Looking for bucket reinforcement advice for grapple

[jmc]

Comments??

You should think about adding a vertical component to the back of the existing lip so that it forms a box and then welding it where the (shortened) leg touches the back of the bucket as well as where the other leg contacts the lip. I tried to attach a sketch.

If you make the angle iron longer than the grapple mount, you could weld some chain hooks on there while you're at it.

John

 

[dex3361]

I agree with Ray a piece of square tubing welded in would work well. Though the bucket is well made it will need to be beefed up a little.

 

[ChuckinNH]

One of the Kubota dealers near here uses a full length piece of angle iron welded to the top of the bucket to mount three bucket hooks, it really strengthens the top of the bucket, but does add some weight. My Kubota dealer uses (3) pieces of angle iron, perhaps three inches long to do the same thing. I've not seen one of his installations on a bent bucket either. I think that either would work for your application.

 

[638]

Trust,

This is how I reinforced the top of my bucket. 2x3x1/4 angle iron. Nuts are welded in place. I keep bolts installed when the graple is not installed to keep crap out of the holes. The offer I made before still stands.

 

[Ductape]

I agree with the above suggestions..... running angle across the top, and down to the backside of the bucket. Do you have a steel fab shop near you? They could bend some steel to fit perfectly, and make the ends fit however you wanted. Obviously that would probably cost a bit more than a piace of angle....... which would also work as long as you get it to fit parallel to the top lip, and rest on the back of the bucket correctly. That grapple looks pretty beefcake !

 

[tamarack]

I stalled a Tatro Grapple on omy B7800 FEL and yours appears to be similar. I have included a couple of pictures of my installation which might be of help.

 

[jmc]

I stalled a Tatro Grapple on omy B7800 FEL and yours appears to be similar. I have included a couple of pictures of my installation which might be of help.

Well done, Richard.

John

 

[skipro3]

I have the same grapple on a 66" FEL on a 4344 Montana tractor. I used an angle iron and fit it up inside/under the upper lip of the FEL, thereby sandwiching the FEL between the Grapple and the angle iron. I've picked up rocks large enough to tip my tractor even with a backhoe attached without tweaking the bucket.

 

[john_bud]

I would do 2 things;

1) a piece of (about) 1"x2"x3/8 rectangular tubing under that lip full length. I say "about" as you want it to fit in there tightly. I would weld the back edge top and bottom and drill some holes from inside the bucket (before putting in the tube) to plug weld it.

2) add a piece of 3/8" flat that is about 2" a side longer than the grapple base by 6 or 8" wide and weld that on the inside of the bucket.


The buckets on the general use tractors are all light duty. That is one of the things they do to get higher lift capacities. You would have been better off ordering a heavy duty bucket from Kubota and beefing that, but this will work for a long time.

 

[Berniep]

For that beefy unit I would want to tie it to the side plates somehow. Even my little American solutions grapple puts a lot of strain on the components.
Boxing the entire top lip of the bucket with angle may work but I think you will get stress cracking soon. Better would be to use heavy wall square tube.
Best would be to use a heavy square tube with additional side plate reinforcement.
If you live anywhere near me and can get the bucket to me I would be happy to help fabricate something up.
That pretty much goes for anyone who needs help.
I don't get a chance to get on TBN much as I used to but PM me and I will get it sooner or later.