QA bucket unlatched

cperky · May 1, 2008

Got some seat time today and had an odd experience:

I was using my, new to me tractor today, I have no previous experience with a QA loader. As I was using the bucket to back drag some dirt I had just dumped ,the left side of the bucket popped out of socket. I think the locking lever was not "locked" prior to me getting started. I had noticed that the left lever was at about a 45* angle and the right lever was parallel to the bucket. I had asked the previous owner about the lever position and he said that the 45* was correct. I had a real hard time getting the left side back into position but when I did the left lever "locked" parallel to the bucket like the right side(as viewed from the seat). I now think both levers are supposed to be parallel to the bucket am I correct?
I found the loader operators manual in the toolbox but it has no info on the QA bucket only the pin on bucket. I would appreciate any info on the install and removal of the qa bucket.

TC35DA with 16LA QA loader
Thanks,
Chris

SPYDERLK · May 2, 2008

cperky said:
Got some seat time today and had an odd experience:

I now think both levers are supposed to be parallel to the bucket am I correct?

TC35DA with 16LA QA loader
Thanks,
Chris

Yes. On mine, a Mahindra, you can see the mechanism and the full lock position is obvious. If the lever is real hard to throw check that the attachment is centered. Sometimes off center within the allowed slop can get the edge of the attachment slot interfering with the pin.
larry

h10doc · May 2, 2008

I have the same loader a 16la and both leavers should be pointing at each other when locked in place. My bucket leavers pop up some times depends on what im loading are unloading. No big deal just push the leaver back down and keep diging. If the leaver is hard to get down I've found to take the bucket off and clean dirt from the mounting surface and bucket and the lock pins will go back inplace easy.

jinman · May 2, 2008

Ken (h10doc) is right. Those arms do sometimes pop up. Most of the time with mine, it is from brush sneaking up behind the bucket and pushing one of them out of lock.

When I first attach the QA, I push both arms down level and then raise the bucket to see the locking pins have come out the slots. Sometimes pushing the lip of the bucket into the ground helps them to seat. They should always stick out a minimum of 1/4" to 3/8". On some of my implements, they stick out a full 1/2". That sounds good, but if you are backdragging and hit a rock, you can burr the pins and then you may need to clean the burrs off with a file or touch them with a grinder just enough that they don't stick and not lock into place. Of course, greasing and cleaning the adapters is an absolute must for good operation. Do you know where the zerk fittings are? If you can't find them, I'll try to post up a picture.

Tractorganic · May 2, 2008

This is good news. I thought my bucket coming loose was a sure sign of age related dementia. Luckily

I don't work w./ a helper so when my bucket fell off into my dump truck I didn't crush anyone and was able to fish it out w./ the FEL QA plates. A little more work was needed when I watched it drop off into an 8' deep stump hole

and had to climb down w./ chain to pick it w./ the BH.
I've always checked the lock tabs at bucket bottom to ensure their engagement and will now check thoroughly for burrs.
A sign of possible latch-failure is resistance against the arms closing down like when you need to push w./ your foot! Some times just a little dirt will get between QA and bucket and make the lock fail and I'll have to drop the bucket, clean off the mating surfaces and try again.
Thanks.