Loader Arm Failure

[Marada]

I have a Bulldog 285 Loader on My Iseki. In the process of digging the loader arms crimped and buckled. When I got the tractor the arms had spots where the arms appeared to have a crimp to get them twisted enough to attach to the front mount. The angle from the rear to the front is about 30 degrees. My plan is to remove the front mount and bend them to a more upright position. My question is whether there is a reason for the thinner gauge steel that makes up the arms? Can I replace that with something more substantial?
Jack

 

[joes_427_vette]

Some pictures would be helpful. Depends on the hp the loader is rated for as to what thickness and grade of steel used. Sometimes the weight savings combined with a high tensel strength steel is a better combination. Adding heavy steel to one part without attention to the rest might not be the answer. I'm sure you could get alot of helpful information bu adding some pictures and additional information to the forum. Good luck !

 

[dodge man]

I hate to sound so negative, but crimped and buckeled doesn't sound good to me. If its that bad, it may be time to buy a new loader. From your description it almost sounds like someone may have bent the arms to make it fit your tractor. It thats the case, it may have weakened them.

 

[Marada]

Thanks for the fast response. I went out and took pictures. As you can see, the arms are a very light gauge as compared to the rest of the construction. And the front mount seem to me like they should be more upright.
Jack

 

[kevinj]

Thanks for the fast response. I went out and took pictures. As you can see, the arms are a very light gauge as compared to the rest of the construction. And the front mount seem to me like they should be more upright.
Jack

Hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like it was operated with loose and missing bolts.

 

[dodge man]

It doesn't look good. It doesn't really look like the loader arms failed, but it looks like its part of the mounting frame. It does look like bolts are missing, unless you had started to take it apart after the damage. I'm sure it can be fixed, but its going to take some time and a person thats really good with that stuff, such as a good welder and fabricator.

 

[Marada]

It doesn't look good. It doesn't really look like the loader arms failed, but it looks like its part of the mounting frame. It does look like bolts are missing, unless you had started to take it apart after the damage. I'm sure it can be fixed, but its going to take some time and a person thats really good with that stuff, such as a good welder and fabricator.

It's not missing and bolts. In the front it has a plate that slides in the sheet metal channal to mount to the front mount. The rear is welded. When I first got the tractor, the nut holding the arm to the front mount popped off and I had a devil of a time getting that back together because of the angle. Thats why I asked about bending the front mounts to a more upright position. I can then cut the the gauge arms out and use a 3 inch piece of 1/4 inch thick flat steel. Bolt it to the rear and to the existing piece the arm is bolted to. At least thats plan A. The other thought was taking a piece of flat steel and placing it inside the arm. Drill through both and bolt it up.
Jack

 

[dodge man]

Was this loader built for your tractor or was it modified to fit? I keep looking at the pictures and see bolt holes that aren't being used, but that could be for another application.

I don't like the idea of replacing the channel with a piece of flat steel. I know the channel may seem weak and thin, but when you shape a piece of metal into a shape like that, it makes it stronger than if it was flat. A piece of flat steel that long will be able to be twisted really easy. You really need someone that is a good welder to look at fixing it. It looks like it needs to be taken apart, straightened out, then reinforced, and put back on the tractor.

Front end loaders are subject to alot of stress, I'm afraid anything you do will just end up breaking again.

 

[Marada]

Do you think I should change the angle of the front mounts where the arm attaches. Just seems that keeping a truer angle in relation to the rear would help. I'm 30 miles away from the closest welding shop and do not have a trailer that can transport the tractor. That why I was asking about bolting on a flat plate. I'm sure this loader was added after the fact. It looks like a hydraulic hose was adapted to fit using brass adapters for the different sizes.
Jack

 

[dodge man]

I see what you mean about the front bracket being tipped out. I can't tell you if it would be better or not to straighten that bracket. I know any time you bend a piece of steel, it weakens it.

I'm hoping some other people will respond to your post that have a little more knowledge then me. To be blunt, your front end loader looks like a disaster waiting to happen without some expert intervention.

To add a little more, I studied the pictures again, and it looks like the loader is plenty stout. The problem appears that there is some kind of subframe set up that was used to mount the loader and adapated to your tractor, that appears to be the weak line. I think the pieces that are bent are meant to be a low stress item. I'm guessing that the way the loader is mounted that it is over stressing these items. You have a couple of pretty good close up pictures, how about a couple from further away, and maybe one from the drivers seat.

Good luck.

 

[Marada]

Here's a pic my wife took right after I got the tractor. You'll recognise the look on my face as a kid with a new toy. I know the Bulldog line isn't rated very high but it's what I ended up with. The beauty of hindsight.
Jack

 

[dodge man]

That helps. The front bracket that wraps around the nose of the tractor is obiously bent and tipped out several inches, which I'm sure you know. After seeing your last photo, I'm pretty sure the only way your loader is going to get fixed in a premanent manner is for it to be taken apart, straightend, welded up with a little reinforcement, and put back together. I know that isn't what you want to hear, but I don't see any way around it.

 

[Marada]

As I mentioned about trying to replace the nut that had popped off and how difficult it was I wondered why the front mount was at the angle it was at. Just didn't make sense to me. Just appears the loader was added with no concern for doing it right. It could be worst. This is a relatively minor repair. And will make it right. I was worried that the arms where thin gauge as a safety feature. They'd fail before the loader did. But I found that if I'm doing too much with the loader the tractor starts to tilt or the rear wheels come of the ground.

 

[vic4news]

It looks like the loader frame was poorly modified to fit your tractor. I agree with the other posts that a little fabrication needs to be done to make a proper frame. As far as the backend of the tractor lifting when using the loader, it is probably because you have not added any ballast to the rear of the tractor when using the loader. Once the frame is fixed, adding ballast to the rear will allow you took keep the back wheels on the ground when using the loader.

Vic

 

[tractordriver]

Assuming you know how to weld drill and light fabricate go get some 3/8 or half inch bar stock about the size of that front mount and be done with it. if not find a welder and get them to do it it should not be to expensive. If your loader continues to flex there you could break the tractor in half or injury yourself. the loader is not missing any bolts that front mount is drilled in many locations to accommodate longer or shorter tractors it is a universal fit vs. oem. just look at koykers and others. Also nothing wrong with the angles just look at others.

 

[tractordriver]

Tear the loader down and take the arms in the trunk of your car to the weld shop. Also take the front off and straiten it and have the add some gussets to it.

 

[dodge man]

Looking at the photo with you on the tractor, it looks like it was designed to fit the tractor. I'm just guessing the design is a little weak and it over stressed the members that bent. Its hard to say what caused the problem. I'm sure some others will jump in and give a better answer.