprayed from a high pressure nozzle & heavy dust). Several skid steer manufacturers apparently use linear actuators rather than hydraulics, so I'm not being original.

Glad I could be inspiration to others.

 

[jmc]

You are right on the money. I've started to build a hydraulic quick attach using this diverter:

12 VDC 13.2 GPM SAE 8 SOLENOID DOUBLE SELECTOR VALVE

and this cylinder:

1X8X0.5 DA HYD CYL

Hope you start a thread for your project.

Are you going to add a relief valve to keep that cylinder below its 1500 psi rating?

 

[Fallon]

Hope you start a thread for your project.

Are you going to add a relief valve to keep that cylinder below its 1500 psi rating?

I'd be more worried about bending other components before the cylinder. The 200lbs rated actuator got the job done, so I'd set a relief valve to only a few hundred lbs. 1" diameter is about .8 square inches, so the pressure relief would limit total pushing force to 80% of whatever you set it to. Probably don't need any limiter devices on the cylinder itself & just use the loader arms kind of like mine. A couple hundred lbs won't be a problem there.

 

[Fallon]

Ok, finally home & not fighting a mobile interface to upload stuff.

 

[Fallon]

Interesting, can only post 1 video clip per post...

At any rate, here's the last one. The switch goes on-of-on with one on being lock & the other being free. I flipped the switch to off rather than all the way near the end, then figure out it's not moving.

You can see the screen for my bucket cam too. The camera for that has a temporary mounting while I figure out how I want to position it. For now it rubs on my pallet forks when they are on & makes catching the top of the SSQA with the loader side annoying as it's in the way. Oh well, it's just a quick prototype I can trim & adjust.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Will start a new thread in a week or two.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I wonder if this will work as well if the tractor and attachment set outside for a few weeks. I find that if mine gets muddy and sets out for a while, it will get a little rusty, and I have to get a hammer to open or close the latches.

 

[Fallon]

I wonder if this will work as well if the tractor and attachment set outside for a few weeks. I find that if mine gets muddy and sets out for a while, it will get a little rusty, and I have to get a hammer to open or close the latches.

Mine sleeps in the barn, so I can't answer that. Also, there are grease zerks on the sleeves for the locking pins on my Kubota. I hit them whenever I grease everything else. Never had any rust or stickiness issues.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

And when you think about how many actual skid steers spend their entire life outdoors, it seems off to have to hammer on them every few weeks

 

[ovrszd]

You are right on the money. I've started to build a hydraulic quick attach using this diverter:

12 VDC 13.2 GPM SAE 8 SOLENOID DOUBLE SELECTOR VALVE

and this cylinder:

1X8X0.5 DA HYD CYL

I am indebted to the OP and these linear actuator threads for making me start thinking about automatic quick attach possibilities.

Post a thread when you get it going.

Now you got me all excited.....

I was a bit low on my cost estimate though. You'll probably have another $50 in hoses, fittings, electrical.

 

[Fallon]

Post a thread when you get it going.

Now you got me all excited.....

I was a bit low on my cost estimate though. You'll probably have another $50 in hoses, fittings, electrical.

And a pressure relief valve.

 

[ovrszd]

And a pressure relief valve.

I'd use a cylinder that can stand the tractor pressure without the use of a relief valve.

Will be interesting to see what he comes up with.

I'm all about your setup. I just can't past the question of what happens when the latches are jammed or some unseen obstacle prevents them from their intended travel?? Does the actuator just sit there burning on the motor until the operator shuts off the switch??

This is why manual latches have spring loaded pins. If the pin cannot completely latch, the spring will continue to push until it does latch.

 

[Fallon]

I'd use a cylinder that can stand the tractor pressure without the use of a relief valve.

Will be interesting to see what he comes up with.

I'm all about your setup. I just can't past the question of what happens when the latches are jammed or some unseen obstacle prevents them from their intended travel?? Does the actuator just sit there burning on the motor until the operator shuts off the switch??

This is why manual latches have spring loaded pins. If the pin cannot completely latch, the spring will continue to push until it does latch.

As I mentioned when I posted on my v2 build... The bar was a bit to long & the 15@ rated linear actuator ended up pushing both brackets into the loader arms. The 10@ fuse promptly popped. I was watching for this possibility, so it popped pretty quick, before I could throw the switch. A circuit breaker might be a bit handier, but I'm happy with the functionality & safety of this setup.

I wouldn't want a full pressure hydraulic cylinder trying to separate my loader arms, or more importantly trying to crank down on the levers & pins. A thousand pounds or 2 of force there is apt to break something, especially if only 1 pin catches or what not. In my current case the weak link is that 10@ fuse, nice & easy to replace. Without a pressure relief valve in there on a hydraulic cylinder it might be the pins, a bolt or the lever. Probably not the loader arms or cross bracing, but who knows (especially if the stroke + brackets for the cylinder are wider than the inside of the loader arms).

 

[ovrszd]

If the stroke is set up correctly the latch springs will protect everything when closing. The end of the cylinder stroke will protect everything when opening. Should be very easy to get that all worked out. No different than your issues in regards to stroke.

So your limiter is your fuse. I guess that will work fine as long as you are always very aware when opening/closing. I might change attachments 3 or 4 times a day. I'm wayyy too forgetful. I'd hafta carry a pocket full of fuses.

 

[Fallon]

If the stroke is set up correctly the latch springs will protect everything when closing. The end of the cylinder stroke will protect everything when opening. Should be very easy to get that all worked out. No different than your issues in regards to stroke.

So your limiter is your fuse. I guess that will work fine as long as you are always very aware when opening/closing. I might change attachments 3 or 4 times a day. I'm wayyy too forgetful. I'd hafta carry a pocket full of fuses.

You only need a fuse when it jams. All linear actuators I've seen have internal limit switches. They shut off automatically at max extension & retraction (fancier costlier ones have adjustable limit switches). I'm relying on those limit switches for normal operation. If something jams & forces the actuator to work near maximum power (like when my brackets were to long & hit both loader arms) the fuse pops preventing any damage to the SSQA mechanism, wiring or actuator.

Also my Kubota has 4 slots for spare fuses in the fuse box & comes stocked with fuses from the factory. ;-)

 

[ovrszd]

Hey, I'm with ya on this. I think you'll get along with it fine. And it's a great build.

For my needs I think I'd prefer hydraulic.

If I didn't have 3rd function on the FEL the equation would change.

Good build. Keep us posted on how it all works out for ya. :thumbsup: