Instead of bucket hooks

[ShenandoahJoe]

The guys who make bucket hooks tell me my loader bucket isn't big enough to handle them. Now I'm looking for something else that will let me lift things that are too bulky to go in the bucket.

Here's my latest brainstorm: The crossbar between my boom arms is a hollow tube. I'm thinking to run a length of heavy chain through that tube, and put hooks on either end. I can hang things from the hooks, and the hooks will stop the chain from falling out of the tube. Any reason that's not a good idea?

 

[GPintheMitten]

Personally, I would reinforce the bucket edge and put hooks on them.
If you put the chain thru the tube, it would work, I think, but being behind the bucket, it would not be as convenient for hooking up stuff.

 

[s219]

That front bucket is fine for hooks -- many people here have hooks on the front loaders of Kubota B series. If you're worried about the lip, just mount them farther back on the top of the bucket:

 

[Ted Summey]

+1 on reinforcing and adding hooks. A section of 3" channel behind the top bucket lip would work fine. Then weld your hooks to that.

 

[yelbike]

+1 on reinforcing and adding hooks. A section of 3" channel behind the top bucket lip would work fine. Then weld your hooks to that.

re

+2 on reinforcing! Or just paint the bucket green and you'll be fine!

 

[Tchara]

Green?!!!
Branson Red!

 

[ETpilot]

I welded some flat stock vertically between the back of the bucket lip and the back wall of the bucket. About 5-6 pieces evenly spaced. I can hook a chain to any of those pieces. Works really good for me. Over time the bucket top bent slightly in the center. I had to straighten it and reinforce the bucket lip/top of bucket with a piece of angle iron.

 

[yelbike]

I welded some flat stock vertically between the back of the bucket lip and the back wall of the bucket. About 5-6 pieces evenly spaced. I can hook a chain to any of those pieces. Works really good for me. Over time the bucket top bent slightly in the center. I had to straighten it and reinforce the bucket lip/top of bucket with a piece of angle iron.

Had you painted it green it would have never bent like that!

 

[mmurphydds]

The guys who make bucket hooks tell me my loader bucket isn't big enough to handle them. Now I'm looking for something else that will let me lift things that are too bulky to go in the bucket.

Here's my latest brainstorm: The crossbar between my boom arms is a hollow tube. I'm thinking to run a length of heavy chain through that tube, and put hooks on either end. I can hang things from the hooks, and the hooks will stop the chain from falling out of the tube. Any reason that's not a good idea?

I have done that on the last two tractors I've owned and have had great results with what you are suggesting. I also had bucket hooks on the last tractor and found them to be useful, but I use the tube and chain setup more frequently. I drilled a hole in the center of the tube and placed a grade 8 bolt through the tube and through the center-most link in the chain, that way the chain can't shift. Works great.

 

[Burtonbr]

The loader lift capacity is not huge on the CUT's, so it doesn't take much reinforcement for the hooks, some 3/16 or 1/4" is all it takes.
I've tested these to the max lift a few times.

But the chain idea should work too..

 

[IndyIan]

I just drilled a hole in the top lip of my bucket in the middle and put a threaded shackle in. I only had a 1 ton one laying around but both it and the bucket edge had no trouble lifting my 1000+lb box blade off my trailer. I don't seem to lift many things using a chain but it seems fine for the odd job.

 

[aczlan]

Not sure what loader you have, but the LA302 on our B7500 is going to get a piece of 1.5x1.5 angle welded on to cover the top lip and 3 hooks welded to that.

Aaron Z

 

[ghenges]

The guys who make bucket hooks tell me my loader bucket isn't big enough to handle them. Now I'm looking for something else that will let me lift things that are too bulky to go in the bucket.

Here's my latest brainstorm: The crossbar between my boom arms is a hollow tube. I'm thinking to run a length of heavy chain through that tube, and put hooks on either end. I can hang things from the hooks, and the hooks will stop the chain from falling out of the tube. Any reason that's not a good idea?

A reinforcing piece of 2x3x1/4 rectangular tubing side to side atop the bucket would be ideal. It appears there is enough of the bucket side plates sticking up to accomplish an excellentjob. It will be all closed up and neat in appearance.

