Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket?

   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket? #1  

Ishkatan

Bronze Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2012
Messages
95
Location
Monrovia
Tractor
RK37HC and Ford 8N
  • What kind of chain hooks work well with the RK37 bucket?

Recommended Tooth Bar for RK37 bucket? ( The web site says the bucket is 61".)

The RK37 bucket seems a bit light weight so I am wondering if a particular brand/model chain hook works really well with it or if it needs reinforcing.
I have an RK37 on order (oops, it's at the store - 3 weeks early) but noticed the bucket does not have holes for a teeth or a tooth bar. Uses:
  • - snow plowing 1-2X in winter - rarely get a lot. But it means the bar needs to come off.
  • - Moving mulch
  • - leveling an area behind the house - 0 to 3 feet deep now. 40x20 ft long. I am considering the ratchet rake vs. a bolt on tooth bar vs. temporary (2 bolts) tooth bar.
  • - moving fallen trees - plan to use the bucket to pus to side or a hook on a rope / 3/8 chain to hold in place. Hard to justify a $2,000 grapple and front hydraulics with the amount of wood work I plan on.
boat anchor hook - Walmart.com
  • - digging French drain - I have a single blade plow that really digs deep. Bucket is for moving stone to fill
  • - forest brush cleanup / trail making - no rush
Most of the time the tractor will be bush hogging and mowing.
 
   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket? #2  
If the grapple itself seems like a reach, maybe consider an add-a grapple type setup, and the front Hydraulics, you'll never regret having the hydraulic option in the front. You can have rk add the hyd and do the grapple later when $ allows. A grapple is an indispensable part of my bushogging rig.

If the bucket seems a little light for the chain hooks, frequent poster, Ken's bolt-hooks are solid and have a larger foot print than weld on hooks.

Tractor Mike has a good vid on the setup of hooks w add-a-grapple.

Given your task list, you might be happier with a root rake type grapple than the general purpose type of brush grapple rk offers.
 
   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket? #3  
I ended up looking inline for some weld on heavy duty chain eyelets, and found some. Broke out the welder and attached them myself.
 
   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket? #4  
Get the pirahna toothbar you will love it , They are hard to get but worth the wait.
 
   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket? #5  
I have D-Rings on top of the bucket, but, I also have swiveling hooks BEHIND the bucket,,

The hooks can point down, like the pic, or you can swivel them up, and run a chain over the front of the bucket.

The loader lifting power is WAY higher at a point behind the bucket, compared to in front of the bucket.

I can lift a pretty big rock, when I lift from behind the bucket,,

2RRluUw.jpg


I could not lift that rock on the front of the bucket.
Headwall5.jpg
 
   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket? #6  
I like your IH 584
 
   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Pirahna toothbar is on the list. Before the Ratchet Rake and 3 point finish mower, after the hooks / attachment points. :)

I like your IH too ... and the idea of swivel hooks for front or back of bucket use. I don't weld (Do I have to learn?): so would like to go with bolt-on.

But my question though is specifically for RK37 bucket attachment hooks. I'm not sure it is sturdy enough to have a large hook in the middle of the bucket.

This thread has great ideas and input on general hooks and clevis setups.

(P.S. Is Gripon a good brand or too light?)

Bolt-On Hooks - BoltOnHooks LLC is getting some referral's here but they seem to use washers instead of a full backing plate.
 
   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket? #8  
Pirahna toothbar is on the list. Before the Ratchet Rake and 3 point finish mower, after the hooks / attachment points. :)

I like your IH too ... and the idea of swivel hooks for front or back of bucket use. I don't weld (Do I have to learn?): so would like to go with bolt-on.

But my question though is specifically for RK37 bucket attachment hooks. I'm not sure it is sturdy enough to have a large hook in the middle of the bucket.

This thread has great ideas and input on general hooks and clevis setups.

(P.S. Is Gripon a good brand or too light?)

Bolt-On Hooks - BoltOnHooks LLC is getting some referral's here but they seem to use washers instead of a full backing plate.
Nothing about the Bolt-on hooks prevents you from using a back plate.
 
   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket? #9  
Bolt-On Hooks - BoltOnHooks LLC is getting some referral's here but they seem to use washers instead of a full backing plate.
I just bought hooks from Bolt on Hooks a couple months ago and you can specify backing plates with them. The backing plate is the same footprint as the hook and plenty heavy. Just mount two near the loader-arm points or add another in the middle and you're set. Not worth agonizing about . . . you'll be glad you did it.
 
   / Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket? #10  
bucket hook 10-27.jpg


As you can see, I use this bucket for work. Chose to add the backplates with clevis eyes so I could hang shackles on them. Both the hooks and the shackles are VERY useful and much safer than trying to hang chain hooks on the lips of the bucket.
 

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