Storing the Loader in the fully up position

[splotkin]

I just mounted the Kubota ballast box to my BX1850. The tractor shed is just shy of 12 feet long. With the Ballast Box installed the only way to fit the tractor all the way in is to raise the bucket almost all the way to the roof.

In the past when I had to do this I placed a 4x4 post cut just the right, length under the bucket, in case it leaked down.

I mentioned this to a friend and when he is working under anything with a hydraulic cylinder he will place a large piece of angle iron wrapped with duct tape on top of the exposed cylinder, so it cannot close down on him.

I liked the idea but I had no angle iron around. Instead I used a couple of pieces of Schedule 40 PVC pipe. I cut out a piece of the pipe lengthwise about an one and one half inches thick. These I can slide over the cylinder rods to keep the loader from lowering as the fluid leaks down.

I am concerned that the pipe is not strong enough. Especially when it goes down to minus 20 F. I did install them and then put the loader valve in float position. It seems to hold things up OK. I will probably try this overnight but with the tractor outside so there is not an accident if the pipes fail.

Do any of you have an opinion on how strong this PVC set-up is? Does anyone else have a suggestion on a light weight way to hold the loader up from the cylinder?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[rbargeron]

...... I used a couple of pieces of Schedule 40 PVC pipe......

I notice that tractor dealers and repair garages often park units with loaders up high. For smaller machines I think your sched 40 pvc pipe crutches are a good idea. I'd leave the valve in the center position - so if they fail the bucket won't move down quickly - it will just revert to leaking down slowly as it did without them. They probably won't fail - they may get brittle when cold - but not weak. More likely they'll bow or bend in hot weather. Of course if there's any chance of children being around the tractor the safest place for the FEL and 3ph attachments is usually flat on the ground.

 

[john_bud]

Do any of you have an opinion on how strong this PVC set-up is? Does anyone else have a suggestion on a light weight way to hold the loader up from the cylinder?

Thanks,

Scott

Scott, It's probably as strong as a new born kitten.

At -20 the PVC will get VERY brittle and will shatter. The shards can be painful if they hit you and expensive if they hit something else.

I would go to the store and get the angle iron. Actually, I would park where the bucket dropping wouldn't harm anything. Better would be parking with the bucket on the ground. Especially if you have any little ones that like to play farmer. Tractors are "attractive nuisances" like a pool.

jb

 

[kennyd]

I couldn't/wouldn't trust plastic either-I would always doubt it and it would bud the crap out of me.

Get the angle iron and use zip ties to hold it on-you will sleep better.

 

[nh DRAGON]

Scott, I agree that you should put it tractor in a position where if the loader does fall it will not hurt any thing. Last year I had so much hay in that I ran out of room so I had to put the bucket up over the hay to get it in and I set the lock. I use the rig every week once or twice and for the three months I did this the bucket never fell an inch once. this year I have hay, the landscape rake and the weight box in and the BX with the loader up and the tiller on and it sill has not moved! I do like the angle iron idea just have not go one cut yet.

 

[splotkin]

Thanks for all the advise. I have a huge mouse problem and need to keep the shed as tightly closed as possible. At this point the tractor with the loader up is the only option. I have pretty heavy roof joists. I am thinking that I can cut a chain to just the right length to allow me to hook to the joist in case the loader starts to leak down. The shed was designed to allow a crossbeam to be set on the top plate for hoisting engines etc. up to 500 lbs or so. I think this should be enough to hold the loader up. Worst case is the loader will come slowely down and push open the double hinged doors.
I was just hoping that some one had designed a locking collar of some sort similar to the use of the angle iron, that was strong and safe.

thanks,

Scott

 

[Evil the Weasel]

Perhaps the schedule 80 (gray) PVC pipe would be better for this application?

 

[tommu56]

1st make a bucket trap for the mice

and slit a piece of schedule 80 steel pipe like you did the pvc.

tommu

 

[stuarth]

How about leaving it outside and put some toys (motorcycles) in the shed?

 

[Berniep]

How about pull the tractor in the other way and make some reinforcements to the back wall so the bucket can rest against it or even install a ledge for it to rest on, or a loop of chain you could put the bucket into. Just an idea not having seen your shed.

 

[john_bud]

I couldn't/wouldn't trust plastic either-I would always doubt it and it would bud the crap out of me.

.

Hey, I resemble that remark!!

I use a bucket trap for mice. It's a great thing. Have got as many as 11 in there at once. Nice thing is it just keeps on working with no human intervention

 

[Lewiston]

I use angle iron and have a couple of lengths cut for various situations. I personally would have very little confidence in the PVC.

Once I place the angle iron on the exposed ram, I turn off the engine and very slowly lower the loader until it fully contacts and is supported by it. Same concept built into skid loaders - at least Gehl.

 

[Bedlam]

How about some steel sch 40 pipe and cut it similiar to the PVC pipe? Thats should work,If needed make the legnth cuts with a metal cutting wheel and circular saw. Wal Mart has the wheels for around 5 dollars .

 

[LBrown59]

Hey, I resemble that remark!!

Originally Posted by kennyd
I think he meant to type this
I couldn't/wouldn't trust plastic either-I would always doubt it and it would bug the crap out of me.


instead of this
Originally Posted by kennyd
I couldn't/wouldn't trust plastic either-I would always doubt it and it would bud the crap out of me.

L . B .

 

[CHDinCT]

I use a bucket trap for mice. It's a great thing. Have got as many as 11 in there at once. Nice thing is it just keeps on working with no human intervention

OK, I'll bite, what's a bucket trap for mice?

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

We use angle iron and a hose clamp in the shop. There is almost never a time when you won't see a tractor setup like this.

 

[Soundguy]

My choice would be to add some overhang onto the struucture vs leaving my chromed rods perpetually exposed at rest..

soundguy

 

[rickster]

How about leaving it outside and put some toys (motorcycles) in the shed?

NEVER !! I hate seeing a nice tractor being kept outside.

 

[splotkin]

Well, First... as CHDinCT said "Bucket Trap???" Also, if you look at my thread about the work lights you can see the shed in the background in the pic of the front lights. As you can see, It has a saltbox look with the short low end of the roof at the back of the shed. I will try over the weekend to see if I can drive in forwards and see if there is enough room for the bucket to rest on the workbench. If not, I will probably go with Angle Iron and dip them in some of the plastic tool handle stuff or wrap in vinyl tape or something to keep the polished piston rods from getting scratched. Thanks for all the great advise and ideas. And about the busket trap? And Rickster, no way will the tractor go outside. Also, There is no way to add an overhang and keep it rodent proof. If I left it out it would probably be eaten alive. On my old Massy tractor I had a mouse ejected onto my leg when I started it up one AM. after I left it out one night. Uck.

Today on the way home from work I had to pull over as there was smoke coming into the car from the vents. I popped the hood and found a nest on top of the valve cover with bits blowing down onto the turbo housing. It was reallly smoking. Knock on wood I have managed to keep the critters out of the tractor shed. The building is pretty tight and I have one of those ultrasonic varmint repelers running. I suppose someone could start a critter thread.

Again, thanks
-Scott

 

[copperhead1967]

A bucket trap is a 5 gallon bucket with antifreeze in to about 6 inches from the bottom . place a board or some other means for the mice to climb on then suspend bait from a string over the fluid. Use one at camp when we close up for the winter and catch lots of mice. Make sure no animals or kids would have access to it. Ours sits in the middle of the living room to keep the critters out of the furniture in the locket cabin.