Adding quick attach plate to Bucket -HELP!

[westbrooklawn]

I just picked up the Kubota QA adapter for my Kubota LA463 loader on my L3400 tractor. Removed the pins from the old bucket and the new adapter went on the loader arms fine.

Now the hard part... I have to remove the old mounting brackets from the bucket so that I can weld on a quick attach plate to use with the QA. After 3 hours of grinding, cutting with the torch, and hammering with a cold chisel and BIG hammer, I have about 1/4 of one of the the two brackets off... all I can say is they are some pretty deep welds holding those brackets on! The brackets are 1/4" steel, and welded on really good. Has anyone got any ideas on how to get them off easier? I thought I could blow the welds off with the torch, but the angle is such that I am afraid I am going to blow through the bucket. Is there a technique that might work better with the torch? Can anyone recommend a better way to do it? Thanks in advance... I hate to have to try to grind them totally off.

 

[kennyd]

How about a picture for us?

When I need to cut a welded part from another, I use a cutting wheel in my pneumatic rotary tool (cutoff tool, whizzer) The thin cutting wheels cut through the weld very quickly as opposed to a grinding wheel, you can get then for your 4" grinder also.

 

[canoetrpr]

Out of curiosity, what did the QA adapter for the loader cost you?

When I purchased my L3400 the dealer said there wasn't one available. Turns out there is. I don't *need* pallet forks bad but would be nice the odd time I do need them.

I didn't think that converting the bucket would be such an ordeal however.

 

[westbrooklawn]

Kennyd -

Thanks for the idea on the cut off wheels... sounds like a good excuse to go buy an air cut off tool... if not maybe I can find some wheels for my grinder. I have attached a couple of pictures. You can see the weld positions on the bracket I haven't touched. It is pretty hard to see what I have accomplished in the other photo... basically 1/2 of the upper left portion of the bracket has been fully removed. The rest of the cutting simply got the sides of the bracket off so that I could get a better angle on the welds.

Canoetrpr -

The QA for the LA463 cost me $433 with shipping and tax. The mounting plate for the bucket was $130. I think I will like it once I get it on! I also have some forks that I am going to put a QA plate on... maybe a front boom pole after that... then a shrub bucket... then a..... you get the idea!

 

[kennyd]

DEFINATLTY try cutting through the welds with a cutting wheel! That's how I was able to repair this mini-excavator bucket when I needed to replace the shanks.

 

[BarryinMN]

That is way too much work!!

Suggest taking it to a local blacksmiths and they will turn up an arc welder or use a large torch tip and blow the brackets off in 5 mins...

Another 10 mins to attach the QT bracket & you are good to go.

 

[shaley]

You may or may not have all the equip. to do this. I'm not saying it's the way to go but worth considering. It makes a clean de-weld and keeps bothe parts intact.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/91529-arc-gouging-tip.html

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Some .045 thick zip cut discs on a angle grinder work pretty good, but sometime the Arc Air is the only easy way to unweld those tight spots. Then you need at least 250+ amp welder to run it and a good suply of compressed air.
Ken

 

[mikim]

I used a 45 degree cutting tip on my torch to cut mine off -- kept the angle right so as not to cut into the bucket.

 

[Lasgambler]

I agree with "BarryinMN" A large cutting tip, When I was a Ironworker, We quite often had to removed welds from structual steel, ears from tanks,etc.etc. We called them "washing Tips" To just wash the weld off without damaging the steel. I also think a cutoff tool would be better than a grinder. Good Luck.