Using what I had and hoped it worked.
Started with a heavy 2x4 pallet and a discarded cut-down steel book cabinet. Extended the pallet to 54 inches to match cabinet. Screwed them together, added some hardware to hold it to the bucket. Clamped on the bucket forks, slipped it on, and loaded it.
No trouble lifting it. Hauled it down the road to a brush pile. Very happy.
Arrived at the brush pile and the troubles started. With this load and the heavy bucket, the loader reached about 1 foot short of full height. I dump the bucket, and it hits the top of the pile at a shallow angle and won't dump out. Back up a bit so the edge is off the top of the pile, wiggle it around a bit and finally get it to dump out. Can't tilt it back to level. With the poor leverage angle at full dump, the curl cylinder is too weak to raise the bucket to level. (it had no trouble tilting it when near level when loaded) Lower it until the bucket touches the ground, put the loader in float, curl the bucket, and back up to get the bucket level. Drive back, park the tractor, and think.
It would work well on a stronger, taller loader, but I'm not upgrading tractors to salvage this project. I think I'll modify it a bit, add hinges, and use it on a carryall.
i've got some other scraps around to retry the leaf bucket project. This time it will use the tractor bucket instead of being in front of it. I'll make it just a bit shorter, too. This will shorten the whole thing about 2 feet which will get the load farther back to improve lift and be easier to dump.
If i didn't do things, I wouldn't have the fun of fixing things.
Bruce
Started with a heavy 2x4 pallet and a discarded cut-down steel book cabinet. Extended the pallet to 54 inches to match cabinet. Screwed them together, added some hardware to hold it to the bucket. Clamped on the bucket forks, slipped it on, and loaded it.
No trouble lifting it. Hauled it down the road to a brush pile. Very happy.
Arrived at the brush pile and the troubles started. With this load and the heavy bucket, the loader reached about 1 foot short of full height. I dump the bucket, and it hits the top of the pile at a shallow angle and won't dump out. Back up a bit so the edge is off the top of the pile, wiggle it around a bit and finally get it to dump out. Can't tilt it back to level. With the poor leverage angle at full dump, the curl cylinder is too weak to raise the bucket to level. (it had no trouble tilting it when near level when loaded) Lower it until the bucket touches the ground, put the loader in float, curl the bucket, and back up to get the bucket level. Drive back, park the tractor, and think.
It would work well on a stronger, taller loader, but I'm not upgrading tractors to salvage this project. I think I'll modify it a bit, add hinges, and use it on a carryall.
i've got some other scraps around to retry the leaf bucket project. This time it will use the tractor bucket instead of being in front of it. I'll make it just a bit shorter, too. This will shorten the whole thing about 2 feet which will get the load farther back to improve lift and be easier to dump.
If i didn't do things, I wouldn't have the fun of fixing things.
Bruce
