Loader FEL loader safety prop

[Smokeydog]

Here is what I made for my BX. The curved pieces on the end that pivots are a 1 1/2" shaft collar sliced in two, then those cut in half. I used 1 1/2" square tube with one side cut out with a plasma cutter. I used a 1" flat washer on the other end, cut to slip over the cylinder ram.

They are only for holding up the empty FEL, not any kind of load.

Nice fabrication work. I have found shaft collars handy several times. A little rubber or dab of sealant around the upper end might cushion the cylinder rod.

Some loaders the cylinder rods are up, others down. Up makes fabricating an onboard storage easier. Down like yours have clearance issues and need removable ones like you expertly made. In a commercial or industrial work place these would be mandatory for safety. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ovrszd]

Here is what I made for my BX. The curved pieces on the end that pivots are a 1 1/2" shaft collar sliced in two, then those cut in half. I used 1 1/2" square tube with one side cut out with a plasma cutter. I used a 1" flat washer on the other end, cut to slip over the cylinder ram.

They are only for holding up the empty FEL, not any kind of load.

Very, very nice!!!! No chance of those slipping out. Easy to install since gravity holds them in place until load is put on them. I really like how you repurposed items rather than going thru the build process of fabbing everything from scratch. Excellent pics!!!

 

[TractorGuy]

As far as stabilizing the loader boom cylinders,
I'd just run it up to the height that I wanted measure the cylinder rod and cut a piece of angle to the length required to hold the loader were i wanted it.
As far as the curl cylinder maybe a chain and binder to lock it in position.
I wouldn't bother with trying to get 4x4s to hold the bucket in position.

Those are good ideas for stabilizing a platform. The chain binders may make it adjustable to a degree. Might could weld some hooks on top of the loader arms to attach the chains to.
Photo creation loosely showing the possible location of top hooks. Any time I need to weld hooks on I buy the 3/8" forged hooks from Harbor Freight and cut the bottom legs off.

I have the good fortune of having access to a man lift on occasion. If it wasn't for that I would probably look into renting one for the little use I have need for it.

Here is what I made for my BX. The curved pieces on the end that pivots are a 1 1/2" shaft collar sliced in two, then those cut in half. I used 1 1/2" square tube with one side cut out with a plasma cutter. I used a 1" flat washer on the other end, cut to slip over the cylinder ram.

They are only for holding up the empty FEL, not any kind of load.

That is a great looking prop!

I have thought about making one for my JD but it's loader is so easy to remove I just pull it off to work on the tractor. I have cut a piece of pressure treated 2x2 to use on occasion.

My NH backhoe has the U channel added to the left loader arm from the factory.

 

[npalen]

I made split collars of aluminum that clamp on to the cylinder rods at any position needed to act as stops. A pair of 3/8" SHCS do the clamping and the two halves are bored to about 0.001" smaller than the rod diameter to get a good bite to hold the load.

The collars will slide if the valve lever is accidentally moved so that needs to be taken into consideration.

Using positive stops such as angle iron might be a concern if one is inadvertently left installed and the valve lever is actuated. Looks like it could severely damage the loader frame and/or mounting.

 

[ovrszd]

I wouldn't be comfortable with clamped collars that can slide.

No damage will occur if the hydraulics are activated, it'll just go into relief.

 

[BravoXray]

Nice fabrication work. I have found shaft collars handy several times. A little rubber or dab of sealant around the upper end might cushion the cylinder rod.

Very, very nice!!!! No chance of those slipping out. Easy to install since gravity holds them in place until load is put on them. I really like how you repurposed items rather than going thru the build process of fabbing everything from scratch. Excellent pics!!!

Thanks guys. I have so much material and miscellaneous parts I have acquired over the last 45 years, that I can build a lot of my little projects with what I have on hand, but not always. I had all these parts on hand.

I added a picture to my post to show how I store the prop strapped to the ROPS.

 

[npalen]

I wouldn't be comfortable with clamped collars that can slide.

No damage will occur if the hydraulics are activated, it'll just go into relief.

You're probably right but not sure if I would want to try it. Looks like it would put a tremendous twisting force on the loader frame, wouldn't it? It would be similar to removing one lift cylinder and trying to lift a load with the other, I would think.

 

[pmsmechanic]

You're probably right but not sure if I would want to try it. Looks like it would put a tremendous twisting force on the loader frame, wouldn't it? It would be similar to removing one lift cylinder and trying to lift a load with the other, I would think.

Just remember that most loaders have small diameter cylinders with large diameter rods. The down force is probably less than half of the lifting force.

 

[npalen]

Just remember that most loaders have small diameter cylinders with large diameter rods. The down force is probably less than half of the lifting force.

Yes, the retract has less force than the extend. An example would be a 2" bore with a 1" rod. The 2" bore has an area of 3.14 sqin and a 1" rod area is 0.785 sqin leaving effective piston area of 2.36 sqin on the rod end. The 2.36 is 75% of the 3.14.

But then consider that there is a downforce consisting of the loader arms, bucket and whatever is in or on the bucket or forks such as a lift platform or what ever we're trying to hold up.
I don't think anyone here would be willing to try installing a lock-up on one lift cylinder only then hitting the down direction on the lift valve. Maybe I'm wrong.

P.S. What I like about the clamp-on "donut" stops is that they are adjustable. I've used them with a 4'x8' lift platform on the loader for house painting and found them very useful. Forgot to remove them a couple times and the hydraulic downforce simply slides them to the end of the stroke. They never moved, however, from the weight alone. I got the idea from seeing a mechanic using split clamps in a bench vise to hold a cylinder rod from turning when removing a piston nut. The trick is to have the bore of the clamps just a hair smaller than the diameter of the piston rod. (Well, maybe half a hair.

I like the idea of load binders to keep the bucket from settling by the way. I used a couple pieces of 2"x2" lumber clamped to the front of the aerial platform as vertical struts to do that but it was kind of a pain to adjust them each time I changed working height.

Edit: Here is a pic of one of the locks: Not pretty but they work.