bx FEL bucket quick attach

[RedDirt]

SkunkWerX
Very good to hear your pins came out so easily. Gives me a lot of hope that even if mine are more difficult I'll be able to loosen them with a bit of emery work. I have 115 hrs so I'm right in the middle of your hours and Just2quickz28's

For the pin alignment tool I have some scrap brass rod that I expected to use. This may still be a valuable tool especially for situations like Just2quickz28's plow that has a different alignment than the bucket.

The registration jig would not add any weight when operating. It is only intended to be used for the switch-over process, then removed for working.

 

[SkunkWerX]

SkunkWerX
Very good to hear your pins came out so easily. Gives me a lot of hope that even if mine are more difficult I'll be able to loosen them with a bit of emery work. I have 115 hrs so I'm right in the middle of your hours and Just2quickz28's

For the pin alignment tool I have some scrap brass rod that I expected to use. This may still be a valuable tool especially for situations like Just2quickz28's plow that has a different alignment than the bucket.

The registration jig would not add any weight when operating. It is only intended to be used for the switch-over process, then removed for working.

RedDirt,
The brass drift/pin guide would be a top notch device to have!
Consider having it turned down on one end so that it will handle the smaller outer pins as well as the larger center pin. The Center pin appears to be about 1 1/8" but I haven't put calipers on it yet.
Come to think of it, I have an old clutch alignment tool, maybe I could do similar.

I understand now what you mean by registration jig, I guess really it is just a means to hold up the center cylinder?

Next step will be for me to actually remove all the pins and the bucket, and time how long it takes. The center was pretty easy, wondering how the 2 outer pins will be?

 

[RedDirt]

RedDirt,
I understand now what you mean by registration jig, I guess really it is just a means to hold up the center cylinder?

Next step will be for me to actually remove all the pins and the bucket, and time how long it takes. The center was pretty easy, wondering how the 2 outer pins will be?

SkunkwerX,
Yes, the registration jig is just to hold/lock the arms and cylinder pins in the relation of the implement that has been (is going to be) removed. If all the loader implements have the same geometric configuration then aligning one pin will put the other two really close. Once the pins are installed in the changed over implement the jig is removed.

I just looked at my bx23 and the center cylinder is just above the arms so the jig can be as simple as a 2x4 quick clamped to the bottom of the arms, butted up to the loader stand pivot tabs for registration, and then a half moon ply saddle screwed to the edge of the 2x4 to hold the center cylinder. Maybe the cylinder could just rest in the saddle allowing it to raise by hand for minor adjustment. The bx24 is likely a bit different. I think they have curved loader arm whereas the bx23 has straight arms. So a slightly different jig but the same idea.

Once roughly aligned the alignment/sleever tool would come to play. I like your double-ended tool idea. The tool root diameter would be a slip fit of the pin and then the taper would be 1/2 the pin length and maybe 1/2 the pin diameter. A few light hammer taps of the tool in conjunction with a little implement jiggling with a lever should drive the alignment pin to the root diameter. Then pushing in the real pin would push out the alignment tool.

Let us know how (easy) your lower pins come out. I'll do the same when I get the chance to do the same, maybe in the next couple of days.

I think we are well on the way to make this a viable alternative to the added weight (and build time/cost) of a bone-fide quick connect.

 

[Just2quickz28]

It was pretty miserable out last night to try to take a picture of the plow. But the idea of a jig to hold up the center cylinder sounds like it would work.

Any ideas on how to get away with out needing a deadblow hammer and a driver to get the pins started? I am just thinking that for me the tools are in the basement workshop and the tractor and attachements are out in the carport thats a decent walk away.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Matt, in the short term I think you would be stuck with a mallet and dowel or piece of PVC pipe to drive out the pin. Perhaps they will lossen a bit and become more free with use and some polishing.

Red Dirt, the next thing will be to be able to produce the same geometry on the home built attachment. Shouldn't be too difficult, but, some attention to those measurements will be in order.

I won't trying to remove my lower pins in the next few days, so whoever does so, just post your findings.

Good luck.

 

[RedDirt]

I removed my bucket tonight. I had the luxury of doing this in my shop so I was not battling the elements.

I set the bucket on a couple of horses and relieved all hydraulic pressure. I built a simple registration jig in about ten minutes.



All three pins slid right out. A slight tap to start them and that was that. Took about five minutes including messing with the keeper pin cotters (I don't have bolts like Just2quickz28's). Can probably shave a minute or more from this by switching to quick pins.

I slid the bucket away from the arms, wiped down the pins and mic'd them then re-attached the bucket.

Took about ten minutes to slide the bucket back, align, smear a bit of grease on the pins by hand, insert the pins, keepers, straighten the cotters and insert them. I did have a pin alignment tool for the arm pins. It was just 3/4" wood dowel with a tapered end. The bucket is so light that was all that was needed. Didn't need one for the cylinder pin.

So we shave a couple of minutes by using quick pin keepers but add a couple of minutes shifting from one implement to the next. Looks like a minimum of 15 minutes, maybe a hair more breaking out and putting tools away and greasing zerks.

Not exactly "quick" but for the relatively few times I'll be changing front implements each year it is quick enough for me to forego building a bone fide quick attach system. Certainly it is easy, no real effort required.

