bucket level indicator

[npalen]

Nice looking guitars

Thanks! I built 96 of the Palen Acoustic Archtops between about 2000 and 2012.

 

[npalen]

Bucket Level Indicator--A New Approach

I've been filling these cold winter days with fabbing and testing this bucket level indicator. It's an idea from a friend in New York State who built and has been using his for about 10 years. He used connecting rods rather than the 1/16" cable on mine. No particular reason for cable other...

www.tractorbynet.com

This is designed to show bucket level at any loader height.

 

[dodge man]

I use mine all the time too. It gets me close to start with then I go by sight/feel.

 

[DK35vince]

I LIKE THEM, BUT THE ONE ON MY KIOTI IS NOT VERY GOOD. THE INNER ROD STICKS WAY UP IN THE AIR AND ANY BRANCH WILL BEND IT. I DON'T DO MUCH LOADER WORK OR I WOULD BUILD SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I TOOK IT OFF.

I simply cut the inner rod off so when flush with the top of outer rod the bucket is level.
I can set my bucket to dead level while lowering the boom for the next bucketful before the bucket ever hits the ground

 

[Zmann.]

I was wondering about his tree catcher comment
Exactly what I have on my Kioti ( I made my own to mimic the OEM when I changed out the cylinders) flush inner rod is level

 

[NCL4701]

When I bought my tractor, I made that part of the order. That was the only part of the order that wasn’t fulfilled. Dealer said after you’ve used it a few hours you’ll never look at it again. Took it without the level indicator with the agreement if he was overestimating my abilities he’d get me one. Couple months and about 50 hours later, he made good on his word and gave me the bucket level indicator. If I made a living running it maybe I would find it to be a training wheels kind of thing, but I don’t so I like the precision of being able to be dead level to scoop gravel or backfill off the ground without leaving anything or digging in. Helps with the forks, too even though they’re level at a different point on the rod. If somebody thinks that makes me a less skilled operator than them, they might be right but if it increases the quality of my work I’m keeping it.

 

[Gordon Gould]

The rod even with the tube gives you a nice easy to read mark for level but sometimes it's nice to know how far off level you are as you are rolling your bucket into position. If you put a slit in the tube you could see when you are approaching level.

gg

 

[WranglerX]

I use the rod in a tube method and when rod is even with end of tube bucket is level with ground...

Don't laugh at square tube, it was only thing i had that was close to right size at the time...

 

[Cycledude]

The level indicator is a very handy tool that I would miss a lot if it wasn’t there.

 

[rScotty]

Our Kubota FEL bucket came from the factory with two 4x1" pieces of metal welded to the top of the bucket and covered with black & white reflective tape.
You can see them in the photo

I wondered what in the heck they were. They were strong enough to stand on, but not really strong enough to act as a chain hook. Then one day I realized that they wereset at exactly the same angle as the bottom of the bucket and situated so that one or the two can always be seen.

For me those two level indicators are more instinctive than a rod and tube system. I have no idea what they are called or even if they have a name.

Pay no attention to all the hooks and such. I had been collecting them for years and this was a chance to use them all. Each one is bolted and has a backing plate.