Chain hooks on Bucket or just use pallet forks? (For misc chain hoisting)

[Slowpoke Slim]

I've got 4 hooks welded across the top of my bucket. They come in very handy in having multiple grab points vs. what I'm trying to lift.

I also use my forks for various things, but if I'm sling-lifting something, I prefer to have the fixed point hooks on the bucket. Less chance of anything moving around vs. wrapping a chain around the back of the fork frame. It really depends on what the object is I'm trying to move.

 

[4570Man]

Ok, sorry for a dumb question, but I might use this project as an excuse to get a small welder. Is this a decent application for stick welding? I ask as Ive seen some mention of stick being less than ideal for thinner material…. Not sure if the bucket “lip” qualified as thinner

No the bucket lip is plenty thick enough to weld. You might want to add a plate or angle iron on the top for reinforcement depending on its construction.

 

[WranglerX]

Why would you do that vs welding a grab hook on the bucket.

Quite simply there are times when chains are just too long....

 

[4570Man]

Quite simply there are times when chains are just too long....

I agree, I usually keep short chains around, but I don’t see what a chain shortener helps vs just using a grab hook on the bucket.

 

[GeneV]

A bucket without hooks is like a hand missing a finger. You could get by, but it's so much better to have hooks on the bucket.

But like one of the other fellas here posted, don't use one placed in the center of your bucket as your main lifting point. My tractor came with a hitch receiver tube, so I just stuck one of those big hooks from harbor fright in there, used that for a while...and it bent the top of my bucket slightly.

Now I got Ken's bolt on hooks installed. I chose the underside to be clevises....something's gotta serve as the underside backing for the hook, so might as well be another anchor point.

 

[RoyJackson]

Why would you do that vs welding a grab hook on the bucket.

There's more than one occasion you'll not want to use the full length of a chain. Since I have three hooks, I can normally rig the chain to the length I need for lifting. However, there are times I've need both ends to balance out the load. Shorteners, such as described, would be an advantage

 

[etpm]

YEs easily made from a few links of chain and hardware store hooks.... I made mine on cheap instead of paying outrageous online price...

View attachment 716422

I'm gonna make me a couple of those. Even though I have hooks on the loader buckets of both my tractor and backhoe I would have saved a lot of time in the past if I had one or two.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[JCoastie]

Curiously, why? Can't think of any reason I'd want to remove them.

cleaner install, might also be stronger. I am not a welder, and had the dealer weld hooks on when I purchased it. They did not do a stellar job.

 

[k0ua]

A stick welder requires more skill, but even if the welds are not pretty, they will hold with stick most of the time. That cannot be said about MIG. MIG, requires less skill to make pretty welds, BUT if the machine is not adjusted properly the welds can look very pretty and hold up to nothings. I have seen a lot of worthless factory MIG welds break because they were never welded in the first place, There was next to no penetration. MIGS can make good perfect and very strong welds, but the machine has to be large enough for the job and must be adjusted properly. Of course there are plenty of videos books, and setting tables on the machine itself to get that done, yet many weak MIG welds are still made. Stick welds CAN be very pretty, but it requires more skill to do so.

 

[etpm]

A stick welder requires more skill, but even if the welds are not pretty, they will hold with stick most of the time. That cannot be said about MIG. MIG, requires less skill to make pretty welds, BUT if the machine is not adjusted properly the welds can look very pretty and hold up to nothings. I have seen a lot of worthless factory MIG welds break because they were never welded in the first place, There was next to no penetration. MIGS can make good perfect and very strong welds, but the machine has to be large enough for the job and must be adjusted properly. Of course there are plenty of videos books, and setting tables on the machine itself to get that done, yet many weak MIG welds are still made. Stick welds CAN be very pretty, but it requires more skill to do so.

Before I learned how to MIG weld I could stick and TIG weld quite well. When I started MIG welding it was with a small machine. The welds looked great and boy could I lay metal down. but break tests showed me that I needed to do a little studying and a lot of practice to make sure I got welds that had proper penetration. It is so easy to lay down good looking beads right off the bat that are just sitting on the parent metal. I wonder how many folks learn the hard way that their welds weren't really holding anything together.
Eric