Bucket Hooks bolted on vs welded bucket hooks

[deepsnow]

Opinions/feedback about welded on vs bolted on (by U-bolts to the outer upper bucket surface close to the curled upper lip) hooks. Having no skills or experience with a welder limits me to bolt on hooks for a do-it-yourself project. Loads will probably be on the relatively light side (max of 300#)

 

[jyoutz]

Why don't you do what I did. Cut a piece of heavy-duty 2" x 1/4" thick angle iron to fit across the top of your bucket edge. Then you could take this to a welding shop and have some good hooks welded to the angle iron. Then drill holes in the angle iron and bolt the whole assembly to the top of the bucket. This method is fairly cheap, very strong, and actually greatly strengthens the top of your bucket lip.

 

[Mark_in_NH]

deepsnow,
I hava attached a picture of my hook (sorry, it's not the clearest) although I do have a welder here, I haven't as off yet lesrned to use it, So wanting and needing a hook, I chose to bolt mine on. Atleast for now.
I used a grab hook that has the open throat and a pin so you can attach it to a chain link. I removed the pin, bought a hardened bolt long enough to go through the hook and the bucket and to allow some Extra Big washers inside the bucket.
I also bought enough washers to fill up the gap (opening) in the throat of the hook (where the chain link would normally go) and dropped the bolt through the whole works. Drilled the appropriate hole in the bucket, added the Extra Big washers and a lockwasher on the inside of the bucket and then double nutted it.
I have lifted probably 300 to 400 lbs. with it soa far and it seems to work fine. I do keep an extra good eye on it for signs of stress to the hook, bolt and bucket, for safety sakes.

 

[DK35vince]

I used bolt on hooks on the outside edges of my bucket because i just happened to have a couple extra's laying around from my truck.
used 1/2" grade 8 bolts and they work just fine!!
I will eventually weld on a grab hook in the center of the bucket.
I don't see any problem with using bolt on's...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

No problem with the bolt on hooks. I have installed some and have never had a problem. You should use at least a grade 5 bolts and use large washers on the bottom to disperse the pressure over a wider area for lifting heavy loads. The local automotive store will have tow hook that work great and have the holes predrilled.

 

[cisco]

Last time my tractor needed something done at the dealership, I had them weld on a hook at each corner of the upper lip of the FEL - strongest points there seem to be. Cost was nominal (about $20 for hooks and welding - real simple for them - they even sprayed on Kubota orange over the new hooks and welds). I considered putting a hook in the center of the upper lip, but am not at all sure I wouldn't end up bending something if I tried to lift a heavy object (the shop told me that happens). The angle iron idea might work in that location - with a long strip to reinforce the entire upper lip.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

While most people here tend to weld their hooks (and anything else that's metal and doesn't move /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif), I'd recommend you just bolt yours on. The key is the strength of whatever it is to which you're bolting and the bolts themselves. I've pulled my Tahoe, 4x4 pick-ups and even my dump trucks out of snow and mud by attaching to their respective factory bolt on hooks. Never once have I had a problem with the bolts. I've burnt out a winch motor, had winch gears break, torn a strap and even broken a snatch block but those bolt on hooks were just fine. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...The key is the strength of whatever it is to which you're bolting and the bolts themselves...</font color=blue>

I agree... Simple engineering... Yep... the whole works is as strong as the weakest link... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

It's simply amazing how strong those "little bolts" can be... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Turfman]

Welded.

 

[cisco]

Heck guys, both welded and bolted on work fine, given solid and wide welds, or large washers, large bolts and backing plates. Mine are welded, but if it hadn't been convenient and cheap, I'd have bolted the hooks on. The problem that neither, alone, addresses is the mid-bucket relative weakness - the angle iron idea or something similar is needed if you're going to - bolt or weld - a hook on which you intend to place a fair amount of pressure - I've seen a bent upper lip of a bucket - and though you can bend it back straight - it's never the same strength.