Bent Bucket Fix???

[Denwa]

Yo,
I'm Jonesing for a tooth bar for my FEL, but the PO left it with a slightly bent lower lip. With the bucket resting on the floor the center of the bucket lip sticks up about 1.5", perhaps 2". Have not actually measured the deflection yet.

So, two questions:
1. Is this enough of a bend to keep a tooth bar from fitting?
2. What ingenious way has anyone come up with to straighten the lower lip of a FEL bucket?

I can envision going to HF and getting one of those hydraulic pulling rams,
setting out a stout unbendable object such as a girder or a big log, placing a couple of jack stand on that and resting the bucket on the jack stands. Then attaching the puller to the girder and the center of the bent lip on the bucket and pulling it straight.

This should work. Any better way or comments on my concept would be appreciated. I don't have a shop press, but I do have a few floor jacks and bottle jacks.

Regards,
Dennis

 

[tommu56]

If its a slow bow take a couple of 4x4 stack them on the center and lift the front wheels of the tractor off the ground with the bucket resting only on the lip and see if it deflects back to were it was.

If that dosn't work use a girder running along under the lip tie ends of bucked down to girder (chain around bucket and girder) and use a hydraulic jack between the beam and lip to bend it back up in to place.

the pulling rams aren't very strong you

 

[beenthere]

the center of the bucket lip sticks up about 1.5",

Any idea how it was bent up?
That would help to know for a suggestion how to fix.

Does the bucket have an edge blade welded on? Or is it without a blade?


With the bucket on the ground, might put a post in the bucket over the bend (rise) and under a heavy tree limb or house/barn beam. Then curl the bucket to hopefully return the bend to straight (er).

Or if you need the excuse to buy the press...that should be a good one.

 

[milkman]

Straightened mine with the wood splitter, blocked up each end of the bucket and used a block under the wedge to push the bucket past being straight till the bucket was straight when I released the wood splitter.

 

[tommu56]

Straightened mine with the wood splitter, blocked up each end of the bucket and used a block under the wedge to push the bucket past being straight till the bucket was straight when I released the wood splitter.

GOOD ONE!!!!!!
I never though of flipping my log splitter vertical

side note they work good to brake beads on tires too!

tom

 

[Egon]

Heat and a big hammer!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Ford tractor]

Weld a thick angle iron across the top of the bucket, then pound in progressively longer vertical 2x4's standing in the bucket between the upper and lower edges. They will push the lower lip down. Will be easier if you couple it with chaining the bucket edge down and use curl to add extra force. You always do need to go past straight to get it to stay straight. Shouldn't be too hard to fix. The extra beef of the tooth bar will help keep it from happening again.

 

[rd_macgregor]

I bent mine the opposite way by pushing spruce trees over. I got it mostly straightened out (enough to take the tooth bar, anyway) by curling the bucket and pushing on a sturdy tree.

BOB

 

[BXpanded]

If I understand, the edge is bent upward, correct? Bucket looks like a frown rather than the more common smile???
If that's the case, wedge the edge under something immovable with the bottom of the bucket on the ground. A stump works well. Curl the bucket back. The curl function will almost certainly have enough power to bend the edge. Go a little at a time. If you overbend it can be harder to correct.
A bend in that direction is usually the result of pushing against a tree or similar, with the bucket curled.

 

[Denwa]

.... If that dosn't work use a girder running along under the lip tie ends of bucked down to girder (chain around bucket and girder) and use a hydraulic jack between the beam and lip to bend it back up in to place.

the pulling rams aren't very strong you

Tom,
Thanks, however, bucket lip is bent UP. But your above idea in reverse would be easy and work well. Put the girder/beam etc INSIDE the top edge of the bucket and use the hydraulic jack to force the lower lip back down into position.

THANKS! Good'n.
Dennis