FEL build

[jaydee325]

There is an outfit called Cadplans dot com that sells plans to build loaders, backhoes and a few other interesting things. Plans run upwards of $140 but appear to include the bill of materials. They also offer to supply the precut materials.

To the "engineering challenged" this could be a viable option.

I've not dealt with this company so file this under "food for thought"!

 

[GLyford]

You could ask him, he is a member of this board.
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/members/cadplans.html

 

[DavesTractor]

As far as finding a used loader to adapt to a tractor, do check with local dealers. Sometimes a tractor gets scrapped and the loader is excess. Out here in northern California we had terrible fires this last year. Beyond the devastated homes and loss of lives, there were also a bunch of tractors that burnt. The loaders and backhoes are generally rebuildable if they were not too torched. We took quite a few burned tractors in trade recently. We have seen a couple of guys buy these burned loaders, rebuild the cylinders, replace the hoses, make mounts and new paint...and they are doing well. It is sort of like building your own loader but you have all the basic parts in hand. It is a ton of work! No way we can do that at normal shop rate, but if a guy is handy that is a great way to get a "kit" so to speak and get started. Backhoes also. It is a lot easier than starting from scratch, but still a real challenge.

I do not know at what point the strength of the steel is compromised after a fire. But it seems if some paint is still on the items and the hoses are not entirely burned away, it has probably not gotten hot enough to compromise the metal?

Find a loader or backhoe off a salvage tractor due to flood damage and you are golden. But those are tougher to find.

Just an idea.

 

[dabwood40]

Attempting to upload pictures of my FEL mounts? Hope the files are not too large.

 

[aczlan]

View attachment 597165View attachment 597166View attachment 597167
Attempting to upload pictures of my FEL mounts? Hope the files are not too large.

That works for me, do you have plans to add bracing going to the front of the tractor so that you aren't putting your box tubing in torsion?

Aaron Z

 

[dabwood40]

Yes I plan to after fitting hydraulic cylinders to arms. Want to make sure I do not interfere with hydraulic hoses etc. Any suggestions on what material to use? How strong do they need to be?

 

[aczlan]

Yes I plan to after fitting hydraulic cylinders to arms. Want to make sure I do not interfere with hydraulic hoses etc. Any suggestions on what material to use? How strong do they need to be?

It depends on the tractor, our B7500 uses 3/8" x 2.5" flat stock.
The Massey Industrial 30 that Dad used to have used a piece of 3x6ish box tubing.

Aaron Z

 

[D2Cat]

Dabwood40, can't tell from the pictures, but you need to for sure have "axle bars". One on each side of your underbelly mount going to the rear axle. Might be 2x2x 1/4 square tubing for your size tractor. They put the weight on the real axle and take stress off of the middle of the tractor.

If you're interested in what may happen if you don't build it correctly, aahere is a picture of a Massey 1010 with a busted transmission housing!

Massey 1010- cracked bell housing from loader attachment - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

 

[Xfaxman]

Designing a front end loader for my Massey Ferguson 1528. ----------------

Have you considered building it with self leveling linkage?

Here is a Kwik-Way brand loader on a garden tractor that I used to own. You can see the self leveling linkage:

And after I set it out for sale with the hood, bucket and front wheels back on it:

 

[DavesTractor]

Dabwood40, can't tell from the pictures, but you need to for sure have "axle bars". One on each side of your underbelly mount going to the rear axle. Might be 2x2x 1/4 square tubing for your size tractor. They put the weight on the real axle and take stress off of the middle of the tractor.

If you're interested in what may happen if you don't build it correctly, here is a picture of a Massey 1010 with a busted transmission housing!

Massey 1010- cracked bell housing from loader attachment - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

Some of the Japanese Massey's had aluminum bell housings. They were particularly prone to breakage. But even a good cast iron bell housing can crack.

We have designed and built well over 100 sets of loader mounts over the last 15 years and your advice is good. I'm not so sure it is the transfer of weight to the rear axle that takes the stress off the middle of the tractor I think it is more of the torsional stress. Whatever the dynamics are, I agree that a couple pieces of tube mounted low going back to the rear axle area and a couple pieces of tube or reinforced flat stock (made like a "T") mounted high and going forward to the bumper area eliminates the mount trying to rotate.