FEL level indicator

[ACHINBAC]

Wanted a lever indicator for the bucket, but not a bolt on rod type. After a bit of head scratching, a couple coors lights, and digging through some old parts boxes, this is what I've come up with:

The sensor in the arm is a magnetic reed switch. The magnet is bolted to a carved up stainless washer. Both will be painted orange when I get a chance. The set up is very accurate and adjustable via the magnet/washer clamp, and is not affected by snow or dirt. The magnet is neodymium and scary powerful. The switch operates a high power red LED mounted on the plastic shroud at the base of the FEL stick (TBD- mocked up in the picture) and can be seen out of the corner of your eye even when not looking directly at it. Switch wire was routed inside the FEL arm, out, and then bundled with the hydraulic hoses. LED goes red the second the bucket is level - you can set level with the arms on the way down, or without hanging off the side of the tractor or in the dark during a complete white out in a blizzard with your eyes almost frozen shut.

 

[Egon]

Ingenious!

 

[john_bud]

Unfortunately, it will only give bucket level at one arm height. Raise the arms and the bucket will read level, but will be tipped back significantly.

jb

 

[Mickey_Fx]

I've been wanting/thinking about such a feature. As shown here, I do have to agree with John's comments. Unless I'm not seeing something, this looks more like a position indicator. i.e. the bucket is level in only one situation.

What I want but haven't got around to doing the design on is to have an indicator that truly tells when the bucket is level regardless of bucket height and another mode of operation for when you desire the bucket to be parallel to the ground. The second mode of operation is desirable when you want to scoop stuff off the ground and the grade not being level.

I have something similar on the rear of my tractor which is part of the UFO controls on some Yanmar's. With the flip of a switch my 3pt is kept level in real time within the range of +/- 10ｰ left/right. This is a fairly complex system but only handles side/side situation and with a bucket, grade is important in some situations.

ACHINBAC, please don't take it as we're dumping on your effort but this does not appear to truly indicate "level" in all situations. Does look like a nice clean install on the bucket and if it does what you need/want, good for ya.

 

[AndyMA]

Cool devise from an engineering standpoint. All of my tractors have bucket level rods on them. I neer use them, finding that my eyes can still tell a level bucket just fine.

Andy

 

[kennyd]

Cool devise from an engineering standpoint. All of my tractors have bucket level rods on them. I neer use them, finding that my eyes can still tell a level bucket just fine.

Andy

I never used mine either so I took it off...The top of my bucket is on the same plane as the bottom, so it's easy to see the position of the bucket from the seat.

 

[ACHINBAC]

John you are correct. I worded the post title incorrectly. It is technically a wheel plane indicator for the bucket bottom, and of course is calibrated to indicate only that when the bucket is down for snow removal (we have a gravel drive). It is possible to indicate "level" with a different system but that would be beyond my needs and is a more involved project. Mercury switches and pendulums bounce around and would give erratic result, though would give an indication if the tractor was motionless. A linkage anchored at the FEL arm mount articulating the magnet would allow the bucket to be raised and the "wheel plane" could be determined at any height. Not true level of course. 2 more green LEDs on either side of the red existing and 2 more reed switches would also indicate if you were off - tilted up, or down.

This was a fun, simple (and cheap) project that anyone can do. Veteran operators would find it useless I suppose, but last year during a couple of bad storms at night I wacked the driveway and the lawn in a bunch of spots pretty good. Will no doubt do it again this year too, but maybe less times.

Dave

 

[john_bud]

Dave,

Your project was nicely done and can be helpful - especially for newer users with less feel for position. And you are right, getting "real" bucket level is a harder thing. Very useful for folks that use forks. I always thought that a couple variable resistors that mark the full swing extent of the bucket travel and boom arm lift travel could be combined to calculate bucket level. I have the idea of how that would work, but not the skills to pull it off. (or the burning desire, spare time, spare change for parts, etc)

jb

 

[Gittyup]

This simple little switch might work good for keeping it true horizontal without too much switch bounce:

Tilt Activated Switch

Of course, it would have to be modified to be more rugged. But, that wouldn't be hard to do. Contact spacing would dictate sensitivity and accuracy.

 

[Reg]

Howze about a ball bearing inside a plastic tube filled with oil of an "appropriate" viscosity ?
Sure it would be slower to react when colder, but maybe a thin enough oil and a ball bearing with enough but not too much clearance in the tube would have the right dampening.

 

[ACHINBAC]

You guys are killing me - now I've got another project to do. Two types of sensors would be cool though. One for level for my forks, and one for snow. . . . . . .

Way cooler than hanging on the couch (have seen it done, but don't personally know how to do it too well)

Dave

 

[Mickey_Fx]

..... Mercury switches and pendulums bounce around and would give erratic result, though would give an indication if the tractor was motionless. ......

Dave

The level sensor I mentioned in my prior post is an old but effective design. Uses a pendulum and a pair of optical sensors. The pendulum is low mass (small) and suspended on needle point bearings. The pendulum is dampened by of magnets mounted facing each other and mounted so the magnetic force is pulling on the pendulum suspended between the magnets in the gap. The opposing magnetic force on the pendulum does a very good job of dampening the pendulum but still permits it to swing freely.

Not exactly a weekend project and still doesn't function as an indicator indicating parallel to the ground but does show a low mass pendulum design is a viable approach.

One could try contacting a few of the gray market Yanmar dealers and see if they have any of these level sensors. The tillers they get may (depending upon which model) come with one of the sensors and I know of no one other than myself who has ever put the auto leveling capability to use. Dealers usually toss these sensors in the trash.

 

[WaxMan]

ACHINBAC
Just read your post I think you did a great job with the level indicator.
One thing you can do that others can't is you can place the bucket level to the ground while it's still up in the air right after dumping a load.
The ones that use the top of the bucket to find level have to wait till the bucket is back on the ground. Green red and green light would be even better, That way the bottom green light would be for digging the red for level and the top green light to just skim over the ground.
Nice job with the sensor. I have a rod indicator on my tractor I use it all the time I have three marks that do the same as GRG light system , I'm not sure why some say it's only good for one position, when I use mine I know where level is is way before the bucket hits the ground. On level ground of course.

 

[framer]

Thanks waxman.I like the rod for bucket leveling. Did you make it or can you
explain how it mounts or post picture please. Thank you.
Framer

 

[WaxMan]

Thanks waxman.I like the rod for bucket leveling. Did you make it or can you
explain how it mounts or post picture please. Thank you.
Framer

Here are some pictures.
I took the piston pins out placed them in my lathe, center drilled and tapped for a 5/16 stud. I like the way it works I use it all the time, as soon as I dump the bucket I place the bucket at the center white line mark and when bucket hits the ground it's level every time ready for the next scoop. Sorry for the poor quality photos my camera must have been on the wrong setting.

 

[framer]

Nice work. I will have to put that on my list to do.Will print pictures might
take afew months need a rake first. Thanks for pictures.
Framer

 

[Baby Grand]

Nice, Waxman, very nice.
Mind if I copy that?

-Jim

 

[dex3361]

Wax man that is what I am going to do to my loader, great job and When I work in the brush I think your design will hold up. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

 

[3RRL]

Achibac,
Nice work on your bucket level indicator.
It's a lot nicer than the standard rod type on my bucket. I did what Waxman did several years ago, except did not notch out the grooves in the lathe like he did. I just painted mine with different colors. His is nicer than mine. Over the years I've stopped using it and never even look at it anymore.



One that tells true level at all positions would be nice for fork work, but I imagine over time a guy would get a feel for that as well.
Your project is really cool and well thought out.
Rob-