Loader BX23 bucket pin removal.

[pipefitter]

Embarrassingly, I never greased the pins on the bucket. The grease zirk is on the bottom, and it lubes the pin from the center. I never noticed it. The the bucket has some "slop" in it, so I bought a pair of pins, (PN 75532-58740), from a local dealer. I've removed the grease fittings and been spraying some kroil around the pins in an attempt to loosen things up, but they seem pretty stuck. I wondered if anyone had removed theirs?

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I don't claim to be smart, but I can't see how sloppy pins can be stuck. Do you have a picture?

It sounds like you're saying they won't slide out.

 

[kevinj]

Did you remove the pin retainers?

 

[pipefitter]

I don't claim to be smart, but I can't see how sloppy pins can be stuck. Do you have a picture?

It sounds like you're saying they won't slide out.

The pins are stuck. The slop is where they attach to the loader itself. Apparently, they are seized in the bucket, and have worn the attachment points at the loader. I will get some photos.

 

[pipefitter]

Did you remove the pin retainers?

Yep, they're gone.

 

[leonz]

The pins are bound up on both sides of the bucket weldments UGH.

You are going to have to have the bucket weldments and the cylinder
rods line bored and new bushings installed.

Short of hiring a welder to come and use a rosebud torch to heat the
cylinder rod eye and use a bronze punch to drive the pins out of the
cylinder rod eye and bucket weldments or having a couple of carbon
dioxide fire extinguishers on hand to chill the pins to make them shrink
after you empty one fire extinguisher on each pin and driving the pin out
with a 4 pound hammer I do not see much else working for you.

Better to just send the mule to the kubota veterinarians(UGH-I hate my local dealers)
and have them remove the pins and line bore the cylinder rods and bucket weldments
as replacing them will also cost a great deal of money.

I would get an estimate for having the cylinders and bucket line bored before you do
anything else as the damage done is irriversable with out line boring.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

It sounds like the bucket itself might be fine if you could get the pins out, but then you would have to deal with the cylinder's egg-shaped bore. If you could get the pins out and replace the cylinder rod, you might save some loot and avoid line-boring.

The rod is about $260 at Coleman's. You could rebuild the cylinder while you have it apart. The kit is $108.

I had two stuck pins on my mower, and I tried rigging up a large pulley puller to push them out. It didn't work for me, but maybe it would work for you after some heating and so on.

 

[pipefitter]

I'll post some pictures as I think I'm confusing everyone. I *think* the pins are seized in the brackets on the bucket, as they move with the bucket as it's tilted. I only have a cylinder in the center of the loader, so it should be fine. It appears that my options are going to be removing the bucket, grinding the pivot points on the loader off, and welding on new ones. I have a machinist buddy that can make the pivot points, (weldments?), and I can weld them. Anyhoo, I'll try to take some pictures today, and I appreciate all of you for replying.

 

[Eagle1]

Had to replace the bushings and pins in my BX2200 loader years ago. They are just welded on the out side of the loader arms. Once the bucket is off the weld can be ground, off the bushing removed and a new ones installed. Hard part is line reaming the arms to get a straight fit and drilling the hole for grease zerks to do their job getting grease to the pins.
I rednecked mine but a good machinist would have better tools and skills than I do.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I had the cylinder rebuilt recently for my BX-22 and replaced the pins. Fortunately, they slipped out without much force which I'm thankful for given the 70 ton of material I had moved with it when doing the groundwork for my shop building. It does sound like you may need to do "plan B" and replace the brackets if brute force can't get things apart. At least you have the resources and skills to do that.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

Isn't line boring important so the bucket holes are aligned perfectly? Is welding new supports on without boring a good idea?

 

[Eagle1]

Isn't line boring important so the bucket holes are aligned perfectly? Is welding new supports on without boring a good idea?

It's not a good plan but sometimes you have to make due with what you can afford to do. Mine has been working for 8+ years but you do get what you pay for...

 

[pipefitter]

Here's what I have. As I said, it only has a single hydraulic cylinder, and it seems fine. The pins are loose in the arms, and seem seized in the bucket. I have a couple of ideas.

 

[kevinj]

Well....with that much wear I doubt they are frozen into the bucket.

It looks like the pins are froze into the loader arm and you have been rotating in the bucket.

 

[Carl_NH]

Well....with that much wear I doubt they are frozen into the bucket.
It looks like the pins are froze into the loader arm and you have been rotating in the bucket.

