B3030 and L403 chain hooks

Sully2 · Oct 24, 2005

Ok fellas. Newbie here so beat up on me...LOL Ive read everything I can find on chain hooks and the L403 loader (60" bucket) and even in my own mind the upper lip looks "kinda weak"??

So..from what Ive read ..welding a piece of 2 X 3 x 1/4 angle all the way across the upper lip and then welding in my 3 hooks is the way to go???

I dont intend on lifting "super loads" with the setup....most probably in the 350-450 LB class MAX and I dont need it TOO strong...but yet dont want to bend the bucket all to the dickens by NOT having it strong enough.

Am I on the right path?

BTW...The setup is GREAT!!!

Sully2 · Oct 24, 2005

Awe Cmon guys!! All the looks an not a single yeah or nay? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

All I need to know is if Im on the right path or not?

strokerduster · Oct 24, 2005

i have a b3030 w/la403 also. i have 3 hooks welded on top with no extra bracing. if i pull/lift something real heavy, i chain off the 2 end hooks since they are braced by the side of the bucket. no problems with bending yet..............

Sully2 · Oct 24, 2005

Hmmmm! Food for thought. Much appreciated partner

strokerduster · Oct 24, 2005

i lift and move my 72" mmm (463 lbs) off the center hook only. i just wouldn't try pulling stumps with it.......

PaPaGoose · Oct 24, 2005

I had my bucket set up exactly as you described plus added a bolt on double sided cutting edge. I found that the added steel across the top of the bucket really makes it much stiffer, but I have not used the hooks to lift any thing. The cutting edge was added so I wouldn't wear out the bottom of the bucket. I only have 15 hours on my new B3030, but I am truly impressed with its capability. We live in a mountain community on about 3 acres of fairly steep terrain. We are building a road / driveway and many natural rock retaining walls, etc…

Dave

Sully2 · Oct 24, 2005

Clearing a wooded section of my own property is why I got this rig. Mostly leaf trash and smaller trees but there are some LARGER trees that have fallen...and if I pick one end up I can easily drag them off to the "burn pile".

The rig has more than enough power...I just need places to "hook onto"...

Thanks much fellas..

KubotaTrax · Oct 27, 2005

Maybe this will help. I have a 402 FEL and the hooks work very well. Im hard on the loader and the hooks are still holding fast.
I just cut 2 pcs of steel and welded to the lip.

Sully2 · Oct 27, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Maybe this will help. I have a 402 FEL and the hooks work very well. Im hard on the loader and the hooks are still holding fast.
I just cut 2 pcs of steel and welded to the lip.
)</font>

Much appreciated! I did basically the same except I took the angle iron all the way across the lip. Waiting on 2 weld on hooks to arrive and with the angle all the way across I can add on anything else ( ????) I can figure on later...but dont really know what it / they might be.

The 1/4 inch thick angle iron is sooooo stiff...Im never going to bend it or the lip with anything Im ever going to be lifting.

mace17 · Oct 27, 2005

Because I don't weld, I had my friend weld up a bracket on my bucket. I chose the bracket so I can change hooks or if one brakes or something. Also, I chose just the one bracket in the middle because I did not want to create an unbalanced load which could possibly spring a loader arm or tip the tractor.