Bucket Hooks Bucket Hooks...Again

[jyoutz]

Welcome. It just made sense to me. I had to mess around with a couple of hooks and clevis pin links to make-up the double grab hook, but the assembly works great

 

[PaulT]

Here's one view of the hook

 

[PaulT]

In this view, you can see a triangle shadow below the hook in the angle iron. I cut about 3/4" off this corner on each side of the bucket to let stuff flush away when I washed it, so it wouldn't trap water and rust.

 

[PaulT]

And a third...

 

[rancar]

OK Paul and everyone else....these hooks look great but now another issue resurfaces from the past. I just read through the old discussion threads on these hooks and there was a real concern whether these hooks were Chinese made or U.S. made. It seems back a couple years ago in the threads, the Chinese hooks were of poor workmanship and would break easily under moderate work loads and posters were recommending TBNers shop for the U.S. made ones at one or two on-line supply houses. I'll be having hooks welded on my new bucket in another month or so and I would like to resolve this issue, at least in my own mind, so I can plan accordingly. Any comment, anyone?

 

[Turfman]

I just searched the entire town (Salt Lake City) and didn't find anything but hooks made in China. The beefiest ones were from the nut and bolt supplier and were Chinese. Didn't have much of an option.

 

[PaulT]

Those hooks are weldable grab hooks - 3/8 inch, grade 40, made in NY state, $4.50 each plus shipping (about $15 altogether for a pair). I ordered them from <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.awdirect.com/awdirect/finditem.cfm?itemid=9267>AW Direct</A>. BTW, I can take no credit for this post, since I got the lead on these hooks from an earlier thread on bucket hooks here at TBN/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I /w3tcompact/icons/love.gif this place!

 

[rancar]

Paul,

Thanks. I'll check the website tonight myself when I have time, but do you know off hand if these NY made hooks from AW Direct come in higher grade than 40, that is hooks with greater tensile strength? I know the chains come in higher grades but the hook grades is what I thought was the point being made in the previous threads....that is, the low grade hooks that lead to potential and premature breakage under even moderate stress loads.

 

[PaulT]

They have grade 80 hooks, but not in the weldable. The Grade 80's come in various types, including clevis end. I don't think these hooks are "going" anywhere, especially it you follow Bird's advice and use both of them each time, spreading the load. My 402 has a limit below 1200 lbs, so the relief valve will open before these hooks break. The only damage I could possibly think of that could cause failure would be side impact, like a sledge to the hook, not like scraping a tree or brick wall. For $5, so what if it breaks under impact. I'd bet they won't break under load (<600lbs per hook)

 

[MDNick]

Rancar,

Try <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mscdirect.com>MSC Industrial Supply Company</A>.

Put in Clevis Grab Hooks and you will be inundated. Though I will say, the search engine had issues with what is a grab hook and what is a slip-eye hook. They have EVERYTHING. They call their catalog the big book. 4,736 pages, not counting 204 of index.

I order from them quite often. Order one day, it'll be on your door step the next. Excellent company. Just got of the phone from ordering shear bolts. You can order by grade so you know what you are (supposed to be) getting.

Nick

 

[rancar]

Paul, Nick.....Thanks....I'll check into these sites. But, if you don't mind these nagging thoughts, up pops another issue that I just thought of. What size grab hooks do you and everyone else use? Are hooks that accommodate 3/8" tow chain satisfactory or maybe I should say optimal? I'm thinking anything bigger than this is overkill anyway since the working load limits of the chain and hooks would far exceed the lift capacity of the FEL and bucket. You think the hooks for a 3/8" tow chain are sufficient for a JD460 FEL with anticipated uses of restraining bulky, heavy loads and pulling/plucking moderately sized honeysuckle and other swamp bushes?

 

[BKColeman]

I just discussed this with my dealer last week. He wanted to put 5/16" hooks on, as he said most people use that size chain on CUTs. But I insisted on 3/8". That way I can use either size chain in the hooks, otherwise I would be limited to the smaller size. I can't imagine needing anything larger than 3/8" ever. When he delivered the tractor Saturday, he said the more he thought about it, the better idea it was. I'm very happy with how they turned out.

--Brad

 

[rancar]

Thanks Brad. The 3/8" is exactly what I was thinking as well...5/16" sounds awfully small.

 

[Von]

Rancar,I used 5/16" for mine as I have mostly that size chain and My loader can only handle 885 lbs. The chain is rated for 4700 lbs. so I think they are fine. I put mine on the outside corners and they have worked out great. (See attached photo)

 

[DFB]

Bob, here's my pic. I also have 5/16" grab hooks welded to my loader bucket. Plenty strong enough for me too.

A 3/8" hook will work out good using both a 5/16" and 3/8" link chain. A 5/16" chain is little easier to handle.
I always use a 3/8" chain when pulling from the drawbar though.

DFB

 

[jyoutz]

Rancar, I wouldn't worry about where they're made, BUT I worried about the steel grade. I did some shopping around and found some grade 80 grab hooks with clevis pin link on the end. I torch cut the clevis pin end off of the hook and then welded it on. I found my hooks at a local equipment rental store where they handle chains and binders for trailering equipment.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Bird,
What exactly did you bolt on to the FEL to attach the hooks?
David

 

[Bird]

David, I drilled a couple of holes in the top of my bucket on each side and put U-bolts in, with a single chain link and the hooks attached to that.

 

[rancar]

DFB,

Thanks. This is exactly the type of picture I'm looking for that I want to show the dealer...great close-up pic./w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

Bob

 

[Timd]

I order a lot from MSC too. If you call them up and ask for it, they'll send you a CDROM which has the entire big book on it. Sure beats downloading PDF's of their catalog pages, which is slow even on a fast connection.

What blows me away is how _fast_ they are. I've ordered adapters and fittings which nobody else had, placed the order at 4PM, and got delivery the next day. By UPS ground, not express.

Timd