Skid Steer Mount Locking levers stuck

[Sierraau]

Just bought.a 2019 7320 over the summer and my new Erskine Plow was just dropped off and I was all ready to slap that puppy on, when I discovered a problem. The owner of the tractor before me apparently never took the front bucket off, and when I tried to move the levers to release the bucket, the levers moved a little bit but the bolt that the levers move appears to be frozen and will not move. I sprayed the heck out of it with wd40 beat it on the lower side with a hammer and a punch and nothing is budging. I got a mapps gas torch out and heated the metal up for about 30 seconds and tried beating it again, and nothing is moving. And ideas what to do? The beveled edge of the pin makes it hard to get a good smack.

 

[MattB4]

You might try putting force on the lip of the bucket to push the back mounting side inwards. That might allow the bolt to pull free when you try to disengage it.

 

[MichiganIron]

Been here.... done that. Our suggestion is to completely dis-assemble the locking mechanisms, both sides. Secure the bucket. You will probably need to spray the drop pins with Rust Release Penetrant, then drive them out from the bottom. Soak everything in Rust Release for an hour, then clean everything up. Re-assemble the locking mechanisms and drop pins, using a good silicone or graphite spray lubricant around the drop pins. Stay away from white Lithium Sprays, they tent to trap the debris and harden.

Hope this helps

 

[two_bit_score]

Can you get a bar under that point and push it up at the same time someone is pushing on the locking levers?

Might have to soak it in penetrant/lubricant for a 'good while' first.

 

[Tomtint]

Soak them in PBblaster and let it run down the pins for a couple days. fill the zerks with more and more grease.. Then repeat. My L3700 has a ssqa on the front and if its not dripping with grease.. It's a pita.

 

[workinonit]

Get something other than WD40 to free it up. I use Kerny Rust Cutter. Some of the best stuff I've ever tried. PB Blaster is good. WD40 to me is useless.

 

[TxSteveS]

More heat. 30 seconds isn't nearly enough.

 

[Sierraau]

Been here.... done that. Our suggestion is to completely dis-assemble the locking mechanisms, both sides. Secure the bucket. You will probably need to spray the drop pins with Rust Release Penetrant, then drive them out from the bottom. Soak everything in Rust Release for an hour, then clean everything up. Re-assemble the locking mechanisms and drop pins, using a good silicone or graphite spray lubricant around the drop pins. Stay away from white Lithium Sprays, they tent to trap the debris and harden.

Hope this helps

I started to take the handles off and soon recognized there was a predicament..... even when "Released" the spring is under tension, so the bolt gets hung up when trying to take it out from the underneath side. I was worried there having it half off and kinda jammed up. So I got a block of wood and pried the handle back onto its mount- so now I am back to square one. How does one take off the handle as it looks like you would need a special sort of C clamp to capture both sides of the spring to compress it- not a lot of room on the outside of the spring to attach anything to the bottom bracket.

I sprayed the snot out of it with PB stuff, and will let it sit overnight. The beveled side on the bottom doesn't allow me to be able to hammer from that end. I was thinking of getting a grinder and making a little flat spot where a punch could sit on a ledge. Could I get my neighbor to cut off the bottom of the bracket on the locader so I could get a punch on the bottom end of the pin? Or maybe drill a hole in the bottom bracket so I could get a punch in there.

What a crappy design- having no way to be able to easily grease the moving part- not to mention the pin is very tightly attached to the bottom of the bucket.

Get creative and help me figure this out. If I could hire someone to do it I would, but living in Truckee is a wasteland of trying to get anyone to show up for a job and the mobile tractor mechanics are booked out a month. I'm on my own on this one, as snow is coming in beginning of next week and I don't have my plow attached on the front of my tractor.

 

[two_bit_score]

I started to take the handles off and soon recognized there was a predicament..... even when "Released" the spring is under tension, so the bolt gets hung up when trying to take it out from the underneath side. I was worried there having it half off and kinda jammed up. So I got a block of wood and pried the handle back onto its mount- so now I am back to square one. How does one take off the handle as it looks like you would need a special sort of C clamp to capture both sides of the spring to compress it- not a lot of room on the outside of the spring to attach anything to the bottom bracket.

