Homemade quick attach

[SSdoxie]

I think you guys have the right idea using a hollow either round, square or rectangle it should give a little more and still spring back. I also think if you mount it below the center point of the pins, closer to lower pin, it will have less twist action applied to it.

 

[Steve in MT]

Wow, some really great answers on the cross bar. Im a scrap steel who@e and save more then I should. When digging through my pile I came across a piece rod weeder bar. Its about 1-1/4 square (solid) stronger then mild steel, almost like a spring steel so in my opinion was a good choice for the cross bar. If you follow a couple of simple rules then exactly what to use wont be a problem. ONE, always make sure that all the bucket pins are in place and cant fall out. TWO, never throw a chain around the cross bar and use it as a lifting point. THREE, never use the QA as a lifting point without a bucket or something similar in place. Other then that, use whatever the other guys here suggested, it wont be a problem.
Steve

 

[600rider]

For what it's worth, I used a 1.125 dia. solid round bar for mine. Built it last spring and works great! My QH is built like the Kubota QH and thats what they used. I went with their engineering as I am a fabricator not an engineer... just sayin! Ken. W8N4-SNO!

 

[Sfrankland]

I added a piece of 1 1/2" x 3" tube with a 1/8" wall thickness. I added a 2" receiver to it so I can move my trailer around.

 

[joshuabardwell]

I ran by the salvage yard today. They didn't have 1/4" thick flat stock in 2.5" width, and I didn't want to be making a bunch of long cuts down the length of the stock, so I took 3/8" instead. I figure the extra 1/8" won't hurt anything. Maybe a little extra weight. For the torsion bar, I got a 2" piece of square stock, 1/8" thickness. Everything smaller was gauge thickness, so it was an easy choice, since I won't stick weld thinner than 1/8".

They didn't have DOM tubing for the bushings. I found some tubes with about 1 1/16" ID and about 1/8" or 3/16" wall thickness. I am pretty sure that is not going to work, but I didn't want to leave empty handed, so I bought it anyway.

Here's my current question: with regard to the bushings, what maximum clearance is desirable relative to the diameter of the pins. The pins are 1" exactly. That gives them as much as 1/16" of slop with the tubing I bought today (that probably isn't going to work). What should I be shooting for? 1/16"? 1/32"? Should I basically buy 1" ID tubing and somehow ream it out just enough to accept the pin? I measured the existing tubes and they are exactly 1" ID. The existing pins are exactly 1" diameter. So, clearly, the tolerance between the pin and the tubes is tighter than my chintzy little caliper can measure. Not sure how I can machine this to work, unless through some stroke of luck, the pins are actually slightly under 1", and a 1" ID piece of DOM tubing will accept them. I dunno. Without a piece of tubing in front of me, I'm not sure how to answer the question.

Sadly, it also looks like I am going to have to source actual DOM tubing, because I don't think I'm going to find anything sufficiently thick-walled to make things work off-the-shelf.

I also don't think there's anyway 1/8"-3/16" wall thickness is strong enough. The factory tubes are 1/4", just like the side plates.

 

[Sfrankland]

You really need a machined fit for your pins. If you have any slop it will quickly wear the pins and holes making a sloppy fit even worse. Since you have to cut the plates off the bucket I would cut them as close as you can a repurpose them for your quick attach. Check my build thread for my SSQA and you can see how I did it.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/263765-ssqa-mahindra-max-28-a.html

 

[joshuabardwell]

You really need a machined fit for your pins. If you have any slop it will quickly wear the pins and holes making a sloppy fit even worse. Since you have to cut the plates off the bucket I would cut them as close as you can a repurpose them for your quick attach. Check my build thread for my SSQA and you can see how I did it.

I appreciate the feedback, but I'm not sure you've read the whole thread. This isn't an SSQA. I don't think cutting off the bucket's ears is required--in fact, the whole point of this style of QA is that you don't have to modify your bucket.

I'd still really like to hear how the other folks who built this style of QA got the proper fit for the pins (no slop).

 

[Sfrankland]

Sorry I just read the last few posts. I see your problem. You still need a machined fit though. I would contact a local machine shop or a buddy with a lathe and have 8 made up. You need to get a good set of callipers and measure the pins and the bushings on the bucket to see what they have for tolerances. Also want to check all the bushings and measure at several different locations to account for any wear.

 

[Sfrankland]

Another option would be to buy a 2" round stock or DOM tubing with and ID slightly smaller than what you need. Cut them to length as square as you can and drill them out to 15/16" and run a reamer through it. You will need a drill press and a vise mounted to the table to hold everything but it is doable. My choice would be parts made on a lathe but this is just another option.

 

[puckgrinder85]

The DOM will probably be the best stuff you can get unless you know someone that can custom make you the bushings on a lathe. The pins I sourced locally from like tractor supply were suppose to be 1.25" pins but must have been slightly undersized and fit in the DOM like a glove. The bushing I cut from that same DOM wouldnt slide on my loader pins that were exactly 1.25". What I ended up doing was taking a sawzall and slicing the DOM bushing and I used a screw driver to pry open the DOM enough to slide over the loader pins and which I tacked in place. This made a perfect fit without a lot of monkeying around. I then welded them up completely and ended up having to file the hole out slightly from a little distortion I got from welding. After that the pins slide nicely in and dont move at all. Keep in mind the pins stay stationary in the bushings, the rotate in the loader arm and the dump cylinder eye. The only wear you could get from these pins would be a pounding wear if they were really far off in clearance.