2x3x1/4 rectangular tubing in this application is strong in tension, compression and is resistant to torsional forces.
A 2x2x1/4 rectangular tubing would actually be strong enough to be an option.

 

[Gary Fowler]

The guys who make bucket hooks tell me my loader bucket isn't big enough to handle them. Now I'm looking for something else that will let me lift things that are too bulky to go in the bucket.

Here's my latest brainstorm: The crossbar between my boom arms is a hollow tube. I'm thinking to run a length of heavy chain through that tube, and put hooks on either end. I can hang things from the hooks, and the hooks will stop the chain from falling out of the tube. Any reason that's not a good idea?

Reinforce the top lip with a piece of angle dimensioned to lay flat on the top lip and reach the FEL bucket top wall. Stitch weld it with about 3" of weld every 12". Weld your hooks to the angle centered at the cylinder attachment points. Some folks put them in the middle also, but I have never found a need to have a hook in the middle. If I want to pick from a single chain in the middle, I drape the chain across both hooks and let it hook back into itself in the middle like a Y. That puts the load equal on both hooks and no danger of bending the lip.

 

[grnspot110]

I prefer a boom for lifting:



I do have small hooks on my bucket, but seldom use them, much prefer to use the boom. I store my tractor/loader with the "quick-tach" bucket off, so I just put on whatever I need at the time, bucket, boom or forks. ~~ grnspot

 

[Kioti Tom]

Had you painted it green it would have never bent like that!

Green????? NOPE, Kioti Orange. I shrunk a couple of JD's and keep them in the vortex air cleaner
sump jar on my 8N.

 

[chim]

Here's what I did for the last two tractors. Pieces of heavy angle iron with notches cut to drop chain into. They're a lot handier than hooks and with all the notches you can do multiple loops of chain. It's also easy to throw leftover chain into the slots to prevent it from dragging. Simple matter of drilling holes for the ends of the slots and then making two saw cuts from the edge to each hole to get a nice slot with a rounded end. Bolt-on installation and tough as nails. Never bent anything and I've hooked onto a few things the tractor refused to pick up.

 

[yelbike]

Here's what I did for the last two tractors. Pieces of heavy angle iron with notches cut to drop chain into. They're a lot handier than hooks and with all the notches you can do multiple loops of chain. It's also easy to throw leftover chain into the slots to prevent it from dragging. Simple matter of drilling holes for the ends of the slots and then making two saw cuts from the edge to each hole to get a nice slot with a rounded end. Bolt-on installation and tough as nails. Never bent anything and I've hooked onto a few things the tractor refused to pick up.

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=308786"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=308787"/>

Nice and simple. I really like that!

 

[jeff9366]

I think you should contact Ken at Ken's bolt on grab hooks. He is The Bucket Hook Guru here on T-B-N and I am sure he is familiar with your B7300 Kubota and its bucket. Very helpful person. Read the section on his web site regarding bucket reinforcement. I have used Ken's 5/16" bolt on grab hooks in forestry work WITHOUT REINFORCEMENT for 18 months with no problems. My B3300 is a couple increments up the Kubota scale relative to your B7300. If I have not had problems in heavy use, you certainly will not either.

But ask Ken......

Ken's Bolt on Grab Hooks

 

[kennyd]

The guys who make bucket hooks tell me my loader bucket isn't big enough to handle them. Now I'm looking for something else that will let me lift things that are too bulky to go in the bucket.

Here's my latest brainstorm: The crossbar between my boom arms is a hollow tube. I'm thinking to run a length of heavy chain through that tube, and put hooks on either end. I can hang things from the hooks, and the hooks will stop the chain from falling out of the tube. Any reason that's not a good idea?

Joe, I am real curious, who are these "guys who make bucket hooks" that told you that?

Can you weld, or do have a friend that does? There are quite a few options, some involve welding and some don't-so if we know this answer we could help more.

As for your chain idea, I think it would work OK, but the load would close to the grill guard, and I think you will loose a lot of lifting height.