Warranty void by adding hooks on FEL?

[yooper1]

I am hoping to put a couple of hooks on my FEL. I was going to weld on 2 of the 3/8 grab hooks.

I searched and read many posts about positioning, sizing, beefing up the top of the bucket, etc.

I saw a couple of posts suggesting that they voided their warranty by adding hooks to the FEL.

I know I could call my dealer and get an actual answer, but wanted actual real world user input. Also I am afraid of their possible answer.

Has anyone actually voided their warranty when they did this?

Also, was it just the loader warranty or the whole unit warranty.

I would hate to void my 2 year warranty just by wanting 2 darn bucket hooks :mur:

None of the posts / threads I read had any actual concrete wording that a warranty was voided.

Maybe there is a somewhat decent way to lift things without the welded on hooks that a member has / is using. Maybe a towstrap around the bucket?

 

[impdaddy]

I hope it doesn't yooper. The dealer welded my hooks to the bucket while it was still under warranty.

 

[rswyan]

What impdaddy said ....

 

[RoyJackson]

I have never read of a warranty being voided by welding hooks on the bucket. Now, I did have the dealers weld hooks on both my 670 and 790...the 4400 had hooks when I bought it.
If your bucket is Quick Attach, drop it off the loader before welding. There is a possibility of damaging the alternator and (on newer tractors with computers) other electronic items if the welder is not grounded properly.
Dropping the bucket off the loader eliminates that possibility.

 

[check 6]

My dealer welded hooks to my FEL as well as welding a trailer ball to my box blade before I took delivery of my new tractor.

 

[yooper1]

I have never read of a warranty being voided by welding hooks on the bucket. Now, I did have the dealers weld hooks on both my 670 and 790...the 4400 had hooks when I bought it.
If your bucket is Quick Attach, drop it off the loader before welding. There is a possibility of damaging the alternator and (on newer tractors with computers) other electronic items if the welder is not grounded properly.
Dropping the bucket off the loader eliminates that possibility.

ooh, not quick attach, but supposed to be somewhat easy to un-bolt

 

[yooper1]

Also I would imagine that if a warranty were to be voided there must be tens of thousands of tractors out there with the hooks and voided warranties

So...maybe I should just ask my dealer and get it over with

 

[Iowachild]

I have never heard of bucket hooks voiding a warranty, but that doesn't mean it has not happened. As far as lifting w/o hooks, I don't recommend it. I reinforced the top edge of the bucket with 3/8" X 2" angle and used 3/8" plate to reinforce the bucket directly below where the hook is welded on. The hooks have become my most used attachment and I have not had any problems or distortion of the bucket.

 

[brain55]

I personally have welded on many hooks to loader buckets while working at the dealer, Kubota and New Holland. It does not void the warranty, but I don't expect you to come back wanting a new bucket when you bend it picking up something too heavy or the wrong way, either. I'm sure there have been cases where this has happened, so I can see how a dealers policy could become not to weld them on, or to tell you the warranty is void.

Brian

 

[wdchyd]

Hopefully I haven't voided mine......but they sure work great.......