Kubota Excavator Quick Attach

[nobull1]

I am considering installing a Kubota quick attach on my KX91-3 for versatility and simplicity of changing buckets. Does anyone have an opinion on the Kubota quick attach as far as holding tight, wear or whatever issues that might occur?

 

[Tags]

I am considering installing a Kubota quick attach on my KX91-3 for versatility and simplicity of changing buckets. Does anyone have an opinion on the Kubota quick attach as far as holding tight, wear or whatever issues that might occur?

I've got 2500 or so hrs on my 161 with the quick attach and have had no issues, it's still fairly tight, and is quite a simple system. The first time you switch buckets with the quick attach you'll wonder why you waited to get one, the same thing goes for a hydraulic thumb.

 

[nobull1]

For the last 7 years I had a mechanical thumb on my Kubota and Daewoo before it. It was better than none but I found it too much of a bother to hook the arm onto the thumb and most times I could have used it I wouldn't bother. Last month I finally got around to installing a cylinder and having bushings and grease fittings installed in the thumb. I now have about 130 degrees of rotation and use it all the time. As you said once you have it..... A big concern of mine is the tightness of the QA to the buckets. I know some of the pin type QA are loose and noisy. It drives me nuts listening to clunking buckets due to worn bushings or a loose fitting QA. It will take me many years to hit 2500 hours, and if yours is still relatively tight that should work for me. Am I right in assuming it has a bolt that tightens into a wedge and as it wears it just tightens further?

 

[curtisfarmer]

Best thing since beer. I bought a grading bucket and oh boy does having the QA make life easier, just like a front loader QA.

 

[Cooter Brown]

KX161 here.
Works awesome and is not sloppy.

 

[Charlesaf3]

if its the same system as the m59, I like it, but the pin isn't as secure as kubota thinks it is... lost and buried one, and now use a bolt and nut to hold the quick pin on.

 

[Tags]

A big concern of mine is the tightness of the QA to the buckets. I know some of the pin type QA are loose and noisy. It drives me nuts listening to clunking buckets due to worn bushings or a loose fitting QA. It will take me many years to hit 2500 hours, and if yours is still relatively tight that should work for me. Am I right in assuming it has a bolt that tightens into a wedge and as it wears it just tightens further?

It is not a wedge style coupler like John Deer uses. The ears on the bucket are cut out to line up with bushings that are on the quick coupler, similar to a wedge style, after the bucket is on the coupler, a pin is slid through the rear of the bucket ears and the coupler and held on with a hitch pin. I know what you mean about clunking qa's, I had a WainRoy setup on a previously owned excavator, it was like throwing a fishing line out after about 800 hrs I think you would be nothing but happy with the Kubota setup.

 

[Ken45101]

if its the same system as the m59, I like it, but the pin isn't as secure as kubota thinks it is... lost and buried one, and now use a bolt and nut to hold the quick pin on.

Yes, last week I lost the latching pin twice! Noticed it both times before the QA pin came out. I have a KX-121-3 with the QA.

The QA is really nice although I've only changed buckets twice. From what I've heard, changing buckets without the QA is quite a task.

Ken

 

[Cooter Brown]

if its the same system as the m59, I like it, but the pin isn't as secure as kubota thinks it is... lost and buried one, and now use a bolt and nut to hold the quick pin on.

My 12 inch bucket is the only one that I have ever lost the retaing pin for the large pin on because the pin on a 161 is wider than the 12 inch bucket which make sit stick out wider than the bucket.

 

[Charlesaf3]

I've lost it on the 24" and the 12". Wiring the pin on didn't help, still knocked it off. Mind, this is digging stumps, so it "rubs" - I think it would be a lot less likely to fall off with general digging.

So I used a bolt and locnut. Quick enough on and off, I don't change buckets that often, and have a cordless impact driver. Even with a ratchet it wouldn't take more than a few seconds.

Oh, and no "clunk" whatsoever, its a really tight fit. I'd recommend it strongly, but deal with the pin ahead of time. You DON"T want to lose the main pin, say digging at night... trust me, I know.

 

[Ken45101]

You DON"T want to lose the main pin, say digging at night... trust me, I know.

Ah! The dark side of the excavator business!

 

[coopers]

Kubota's QC system is good. I've had no problems with them and the only slop they have comes with normal wear and tear that any machine will acquire. You'll love it when you get it.

 

[nobull1]

Am I right in assuming it has a bolt that tightens into a wedge and as it wears it just tightens further?

I was at the dealer examining the quick attach a couple of days ago and as I suspected it is a wedge type coupler. It looks similar to the US version but has a hook at the back to accept a wedge to tighten the bucket to the QA rather than a pin. It appears different countries use different types and the type in Canada used by Kubota is a H&H quick attach. I ordered a QA, 36" ditching bucket, 16 " trenching bucket and a set of adaptors to convert my 24" bucket. I will post a couple of pic's when I get it set up in the next few weeks.

 

[Tags]

The US coupler is made by Werk-Brau, odd that they would switch companies, but maybe it's too expensive for WB to ship to Canada? Who knows, either way good luck with the coupler!

 

[nobull1]

The US coupler is made by Werk-Brau, odd that they would switch companies, but maybe it's too expensive for WB to ship to Canada? Who knows, either way good luck with the coupler!

I think you are right about too much to ship to Canada. H&H (Canadian company) has been supplying buckets for Kubota Canada since at least 2004 when I bought my KX91-3. In Europe they use a different one as well. I guess a local supplier just makes sense instead of shipping overseas or country to country.

I just made my thumb hydraulic a couple months ago (works great) and now I will have to modify it as the thumb and bucket won't line up anymore due to the coupler. What timing ah!

 

[MerkurXR4Ti]

Kubota is a company made up of many smaller companies representing regions and manufacturing/sales etc... Each division makes its own choice as to what brands and attachments they want to use. Logistics may play a large role in this. But I don't think it's as large as you think.

For instance: Kubota Canada uses Quickie front loaders instead of America's KIE (Kubota Industrial Equipment) made loaders. Logistics possibly, but why not keep the machine all Kubota?

 

[coopers]

Nobull, pics on the thumb?

 

[nobull1]

Nobull, pics on the thumb?

Here are a couple of pic's of my hydraulic recently modified thumb. When I added the QA the thumb was about 6" too short and would just go inside of the bucket. I added some stock to extend the thumb, but also had to widen it as well. The new 16" bucket had the teeth in a different configuration and I had to add a couple of inches to the width so it would go between the teeth or catch the cutting edge of my three buckets. If you also notice the gold coloured pin with the grab handle that I use to keep the thumb from creeping down over time. When I need to use the thumb I just pull the pin.

 

[nobull1]

Here are a couple of pic's of my new H&H quick attach. The quick attach hooks its two bosses on to a couple of hooks on the bucket and then the other end lowers down and is secured by a wedge and bolt. At present it appears easy to change and tight. Time will tell how it holds up, but I am optimistic.

 

[coopers]

Nice modification on the thumb nobull.

I hope that QC system works for you. I'm not a fan of that. I haven't had good luck w/ it.