Where to Site Ken's Bolt-On Hook on Backhoe Bucket?

[My Hoe]

Hi all,

I bought some of Ken's excellent Bolt-On Hook products some time ago, and am only now getting around to putting the Bolt-On Clevis Mount (for a shackle) on the backside of the backhoe bucket on my BH77, on my B3000HSDCC.

I can't remember why I didn't buy both the chain hook and the Bolt-On Clevis Mount (i.e., his "Grab Hook Clevis Combo,") but it appears I only bought the latter (i.e., not the chain hook). So I have a few noob questions:

1. Should I mount the Bolt-On Clevis Mount on the INSIDE or the OUTSIDE of the backhoe's bucket? (It seems to me I should mount it on the backside of the bucket, so I have the full amount of "reach" when using the backhoe as a (light) "crane" to unload trailers, etc....) However, in the attached pic from Ken's website, I see that the chain hook is mounted onto the backside of the bucket (see attached pic of red Mahindra backhoe with black bucket that I got off of Ken's excellent website).

2. Assuming I mount the Bolt-On Clevis Mount to the OUTSIDE of the bucket, how close to the bucket's lower pivot pin should the clevis mount be placed? Please see the pic below, where the chain hook appears like it could have been mounted a bit closer to the bucket's lower pivot pin, and thus away from the area of the bucket that is obviously in contact with the ground, based on how the paint looks. I assume it wasn't mounted any closer to the pin in order to allow bulky/multiple chains, shackles, etc..., to be easily hooked over the hook without being blocked by the bucket's pin boss.

3. HOWEVER, I feel I should have also bought the chain hook from Ken and plan on doing so in the future, meaning I will likely then swap the Bolt-On Clevis Mount into the inside the bucket, and put the (new) chain hook on the backside of the bucket, as shown in the photo of the red Mahindra backhoe, below.

Does anyone see a problem with my plan to add the chain hook at a later date and simply reuse the same, two holes I'm about to drill for the Bolt-On Clevis Mount? (I realize I'll need to also buy the longer bolts and, again, I should have bought Ken's excellent clevis/chain hook combination kit, shown here: Grab Hook Clevis Combo: Grab Hook/Clevis Combo - BoltOnHooks LLC)

For reference, here is a link to Ken's site: Bolt-On Hooks: Bolt-On Hooks - BoltOnHooks LLC

I'm hoping to add the clevis mount this afternoon, so I will check back in hopes of learning what not to do before I do it! LOL Thanks in advance!

My Hoe

 

[mikester]

I'd place the hook where it's out of the way while digging but still reachable with your chain. Be a bummer to break off that new hook when digging and you will hate it if it's tucked away so tight you can't unhook your chain while wearing leather gloves.

 

[rScotty]

Hi all,

I bought some of Ken's excellent Bolt-On Hook products some time ago, and am only now getting around to putting the Bolt-On Clevis Mount (for a shackle) on the backside of the backhoe bucket on my BH77, on my B3000HSDCC. Should I mount the Bolt-On Clevis Mount on the INSIDE or the OUTSIDE of the backhoe's bucket.

There are a lot of ways to do add a BH bucket hook. I put mine outside of the backhoe bucket much like your picture shows. The difference is I use a heavier clevis mount instead of a hook, and my lifting kit contains several D rings rigged for use with nylon straps or with a chain hook.

2. Assuming I mount the Bolt-On Clevis Mount to the OUTSIDE of the bucket, how close to the bucket's lower pivot pin should the clevis mount be placed?
I stuck mine on with a magnet and tape before drilling and worked the bucket to see if I had the right amount of clearance. This isn't the first one I've done, and I've been surprised to see that even when they are lower and farther away from the lower pivot I haven't had any interference or wear when digging. Not enough to worry about. A Clevis mount can be tighter because the D ring gains you chain-rigging clearance.

