Fragile, Inaccurate, or Useful? Let’s Talk Bucket Level Indicators!

[lynx451]

Hi all, first-time poster here! (I’ve been lurking for about a year.)

Last year, I got my first tractor (a Kubota L3560) and have loved just about everything about it, except the bucket level indicator. I’ve found it fragile (broke it the first time using it), only mildly accurate, and not super helpful when switching between implements (I know, I should mark the rod). There are also times, especially with pallet forks on, I’ve wished I could see level relative to gravity versus the ground.

I’ve been having fun tinkering with a digital solution to try and address some of my personal gripes, but it got me wondering:

For those of you who use bucket level indicators (and I know many don’t):

• What are the use cases you rely on them for?
• What are the biggest frustrations or limitations you’ve run into?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts—what works, what doesn’t, and what you wish bucket level indicators did better (or did at all!).

 

[5030]

I use different colored electrical tape to mark where different attachments are level on the level indicator or I just look at the top edge of the buckets to see when they are parallel to the ground because with my M9000's you cannot see over the square hood easily.

The OEM Kubota indicator they out on the top of the buckets, in my opinion are totally useless. Whoever came up with that idea should be fired.

 

[RjCorazza]

I fiddled around with the bucket level on my L4060 for a year or two, then just gave up. I can see the bucket's flat top, and my eye is much more accurate than the steel rod, marked or not.

 

[ning]

My tractor has an indicator rod and it's pretty decent for letting me know when the bottom of the bucket is level compared to the wheels.
For my forks it's way off, and like others I should put some tape on the rod to show where fork-level is, but given the distance the forks stick out a few degrees makes a big difference so I typically stand up with the tractor in low range when doing fine fork work so that I can see the forks.

I rate the indicator as "useful but not exactly accurate".

 

[thclimer]

I use mine all the time when I'm scraping snow/ice from our gravel driveway. The indicators on my New Holland TC33D and Massey 1736 seem pretty robust to me.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

My vote is useful. Would be FAR more difficult and annoying to gauge level without it. They seem a bit on the fragile side but I cannot remember an incident where I have gotten close to screwing it up.

 

[SmallChange]

I use mine pretty much any time I'm using the bucket. It's plenty useful, and I don't think anything has ever threatened it (besides the fact that it's pretty sturdy).
I don't use it with forks, because I can usually see the forks themselves well enough. Though, I sometimes use forks to pull a loaded pallet out of the back of my station wagon, and I ought to mark the rod for that, because I can't see enough fork in that use.

I don't have any frustrations or limitations. But, I guess if it were replaced with a digital solution, I'd have plenty.

 

[Farmer495]

The rod on the LA1153 & LA1154 loaders is useful, it sits in a groove when level. I have it calibrated for materials bucket but it's very close for my others. Only takes a few seconds to adjust it anyways.

 

[garry1p]

The rod keeps getting bent and is not that great anyway.
I do have tape as a general indicator and thinking of welding a tab on the back of the bucket.

Hope to see some ideas here.

 

[oosik]

I never used the BLI. Second time I used the grapple - the rod came out of the loop and got twisted like a pretzel. Now the BLI loop is used as an attachment point for the bungee cords that hold the hydraulic hoses for the grapple.