Agree 100% - the bucket holes are worn. I would convert it to a QA bucket set up or look for a new/used bucket in FB or CL - I have seen them for 3-400$

There are sleeves/bushings in the loader arms and if you can get the grease zerk to take some grease or get penetrating oil in there they may loosen up too.

 

[jshwhite]

I had a similar problem. Here's the solution I found LA854 loader pins seized

LA854 loader pins seized

 

[Doug Vee]

Embarrassingly, I never greased the pins on the bucket. The grease zirk is on the bottom, and it lubes the pin from the center. I never noticed it. The the bucket has some "slop" in it, so I bought a pair of pins, (PN 75532-58740), from a local dealer. I've removed the grease fittings and been spraying some kroil around the pins in an attempt to loosen things up, but they seem pretty stuck. I wondered if anyone had removed theirs?

Interestingly enough, I just finished removing a seized bucket pivot pin from the end of my model 7 John Deere backhoe dipper stick last night. Embarrassingly, the pin had been stuck since before I bought it over 10 years ago.

I cut one end of the pin off with a sawzall so I could get the bucket out of the way. Then I heated each end to 500-ish degrees. I tried turning it with a 18" pipe wrench and a binder cheater bar. I heard it make a sharp creaking sound a couple of times, but ended up wrecking the teeth on the pipe wrench and really chewed up the end of the pin.

I welded a piece of 3/8" angle metal with a 1" hole cut in it to the uncut end and used the same wrench set up to get it to turn about 180 degrees. This set up ended up twisting part of the end of the pin off. It was a little weak because of the 1/4" retainer pin hole in it.

Next I pulled the dipper from the boom and drilled a 3/8" hole through the pin. After grinding a slight taper to the ends of the pin, I used a double jack sledge hammer to drive it back and forth a couple of times. Then finally drove the pin flush on one side.

I used a piece of 1" all thread to drive it through, starting with a single jack until the all thread was far enough into the bushing that it would stand on its own. Then finished beating it through with the double jack. I must say, it has been a loooong time since I have beat on something as hard as that (retired carpenter).

Now I have to remember where I found the supplier to provide material that I can make a new one. I wish I had ordered it when I found it. They are no longer available from John Deere, and if they were, I would not buy from them because they were priced as high as gold bar.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

John Deere gives capitalism a bad name.

 

[feash]

I don't have one of these FEL's nor a photo, so don't know whether any of these methods could be used:
1. Years ago, used a hand held air hammer which has bits held in by a big spring and hook on end, with a a stubby bit having a round slightly < the diameter of an engine piston wrist pins, held a piston / connecting rod assembly by the connecting rod in a bench vice, to hammer out the interference fitting wrist pins. Method was used frequently by a co-mechanic who drag raced GTO's. On my 2 small block Corvettes, held up good for 6,000 rpm runs. This method has the advantage of not burning off your FEL paint, nor heat treating (or undoing).
2. Extremely heat up, trying to direct to just one of the two items stuck together. After cools, the cycle may break or weaken the bond. Methods of heating:
A. Torch
B. MIG deep weld a spot on the end, for example in the center of the head of a bolt, retains circumference for box wrench access. If your FEL pin has a handle, may be able to weld on that near the stuck joint. Other types of welders may work also.
C. I've seen descriptions of induction heaters for rusted bolts. If too pricey to buy for 1 job plus the learning time, maybe a shop has one they would attempt for you. Has value in their experience and misc other tools. Or, maybe a tool rental business rents.
Wish you success!

 

[feash]

Other ideas:
1. If you have a lot of time before has to be loose, can apply penetrating oil on it repetitively. Try to move it each time. Tap with a hammer? When I was a high schooler, my father bought a 4 cylinder car with spark plug holes straight up. Engine was frozen from barn storage. He put penetrating oil in the holes frequenty. Left it in gear. Told us boys to push n pull on the bumper every time we walked past. I thought he was nuts. After several months, it broke loose. Became drivable without disassembly.
2. Knew a guy that had a boat propeller stuck on a thru hull taperred prop shaft. He hit the hub multiple times with a hammer. Popped apart. May have had a person on the back side holding another hammer against it. I've used this. Is a hit causing an automatic rebound hit. You may have to use a chisel to locate the shock. May help if can hit multiple areas retaining the pin.