3. HOWEVER, I feel I should have also bought the chain hook from Ken and plan on doing so in the future - putting a Clevis inside the bucket.
Why not? It ought to work. I use heavy thick washers on mine to spread the load out inside the bucket and recommend you use that or some sort of backing plate. Your extra Clevis mount would do the same

4. Does anyone see a problem with my plan to add the chain hook at a later date and simply reuse the same, two holes I'm about to drill for the Bolt-On Clevis Mount?
If it does need moved, I suspect that the back of the bucket won't be hurt by a few extra holes. Buckets don't tend to wear back there.
rScotty

 

[My Hoe]

I'd place the hook where it's out of the way while digging but still reachable with your chain. Be a bummer to break off that new hook when digging and you will hate it if it's tucked away so tight you can't unhook your chain while wearing leather gloves.

mikester: Thank you--I hadn't considered the effect of gloves. Unfortunately, given that my bucket is narrower (or at least, built differently) from the backhoe bucket on the red tractor I posted earlier, I won't be able to work a shackle pin while wearing gloves, given how close the bucket's rear, reinforcing bosses or flanges are to the bucket's lower swivel pin. But, it is what it is.

Also unfortunately, as you will see in the pic of how I added the clevis to my bucket, the entire backside of my bucket is rounded (unlike the red tractor's bucket I posted a pic of, which has a nice, flat surface for the clevis pin's base to sit on).

And not having my welder at this location, I was unable to "build up" a suitable, flat "pad" for the entire base of the clevis's mounting plate to sit on squarely. I did find a "sweet spot" where the tendency of the clevis's mounting plate to "rock" is less likely to occur. However, because of the rounded back of my bucket, I'll be lifting largely against the "shear strength" of just the two, Grade 8 bolts which are provided with Ken's kit. But to be clear: Ken's kit, and bolts, are excellent--really top shelf stuff! The fact that my bucket is rounded is not something a 3rd party's kit can be expected to compensate for.

But given the rounded back of (most of) my bucket, in the future, in order to lift heavier loads with greater piece of mind, I plan on buying two more clevis kits from Ken's Bolt-On Hooks, and mounting one up on each top corner of the BH's bucket, where there ARE completely flat surfaces to mount on. This way, the entire backing plates of the (two, additional) clevises will be providing strength that is far beyond what is available from even the center-mounted clevis's Grade 8 bolt's shear strength.

But I will leave the center-mounted clevis as well, for lighter loads, as I won't need to rig up some sort of "bridle" to use the center clevis, as I will in order to use the two, additional, top-corner mounted clevises I plan to add. Make sense?

rScotty,

I don't know how I managed to screw up the "multi-quote" system, so that your comment (incorrectly) appears to be something that "mikster" replied to. LOL But I will respond to your quoted comments below them.

There are a lot of wys to do add a BH bucket hook. I put mine outside of the backhoe bucket much like your picture shows. The difference is I use a heavier clevis mount instead of a hook, and my lifting kit contains several D rings rigged for use with nylon straps or with a chain hook.

2. Assuming I mount the Bolt-On Clevis Mount to the OUTSIDE of the bucket, how close to the bucket's lower pivot pin should the clevis mount be placed?
I stuck mine on with a magnet and tape before drilling and worked the bucket to see if I had the right amount of clearance. This isn't the first one I've done, and I've been surprised to see that even when they are lower and farther away from the lower pivot I haven't had any interference or wear when digging. Not enough to worry about. A Clevis mount can be tighter because the D ring gains you chain-rigging clearance.

3. HOWEVER, I feel I should have also bought the chain hook from Ken and plan on doing so in the future - putting a Clevis inside the bucket.
Why not? It ought to work. I use heavy thick washers on mine to spread the load out inside the bucket and recommend you use that or some sort of backing plate. Your extra Clevis mount would do the same

4. Does anyone see a problem with my plan to add the chain hook at a later date and simply reuse the same, two holes I'm about to drill for the Bolt-On Clevis Mount?
If it does need moved, I suspect that the back of the bucket won't be hurt by a few extra holes. Buckets don't tend to wear back there.
rScotty

rScotty,

Thank you for the suggesting that I get some "D-Rings" to use with the nylon straps I have! I will make a separate post asking for suggested makes/models/sizes of D-Rings, but since you already use them, I'd like to ask you (either here or in the "D-Ring" post I have not yet made) if you can suggest any sources for D-Rings you like.