Pin Diameters (inches) at bucket:

Loader Arms:
Pins: .7485 to .7495
Bush .765 to .770

Center curl cylinder:
Pin: 1.187 to 1.188
Bush 1.196 to 1.199 (1.202 at one wear spot)

Looks like about .015+/- is needed for for a pin "slip fit".

This machine has only 115 hours, 90 by previous owner so I don't know the loader history. There was no visible wear at the arm pins but one quadrant of one side of the cylinder pin had slight galling. Perhaps he missed a lube job.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Red Dirt,

Way to GO!!! You beat me to it, THANKS greatly for the pictures and posting this, great findings. And it supports what I found when I removed my center pin.

I agree with your asessment, not quite what you could call QUICK, but, I also won't be changing every hour or even daily.

I picture a rake/root grapple attachment, and some pallet forks.

The fork attachment I will probably rig up a [platre that will accept 3 point rear implements. Won't use them on front too much, but just for ease of loading them onto a trailer, or moving them around it would be nice. Also it would be there for any "home brewed" attachments.

Great progress and good findings!

Thanks again for you efforts!

 

[Just2quickz28]

O to have a garage . Great info I think part of my issue is that it has been so cold out and my machine is left in a car port.

I did get that ATI quick hitch from the not so local dealer at a reasonable price. It does not look like the pictures on the website, much beefier it probably weighs in at about 40 lbs. But as I suspected I do have to modify just to make it fit on the FEL arms.

The opening where the FEL arms slide into the bucket is a hair too small for my FEL arms (keep in mind this was made for the BX22/23 models)

I think the easiest solution for this is to slightly grind down the FEL arms where the pins go through. There is a bit of tubing that sticks out past the weld to meet the bucket. Does this sound like a good idea or will I be hurting the structurual integrity of the FEL arms?

The other option is to have a friend cut the ATI hitch up and make it a bit wider or heat it and and try to hammer a block of wood into the opening to widen it out.

I will take pictures if the weather cooperates tonight, I only have about 20mins of daylight when I get home from work

 

[RedDirt]

I got to thinking about the wear I discovered on the center cylinder pin. The wear of the bushing was on the opposite side as the wear on the pin. I think the previous owner may have been doing a lot of work involving curling the bucket with only a portion of the bucket width "loaded". His major project had been a retaining wall so I could see this happening as he may have been removing BH spoils unable to access the steep uphill side so he'd drive parallel the slope, on the flat, and his bucket would be loaded more on one side than the other.

...my machine is left in a car port.

The opening where the FEL arms slide into the bucket is a hair too small for my FEL arms (keep in mind this was made for the BX22/23 models)

I think the easiest solution for this is to slightly grind down the FEL arms where the pins go through. There is a bit of tubing that sticks out past the weld to meet the bucket. Does this sound like a good idea or will I be hurting the structurual integrity of the FEL arms?

Just2quick,
And those without even a carport would sure love to have one! That would have been me for 15 years before I had a shop. I had a Mr. Heater propane heater I'd snuggle up to next to my work. And temporary tarps overhead. But the mud...and loosing parts in gravel..uggg.

You're likely OK to remove a little metal for the protruding tubing at the arms. But on my arms this extension is only 1/8" to 3/32" so there isn't much material available to remove; maybe you've got more. I'd use a flat file instead of a grinder for removing for this little metal. Tape several of layers of cardboard on each end of the file. Run the file with the spacers riding on the arms until there is no more "bite" then remove a layer of cardboard from the spacer package. Continue removing spacers until the tube is decreased in length the amount needed. This will let you "mill" the tube extension almost perfectly parallel to the arms while controlling the depth of cut at each removal of spacer thickness. I'd leave at least 1/16" beyond the arms. Presuming Kubota has good penetration at their welds the tube should still be decently attached to the arms.

If your needed adjustment is wider then you'll need to resort to more drastic measures. Heating and bending tabs would be easier than cutting and welding a spacer. I'd look at whatever was easiest.

What, if anything, do you intend to do about the documented "weak point" of the ATI QA? (the ATI center pin attachment)

Skunk,
I think having a level, flat staging area will be the biggest time saver doing front implement changes. I'll probably build the implement rack I proposed earlier.

Let us know your results when you get the chance to test drive removing your pins so we can see if your results more-or-less match mine.

 

[Just2quickz28]

Just2quick,
And those without even a carport would sure love to have one! That would have been me for 15 years before I had a shop. I had a Mr. Heater propane heater I'd snuggle up to next to my work. And temporary tarps overhead. But the mud...and loosing parts in gravel..uggg.

True. I really could be worse off.

What, if anything, do you intend to do about the documented "weak point" of the ATI QA? (the ATI center pin attachment)

I most likely will not address this till it either bends or breaks.

,
I think having a level, flat staging area will be the biggest time saver doing front implement changes. I'll probably build the implement rack I proposed earlier.

I am hoping to build a rack for somethings as soon as the weather around here warms up put it out by one of my small sheds where I can drive up swap attachments.

And I will take some measurements and see how much I really need to take off the FEL bushings. And this weekend I will get some pictures of this ATI unit and modifications needed