Automating the Quick Attach (SSQA)

[Xfaxman]

I'd also like auto-attach hydraulic front remotes like on some excavators!

Bobcat has it: https://www.bobcat.com/na/en/equipment/loaders/m2-series/bobdock

And a short video:

 

[jonsstihl]

Mine uses two ball valves. yes my cylinder is very small I think rod is 5/8's I believe.

I piggy backed onto Fallon's thread here, Pics are on page 4

Power SSQA control, manual diverter valve? Or what other options?

Look forward to photos!

www.tractorbynet.com

that is an interesting setup by bobcat. one more thing to line up but anything that keeps you in the cab is a good thing.

 

[robstaples]

Nice implementation ! I would add an expanding sleeve over the actuator. I did a dump garden trailer and my actuators filled with water or enough to stop their function and I had to disassemble and dry them. Something like a soft radiator hose clamped at both ends .

 

[jonsstihl]

Mine has a slotted PVC pipe clamped onto the cylinder to protect the rod from any debris that might fall on it. Not very solid but it hasn't broken yet. open on the bottom so any water that finds it's way in does not collect.

 

[Fallon]

If it's on your L4060 then you'll be fine, it should be at the same relief pressure as my L3240. Unless you're changing the geometry from how mine is connected it'll stall a 1" bore cylinder before damage.

Sent from my SM-G715U1 using TractorByNet mobile app

Ya, pretty much all tractors top out a 2,500pst give or take 100 or so. Skids are around 3,000. Excavators can hit 5,000 or more.

My cylinder is on a shelf in tbe barn next to all the other valves & supplies, where it's been for 2-3 years or more. Never seems to work back up to the top of my priority list.

 

[varmint]

Good project if you are switching loader arm attachments often enough. The tinker-er in me thought about doing that, or rather, how I would do it, but since I swap stuff on the front maybe once every couple years, I got real and forgot about it. In fact, since we never have snows anymore, the bucket pretty much lives there.

 

[jonsstihl]

I really don't think the relief valve is required. take a look at the connection between the handle and the pin. they are two tubes that slide together with a spring wrapped around them (spring loaded) if you drop the pins and they don't line up with the slot the spring will compress and the tubes will slide together and take up the slack. no damage to anything. I've done it a few times.

I am always switching between the forks, grapple and bucket. and when the snow blower is on I have to take the bucket off to fit the tractor into the garage so Mine comes in very handy.

 

[Mrcc]

Just finished one for my MX5100. 1”x8” cylinder from surplus center.$120 tax and shipping.$80 for welder to lengthen it. $55 for fittings and two three ft.1/4 inch hydraulic hoses. Two bolts 12 mm x1.25 thread x 55 mm length.Added one extra washer under the ends. Already had hydraulic hose to the front for a snow plow. Simple to do. Constantly switching between bucket and forks doing firewood.I split my firewood into metal parts baskets.

 

[DK35vince]

Just finished one for my MX5100. 1”x8” cylinder from surplus center.$120 tax and shipping.$80 for welder to lengthen it. $55 for fittings and two three ft.1/4 inch hydraulic hoses. Two bolts 12 mm x1.25 thread x 55 mm length.Added one extra washer under the ends. Already had hydraulic hose to the front for a snow plow. Simple to do. Constantly switching between bucket and forks doing firewood.I split my firewood into metal parts baskets.View attachment 783331

Looks good.
I may look into doing the same with mine someday (I already have the lines to the front for my snowplow)

 

[jonsstihl]

interesting that your welder chose to lengthen the cylinder end. I lengthened the rod end to keep the hoses shorter and tucked into the left side.

we must have the same cylinder. My bolts came loose after a few months. got lucky and spotted them before they fell out so definitely worth checking.

I really love that setup. totally plug and play and no mods to the levers so you can revert back to stock when you sell and the 8" stroke is just right.

 

[Mrcc]

interesting that your welder chose to lengthen the cylinder end. I lengthened the rod end to keep the hoses shorter and tucked into the left side.

we must have the same cylinder. My bolts came loose after a few months. got lucky and spotted them before they fell out so definitely worth checking.

I really love that setup. totally plug and play and no mods to the levers so you can revert back to stock when you sell and the 8" stroke is just right.

After all that time without it I feel like a king now when I make a switch. Wish I would have done it years ago.

 

[HorsPower]

lol, as careful as I am James there was one time I missed the pin engaging at all and I was standing right over it manually operating the lever. Didn't realize it until I curled the bucket in the woods and it half fell off. Let's just say I'm a whole lot more attentive now.

