Bucket hooks

kennyd · Mar 26, 2014

Nice job TB:thumbsup:

murphy1244 · Mar 26, 2014

ovrszd said:
I'm with Tom. I want my hooks out near the end of the bucket to get the most spread for lifting any object if needed. I also like the slip hook in the center for unusual lifts.

Have mine the same way, great minds think alike

Gary Fowler · Mar 26, 2014

I have mine welded in line with the loader arms. Yesterday, I was using my B26 to pick up the front of my Ferris zero turn using only one hook on the left side. It lifted it up ok but did tilt to one side a bit. After getting my mower blades switched out with new ones, I went to the right side to lower the mower back down, that is when I noticed that the right rear wheel was just barely touching the ground due to the torqueing of the FEL from a one sided lift. I think if the hooks had been to the outside of the FEL bucket, it wouldn't have lifted the mower. MY mower does weigh 850 pounds but I was only lifting up the front about 3 feet high but the rear wheels were off the ground and it was sitting on the back trailer hitch.

Chilly807 · Mar 26, 2014

Do you do your own welding, TB? That's nice looking work.

Sean

Chilly807 · Mar 26, 2014

Gary Fowler said:
I have mine welded in line with the loader arms. Yesterday, I was using my B26 to pick up the front of my Ferris zero turn using only one hook on the left side. It lifted it up ok but did tilt to one side a bit. After getting my mower blades switched out with new ones, I went to the right side to lower the mower back down, that is when I noticed that the right rear wheel was just barely touching the ground due to the torqueing of the FEL from a one sided lift. I think if the hooks had been to the outside of the FEL bucket, it wouldn't have lifted the mower. MY mower does weigh 850 pounds but I was only lifting up the front about 3 feet high but the rear wheels were off the ground and it was sitting on the back trailer hitch.

That's why I added the center hook, and the heel hook orginally. I find there's quite a few jobs that I don't need or want 2 chains, and I try to keep the load balanced. Even with the hook in line with the loader arms there's a torque element in every lift, having the hooks at the end of the bucket only amplifies it.

Sean

joshuabardwell · Mar 26, 2014

I agree with others who've said not to put the hooks any further out than the loader arms to avoid putting too much leverage on your FEL. It's too easy to torque the loader frame or tip the tractor over lifting heavy loads off-center. This is the same reason you're not supposed to pry (e.g. at a big rock or a root ball) with the corner of the bucket. Also, putting the hooks directly in line with the loader arms will provide some reinforcement to help avoid bending the top of the bucket--although most folks reinforce the top of the bucket when they put hooks on.

My preferred configuration is 5/16" grab-hooks in line with the loader arms, and a 2" receiver tube in the center. The receiver tube lets me easily move my trailer, as well as providing a modular attachment point for anything else I might want to hook onto the bucket. I plan to add a slip hook on top of the receiver tube so that when I want to pull from the center I can put the chain in one of the grab hooks and then pass it through the slip hook in the center.

TexasBoy · Mar 26, 2014

Chilly807 said:
Do you do your own welding, TB? That's nice looking work.

Sean

No sir, just a regular DIY homeboy. If I skip coffee that morning the results seem to come out better.

TripleR · Mar 26, 2014

I had the dealer put five on mine, there are times when having hooks on the edges come in really handy, you won't torque anything if you use any type of attachment point correctly. There is an old thread I lost when my other computer died on using chains and loader hooks that had some really good information. I need to get some for our 8540, the hooks on it aren't very good.

I placed my hooks like another member with the same bucket, maybe PHILIP8N, not sure.

ovrszd · Mar 26, 2014

Gary Fowler said:
I have mine welded in line with the loader arms. Yesterday, I was using my B26 to pick up the front of my Ferris zero turn using only one hook on the left side. It lifted it up ok but did tilt to one side a bit. After getting my mower blades switched out with new ones, I went to the right side to lower the mower back down, that is when I noticed that the right rear wheel was just barely touching the ground due to the torqueing of the FEL from a one sided lift. I think if the hooks had been to the outside of the FEL bucket, it wouldn't have lifted the mower. MY mower does weigh 850 pounds but I was only lifting up the front about 3 feet high but the rear wheels were off the ground and it was sitting on the back trailer hitch.

That's where the slip hook in the center comes into play. Cancels out all the twisting of the FEL frame/bucket.

OrangeToys · Mar 26, 2014

where do you find these hooks?

joshuabardwell · Mar 26, 2014

OrangeToys said:
where do you find these hooks?

I ordered mine from Ken, a forum member here. Maybe he will identify himself, although I believe he's prohibited from advertising, since he's not a paid sponsor of the site.

k0ua · Mar 26, 2014

OrangeToys said:
where do you find these hooks?

Race brothers

juddspaintballs · Mar 26, 2014

Grainger, Tractor Supply, welding shop, tractor dealership, harbor freight, Lowes...

TomSeller · Mar 27, 2014

I never found a weld on slip hook, so I welded on a standard slip hook after cutting the clevis part off.

kennyd · Mar 27, 2014

joshuabardwell said:
I ordered mine from Ken, a forum member here. Maybe he will identify himself, although I believe he's prohibited from advertising, since he's not a paid sponsor of the site.

Correct :thumbsup: