Adapting Ford loader to John Deere

TractorGuy · Aug 25, 2017

These are all good suggestions and food for thought as I plan.

I don't think this loader is that much larger than a 70A but no way to weigh and compare. Most of the metal in this loader looks to be about 10 gauge with a few 1/4" thick gussets. The 8N it came off of had a Otis elevator gear case hanging off the back of it. I might make it more adaptable to the 3pt hitch but not sure the 855 will pick it up.

The A-frame is a good idea and I was thinking I would need something like that to hoist this off and on. I don't think I want to leave it on the tractor unless I am using it. The loader was attached to the 8N with 8 bolts and I was planning a similar attachment to the 855.

Please keep the ideas coming.

buickanddeere · Aug 25, 2017

Going to cost less time and money to just purchase a loader from JD .

TractorGuy · Aug 25, 2017

It occurred to me I did have a way to weigh it and that would be a very important aspect of the adaptation. Turns out it weighs 440# without the bucket. that is the loader, lines, and controls. Mounting steel won't weight more than 30#. This unit came with a light weight 48" bucket that I will either not use or will cut up to make a dirt sieve out of.

Looking online for weight references I found a shipping weight on a 70 loader of 700#. I also located a shipping weight estimate of 231# for a JD 48" bucket with lines and grill guard.

SOOOOOOOOOO it's looking like this may be a near perfect adaptation for my 855. I plan to mount it with the rear uprights centered over the square tube built into the tractor for the loader mount. I see the 70A loader mounts with the rear arms a little forward of that. My bucket location will be very close to stock. I need to go get some pins to attach it before final fitment since the previous owner took it off and lost the pins.

Here is the tractor pulled alongside the loader for reference.

And here is the approximate mount for the rear arms.

CincyFlyer · Aug 25, 2017

Besides bolting the uprights to the blue angle iron on the cross-tube, will there be anchor points higher on the upright?

TractorGuy · Aug 25, 2017

CincyFlyer said:
Besides bolting the uprights to the blue angle iron on the cross-tube, will there be anchor points higher on the upright?

I wasn't planning any. This is the way it was being used on the 8N. There will be two additional supports on the front of the frame.

The piece outlined in green will have upright supports attached at the front of the tractor frame.

Just eyeballing it looks like the whole loader will be mounted about 4 inches higher than stock if I do not modify the loader uprights. I prefer not to modify the actual loader in case I fix the 8N and want to try it back on that tractor. I am not planning to do a bunch of high lifting with it on the 855 so I hope it will be okay.

CincyFlyer · Aug 25, 2017

Ah, that front support makes all the difference; most modern units don't have that at all, and rely on a very sturdy upright that remains on the tractor, bolted to a subframe.

GLyford · Aug 25, 2017

JD855guy said:
And here is the approximate mount for the rear arms.
View attachment 519794

Um...is there room for that upper pedal to travel with that crossbar in place? It looks smack in the way from this angle...

TractorGuy · Aug 25, 2017

CincyFlyer said:
Ah, that front support makes all the difference; most modern units don't have that at all, and rely on a very sturdy upright that remains on the tractor, bolted to a subframe.

The photo of the 70A loader above looks like it has a similar member attached at the front.