I installed 3 rear remotes and plumbed one of them to ssqa

View attachment 779082

My plan was to used an electric diverter to select the grapple or the ssqa but after reading your post the ball valves sound perfectly adequate. Are they tied together (one handle)?

I’d like to see photos of the setup for those who have either used a electric or manual (ball) diverter valve so that they can still utilize the third function (for grapple etc), and also the QA, without swapping hose connections.

 

[jonsstihl]

I used two tees and two ball valves on my setup.

remove quick connect on third function , install tee, re-install quick connect. connect tee to valves then from valves to ssqa cylinder. when valves are closed, third function works normally. when valves are open third function works but also moves the ssqa latches so you have to be careful. to get just the latches to move you need to disconnect whatever is hooked to your third function . I close the valves as I get out to hook up the hoses on my grapple.

pics are in fallon's thread I posted a link somewhere in this thread

 

[ruffdog]

 

[tacticalturnip]

I had just mentioned hydraulic and electric SSQA on GTT yesterday, or maybe the day before, so that's an amusing coincidence that Courtney puts a video up about them today. In general I prefer JDQA, but the minute you can automate the SSQA it becomes the better option.

One day I'm definitely going down this route, when it's something I can justify; I hate that about 1/3 of the time the SSQA handles will just move when I'm between attached implements. Now I've got to get off, reposition them, get back on, then get off to lock it into place.

The struggles of modern life are real.

 

[jonsstihl]

I feel like I have to update this thread. I just bent the two rods that link the levers to the ssqa pins. the ones with the springs over them. They are 131 USD each so one more reason to grease those ssqa pins as often as you can. Luckily they still work. I just took the pins out and cleaned out the holes and the pins and greased them up real good and they work.

I do not have a relief valve in my hydraulic setup and I also don't have a restrictor. I think more regular greasing would have probably solved the problem. When the hydraulics are doing the work you don't notice when they get stiff. as a side note. a little bit of silicone spray on the pivot points on the levers makes almost as much difference as greasing the pins when cycling the levers manually.

People with an electric actuator probably don't have enough force to bend the rods.

 

[ctgoldwing]

Thanks for the update! Not having any real hydraulic experience other than putting in 3 rear remotes and a TNT I was heistant to use hydraulic cllinders to move the ssqa arms. I spoke to a local tractor mechanic to get cylinder suggestions and he discouraged me. In his words, "if something jambs, that cylinder is going to keep pushing, hard".
My electric is still chugging along, no problems yet but I do grease everything as part of the 10hr fel service.

 

[jonsstihl]

I do grease the pins regularly and it was an easy fix. I haven't even straigthened them. I really think the fact that you aren't actuating the levers your self really changes how you perceive the greasing interval. Plus I just finished spreading 31 tons of gravel so I'm sure some of that found its way into the pins and made them a little stiffer.

 

[Fallon]

Thanks for the update! Not having any real hydraulic experience other than putting in 3 rear remotes and a TNT I was heistant to use hydraulic cllinders to move the ssqa arms. I spoke to a local tractor mechanic to get cylinder suggestions and he discouraged me. In his words, "if something jambs, that cylinder is going to keep pushing, hard".
My electric is still chugging along, no problems yet but I do grease everything as part of the 10hr fel service.

PSI (2,500ish for tractors) times square inches of piston surface = force. For a 2" bore cylinder thats 4 square inches & 10,000lbs of force. I've got a 1" bore cylinder with a 5/8" rod for my build. 0.785 square inches & just under 2,000lbs of force. I got the small cylinder to minimize the force. You could also put in a crossover relief valve to lower the max pressure even more.

The lever arms on the SSQA also multiply the force. I haven't measured anything, but im guessing a factor of 5 maybe. So pushing with 50-100lbs is going to exert 250-500lbs of force sideways at the pivot, maybe. Hydraulics are stronger by a few times, but I have to lean on the SSQA handles at times.I occasionally have to reposition the loader so I can put more weight onto the handles as well, so maybe over 100lbs briefly.

Diverter valve is installed now. Next I just need to figure out the mounting for my cylinder & get hose made.

 

[jonsstihl]

I think my cylinder is the same size 1". My clue that something was wrong was that only one handle would move when I actuated the cylinder and I don't even know when the pins actually got bent. I only got to looking at the mechanism when only the one handle moved. and even then I disconnected the cylinder and the handles could move by hand but I could tell there was a little resistance to movement when the pins where at the top of the stroke, open position.