That's a great idea you had, to do a "test dig" with the clevis temporarily mounted with magnets. I didn't have any magnets (but I will keep that in mind for future customizations!) but I also didn't have a lot of placement options, given the rounded back of my BH's bucket that I keep ******** about.

I might not end up mounting a clevis inside the bucket after all, given that much of our soil here has a high clay content, which I suspect will cause wet clay to stick inside the bucket as it is. But I might try adding a clevis inside the bucket, and see if I can get away with it--we'll see.

Good point about a couple extra holes in the back side of the bucket not affecting bucket integrity significantly. Plus, if I do remove the center-mounted clevis once I add a clevis to each top corner of the bucket, as described above, I could always weld up the two, original holes.

Thanks to both of you for the excellent suggestions--much appreciated!!!

 

[My Hoe]

@rScotty,

There are a lot of ways to do add a BH bucket hook. I put mine outside of the backhoe bucket much like your picture shows. The difference is I use a heavier clevis mount instead of a hook, and my lifting kit contains several D rings rigged for use with nylon straps or with a chain hook.

Could I impose (further--LOL) upon you, and ask you to expand on your "...D rings rigged for use with nylon straps..." ? Because I, too, have nylon slings in various lengths and widths, but the loops on them are too big to fit through a shackle. However, they do they don't look reinforced enough to put on a bucket hook (which I don't have yet anyway).

If you had pics of your D-Rings, etc..., and or brand/model names or sources (or links?) to the lifting rings you use to connect your nylon slings to bucket hook and/or clevis (and felt like "sharing"), I'd really appreciate that!

Thanks again.

 

[rScotty]

@rScotty,



Could I impose (further--LOL) upon you, and ask you to expand on your "...D rings rigged for use with nylon straps..." ? Because I, too, have nylon slings in various lengths and widths, but the loops on them are too big to fit through a shackle. However, they do they don't look reinforced enough to put on a bucket hook (which I don't have yet anyway).

If you had pics of your D-Rings, etc..., and or brand/model names or sources (or links?) to the lifting rings you use to connect your nylon slings to bucket hook and/or clevis (and felt like "sharing"), I'd really appreciate that!

Thanks again.

Well, when the loops are too big to fit the shackle that generally means that those parts are not rated to be used together. Lifting hardware varies a lot by lifting class and by absolute weight and many pieces are deliberately designed not to be able to be used together.

As usual, when I want to get something mechanical I started at McMaster-Carr because they have the dimensioned drawings, prices, and certs right next to the part listing. That way I can measure off their blueprints to see if it fits. Plus they give me a general feel for what is available for what price & the different classes and weights. Often enough, I just end up buying from them.
www.mcmaster.com

But for lifting hardware they didn't have what I wanted. It took a lot of online searching to find someone selling quality lifting hardware I felt comfortable with at decent prices & shipping.
I bought my chain and strap hardware from:

https://www.huyett.com/resources/product-faqs/lifting-hardware-faqs

Huyett seems to be a nice family business who care about what they sell & they sample test. I'll buy from them again.

rScotty

 

[Xfaxman]

Because I, too, have nylon slings in various lengths and widths, but the loops on them are too big to fit through a shackle.

Would this style work?: STAINLESS STEEL SCREW PINSCREW PIN LARGE BOW SHACKLE AISI316 - T6BSHK — Kerr Unit Inc

Or this: shackle for nylon sling - Image Search

This would work: soft shackle - Image Search

 

[DIYOrangeDave]

Has anyone installed a receiver on their bh bucket? This would allow for a range of possible connections. Keeping it out of the way but still serviceable would be the trick.