Cub Cadet Homemade Front Loader Finished

[jas67]

Nice work!

I like the "new" Cab Cadet colors too.

 

[Cooldmax]

It looks great. I'm a little curious how far the bucket will dump when the loader is raised all the way up. In one of the pictures it is raised all the way and looks like it is dumped all the way. Maybe just me.

 

[chevyzr2s10]

Looks good! I have a question, though. More of a general FEL design than your's specifically. Why does everybody seem to build them so the bucket is so far from the front axle? It seems like it would be able to put more downforce (if needed) into the work if it was closer. It would also shorten the overall length. Is it just because it has to reach that far to get the height?

I originally designed the loader so that I would be able to dump the bucket over the side of a truck bed without hitting the truck with the tractor grill. Therefore I designed it to what I thought should be the minimum reach needed to accomplish that. After testing the loader I think that I allowed for more reach than was necessary. I wish I would have went a little shorter to improve capacity. I plan to eventually move the front axle forward by about 6 inches to help improve the capacity.

 

[chevyzr2s10]

That is a neat, well thought out project. I noticed in your shop you have both stick and mig welders. Just curious, is the mig 110 or 220 volt? If 110, how do you like it?

The MIG is a 110v machine. It is very handy and I use it for 80% of all my welding projects. I use it mostly on steel that is 1/8" and less. The bucket is made from 11 gauge steel with 1/4" reinforcements and it was mostly welded with the 110v MIG. I had to use the Stick welder for the heavier steel on this project such as the main frame and arms of the loader and some parts of the bucket.

 

[chevyzr2s10]

Nice work!

I like the "new" Cab Cadet colors too.

I decided to paint it like the new Cubs because I like the look and I just happen to live in Pittsburgh and I am a huge Penguins and Steelers fan.

I also have some nice white Cub Cadet emblems to put on the loader arms when I get a chance.

 

[chevyzr2s10]

It looks great. I'm a little curious how far the bucket will dump when the loader is raised all the way up. In one of the pictures it is raised all the way and looks like it is dumped all the way. Maybe just me.

That picture is deceiving because the cylinders I used are so long. It has a 43 degree dump angle and max height which seems to work quite well. I have attached some of my drawings showing the dump and curl angles and Max and Min height.

 

[Cooldmax]

Those long cylinders are deceiving. Very nice job. The extra length will come in handy for dumping in a truck.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Nice loader, Now time for the backhoe and cab.

 

[GE222]

Nice progress pictures of the project as well as the loader in action.

Tom

 

[Arkaybee]

Question: In the pictures showing the finished FEL sitting near the stairs, what are the silver-looking things mounted on the backside of the bucket? In one picture they seem to be elongated from a mounting bolt toward the upper lip of the bucket. In another picture they appear to be reversed and pointing the long portion toward the bottom of the bucket. I am sure they are useful to the project but I can't figure out what they are Nice fabrication BTW.

Arkaybee