Front-End Loader Skid steer quick attach adapter

[Car Doc]

I went with the plate and cut my old brackets off to get the load center as far back as possible. ymmv hth

 

[Alpha Dog]

OH, and before anyone thinks I've ignored K0ua's story, the only reason I'm going to keep this bucket is that I've already added a small grapple and reinforced the top, and I think I'll still have a use for it, and there won't be much "trade-in" available.

 

[JJZ 109]

Well, thanks to the suggestions here, I searched until I found someone at a Kubota dealership who'd do a little research, and found the OE part for $495. By the way, does anyone have any preferences about which way to go in converting the bucket? Should I get a "one-piece" plate type adapter, or the two "pockets" to weld on to a flat backed Kubota bucket?

Will Kubota's OE part match up to universal SSQA? Even though I would think it should be so, I think I've read on this forum that they aren't quite the same.
As for the plate adapter, I went one piece. Then there is nothing left to chance. You know the spacing should be right.

 

[k0ua]

Well, thanks to the suggestions here, I searched until I found someone at a Kubota dealership who'd do a little research, and found the OE part for $495. (Also thanks to K0ua for giving me a price to start haggling from). The part should be here Friday, so now all I have to do this week is go out to the farm about 30 miles away, pick up the L2800, take it home to my current house 30 miles in another direction, cut the brackets off my current bucket, weld on the SSQA adapter to that, purchase the root grapple I want, get that delivered, close on another 14 acres adjacent to my farm on Thursday, load the tractor up and carry it back to the farm, install the grapple, start clearing brush around the old trailer house that I have to get removed from the new 14 acres so my son arrange to have someone come get that trailer out so he can start building his "barn-dominium", finish cross fencing the current land, put in a new gate to the new land, haul water for my wife's animals, and, oh yeah, somehow work 40 hours at my "retirement job" that helps pay for all this stuff. As we say where I come from, "ain't no hill for a stepper." By the way, does anyone have any preferences about which way to go in converting the bucket? Should I get a "one-piece" plate type adapter, or the two "pockets" to weld on to a flat backed Kubota bucket?

Well the hardest metal to remove is the "ears" That piece in the middle is not too tough.. so that does not matter.. but I would think the solid would add some stiffness to the back of the bucket when you push in those big honking rocks. You know, keep it from denting up so bad.

James K0UA

 

[k0ua]

Will Kubota's OE part match up to universal SSQA? Even though I would think it should be so, I think I've read on this forum that they aren't quite the same.
As for the plate adapter, I went one piece. Then there is nothing left to chance. You know the spacing should be right.

The original OE Kubota part fit anything I tried it on. Including the 3rd party plate and the Everything Attachments?Construction attachment forks.

James K0UA

 

[Alpha Dog]

Will Kubota's OE part match up to universal SSQA? Even though I would think it should be so, I think I've read on this forum that they aren't quite the same.
As for the plate adapter, I went one piece. Then there is nothing left to chance. You know the spacing should be right.

According to the dealer, (and believe me I asked the question very directly and got an answer in writing), yes, it will. It is the "New" SSQA that comes on the newer loaders, and should fit any of the Universal Skid Steer attachments. (I'm old and dumb, but not a particularly "trusting soul"). Thanks for the input, I think that seems to be the way to go, but it never hurts to ask.

 

[JJZ 109]

According to the dealer, (and believe me I asked the question very directly and got an answer in writing), yes, it will. It is the "New" SSQA that comes on the newer loaders, and should fit any of the Universal Skid Steer attachments. (I'm old and dumb, but not a particularly "trusting soul"). Thanks for the input, I think that seems to be the way to go, but it never hurts to ask.

Always good to learn something here to file away for future reference if someone else happens along with a question.

 

[94BULLITT]

I would get what ever plate fits your bucket the best.

 

[JoeBuyer]

I used the single full plate and welded it onto the existing ears on the bucket I retrofitted. I know that limits the lift capacity but I have other buckets if I need more lift. I actually wanted a bucket that had many chain hooks on it and held loads farther away from my radiator when swinging at the end of a chain. So the extra 4" was welcome and I welded the hooks on while welding the plate. The ears made nice flat supports to weld to and were fastened very well to the bucket itself of course. I had to fab a cap on top to give the plate a little more support is all.

 

[Notforhire]

Right. And to be able to loan/borrow with your neighbor farmers if it is a special, seldom used attachment is great. Commonality of allows that.

I have a rock bucket and a stump bucket, that I bought for a Bobcat that I no longer own. My L3240 doesn't realy have the grunt to pop stumps, but my friend/ neighbor has a big 75hp New Holland, w/SSQA. Buckets built for Skidsteer use are deep (from the cutting edge to the back) so they don't work that well on CUTs. Not enough break out. He uses my buckets from time to time and does my heavy lifting in exchange. Works out great for both of us.

Bill

 

[Alpha Dog]

OK, I got the SSQA adapter, and have ordered a QA grapple for it, and a QA plate for the old bucket (gulp). Still thinking about taking it to a welding shop and saying "please cut the brackets off and weld this thing on (but figuring the "angles" to keep it at factory settings will be hard with the brackets still there.) I may just get froggy enough to try to do it myself, using K0ua's suggestions. I don't know if I'll have the time or inclination by the time the parts arrive, but who knows?

 

[Notforhire]

OK, I got the SSQA adapter, and have ordered a QA grapple for it, and a QA plate for the old bucket (gulp). Still thinking about taking it to a welding shop and saying "please cut the brackets off and weld this thing on (but figuring the "angles" to keep it at factory settings will be hard with the brackets still there.) I may just get froggy enough to try to do it myself, using K0ua's suggestions. I don't know if I'll have the time or inclination by the time the parts arrive, but who knows?

