J.D. Quick Change ???

[Gunfighter]

While at my John Deere dealer I notice the new FEL equipt with Quick Change.
You can switch front attachments like pallet forks, bucket an snow plow quick & easy...

The JD dealer said that Deere doesn't offer this parts for after market installation
but he said there is a company making something similar that is available...

Has anybody had any experience with with Quick Change and do you know of a after
market source..

 

[tc35dforme]

My buddy runs ( 2 ) JDs ( 4700 & 4710 ). The quick change feature is nice !!. He has JD forks for his. It takes him less than a minute to change. He has also fabbed up a snow blade mount. The only problem he has had is a wearing of the mount pins. He is a commercial worker and had to re-do the pins after 2 years.

I would have loved it on my New Holland. The 'Bobcat' style wasn't for me.

 

[centex]

I love the quick attach feature for the JD FEL. It only takes a minute or so to switch between the bucket and forks. The only bad thing is that you have to be careful back dragging because the lower attachment is not designed to take this kind of force. I do not know of an aftermarket source.

 

[beenthere]

I have experience, but do not know of a different source. I shed my 4300 without a bucket or forks (takes less room) and when I go out to do some work, I just quickly grab either the bucket or the forks to do the job. It is fast. The quick change hook-up is great. Some have made their own attachments to fit this system.

I think the backdragging problem was pulling the lower pin out of the light duty material-handling buckets, not the heavy duty buckets. The light duty ones were not intended for landscaping work, but the heavy duty ones are. They are kept light so they can be made larger for more volume of snow and silage, etc. (IMO)

 

[AndyMA]

I have been using a ATI TACH-ALL Quick Attach on my Ford 2120 for several years now. I replaced the normal attachments on the back of the bucket with a welded on piece converting it to a Quick attach Bucket. It is the same Quick attach system that all (most) of the Bob Cat type machines use. My NH TN75 came with a compatable system so I can move from end attachments between them. I backdrag all the time and have never had a problem. You can see more at http://www.rankineqco.com/products/ati/taqa.html

Andy

 

[beenthere]

Maybe that information will help Gunfighter answer some of his questions.

 

[JRP]

Gunfighter,

Take a close look at a Bobcat Skid steer "bob-tach" bucket attachment method. It is a real slick attachment method and can even work if the bucket is not level when you drive up to it. No problem with back dragging. Lots of used attachments are available to fit a bobcat.

Kubota has new loaders that come with the bob-tach or "universal skid steer" compatible buckets and attachment method. I will get that model.

You might find an adapter that allows you to add this type of hitch to your loader.

 

[OkieG]

tc35dforme,

Although I've never used a quick attachment system, it is a very appealing idea. While visiting the JD store I got a chance to see both the proprietary JD system (as pictured above by Gunfighter) and what I believe to be a more universal Bobcat style system on a JD 110 TLB.

I'm not real familiar with either system, but the Tach-All system pictured on the rankineqco.com web site looks similar to what I recall seeing on the JD 110. My tractor/loader combo is too small for the full-sized Bobcat system, but Tach-All makes a small unit to fit my loader, ala the Bobcat style only smaller.

The JD system looks pretty simple. JD does not offer that system for a tractor as small as mine. But, it's such a simple system, I might be able to cut and weld a bit and make my own version.

Sorry for the long windedness. My question is what is it about the Bobcat system that you didn't like and what made the JD system look better to you? Before I spend money on the Tach-All or cut and weld on a homemade variety, I'd appreciate all the input I can get. Thanks.

OkieG

 

[Gunfighter]

I sent the Rankin Equipment company a e-message, received a reply today with
dealer list in my area. There are two dealers in my county within 20 mile of home.
If weather permitting, going to check it out tomorrow. Will report back as to cost
an an other information I get.

Richard...

