Adding grab hooks on front bucket, 2 or 3 hooks?

[kennyd]

I got your hooks man, I like them a lot. I also like that you engage here, share info and stuff, and contribute...as opposed to just being on here to sell your stuff.

Thanks Gene, I do try to help when I can.

 

[Rod in Forfar]

The middle hook gets by far the most use, but I use the end hooks for tongs to load and unload logs.

A contrarian opinion: The CaseIH 255 in my thumbnail has no hooks yet on its loader. I really like it that way for piling brush. I spend most of my time getting untangled from vines with the TAFE's loader.

 

[WranglerX]

For that single hard pull that will damage center of bucket I op for something different on front of tractor.... Its equivalant to straight "draw bar" on rear of tractor...

 

[ratflinger]

I bought hooks & clevis plates from BOH - they are quality products. Great for pulling posts and tying off brush that needs to go to the burn pile. I went with 3 hooks and 2 clevis plates.

 

[WinterDeere]

It should not have to be a light load. If the hooks cant take an side load equal to what they can take straight on then they are substandard or improperly installed. Sorry but it's true and I'm not going to argue it.
I had my Terex 640 14 yrs using the hooks the same way, even lifting the rear off the ground many times against a chained load. Very heavy 14k pound tractor - no hook problems.

Not according to even basic high school physics, nor does your anecdotal lack of hook problems prove any theory. They were clearly substantial enough for what you were doing, even when side loaded. By the same token, I've had a middle hook on each of my last two machines, with no issues. Equally irrelevant to the argument.

Simple premise: the weld and supporting material around any side-loaded hook is going to handle a very small fraction of the force it can handle straight on. Not only that, but the geometry of most hooks, thicker in lenghwise axis than across, favors a straight-on pull. It is a simple lever length/torque problem, Archimedes figured this out 2400 years ago.

Not only that, but lifting with center-loaded chain on dual side hooks actually multiplies the side force on the hooks, by the angle of the dangle on that center chain. This is why a 200 lb. man can easily deflect a cable under 10,000 lb. tension, when pressing in the middle of the span. If you're going to pull with a side hook you're much better off just hooking to one, or making the chain between them long enough to minimize the side loading.

Of course, it's likely better for your loader to pull on-center, which is why many of us just have a center hook.

@ovrszd had it right, guys.

 

[scootr]

LOl okay you win - obviously you are very passionate about the center hook.
However if you read carefully. I did say I pulled the rear end of a 14k tractor off the ground several times with my side hook trick. Even lifted the REAR of the 4k pound forklift to change tires like this...it does work.
I'm not convinced but I am done. I offered what I know - Didn't mean to make it sound like that is what everybody should do. To each their own. GL and Cheers.

 

[ovrszd]

LOl okay you win - obviously you are very passionate about the center hook.
However if you read carefully. I did say I pulled the rear end of a 14k tractor off the ground several times with my side hook trick. Even lifted the REAR of the 4k pound forklift to change tires like this...it does work.
I'm not convinced but I am done. I offered what I know - Didn't mean to make it sound like that is what everybody should do. To each their own. GL and Cheers.

I appreciate WinterDeere's support in this. But I try to think along the lines of someone stumbling onto this thread years from now. They read a post that says it's fine to side load a hook. Then they have a failure. I never want to be a part of that misconception. Although I probably have already.

You can minimize the side load on your hooks by lengthening the chain so the point where the chain hook creates the triangle is farther from the two side hooks. But you can never eliminate the "side load" on the two bucket hooks.

A chain hook is designed to withstand a straight pull. That's where it's strength is.

You can side load hooks all day without problems. Until you exceed the resistance strength of the hook. Then failure will occur. And it will occur at a lesser load weight than the hook would withstand in a straight pull. That's just how it is.

No argument. Just discussion.

 

[beowulf]

I have three and have used them all - answer is three.

 

[scootr]

Sorry I mentioned it.

 

[ovrszd]

Sorry I mentioned it.

Never be sorry for mentioning anything here. It's all about discussion. I am never too smart to learn something new.