bucket hooks

[buck12]

I am getting ready to have the FEL bucket of my Mahindra 2615 reinforced and three hooks addded. My question is I have been using 1/4" chain however I was going to order 3/8" hooks from awdirect. Will 1/4" chain hold using 3/8" hooks? My thought was that I could use 3/8 chain when needed but hopefully still be able to use 1/4 chain for most applications.

 

[kebo]

Yes, they will hold 1/4" chain. But, considering the loads that 3/8" chain will handle (depending on the grade) it's a bit overkill because your loader will never be able to lift what 3/8" chain is capable of lifting, or pull that amount of weight with the loader. Pulling heavy loads with the FEL was discussed in another thread and several folks mentioned they had bent hyd. cylinders themselves, or had seen others bend cylinders. You can reinforce the bucket all you want, but the point is you still have to be mindful of how much load you are going to try and lift (or pull) with the loader using 3/8" chain.

 

[pat32rf]

Unless you go with hi-tensile chain, I think that 1/4" is a little light for tractor use. The good stuff is nice to handle but I have seen a lot of regular 1/4" chain that has been stretched (and weakened). I tend to use 5/16 for that little extra margin, plus it will hold better in a 3/8 hook.
Around here most pick up trucks have a chunk of chain under the seat and the driver will want to use his, even though it has no hook on one end and each link is a little longer than it started out. When you need another chain to balance the load, or reach a little farther its sometimes hard to explain to them that the chain they are offering is a piece of CRAP...

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Use the 3/8 hooks, they will be fine. That is what I have on my 7520 and my 3215. But as kebo said, the tractor is not strong enough to take advantage of the 3/8 chain strength. I would also put some angle across the top lip before putting those hooks on.

Just my opinion, others may vary.

 

[buck12]

Thanks. I am having a piece of angle added to the top and a receiver to move trailers. I take it I should be able to use 1/4" - 3/8" chain with the 3/8" hooks. I could not find a local supplier that had weld on hooks so I guess I will order from awdirect which I found out about in another thread (tractorbynet has a wealth of knowledge).

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I am to cheap to pay the extra for the weld on hooks. I just modify std hooks to meet my needs.

 

[buck12]

MtnViewRanch I love the Bronco. Got any more pictures?

 

[GIJOE]

MtnViewRanch I love the Bronco. Got any more pictures?

Ditto on the Bronco.

 

[gerard]

Attached is a simple way to accomplish your goal of reinforcing the bucket lip, attahcing chain, and eliminating any hooks or welding. I just used a heavy piece of angle iron and used a grinder with a cutting wheel to cut a slit in the vertical piece of the angle iron. Make it wide enough to accomodate the largest chain you plan on using and you have a ready made chain dog and you won't bend the lip of your bucket. (I won't pull a heavy load from this point, use the drawbar for that but I will lift as much as the bucket can handle. At 800 lb capacity my relief valve trips before I could do any cylinder damage)

 

[J_J]

I am thinking that most of us do not realize what kind of chain we are using. If you look at new chain, a lot of it will say [ not for lifting ] Now, I am not preaching anything here, use what you want to use. IMHO, we are not lifting huge loads, and therefore most any chain will do. Lifting chain is stronger and more expensive, and it is supposed to have a certain color associated with it, Yellow/blue or something like that. After a chain gets rusty, and the tags fall off, you have no idea what you are using.