 

[Gfranklin]

In '95 I bought a JD 870 tractor and a 440 loader. It was not the quick-change type which came out a year later. Later I went to the dealer and bought the pieces to convert the front of the loader and the bucket to quick attach. The part pinned to the loader arms is essentially bolt-on (or rather pin-on). The two hooks and two pins on the bucket are welded on. Actually I never got around to converting it but I do have all the pieces that I bought at the dealer seven years ago. The quick-attach JD bucket itself does have a little different geometry. They came up higher in the back for the two hooks to weld to. When I convert mine, which I still plan to do, I will have to add some extra bracing where these two top hooks are. I have wondered about the strength of the two pins when backblading with the bucket though.

Greg

 

[OkieG]

"I have wondered about the strength of the two pins when backblading with the bucket though."

Are you talking about the short pins welded to the loader bucket, or the lynch pins placed in the holes in the end of those short welded pins?

The short welded pins are about Cat 1 size aren't they? I think the Cat 1 pins on the 3pt sustain much more stress pulling a full boxblade that's digging into the turf than backblading with a loader bucket will generate.

The lynch pins might not last a long time with backblading (?), but they might do just fine. If they don't, they are pretty cheap to replace (10 cents) at TSC.

OkieG

 

[Gfranklin]

I was wondering more about the two short pins that are welded to the bucket. These would primarily be in tension during backblading. It wasn't a big question with me until I bought these pins from JD in order to convert my non-quick-attach bucket. The pin (I don't have it in front of me right now) is about 1" in diameter but was turned down to about 5/8" diameter or so on the end that gets welded. It's as if you drill a 5/8" hole in your bucket, stick this pin with it's 5/8" pilot shaft in to the hole and then weld the 5/8" pilot to the bucket from the inside (which by the way you cannot access from the inside of the the old style bucket. It has a cavity built in for strength. This is why I haven't done the conversion yet). At that time I looked at JD quick-attach buckets and saw no evidence that there was any welding on the 1" diameter part of the pin. My thinking is that this smaller cross section is what is carrying the load and while JD may do it differently than I can see, I wasn't sure my welding skills were going to properly anchor this pin. All this being said, My father has a 1070 JD and what I believe is their light duty bucket and I have backbladed with it and no problem. I guess the issue is really my ability to duplicate what they have more so than if what they have holds up or not!

The lynch pins would be in double shear so I haven't wondered about them too much.

Greg

 

[RedDog]

In Gunfighters picture, I cannot tell how that setup is quick attach/detach /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif. I'm not alone either, as I have shown it to other people.

The "Bobcat" style suits me just fine /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif


RedDog <font color=orange> Kioti DK65 </font color=orange>

 

[normde2001]

It appears that the bucket hangs from the hooks welded to the top of the bucket and latches at the bottom, then releases by pushing the small levers on each side.

 

[beenthere]

It is a quicktach, that picks up the bucket under the hooks at the top of the bucket, then when lifting, the buckets lower two pins (tapered) center into the FEL hole, after which each pin gets secured with a lynch pin. It works well. Similar to the Bobcat in that one has to first hook the bucket, then lift the arms to engage the lower part of the bucket. After that, the bucket can be secured. There are no bolt-type pins that have to aligned as some buckets require. Everthing is done from the seat, except dropping in the lynch pins, which are stored in the loader frame. There was a thread that presented a home-made Deere system but I cannot find it. Good pictures there that showed the design and fabrication of the hooks and the centering pins.

 

[Gfranklin]

Beenthere is right on time with the explanation. Notice the lynch pin at the bottom of the picture. I believe that it is retained with a cable to prevent loss. There is one on the other side of the tractor as well. If you removed these two lynch pins then you just lower the boom and back up the tractor and your unhooked. At the top of the assembly, welded to the bucket, is the hook, one on each side of the bucket. This carries most of the load and is accordingly more robust.

