homemade bucket help

[Gary Sweat]

Hey!! Don't leave the rest of us out.

Casetractor, I'm sure you're going to build this thing. Keep us updated us with your build progress here and we can all share in the wisdom you gain from experience and from others on the forum.

I really didn't think very many folks would be interested. Those that have built them already know what they would have done different and I just kind of figured that those that don't build things like that really wouldn't be that interested.

I have to remind myself that not everyone is interested in the same things I am.

 

[casetractor]

yea the actuators are going to be on there a while before i can scrape up the money to buy hydraulics so that would really help to make them swapable.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I really didn't think very many folks would be interested. Those that have built them already know what they would have done different and I just kind of figured that those that don't build things like that really wouldn't be that interested.

I have to remind myself that not everyone is interested in the same things I am.

That's the beauty of a forum. Those not interested don't have to read them.

I read every loader or backhoe build I see. I keep telling myself that someday I'll do it.

 

[casetractor]

yea i have wanted to put a bucket on this tractor for about a year now. the only problem is that i take forever on these projects. and i do the same thing as u iplayfarmer as far as clicking on every forum that deals with loaders:thumbsup:

 

[Iplayfarmer]

yea i have wanted to put a bucket on this tractor for about a year now. the only problem is that i take forever on these projects. and i do the same thing as u iplayfarmer as far as clicking on every forum that deals with loaders:thumbsup:

Not all of us can spend hours every day working on a project. I took over a year to build my dump cart. I've had a thread on my backhoe sitting idle for a while. If you never start it you'll never finish. Take it one piece at a time and don't worry if you have to leave it alone for a while to do other stuff.

I believe the fun is in the building. If that's the case then why rush through the fun.

 

[Leejohn]

Here is the one I have been working on and off for awhile now. The bucket is make from a front snowblade.
I'm going to use a power steering pump, but waiting until I can get a new engine. The engine in it now is what came with the bolens, a Wisc and can't mount a front pully to it. I just don't want to mount anything to this old engine.
The loader is a quick disconnect. This picture isn't the best, but maybe you can get some ideals.

 

[casetractor]

yea ur loader looks pretty good and i would love to make something simmilar to mount on my case 446. and i understand what iplayfarmer is trying to say and i agree with you:thumbsup:

 

[Gary Sweat]

I just worked on my loader all summer when I had the time. Now that I have it I wish I had spent more time building it. I use it almost every day.

 

[casetractor]

yea i understand, i will be doing this project with my dad. the last project we did was replacing the onan engine with a new kohler one and we rushed it so now it has some stuff i want to change but cant. and i wil most likely be using it almost everyday

 

[Gary Sweat]

yea i understand, i will be doing this project with my dad. the last project we did was replacing the onan engine with a new kohler one and we rushed it so now it has some stuff i want to change but cant. and i wil most likely be using it almost everyday

It will sound odd but one of the things I discovered too late was that I should have started with the bucket built first. The natural inclination is to build the loader from the tractor out and the bucket last. That's ok, but when you get ready to attach the bucket you may find something got just a fraction off somewhere and the bucket does not want to line up straight with the arms. I spent a lot of time going back to find where it was off and correcting it.

Having the bucket allows you to attach the arms to it and then line everything up to the tractor by tac welding just enough to see how it's looking. The other piece you HAVE to get right is the sub-frame. If it's off even by just a little the error will get much greater at the other end.

The real key is having a level a surface for the tractor to sit on. You will find there are very few level and flat surfaces on a tractor to use as a reference point.

 

[casetractor]

that sounds kinda wierd but ill take your word for it. it actuaaly has allot of places i can mount it so i think i will be ok with mounting it and i have slot of level places where i can work:thumbsup:

 

[jimmysisson]

Leejohn - are you planning to brace your loader towers down to the front of the frame or some other way? Right now it looks like a load in the bucket would twist the towers right off the frame? Maybe I can't see somthing? Looks good otherwise - how far along are you?
Jim

 

[Leejohn]

Yes I'm going to run a kicker down to the front. Right now they are strong, but wouldn't want to bend them.
I have 2 ways I could run the hyd. one with a power steering pump and the other is with a reg. hyd pump. Just waiting on the $$ and a small valve to come along. I want to wait until I can get a new engine. I want one that I can hook a pump on the front, but well just have to wait and see what comes up.
The cyls I made new pistons for them, the stock cyls have a floating piston and check valves on the rod piston. That gave me 1 3/4" more travel.
If I would take the time and get me a valve I would just run it off the bolens hyd. It wouldn't lift much, but I could run it up and down, until I get a new engine and know for sure what way to go with the Hyd.