Bale spear problem; Quick attach easy with FEL/not with BS.

[LouNY]

In your photos looking at the space between the SSQA loader side and the vertical plate of the bale spear,
the bale spear is not sitting back snug to the adapter verticals so the pin slots are not aligning. The excessive force is bringing the bale spear into contact and allowing the pins to latch. It could be the upper mounts are to shallow to allow the bale spear to sit down flush or they are just warped a bit. Or there may be a bit of garbage/trash keeping them from sitting down flush. The other option would be to put a bit of a load on the bale spear to get it seated down then latch the pins.

 

[Cataclysm]

From the pic's looks like the BS frame is bent or maybe it warped from heat when they were welding it up.

Next time you put it on shove the BS into a bale and lift up before trying to engage the lever. If the lever moves easily then its likely the BS frame.

I have a bucket that's slightly tweaked, a little upwards pressure and the lever easily slides home.

 

[JWR]

Based on your pictures (and the fact that you do not have the problem using the bucket) I think that the flat plate on your bale spear is bent slightly convex (left/right) when viewed from the drivers seat. That means several things. 1) the surface of the plate should be tight up against the quick attach plate and it isn't. Your picts show a gap. 2) Since it is slightly curved you may very well have one side go in easy and the other side almost impossible to get in and closed.

So... with the bale spear off the tractor take a long straight edge (like the 4 foot aluminum ones sold for carpentry) and place it's edge to the back of your bale spear plate. I think that will reveal the "arc instead of straight" condition. If not then I am wrong.

If it is bent, you can probably get any fabrication or welding shop nearby to straighten it for you. Most likely they can use an hydraulic press and just put some pressure in the middle while supporting the ends. They'll figure it out.

 

[5030]

If all else fails, take a die grinder and open up the window where the pins engage to gain some clearance. I have a feeling that you have some trash between the plate and lock pins. Real common occurrence

 

[jonsstihl]

your torque tube on the loader side looks like it has been replaced (rusted square tube) perhaps the bucket and ssqa tractor side are the ones that are twisted and the bale spear is the straight one.

 

[jonsstihl]

the torque tube is used to align the left and right side of the ssqa adapter on the tractor side.

 

[DianneInVA]

If needed I use a short piece of pipe or tubing slid over the handle to increase the leverage.

Good idea. Sort of like a breaker bar

 

[JWR]

Good idea. Sort of like a breaker bar

No, that is not a good idea. That amounts to forcing an issue that should not be there in the first place. FIND WHAT IS WRONG rather than reaching for a bigger battering ram !!!

 

[Farmer495]

Your QA or loader arms could be slightly twisted, the bucket is heavy enough to force it into place, the bale spear is not.

I ran into that exact issue on a loader, heavy buckets would latch on easy, the bale spear had to have weight on it to latch. The loader was tweaked slightly.

 

[4570Man]

It makes sense.bent somewhere that affects the BS and not the bucket. My neighbor is a pretty professional, long-term farmer. I don’t know. I have BS on now and will probably just leave it there till the spring. Eventually I’m going to have to get an expert out here thanks.

It looks like your SSQA plate is tweaked a little bit. Lifting up on the tip of the spear before you try to latch it will probably help.