What do you think about this idea?

[bnixon]

For all out there with a <font color="blue"> NH 7308 Loader </font> you know that unless you have some thing to butt the bucket against when you are putting it back on the tractor you end up just pushing the loader all over the place.

Here is a little brain fart I had the other day and would like to get some feed back as to if you think it would work and what problems you see with the design.

These two devices will be made out of flat bar with a stop welded at the end to butt the loader bucket against. The tires would rest on the other end thus holding the bars inplace while pushing agains the loader to install it. The attached pic should help clearify my confusing description. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

What do you think?

 

[Darren]

That ought to work. Nice drawing BTW. On the quick attach setups I've seen the tractror end has a hook that come up under horizontal pins on each side. As you come up under the bucket or forks and roll the FEL back the hooks engage. Then it's just a matter of inserting and fastening the lower pins.

That means I can park the bucket or forks anywhere and still pick them up.

 

[bnixon]

My thoughts exactly. And these should be pretty easy to store when not in use!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The nice thing about your idea is that the stops are portable and can be positioned anywhere. I had thought to just drill some holes in a 4x4 and drop it over a couple of pieces of rebar sticking up out of the ground, much like parking lot bump stops are installed, but that would mean that I always have to put the FEL in the same place.

 

[Mrwurm]

Brandon, great Idea. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Another variation would be to make the hooks that grab the bucket come around from the outside. That way, you could drop the loader wherever you want and then come back with the attaching fixture whenever you want. As the bucket would not rest on the bars, you could walk'm over and set them up at any time. Your idea is much simpler to build. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[bnixon]

Well I started doing some serious thinking the other day after I nearly ripped the hood off of my TC33D!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Luckily there was only a few scratches and torn decals! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I took the loader off the other day in my garage as I had done a thousand times before. I had it butting up against my box blade. When I went to put it back on one of the sided of the box blade lifted and the whole loader twisted very quickly to the left. This slapped the right upright on the loader into the side of the tractor. Then as I backed up it nearly ripped the hood off.

After I got the loader and tractor out of a bind, and changed my shorts /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif, I said to myself....."Self, There has to be a better way!".

I will get the material to build these things next week and see how they work. I will post pics of the project and keep you all up to date.

If you think of any improvments please speak up. Much easier to change before you start welding! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mrwurm]

Brandon, I have also heard that if you curl the bucket into a full-dump position before you remove the loader it will be easier to reattach. I was told that the 7308 manual used to list this as the proper procedure, but has since been omitted. Could be a case of 'what was old is new again'.

 

[bnixon]

Tried that! Doesn't work on smooth garage floor. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

How about a towing strap? Just attach the hooks before you lower the bucket, and use the same principle as with the steel.

 

[bnixon]

Well, Finally got them built and they work great. Here are some pics.