Chain hooks?

VAMountains · Oct 11, 2006

Please excuse the stupid question, but what are the primary uses for chain hooks on a loader? I figured out the "to hook chains to" part all by myself, but I'm curious how/why people use them? My new bucket is being installed later in the week, and I may have hooks put on. Thanks in advance!

MadReferee · Oct 11, 2006

VAMountains said:
Please excuse the stupid question, but what are the primary uses for chain hooks on a loader? I figured out the "to hook chains to" part all by myself, but I'm curious how/why people use them? My new bucket is being installed later in the week, and I may have hooks put on. Thanks in advance!

Lifting objects. Hook a chain around the object and connect it to the chain hooks on the bucket and lift. I have used mine to lift inplements on and off trailers and delivery trucks. I am sure there are many more uses for bucket chain hooks.

rswyan · Oct 11, 2006

I just used the chain hooks on mine to set a 2' x 2' x 2' concrete catchbasin. The weight of the catchbasin is near the capacity of my LA402 loader (I could only lift it a couple of inches) I slipped a steel rod thru the two lift holes and hooked a chain around it and bucket hooks and lowered it into the hole. I had put sand in the bottom of the hole to aid in leveling the basin so I picked up the basin repeatedly and dropped it from a couple of inches to level and set it.

VAMountains · Oct 11, 2006

Very helpful, thanks. I'll ask my dealer to weld hooks on the loader I'm getting delivered shortly.

TexasSD · Oct 11, 2006

I use them a lot to load implements on the trailer that are too big to fit in the bucket.

Lately, I've been helping a buddy clean up in and around a warehouse with 30 years of outdated industrial equipment laying around. A lot of times the equipment is half buried and I can't get my bucket under it, so we tie on the chain and lift.

They sure make it easier to hook/unhook than wrapping the chain around your bucket, and they keep the item further away from the front of your tractor to keep it safe(r) from impacts.

CurlyDave · Oct 11, 2006

Another use for chain hooks on the FEL is to pull a chain going in reverse.

Especially if you do not have a drawbar, this is much safer. If the tractor starts to overturn going in reverse, the rear wheels come up off the ground and you will lose traction rather than overturning.

GuyL · Oct 11, 2006

You will find the hooks invaluable. In addition to not allowing the chain to not scrape the paint off your bucket, they will not allow the chain to slip either up or down the bucket when you are trying to move something. My dealer welded (3) 3/8 hooks on the bucket free of charge.

N80 · Oct 12, 2006

Quite right about the paint. I've had to wrap a chain around my bucket to lift some stuff (I don't have chain hooks yet) and it doesn't just scratch the paint, it takes it off right down to bare metal.

BotaBound · Oct 12, 2006

VAMountains said:
Very helpful, thanks. I'll ask my dealer to weld hooks on the loader I'm getting delivered shortly.

Hi - Make sure that the dealer adds some support to the location that the hooks are going to be added... My dealer told of horror stories of people adding hooks with out additional support and bending the top lip of the bucket.

InlineDieselFan · Oct 12, 2006

A second to what Bota Bound said. My dealer welded on a piece of steel on the top of the bucket for support, he also mentioned the bent bucket horror stories.

I hook a nylon strap around the 68? gallon garbage cans and then lift them into the truck, much easier on the back. But this way I may get carpel tunnel syndrome in my right hand.

Along with what most everyone else said.

steve

Sully2 · Oct 12, 2006

BotaBound said:
Hi - Make sure that the dealer adds some support to the location that the hooks are going to be added... My dealer told of horror stories of people adding hooks with out additional support and bending the top lip of the bucket.

VERY easy to do with a B3030. Before I had mine installed..I clamped down on the top lip of the bucket with a 12 " cresent wrench....and I could work that lip back and forth!!....NO WAY was I going to have the hooks welded directly to that thing!!

IslandTractor · Oct 12, 2006

In addition to bracing the bucket lip, consider where you will put the hooks. Different strategies are effective but have associated compromises. Bucket lip is real convenient but if you put the hooks there you limit your ability to attach a bucket grapple later on (without removing the hooks anyway). Some folks but the hooks on the back side of the bucket which seems to work well too.

I put my three hooks across the top of the bucket and therefore had to go out and buy a whole separate grapple

.

(Please excuse the black bucket photo on the Kubota forum

)

m7040 · Oct 13, 2006

Its always safer to back up when pulling heavy loads. I had the Unimog stuck in mud and wanted to use the tractor to tow it out. Did not have enough traction to do it. So ended up with using a 40 ft flexible tow strap 4 inch wide and hook it to the draw bar of the tractor and the Unimog. Then drove up to the truck and started to back up the tractor as fast as possible until the jerk from the tow starp stretching pulled it a ft or so. After repeating this the truck came out.

jim_galloway · Oct 13, 2006

I would love to see some pictures of your Unimog! Those are some awesome trucks!

Volfandt · Oct 15, 2006

Adding bucket hooks to an FEL makes an already handy tool more versatile

Volfandt

Glowplug · Oct 15, 2006

I don't know why all bucket manufacturers don't put chain hooks on the buckets. I guess it's so you can have more versatility (like put a grapple on instead). They seem invaluable. I am planning on welding 4 or 5 chain hooks on my bucket when I get my tractor (my bucket width will be 83"). I already have many plans for them including pulling out fence posts, lifting my mower, and unloading my 300 gallon diesel tank at its new home.

BTW, what's a Unimog?