Universal Quick Attach Bucket Dropped on Both Feet

[Rapp@BlueRidge]

OW! OW! OW!

I'm glad that by the end of your posting it became clear you weren't asking us to come lift the bucket off you....

 

[tacticalturnip]

Good you didn't break them, that could have been worse!

 

[chim]

Currently, feet are in the cab when installing or removing QA stuff. Picture was taken after final fitup and trial run (and before wiring had been completed).

Before that, I'd keep the bucket (or forks, or whatever) slightly curled just off the ground. Then I'd stand in the bucket while operating the latches. Until the bucket is dumped past the point that gravity "removes" it, she'll hang on the pads just fine.

 

[Notforhire]

Currently, feet are in the cab when installing or removing QA stuff. Picture was taken after final fitup and trial run (and before wiring had been completed).

Before that, I'd keep the bucket (or forks, or whatever) slightly curled just off the ground. Then I'd stand in the bucket while operating the latches. Until the bucket is dumped past the point that gravity "removes" it, she'll hang on the pads just fine.

I had the loader arms drop slightly while releasing the bucket. Fortunately my foot didn't get crushed just the tip of my shoe.
Now I do what you suggest and stand in the bucket when operating the latches!

 

[dodge man]

Glad you’re ok, sounds like it could have been worse. You need to get your power washer out and blow all those warning labels off you you don’t feel bad not reading them.

 

[thclimer]

Currently, feet are in the cab when installing or removing QA stuff. Picture was taken after final fitup and trial run (and before wiring had been completed).

Before that, I'd keep the bucket (or forks, or whatever) slightly curled just off the ground. Then I'd stand in the bucket while operating the latches. Until the bucket is dumped past the point that gravity "removes" it, she'll hang on the pads just fine.

That's a pretty clever design, what parts did you need and about how much were they?

 

[chim]

The 12V linear actuator with 8" stroke is from Amazon. I think full stroke takes 20 seconds. I'll check for more information on it. They're available in different strengths and it does take some oomph at parts of the stroke. The picture shows the original actuator. The original seemed marginal, so I replaced it before it had a chance to fail. The rest was fabricobbled from scrap stuff I have except for a couple nuts and bushings.

It took some measuring and figuring where to locate the ends of the actuator to match the 8" travel of stroke and its built-in limit switches. After agonizing and measuring a lot on where the holes should be drilled, I discovered the distance between the existing bolts worked fine. No need to drill the QA handle after all. Here's the original writeup:

Another Remotely Operated Quick Attach

A couple weeks ago I wired a switch and extended wiring to a trailer plug to the outside of the cab. Earlier this week I fabbed up a couple tabs and visirted the local hardware store for a couple bushings and longer bolts. Today it's been wrapped up except for wiring between the plug just...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[kneedeep]

QA can be testy at times, buckets and grapples are heavy and sometimes hang up for me.
I kept the old trailer tires when buying new ones, cut big drain holes in both sides of them.
To change my QA implements now, first, unlock while curled back, then sit it on a big 16” tire or two for wide stuff and give it a little shake until the boom can lower out of the top lock.
Wiggle it around to hook back up.
I did it accidentally while needing to get pallet forks off quickly so I dropped them on an old tire and they popped right off. Most of the time the forks want to tilt backwards trying to get loose, but surprisingly t worked!
The bigger tires work great for my forks and 2 tires work better for buckets.

Just how we do it ‘down hear’!

 

[OzarkChris]

Hey guys / gals, don’t do what I did yesterday. While taking the bucket off my front loader, I did a stupid thing and the bucket fell from about 18” onto and pinned both feet.
There are two lock-down levers on my Kubota FEL. I had released one but the second one was stuck at about 90 percent released. So I got the hammer to give it a tap from underneath.
I was unable to swing the hammer from underside, so I raised the bucket off the ground about 18".
Still could not hit it correctly, so I curled the bucket forward (as in the pic) MISTAKE # 1.
Then I stood in front of the bucket so I could hit the lock-down dog. MISTAKE # 2.
Then using the hammer and reaching over and behind the bucket, I gently tapped the dog to free it - MISTAKE # 3.
That bucket fell so quickly! Right off the FEL hook up pads and onto my feet. Don’t do this!
I was working alone and the bucket was too heavy for this old man to lift to free my feet, so all I could do was pull my feet out one by one. Painful but I had no other recourse. It could have been much worse but luckily my feet are still intact. Sore as heck, and swollen, but no broken bones.
Hopefully, this cautionary tale of my stupidity will spare someone else.

You were lucky, I have a piece of left over 2 or 2 1/2 conduit that's about 4' long I keep in the tractor behind the seat. I use that to open the quick attach - it always closes really easy though, go figure!

 

[aa2tn]

OP, glad you're ok.

This situation and along many other cases similar to this is why the Euro/Global quick attach should be the standard. In this particular case, it would have just spun in the hooks and the bucket would have never fell on the ground, let alone hurt anyone.

Granted this a combination of mistakes but it's still a problematic design.

Nothing against the european design but this SSQA is not a problematic design! It is on millions of pieces of equipment and problems are very rare. If kept greased and operated with common sense (use a piece of pipe as a longer handle) problems are almost non existent.