Home Brew Bucket Level?

[Xfaxman]

I had a self leveling leveling loader on a garden tractor back in the early 1980s:

 

[rangerfredbob]

I have a self leveling loader on my tractor, it's nice but has annoying characteristics as well, since the tractor is 45+ years old and the loader is 30+ years old there are a LOT of pivot points to flop around, a couple have the wrong size pins in them which doesn't help, but the self leveling linkages hurt the bucket travel, I can't tilt it back very far... I'm sure the geometry leaves some to be desired as the bucket tilt won't lift much either...

I get used to the "level" of the bucket when working, but an indicator would be nice at times, just haven't gotten to making one yet.

 

[K5lwq]

What about an old mag mount antenna stuck to the top of the bucket? If antenna points straight up, bucket is level. If it pionts away from tractor you are dumping. Towards the tractor you are curling.

That way you can easily attach and remove when needed.

 

[npalen]

How about hanging an artificial raccoon tail from the antenna tip like a plumb bob? (No raccoons were harmed........)
Seriously, I've heard worse ideas than a mag mount antenna for a bucket level indicator. Only better would be an adjustable angle one.

 

[WranglerX]

How about hanging an artificial raccoon tail from the antenna tip like a plumb bob? (No raccoons were harmed........)
Seriously, I've heard worse ideas than a mag mount antenna for a bucket level indicator. Only better would be an adjustable angle one.

Naaaah.... Need those Red/White/Blue streamer things kids put on bicycle handle bar grips in 50's...

Dale

 

[Diggin It]

I could see a little more practical plumb bob instead of the sillies.

 

[WranglerX]

I could see a little more practical plumb bob instead of the sillies.

It always turns to silly after 5-6 pages.... BUT one has to wonder about 80 pages of striped head of drain plug on another thread....

Dale

 

[rangerfredbob]

Cranes use just a gravity pointer for the boom angle, so that's not a bad idea...

 

[dnw64]

Cranes use just a gravity pointer for the boom angle, so that's not a bad idea...

Actually, even "digital" ones probably use a gravity based sensor, which is connected to some sort of digital converter to show position. In fact your fancy phone almost certainly uses that to sense position/angle. Without gravity we're pretty well sunk. Well, without gravity I guess you wouldn't sink, even without a bottom in your boat, but I think you get my drift.

 

[Xfaxman]

Cranes use just a gravity pointer for the boom angle, so that's not a bad idea...

My compact telehandler uses a gravity pointer for boom angle also: