LA 302 bucket quick hitch

[600rider]

Well since we don't have any snow to go snowmobiling on and since Kubota doesn't offer a quick hitch for the bucket on my LA302 FEL I took to the shop and built one. I copied the Kubota design mainly because the loader is rated at something like 590# and I wanted it to be as light as possible. I know a guy who has a B7800 with the BL1676 quick hitch and used it for the pattern to make mine. I work in a sheet metal shop and had access to a shear punch press and press brake so it was all pretty simple to do.
I started by going to my friends house and measuring his QH and taking some pics.

 

[creekbend]

Innovative. Good job.:thumbsup:

 

[600rider]

Next I drew up a print and went to the shop and cut the parts out. I used .179 hot rolled pickled and oiled steel for the brackets. I had to go to a local steel yard to find some 3/4 id heavy wall pipe for the pins to go into. I needed this pipe before I punched the holes into the brackets to be sure I got the right size holes. I hunted in his shop for about 45 minutes before I found what I wanted, a "drop" about 2' long and some other steel for feature projects $15 and I had what I needed! I also stopped at TSC and bought some 3/4 hitch pins and lynch pins and I was ready to start fabricating! I cut the 3/4 id pipe on my HF band saw and drilled holes for the cotter pins. Next was to punch the 1.25 holes in the brackets for the pipe. I then took the brackets home and counter sunk the holes for the pipe (for welding in the pipe). The pipe was 1.265 od and the holes were 1.25 id so a pressed fit was obtained by pressing them in with my bench vise. Then tacked together and test fit.

 

[600rider]

Here is what Kubota offered for the bucket, just pinned on. And here is the brackets I made. As you can see I am a better fabricator than welder!! :laughing: But still these will make changing from the bucket to the pallet forks (one of the future projects, actually the next one!)

 

[Johndeere3720]

Nice job! Very good fabricating skills! :thumbsup:

 

[Jerry/MT]

Here is what Kubota offered for the bucket, just pinned on. And here is the brackets I made. As you can see I am a better fabricator than welder!! :laughing: But still these will make changing from the bucket to the pallet forks (one of the future projects, actually the next one!)

Nice work and you saved yourselves some bucks! Don't worry. When you paint those welds over, it'lll look like a factory job!

 

[600rider]

here is a video of the hitch in action. Sorry for the poor quality of my cell phone but as I said earlier I am a better fabricator then welder or videographer!
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53esF1UzVDQ]Kubota LA302 bucket quick hitch - YouTube[/ame] I will try to get a better video later in the week.

 

[k0ua]

Your ability to envision, a project and fab up the pieces is first rate. Far far better than I could do, but your welding could use a little help. I was wondering if you could tell us what you were using for a welder/rod/settings. and if some of the more experienced welders on here could help you with some recommendations. This is a great project and it would not take much to make it really beautiful as well.

James K0UA

 

[600rider]

Thank you for the props! I used a Miller 250 amp Mig welder and I think I just needed some more heat, because I turned it up near the end of the welding and laid better welds!
Bucket off to on and back off, time elapsed was 60 seconds! way better than pulling the cotter pins, beating the pins out a and horsing the bucket around!:thumbsup:

 

[k0ua]

Thank you for the props! I used a Miller 250 amp Mig welder and I think I just needed some more heat, because I turned it up near the end of the welding and laid better welds!
Bucket off to on and back off, time elapsed was 60 seconds! way better than pulling the cotter pins, beating the pins out a and horsing the bucket around!:thumbsup:

Good deal on turning up the heat!.. Yes a Quck disconnect is way better than pins. I thought about getting a pin on set of forks. but gave up that idea after messing with getting pins lined back up. I went SSQA ( have bigger tractor/loader) and it has been a blessing. I did go ahead and put a SSQA plate back on my old bucket. and it works great. I bought a larger 66 inch new SSQA bucket when I got the adaptor. and it has been good for those jobs when you need a wider bucket like snow for instance. It is so easy now to change buckets and to forks in just seconds now. Makes me hungry for a grapple maybe.

James K0UA

 

[NH-Rob]

wow that works better then the factory one on my b3200. my pins hardly ever just slide in. I hope to build a skid steer style one of these days. Wish i had the metal shop access that you do it sure would make it a much easier build
Rob

 

[Leejohn]

Wow I'm doing the same thing right now for my B7800. I got the hookup brackets made now and just have to go and get the other flat stock. Mine are little different but hookup like yours, but the hookup pin is above the lower pin. Yours is going to be better then mine and when I get them done I well post a picture and then you can see what I mean.

 

[600rider]

You know why I made the QH for the loader don't you? Yep next on the agenda is a set of FEL forks! I got a set of 42" forks last summer from our jitney repair man for scrap price $.15 a lb. x 80 lbs ea = $24.00! I got started on them tonight. Sorry no pics (phone was on charge!) I am using 2.5"x2.5"x.5" angle for the top and bottom rail that the forks slide on with 2.5"x.375" flat bar for the uprights. I notched the top bar from the center to the outside edge 2.50" on center, 7 notches each side. I made a 4" notch in the bottom center to facilitate removal. That's about all I got done tonight. I will post pics tomorrow.

 

[600rider]

here is the thread for the Fork build, http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/235122-la302-quick-hitch-forks.html

 

[zmansmac]

What a great project, and well executed too. I've been thinking about doing something like this for my LA302 as well but it seemed like all the quick attaches I've seen add more weight than I would want. But this design is elegant and simple. I do have a couple of questions though. Since you didn't post any pics with the bucket attached, I'm trying to figure out the purpose of that little piece of metal on the outboard sides that is welded on an angle and has a crescent shaped cut on the end. In the video I see you putting in and taking out the 3/4 inch pins but what holds them in, or did you just slide them in for the purposes of showing how easy they go in? Also, what is the diameter of the solid rod connecting the sides. I haven't looked at your fork project yet but that is next on my list as well. But based on this project I'm sure it will also be great.

JohnZ
B7500

 

[600rider]

Thanks zmansmac, I copied this from the BL1676 hitch Kubota offers for the LA402 loader and others. I just down sized it to fit the LA302.

First Question; That little piece of metal is a stop that after you hook the top then roll the hitch back the bushing material that the pins go through locates it self and makes the holes line up to be able to insert the pins.

Second Question; The pins are held in with a 1/4" lynch pin I just didn't put them in while I was demonstrating how quick and easy it was to put on and take off the bucket.

The diameter of the rod is immaterial as all it does is hold the hooks and keeps them parallel. I picked something of the shelf and drilled the holes and welded it in. In this case it was 7/8" but you could use 3/4" or 5/8" or even 1". I put the bucket clamps on the arms and the bucket on the clamps then disconnected the battery inserted the rod and welded it there in place to make sure the clamps were positioned correctly.

 

[600rider]

zmansmac, here is a couple of pics of how that "crescent" stop works. and also of my lynch pin.

you put the hook on the top of the QH under the top pin, lift up and roll the QH back and the bushing goes against the stop and then slide the pin in and put the lynch pin in.
Simple as that! :thumbsup: and all takes less than a minute!
I can't take credit for the design as it is Kubota's.

 

[zmansmac]

Thanks for the explanations and the pics. I don't have any close neighbors with this set up and, although I haven't been to my local dealer in a while, I never looked because I thought Kubota's quick hitches were only on larger tractors, and that they are a different set up. I figured the cross piece size didn't matter too much. I have some tube stock that I think I'll use. That way it will be easier to weld a receiver box in the middle of the cross piece for use when towing a trailer.

JohnZ
B7500

 

[600rider]

"I figured the cross piece size didn't matter too much. I have some tube stock that I think I'll use."

I thought about using a tube instead of solid bar but the bar is what I grabbed off the shelf! The one thing you want to check before you weld it in place is to make sure when you roll the bucket all the way back it does not hit the cylinder ends. I didn't take this into consideration and mine hit the ends but took the 7" wildcat and a stone to it and made some clearance on the bar and now it doesn't touch it. Also roll the bucket down all the way to check for clearance on the arm ends. Fortunately I had clearance there so only the grinding on the one side was all I needed. My 7/8" round bar has a flat spot on each side now but only took about 1/4" off to get the clearance.

 

[magicheater]

Nice Job! What is the final weight of your Q/A?