FEL Bucket Hooks

JerryG · Mar 26, 2006

John,
Welcome to TBN. That is some fine looking hooks. Did you cut the slots with a mill?

JohnF_ASI · Mar 26, 2006

Thanks Jerry! No I cut them with a 'cold cut' drop saw after I drilled the 10mm hole..

JerryG · Mar 26, 2006

That is how I usually make slots. Welding is something that I can do, but it isn't pretty. Those are good looking welds also.

3RRL · Mar 27, 2006

JohnF,
That is a really nice, clean job you did. I imagine it took some time to do... as nice as it turned out. Nothing like self satisfaction doing it yourself.

For those of us with less talent, there are grab hooks specifically made to weld on. They are very reasonably priced too. You can order them from AW Direct , a towing supplier. I bought 6 of them and welded them on my backhoe and FEL bucket. I've got a couple left over and may weld them on some of my implements so I can move them around (for service or adjustments) without hooking them up to the 3pt. I'll share one pic of the FEL grab hooks, one on each side. For some reason, I prefer to lift with 2 hooks always, so I don't have a center hook.

Highbeam · Mar 27, 2006

Rob, was that with your arc welder/genny at the property? Your weld looks good. The bucket weld beside it looks like they missed the mark though. By the location of the hook do you run the chain over the bucket top?

Tractor_Chick · Mar 27, 2006

( I too wanted the convienience of FEL hooks and read and studied etc. I got it somewhere that you can pull your FEL out of "kilter" by pulling/pushing on just one side. Mine is a little 302 so was parinoid. Is that correct you tractor vets? )

G'day from Australia,

Here is our theory on the placement on the FEL bucket hooks.

If you have them too far apart, as on the pic by the dude with the chrome-pimpy, and you attach a loaded chain to one side only, you will certainly have the whole unit out of balance and will put extra pressure on the opposite seals and arms.

If you added them about 40cm to 50 cm (about 14 to 18 inches for you American dudes) either side of the centre of the bucket and used your chain as a central pivot, you then get total evenness and correct balance, which is far more safety friendly, and better for the balance.

Do we agree on this? We have set up our FEL's this way and it's mainly from a safety aspect.
hahaha.. don't forget that women think a little different to guys.

Cheers from Riccarda /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

3RRL · Mar 27, 2006

Joe,
Yes, on the property...see...I'm learning from your examples. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Chain over the bucket top edge?
Yes, and no...I turn the bucket "dumped" when lifting so the chain is held only by the hooks. If I were to pivot the bucket backwards somewhat, it would run the chain over the top only when lifting dead vertical, but barely. So far I have not done that yet and that's why my top lip is not bent yet. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I put them there not only for vertical lifting, but when I want to "roll" a big rock or log into the bucket.

klm · Mar 27, 2006

The only place I want a hook on my FEL is in the center.

rambler · Mar 27, 2006

I got my tractor & loader with 400 hours on it. There was a goofy chain hook welded in the middle bottom inside bucket. Would _not_ be what I would do. It's in the way a bit for some loads.

However, I sure use the hook a lot, & a pretty good location for it when using it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

--->Paul

markct · Mar 28, 2006

( The only place I want a hook on my FEL is in the center. )

i agree that the center is the best place if your gona have just one, but two hooks on the outer edges are very handy for carrying long or odd shaped objects that might try to tilt or rotate otherwise, just gota remember not to lift heavy loads off just one side