Chain hooks and tooth bar for RK37 bucket?

[Ishkatan]

• 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.

Ratchet Rake, LLC - Tractor rake, Snow Edge, Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holla

www.ratchetrake.com

• - 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

grapple hook - Walmart.com

grapple hook - Walmart.com

www.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.

 

[agjones]

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.

 

[sengli]

I ended up looking inline for some weld on heavy duty chain eyelets, and found some. Broke out the welder and attached them myself.

 

[3gunr]

Get the pirahna toothbar you will love it , They are hard to get but worth the wait.

 

[CADplans]

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,,

I could not lift that rock on the front of the bucket.

 

[3gunr]

I like your IH 584

 

[Ishkatan]

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.

Bucket Hooks? Or clevis mounts instead?

I started with a single grab hook welded in the center of the bucket on top. This worked great and as time went by I kept testing it. Well, I started clearing a lot with some good size oaks and in using the tractor as a skidder I bent the top of my bucket down about 3/8"; I had found it's...

www.tractorbynet.com

(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.

 

[agjones]

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.

Bucket Hooks? Or clevis mounts instead?

I started with a single grab hook welded in the center of the bucket on top. This worked great and as time went by I kept testing it. Well, I started clearing a lot with some good size oaks and in using the tractor as a skidder I bent the top of my bucket down about 3/8"; I had found it's...

www.tractorbynet.com

(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.

 

[CH4Ohio]

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.

 

[CH4Ohio]

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.

 

[Ishkatan]

View attachment 718537

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.

I like this setup. And I realize that as often as I am going to move 1 ton rocks I can take the time to reverse the hooks. It's not like they are welded on.

 

[Ishkatan]

This is my poor man's grapple. I don't do a lot of wood moving so this servs for now. The chain hooks on the side are kind of overkill. The fork plate has a guard I can chain to but they were cheap and fun to bolt on. The 48" forks were about $700 at an auction after all costs. The paint is overspray from marking the edge of the loader plate to make alignment easier.

 

[Skipper T]

Just got an RK37 and was looking around my shop when I noticed I had 2 of the Ken's bolt on hooks.
I had bought a set of 3 for a previous tractor but could only put one on the bucket.
I placed these just outside the lift arms as there isn't really a place to them right in front due to the skid steer quick attach plates. This placement should still maximize the ability to lift.
I had chosen these hooks as they are very strong and have great reviews. I chose the simple bolt on without the backing plate due to their destruction testing (they have videos on their website) and they had these on a fairly thin piece of metal and the chain broke at 20 thousand some odd pounds of pressure and the washers did not fail. Just saved a few bucks as a result.
Here they are on the new bucket.