You may want to check out, How To Video Demos - Implements & Attachments

Bill

 

[Car Doc]

Here is my thread where I did the SSQA and how I went about it maybe it will help ya. (hope the link works) Go to page 3 about post #27 starts the pictorial and post #34 has some better detail of cutting the old loader bucket brackets off etc.

The actual placement of the plate on my bucket was different than stock and really wasn't anything I saw I could do about it other than brace it I didn't want that or think it was necessary. The top of the bracket would have been too high above the top of the bucket to place it at the stock height (see pic with old bracket next to plate) and that worried me it may weaken it so went the way I did. fwtw

www.tractorbynet.com/forums/yanmar/241460-new-skid-steer-change-over.html

 

[k0ua]

OK, I got the SSQA adapter, and have ordered a QA grapple for it, and a QA plate for the old bucket (gulp). Still thinking about taking it to a welding shop and saying "please cut the brackets off and weld this thing on (but figuring the "angles" to keep it at factory settings will be hard with the brackets still there.) I may just get froggy enough to try to do it myself, using K0ua's suggestions. I don't know if I'll have the time or inclination by the time the parts arrive, but who knows?

Go for it,, IF I can do it you can do it.. I am not anything special in the fab department. Or welding department or even the thinking ahead department. Mine is still holding up fine..

James K0UA

 

[Alpha Dog]

Well, I got the grapple and the adapter plate, got the quick attach installed and picked up the grapple, then realized the quick connects on the hydraulic hoses were wrong, so I've got my son out searching for those. I've got to make a quick trip of about 300 miles tomorrow, to pick up some fence panels for some working pens, so I won't start the conversion project yet. I'll probably do that on weeknights, since it's getting dark so early now that I don't have time to get out to the "new" rancho after work. If I get the bucket converted, I've already got some plans to build some other attachments, including one to help move around the trailers in the back drive by the barn at my current place, (four of them are mine, one belongs to a friend who lives in town and can't store it in a driveway, and another belongs to an organization that my wife advises), so it gets a little "trafficy" near the barn sometimes, with six trailers, two tractors, a pickup, and who knows what else. Anyone built something like that?

 

[Car Doc]

I need a trailer moving adapter also and my thoughts are to use a 2" receiver hitch setup and weld it to the back of my bucket so I can tilt the bucket forward enough I can see what I am doing lining it up.

I haven't gone any further that the thought so it may be a bad idea dunno. We like pics of stuff btw hint.

 

[MNBobcat]

OK, I got the SSQA adapter, and have ordered a QA grapple for it, and a QA plate for the old bucket (gulp). Still thinking about taking it to a welding shop and saying "please cut the brackets off and weld this thing on (but figuring the "angles" to keep it at factory settings will be hard with the brackets still there.) I may just get froggy enough to try to do it myself, using K0ua's suggestions. I don't know if I'll have the time or inclination by the time the parts arrive, but who knows?

I went to the local Bobcat dealer and I bought the quick attach (skidsteer side) from them for a $100 off their junk pile. They'll get them in where the bushings are wore out and someone puts a whole new one on the skid.

I cut and ground the mounting brackets off the back. Then I made new brackets suitable for the tractor and welded them to the back side of the quick attach. So now I have the factory Bobcat quick attach on the front of my tractor.

 

[PandDLong]

Even if skid-steer attachments fit, I have been told that the angle of the back and the earlier comment on bucket depth, will limit the usefulness of the attachment when put on the FEL of a CUT. Anyone's experience differ and the attachment works well?

I have a Kubota FEL with SSQA and the square back 72" bucket. I am thinking of getting a 60" toothed bucket for digging tasks but am now quite uncertain if a skid-steer bucket will work or if need to stay with a Kubota/loader bucket. Suggestions?

 

[Notforhire]

Even if skid-steer attachments fit, I have been told that the angle of the back and the earlier comment on bucket depth, will limit the usefulness of the attachment when put on the FEL of a CUT. Anyone's experience differ and the attachment works well?

I have a Kubota FEL with SSQA and the square back 72" bucket. I am thinking of getting a 60" toothed bucket for digging tasks but am now quite uncertain if a skid-steer bucket will work or if need to stay with a Kubota/loader bucket. Suggestions?

You can go with a non-Kubota bucket with a SSQA that is made for a CUT, like this. CCT - Compact Tractor Bucket

I haven't had any problems with the angled back on buckets from my old Skid Steer. As I have mentioned, the deep bottom seems to be the problem. It places the load farther out, so lift and break out are reduced. I can use my rock bucket on my CUT as long as I don't fill it up. The SSQA system itself is great.
If you have a larger tractor, like my friends 75hp New Holland, using buckets intended for a Skid Steer don't seem to be a problem.


Bill

 

[Alpha Dog]

Hey folks, I finished converting the bucket and painting it Monday night, and yesterday after work, hauled it out to the "Rancho" but after that half-hour drive, it was too dark to mess with unhooking the grapple and testing the bucket, so it's still sitting on the trailer. I tried to take pictures during my conversion, but they didn't turn out too well since all I had was a cellphone camera.
But I wanted to thank everyone here, particularly K0ua, for the input. Without James' "horror story" I'd have never figured out where all those welds were, and would have probably ground much bigger holes in the back of the bucket (oops, went too far once with that 7" grinder) than I did, and would likely still be fighting it. It actually only took me about 4 hours of work, and ten 4 1/2" cutting wheels plus 9 of the 7" wheels to remove the brackets, and as far as "ugly welds"... Well, there is another reason I can't post pictures, too embarrassed to photograph those!
I hope to have time this evening (if I get off work on time) to go out and test the setup.
So, thanks again, I appreciate the help!