Front-End Loader Wanted: way to quick attach and detach the FEL bucket

rickmacheske · May 3, 2007

Does anyone know of a way to quick attach and detach a FEL bucket for a 'bota? I'd really like to be able to use a set of forks and a rock bucket if I could ever find one at a reasonable cost. The 3pt attach with Pat's system makes attaching 3pt items simple and quick but if I want to use something other than my FEL bucket, it's a huge ordeal. Wouldn't it be nice to have a skidsteer-like attach system?

goneandbrokeit · May 3, 2007

This is what I have on my B2630. There are other manufactuers as well.

ATI Corporation - Tach-All(tm) Quick Attach

jsborn · May 3, 2007

I am also using the ATI Tach-all quick attach system on my L4400 and find it to be the best and easiest way to go. it takes maybe 30 seconds to pull up the levers and roll the bucket off or on. I have had mine fro about a year and have not found any problems with it to date.

rickmacheske · May 3, 2007

Thanks for the info. I've contacted ATI for a dealer near me.
Rick

IslandTractor · May 8, 2007

Horst Welding and now I believe Millonzi also sell these FEL QA adapters similar to the ATI system.

rickmacheske · May 8, 2007

Ouch....dealer wants $913 for the conversion. It sounded like a good idea. That's for the ATI plate on the tractor and the bucket and includes the welding labor.

IslandTractor · May 8, 2007

rickmacheske said:
Ouch....dealer wants $913 for the conversion. .

Millonzi does direct to customer sales and should cost less than half of that if they are pricing their adapter the same way they price their grapples. PM Joe Millonzi at Joe@MI and see what he can do for you. You'd have to do the bucket conversion locally but any welding shop could do it in about 30 minutes if you provide them with an adapter plate which you can get from numerous sources including ebay and Millonzi.

rickmacheske · May 9, 2007

Does Millonzi have a web site?

mchasal · May 9, 2007

Kubota makes a pin type quick attach that should be a lot cheaper:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3978/sort/1/cat/all/page/1
It doesn't allow you to use skid-steer attachments, but it does make standard mount attachments quick attach. I have a similar system on my MF and it was around $250.

BTW: Millonzi International Homepage

schmism · May 9, 2007

rickmacheske said:
Ouch....dealer wants $913 for the conversion. It sounded like a good idea. That's for the ATI plate on the tractor and the bucket and includes the welding labor.

yep, thats almost to the dollar what i was quoted for a ATI QA conversion kit for my rihino FEL. $700+ for the frame and like $200 for a set of QA blanks to weld on my existing bucket.

i also passed.

I still intend on getting a QA for my loader, just got to find the "right" one for me

rickmacheske · May 9, 2007

I got a quote for the Millonzi today. The price was not much different. The part that went on to the tractor was more than the ATI by about $75 but the part that went on to the bucket was less.

IslandTractor · May 9, 2007

I've never gotten a quote from Millonzi on that device but I am surprised their pricing is higher than ATI. ATI's business model is exclusively through their dealer network while Millonzi sells both through dealers and directly. Their grapples are much less money at least when bought directly than the ATI equivalents. Did you get the price from Joe M via a TBN PM? They seem to have a more flexible pricing structure than some of the more established companies and so far have been giving pretty good prices to TBN members.

rickmacheske · May 9, 2007

I just sent their sales people an email. How do you PM thorough TBN?

IslandTractor · May 10, 2007

rickmacheske said:
I just sent their sales people an email. How do you PM thorough TBN?

Click the private messages tag in the right upper corner under the "Welcome back, rickmacheske!" message. Joe's TBN username is Joe@MI so enter that as the addressee in a new message (look to the left side and you'll see the new message option). Then just type a note and send it. I think he actually has his PMs forwarded to his email so he tends to reply pretty quickly.

I just sent you a PM so you should see a message in your PM inbox.

computerboy · May 10, 2007

I just picked up the ATI quick attach from my dealer for $680

and 2 plates for $90 each. The plates where given to me at the open house price they had last month.

I have been wanting one for awhile but the price always kept me from ordering. Switching between the bucket and forks takes too long. With the price of steel, it is not getting an cheaper. I have not had time to get the places welded on my bucket and forks. If I would have gotten the quick attach originally when I wanted too (3 years ago), I think it was only around $400.

I already have a lead on a snow plow converted for a skid steer for $500 and I may have my father-in-law build me a grapple for Christmas. It should come in handing if I have all those toys - I am tools.

Thanks,
Mike

Kendall69 · May 10, 2007

I know the price is high, but it's the best money you can spend, if you change from bucket to geapple or forks often.
To just pull two levers and back out and pull up and lift and close two levers - ahhhhhhhh.

IslandTractor · May 10, 2007

Kendall69 said:
I know the price is high.

It sure is. I have one of these devices and love it but there is no way they should cost as much as bush hog or similar implement. There is nothing particularly fancy about the construction or design. Some cuts, bends and welds. Not that much steel as they only weigh about 100lbs.

jsborn · May 10, 2007

IslandTractor said:
It sure is. I have one of these devices and love it but there is no way they should cost as much as bush hog or similar implement. There is nothing particularly fancy about the construction or design. Some cuts, bends and welds. Not that much steel as they only weigh about 100lbs.

You are also paying for all the manufacturer liability insurance should one break off etc. when you pay high prices for things like these thank your lawyer and your congressman.

I do agree they are well worth the cost as it has been said speed cost money how fast do you want to go ? or in this case how easy and fast do you want change outs to be ?

IslandTractor · May 10, 2007

jsborn said:
You are also paying for all the manufacturer liability insurance should one break off etc.

I cannot imagine that the liability on one of these adapters is more than on a bush hog however so I don't think liability explains more than a few dollars of the high price. Specialty item, lack of competition, not bundling it in the original purchase, trucking cost and healthy dealer margin probably explains more.

450EXC · May 10, 2007

Does the quick attatch add about 5" between the loader pins and the attatchment ? Does the additional distance from the hinge point to the attatchment cause you to loose much lift capacity?

I need one too