I sprayed the snot out of it with PB stuff, and will let it sit overnight. The beveled side on the bottom doesn't allow me to be able to hammer from that end. I was thinking of getting a grinder and making a little flat spot where a punch could sit on a ledge. Could I get my neighbor to cut off the bottom of the bracket on the locader so I could get a punch on the bottom end of the pin? Or maybe drill a hole in the bottom bracket so I could get a punch in there.

What a crappy design- having no way to be able to easily grease the moving part- not to mention the pin is very tightly attached to the bottom of the bucket.

Get creative and help me figure this out. If I could hire someone to do it I would, but living in Truckee is a wasteland of trying to get anyone to show up for a job and the mobile tractor mechanics are booked out a month. I'm on my own on this one, as snow is coming in beginning of next week and I don't have my plow attached on the front of my tractor.

Might also try manipulating the bucket so that you put different pressures on it as someone tries to lift the levers. Just keep working it and it will come loose.

 

[4570Man]

Usually those pins have a grease fitting. Have you tried greasing it? If it doesn’t have a grease fitting then there’s the problem. The pins on my skid steer will bind and make life way harder than it needs to be if I’m not pretty religious about greasing them.

 

[airbiscuit]

Can you put a cheater pipe over the levers for more leverage?

 

[Rustyiron]

Hammering on the pins from the bottom after Tomtint's suggested above treatment. You can raise the loader and "curl" the bucket all the way in/up and hammer away squarely on the pins. Once you see movement see if you can force the levers.
Usually excessive force on the levers alone without working on the pins is often destructive to the lever mechanism.
Be aware at all times what's going on with the bucket. It should hang on the upper mount with hammering the pins but being raised well off of the ground, it'll leave a big mark if it hits you.

 

[Sierraau]

More heat. 30 seconds isn't nearly enough.

I am thinking the heat will expand BOTH the pin and the size of the hole... will that be a benefit? How long shall I have the heat on it?

 

[Sierraau]

Can you put a cheater pipe over the levers for more leverage?

The handles move freely, its the pin that the handles supposedly raise and lower that are frozen, so a cheater is of no benefit.

 

[Sierraau]

Usually those pins have a grease fitting. Have you tried greasing it? If it doesn’t have a grease fitting then there’s the problem. The pins on my skid steer will bind and make life way harder than it needs to be if I’m not pretty religious about greasing them.

Poor design no grease fittings on a very tight fitting pin

 

[5030]

Never seen one go through the plasma cut eye that far. Mine just engage the chamfer on the pin, that is all. I'd put a pipe on the handle for added leverage and pop thyem and then take the them apart, drill them and add grease fittings. Poor design, Kubota and ATI know better.....

 

[airbiscuit]

Can you put a cheater pipe over the levers for more leverage?

The handles move freely, its the pin that the handles supposedly raise and lower that are frozen, so a cheater is of no benefit.

I'm thinking it's worth a try to put the cheater pipe on and snap sharply.

 

[IndyIan]

Never seen one go through the plasma cut eye that far. Mine just engage the chamfer on the pin, that is all. I'd put a pipe on the handle for added leverage and pop thyem and then take the them apart, drill them and add grease fittings. Poor design, Kubota and ATI know better.....

Its an odd picture but the bucket part has only the chamfer started into it.

I would get the bucket up in the air, and rolled all the way back so I could use a drift pin type tool,to hammer on the bottom of the ssqa pins, straight up, but also try some a abit sideways, see if you can rotate the ssqa pin. I assume they are pretty hardened, but don't bend or mushroom them! Also prop something under the loader of course.
Also just hammering around the area on the ssqa, to knock the corrosion on the pins loose.
I was helping my buddy fix his old farm equipment and he does a lot of strategic hitting stuff with a big hammer to aid in disassembly. You have to be smart about it, but it did work for lots of bolts and and bearings that had been installed for 20+ years if the corrosion isn't too bad.

 

[seville009]

Soak them in PBblaster and let it run down the pins for a couple days. fill the zerks with more and more grease.. Then repeat. My L3700 has a ssqa on the front and if its not dripping with grease.. It's a pita.

I second this…after it’s soaked for a day, tapping it with a hammer may help break it free too

 

[5030]

Actually, what is better than PB or anything else is 1 part red ATF and 3 parts acetone. Does the job and pretty quick.