Chain hooks on Kubota LA463 FEL

[westbrooklawn]

I have welded grab hooks on my LA463 bucket, and will try to get some pictures up to show you how I did it. I am very satisfied with the results, and the reinforcement method used... hopefully pictures will make it clear.

 

[bigballer]

I am interested in getting ideas (read: pictures) for reinforcing the lip of this bucket (463) as well as placement for hooks. My neighbor has a flat bar welded along the top of his bucket and then added those clevis hooks so he could replace if required. He has a B20 so the bucket layout is a bit different then mine. Anyway, please post some pics. Also, where do I get my hands on some of that Kubota Orange spray paint??

cheers,
bigballer

 

[westbrooklawn]

I purchased 3 weldable grab hooks and welded one on each side and one in the middle of the top of my LA463 bucket. The bucket sides extend slightly above the top rail... this provides a strong corner for the hook to be welded into... it also transfers most of the strain to the bucket sides... a very strong point.

For the center hook I welded an inverted piece of heavy angle iron to the top of the bucket lip and the back of the bucket. This in effect forms a strong piece of square tubing which I then welded the hook to. I feel the geometry of this arrangement spreads the stress enough to prevent any bending. I have been happy with this arrangement so far, and have tried to lift things heavy enough that the bucket won't pick them up, while at the same time there is also no bending or distortion of the bucket (i.e. it appears the hook setup exceeds the capacity I need based on FEL lift capacity).

 

[Marcussen]

looks like a great way to do it, I will probably copy the idea, the angle iron idea is excellent.

 

[bigballer]

Thank You Westbrook!! Looks great. I was thinking of adding that angle iron the entire length of the bucket for added strength, but if you say you have maxed out the hydraulics before bending the bucket, then it's probably ok with just the center section of angle.

Thanks again!
bigballer

 

[westbrooklawn]

Biggballer -

All my life I have been accused of "overbuilding" things (for instance I would use 2x12 joists where the structural books would say 2x8's were fine...now I'll use the 2x8's!). I have finally come to the conclusion that the best way to construct something is to go the "lightest" way you can, while still maintaining a good margin of structural safety. It makes it much easier to work with things, and in the case of tractor implements, etc. it is good not to eat up your lift capacities with unneccesary mod weights...

 

[Dargo]

Not to be critical, but in general it's not a good idea to put your outside grab hooks at the outside edges of the bucket. This is per dealer advice as well as from a Kubota engineer. You should place your "outside" grab hooks in line with where your hydraulic arms mount to the bucket. That way you are pulling where the bucket is attached, and not on the edge of the bucket which will try to twist the bucket.

Depending on how strong you want your hooks to be and how much yanking you want them to be able to take, it is also a good idea to weld a flat plate against the back of the bucket where the bottom 'leg' of the angle would attach to the bucket. The bucket itself is really not all that strong and a good yank can pucker it if it is only attached with the angle. If a 4" X 6" piece of 3/8" plate is welded to the back side of the bucket and then the bottom leg of the angle to that, it will be much stronger.

I'm not trying to be overly critical, but I've been around the welding business for 35 years and have also asked a Kubota engineer about mounting grab hooks. Good luck and be careful!

 

[Sully2]

Thank You Westbrook!! Looks great. I was thinking of adding that angle iron the entire length of the bucket for added strength, but if you say you have maxed out the hydraulics before bending the bucket, then it's probably ok with just the center section of angle.

Thanks again!
bigballer

The full length piece of angle is what I did. The top "lip" on my bucket is so thin I could clamp a cresent wrench on it and work it back and forth ( BUMMER) so I had a 2" x 3" piece of 1/4" thick angle welded all the way across and welded the hooks to the angle. The angle aint about to bend on me

 

[westbrooklawn]

Dargo -

Your points are well taken. A lot has to do with the tractor operator and how the hooks are used. In my case I would never use either outside hook alone with a heavy load. The outside hooks only get used with a balanced load (chain on each side) where I want some stability to keep the load from swinging around or I want to be sure to keep the load somewhat level. While most folks attach their outside hooks to the outside edge, it can be a problem if abused.

As to the center hook, again, if abused it could possibly "pucker" the bucket, but I have no intention of using the hooks to yank on things. They are strictly a lift point for me, and as such I think the strength is sufficient. Regardless of how you could attach a chain to a FEL bucket it should never be used to "yank" things... that is a sure way to mess up your bucket and/or loader arms.



Sully -

Not sure which bucket you have, but the top lip of my bucket could not be moved with a cresent wrench (unless it was a 24" wrench with a 4' cheater bar on it!). I also didn't want to put angle all the way across because I have a pallet fork attachment that hooks under the lip on each side about where the loader arms attach. By the way, I have also used the forks to pick up to the max capacity of the hydraulics, and have never bent the lip.

 

[Casco1]

This is my setup I've been very happy with it. The combination of slide and grab hooks allows for balancing loads without binding.