 

[joshuabardwell]

For those who are keeping score at home, this thread has some good ideas on the same topic.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/160859-weldable-backhoe-pin-bushings.html

 

[joshuabardwell]

The bushing I cut from that same DOM wouldnt slide on my loader pins that were exactly 1.25". What I ended up doing was taking a sawzall and slicing the DOM bushing and I used a screw driver to pry open the DOM enough to slide over the loader pins and which I tacked in place.

That's a good suggestion, and I like that it will save me the need to purchase a reamer. Either the factory pins will fit into a piece of 1" ID DOM tubing, or they will just barely not fit, and I'll open them up like you suggest. I hope the former. That would be real convenient. I am thinking that, in lieu of a reamer, I might-could chuck the tubing up on a drill press and put some sandpaper on the inside of it to take a few thousandths off. That kind of works better if you're working on the outside compared to the inside, but it might be worth a go.

Here's another nice video I found of someone discussing a similar repair.

 

[Burtonbr]

The video by mars1952 shows a nice job of repairing worn holes and the reason for boss' on both ends of the pins, the kubota design is better in that way.
I hope to try and build the QA adapter for myself soon following some of the designs and ideas in this thread, thanks for all the good info to follow along.
I priced all the materials from a few of the online metals suppliers and looks like about $90 for the materials with shipping about $120-$130 so that should save about $200 over buying from kubota and should be a fun project to tackle.

 

[joshuabardwell]

I called a local steel supplier, and they said they didn't have anything like DOM tubing. Apparently, it is a specialty item. They suggested one local specialty metals supplier, who isn't answering their phone, so I think I'm going to have to end up ordering online. It's a shame to pay shipping for steel, but what can you do?

the kubota design is better in that way.

Likewise, the bucket on my Bobcat has bosses on both sides of the ears. On the inside, there is approximately a 2" tube that encloses the pin, through which a retaining bolt runs. On the outside, there is approximately 1/4" of additional tubing extending out of the 1/4" side plate, for a total of about 1/2" of bearing surface.

 

[Chilly807]

I called a local steel supplier, and they said they didn't have anything like DOM tubing. Apparently, it is a specialty item. They suggested one local specialty metals supplier, who isn't answering their phone, so I think I'm going to have to end up ordering online. It's a shame to pay shipping for steel, but what can you do?





Likewise, the bucket on my Bobcat has bosses on both sides of the ears. On the inside, there is approximately a 2" tube that encloses the pin, through which a retaining bolt runs. On the outside, there is approximately 1/4" of additional tubing extending out of the 1/4" side plate, for a total of about 1/2" of bearing surface.

Might be cheaper to pay a local machine shop to make the pieces you need, it's worth asking if you have one available. That way you get exactly the size you need with no guesswork.

Sean

 

[SSdoxie]

I called a local steel supplier, and they said they didn't have anything like DOM tubing. Apparently, it is a specialty item. They suggested one local specialty metals supplier, who isn't answering their phone, so I think I'm going to have to end up ordering online. It's a shame to pay shipping for steel, but what can you do?



Likewise, the bucket on my Bobcat has bosses on both sides of the ears. On the inside, there is approximately a 2" tube that encloses the pin, through which a retaining bolt runs. On the outside, there is approximately 1/4" of additional tubing extending out of the 1/4" side plate, for a total of about 1/2" of bearing surface.

Joshua, You can order those bushings from Bobcat, they sell then to repair the SSQA Bobtach if needed. The inner one may be a little longer than needed but could cut to length. Part numbers are; 7187469 for the inner with pin retainer hole, and 7181392 for the outer oner. 2 of each should be around $15 - $20.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Joshua, You can order those bushings from Bobcat, they sell then to repair the SSQA Bobtach if needed. The inner one may be a little longer than needed but could cut to length. Part numbers are; 7187469 for the inner with pin retainer hole, and 7181392 for the outer oner. 2 of each should be around $15 - $20.

SSdoxie, you are my savior. As much as I love DIY, in a case like this, I think the right diameter is paramount. That's pretty close in price to the DOM really.

 

[SSdoxie]

SSdoxie, you are my savior. As much as I love DIY, in a case like this, I think the right diameter is paramount. That's pretty close in price to the DOM really.

Just realized there is a typo in the first part number listed. Correct number is 7187460 (not 69).

 

[puckgrinder85]

The only reason I made mine from 1/4" was due to clearances and what I had lying around. If you could use 3/8 you could avoid all this crap. The design of your loader/ bucket may change the way you build it.

 

[joshuabardwell]

The only reason I made mine from 1/4" was due to clearances and what I had lying around. If you could use 3/8 you could avoid all this crap. The design of your loader/ bucket may change the way you build it.

The existing ears are made of 1/4", but there is enough clearance on the pin bosses that I think everything should work out okay. The smallest of the pin bosses still has a total width (including the side-plate's thickness) of 1/2". What I think I will do is bevel the pin boss, then cut a hole in the side-plate the OD of the pin boss, then insert the pin boss flush with the inside face of the side plate. That will keep the distance between the ends of the pin bosses the same while allowing the side walls to be thicker. I plan to mock up a few side-plates out of wood, to ensure that I'm getting the center-to-center spacing of the holes correct.