Kubota bucket hooks

[clee4020]

Thinking about welding 1 hook to the both bucket level indicators (1 on each side) to my M9540 bucket. The bucket indicators are welded to bucket and to the quick attach bracket. From what I can tell, this would be the best place to weld the hooks. Any other suggestions?

 

[countrybumpkin]

In my opinion they are not heavy enough to mount a hook on.

Read thru these threads a lot of info here, also search a little and you will find a bunch of info on adding hooks.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/188498-bucket-hook-s-placement.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/195592-how-do-you-hang-you.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/161882-front-end-loader-hooks.html

 

[Scrambler82]

I used a plate on the inside of the bucket bolted through.
So far so good...

 

[SixHoeBob]

Run a five inch piece of channel iron across the top of the bucket with the legs of the channel towards the bucket. Cut the level indicators back so they blend into the added channel. Weld 3/8 grab hooks to the channel iron, one 4" in from each end, and two (six inches apart) in the center. Get the heaviest cross-section channel iron available. Consider six inch channel as an up-grade. Done correctly this will make it look as though it came from the factory. Don't forget the primer and orange paint:thumbsup:

Every project is a self-portrait of the person who did it

 

[Usta]

My Kubota dealer puts a single hook on all their buckets as standard practice. I am not sure if they put on the plate with it or it was already on the bucket. They sell chain hooks along with hooks that are already cut with a flat area for welding.
Attached you can see their installation. It is in the strongest location. Pulled many a stumps with it without any bucket flexing.

 

[SixHoeBob]

I would think there would develop a kink where the chain passes over the top of the 243 loader bucket.

Step one; Bend and mangle top of bucket, as well as bow cutting edge.

Step two: Try to fix results of step one, and add assorted hooks found under work bench

Option; Do a proper job of reinforcing bucket and adding hooks that look like they are factory originals, before the bucket is bent

 

[grsthegreat]

im confused, cant yo just weld them to the top of the bucket like the ones in my picture??? or is the metal too thin?? These were weldable hooks i picked up at a tractor supply for $2.50 each. welded with my stick welder

 

[clee4020]

Bob,
You got any pics of what you are talking about with 5" channel?

 

[troutsqueezer]

Here's mine. Primered, before I painted it. It has picked up and drug many huge rocks and pulled many cut down trees out into the open. The bracket is 1/4" angle iron.

 

[Usta]

I would think there would develop a kink where the chain passes over the top of the 243 loader bucket.

I would agree if it was a larger tractor with a lot of power.
It is all proportional.
With the power of the little BX 2660 and the stregth of the bucket it works great. No top lip bending or flexing and I have hooked to things the tractor or loader could not move. I have touched up the paint where the chain messed it up but the metal was fine with the exception of a few small nicks and gouges.

 

[SixHoeBob]

Sorry, but I have not mastered the camera yet. Any metal added to the top of the bucket that doesn't extended from one side to the other, is not going to do much to strengthen the top edge. Looking at the bucket from the side, the channel iron forms three sides of a rectangle. The bucket is the bottom side of the rectangle. The idea is to create a rectangular tube across the top of the bucket. Then you weld the hooks on top of the channel iron.

On the 7040 with a 1153 loader, I used 3/8th by three inch angle iron to create the tube effect.

I take assorted short pieces of metal and find a cross section that blends in with the shape of the bucket. Usually channel blends in but some times angle works better.

Some of the skid-loader buckets worked best with the steel welded inside the top edge.

The heavy duty skid-loader buckets have a triangular tube formed to create the top edge. For those no reinforcing is needed, I just weld the hooks on.

Every used tractor I know of has both the top and bottom bent or bowed. Kind of like a rite of passage

 

[brucewj]

I welded a pipe across the span of the bucket on my bx2660, then welded hooks to the pipe.

 

[PHILIP8N]

Here's mine. Philip.

 

[grsthegreat]

Here's mine. Philip.

your the hook master general :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[countrybumpkin]

On My Kubota I used angle and "Boxed" in the top edge before mounting the hooks, has worked really well to help stiffen the bucket and provide a good hook location.

 

[Kubota Tee]

I went with the bolt on method - primarily because I don't have access to a welder. I've used them quite extensively and believe they will hold as much as the bucket can lift. The hooks were rated at 10,000lbs each.

 

[clee4020]

Well it's been over a year now and I have not put the hooks on...yet. Between work and twin baby girls, I don't get a chance to go outside and play as much as I used to. As you can see from the attached pics, the bucket level indicators are made from 3/16" metal. The top lip that forms a "channel" is also made of 3/16" metal. I found that 1.5" sq. tubing fits nicely under and between the indicators and top lip to fill the channel. I thought about buying some 1.5" round tubing, but I happen to have enough 1.5" sq tubing that is 3/16" thick in the shop. Plus the sq. tubing will give a good flat surface to weld to. Should I weld an additional 1/4" plate to the top of the indicators and then weld the hooks to that? I plan to center the hooks with curl cylinders. Any suggestions?

 

[BlacknTan]

Many Kubota buckets have a pretty steep angle on the back which I wanted to reduce somewhat. I didn't want the weight penalty of a piece of steel going the full width of the bucket. So, here's mine, primed. I have photos painted and installed somewhere, but I'll have to search.

 

[kennyd]

Many Kubota buckets have a pretty steep angle on the back which I wanted to reduce somewhat. I didn't want the weight penalty of a piece of steel going the full width of the bucket. So, here's mine, primed. I have photos painted and installed somewhere, but I'll have to search.

That is a great design!

 

[kcender]

Here's what I did on my L3240.