Look closely at the picture near the lynch pin. There is an interesting looking hole punched in the metal frame that I believe is used to store your lynch pin to keep it from dangling or getting lost if there is not a retaining cable. My dad's bucket bracket has a similiar looking cutout but it is right at the edge of the bucket and easy to flip the pin onto. A neat feature.

I really like the system and am building a shrub removal bucket that will quick attach for my father's tractor. The only thing that has me thinking is how I am going to attach those two little short pins to the new bucket or any other attachment for that matter. As described earlier, these pins have a shoulder turned on the end that gets welded. The pin is about 1" dia. and the turned part is about 5/8"dia. The turned length is about 1/4". I am going from memory but these dim's are close. Imagine drilling a 5/8" dia. hole in the bucket or attachments back plate which would be about 3/16 to 1/4" thick. When the pin is mated to the backplate, the pin could then be welded in two places. One place is on the side of the bucket where the 1" dia part of the pin is. The problem here is I am seeing no evidence that JD is applying a weld here and it is probably because this is where the tractors mating bracket seats up smartly to the bucket and a weld would be in the way.

The only other place to weld is on the inside the bucket where the 5/8" dia part of the pin is sitting flush with the surface of the steel bucket material. If I were to lay a bead following this 5/8" diameter circular path, then I would have a linear bead length of 1.96". My problem here is I can't see how JD did it on my father's bucket because the bucket has a hollow fabricated in it in this region and I can't see in there.

Continuing on, I will underestimate, or maybe not, and say I am getting 1/16" penetration on my weld and it beads up another 1/16" giving me an overall weld thickness of 1/8". This would give a total weld cross sectional area of about .25 in sqr. for this one pin. both pins would give a weld area of .50 in sqr and this is what is in shear when backblading.

Maybe there something I'm missing or I'm not doing something right or maybe I'm too cautious I don't know. Like I said before, there has never been a problem with my father's and the system works great. I'll probably weld it on just like I explained.

Greg

 

[Gunfighter]

Did some price checking on the ATI TACH-ALL Quick Attach
The part that goes on the tractor list for $480.00 an the plate
you weld/bolt to the attachment is $100/$150 each...

The dealers in my area are not known for discounts so I plan
to check elsewhere. Also going to try another J.D. dealer
to see about the J.D. Quick Change

 

[Hoeman00]

Since u are building your own set-up,
why not make the pin like a nail, 2" dia.
head and leave the body 1".
Install it from the inside out.
If the back side was chamfered 45* angle
the full 1/4" thickness of bucket more weld
could be put there and not interfere w/ mount.
If u put this mount on the double wall buckets,
drill 1" hole thru both layers and weld on inside
of bucket and on back side w/ chamfer like above.
I would make pins 1" dia. (cheaper and stronger)

 

[Gfranklin]

Hoeman00,

I was trying to make do with what I was given but with access to a machine shop and the strength of your solution, I think I'll have a couple of big "nails" made. Yeh, I believe that is the way to go. Thanks.

Greg

 

[Gfranklin]

Here is a picture of the conversion parts I bought. They are called "holders" at the dealership. Not shown are the two weld-on "hooks", the two short weld-on pins and a long 1"dia. shaft. This shaft replaces the two bottom pins that holds the original bucket to the boom. It is long and pinned to both holders in order to relate them when there is no bucket attached. I am not sure this shaft is really necessary because one of the little 1/4" dia pins sheared on my dads, not sure how. This lets the two holders rotate at different times since they are operated by two now "independent" cylinders. Not a big deal. Just fully extend the bucker cylinders to match them up when you start the process of attaching the bucket to the tractor.

These holders are for a 440 loader in particular, maybe others. They are still available at the dealer (P/N: JOH AW28607) and now cost $68.09 each (LR and RH, just called today). I have the other part numbers except for the shaft if anybody wants them. The two hooks cost $8.27 ea. and the two pins were $4.67 ea. Pretty reasonable cost especially on the implement side when modifying.

I think the loader shown in your photo may be a bigger set-up.

Greg