front loader arms

[eddieirvine]

Had a

loader arm break where the hyd cyl for tilt hooks to with 1/2 pin, back dragging with it. I did not think i was abusing it but it broke! Now i bought this used and i have no idea how it was used, but it looked like it was well takes care of. I have an L3940 great machine, I guess for now i am going to ask if anyone else has had this happen? i welded it up after getting the end of the arm straightened out and gringing a path out for my weld. I am tempted to add a plate on each side to beef it up where it broke is in back of the hole where the cyl is attached with a 1/2 inch pin. That arm is built with a gusset, but the arm on the sides is only 3/16 of an inch thick and i can see if one was back dragging with the bucket curled back it does put a lot of strain on that part of the arm. the left side broke but i had more load on the right side with dirt, so sort of putting it inn a twist! Anyway i have done a lot of welding when i was working as a machisit for 38 years so the welding part is not a problem. But while i am cleaning it all up i am thinking of adding two plates on the outside of arm to make for a stronger place out at the end of the loader arm i will also do the arm that is not broke. Any one else had this problem let me know. thanks Eddie.

 

[4570Man]

That’s the first I’ve heard of breaking the arm but bending cylinders back dragging is pretty common. Tractor loaders are pretty delicate. They’re not skid steers or dozers.

 

[eddieirvine]

That’s the first I’ve heard of breaking the arm but bending cylinders back dragging is pretty common. Tractor loaders are pretty delicate. They’re not skid steers or dozers.

.yes they are andback dragging is a lot if pressure on them, and like i posted this could have had a crack on the inside and not apparent to see it.

 

[BeezFun]

It's best to back drag with the heel of the bucket rather than the front edge. Can't do any damage that way. I think it says that somewhere in the loader manual if I recall.

 

[RickB]

It's highly doubtful the bucket cylinder on any L series loader is attached with a 1/2" pin.

 

[nyone]

Have any pictures of the break or area even after it's been welded? I would definitely weld plates on the sides of you have the clearance to. Theres not much point in repairing it to just as good as before. Make it stronger.

 

[eddieirvine]

It's highly doubtful the bucket cylinder on any L series loader is attached with a 1/2" pin.

my bad on the pin size they are one inch

 

[eddieirvine]

Have any pictures of the break or area even after it's been welded? I would definitely weld plates on the sides of you have the clearance to. Theres not much point in repairing it to just as good as before. Make it stronger.

no pictures of the break, but the outside on one of the arms the hyd cylinder is attached to by a one inch pin broke completely off on the center of the hole in arm the section shown in picture above the gusset is 3/16" thick so i repaired the broken part ground it out and wire welded it back in place after lining up every thing back to where it was. chore in itself! Anyway i added two plates inside and outside of the arm structure. and welded those both on so now it is 3/8 thick inside of the arm and outside of arm, so should be good came out very nice, took my time and welded it up good. To me i really think that area up front which takes all the stress should have been done in heavier metal. All is better now after a good grease job.

 

[Smokeydog]

That looks like a quality repair. Nice job.

 

[4570Man]

That’s the first one I’ve seen busted like that but I do agree those ears are on the light side.

 

[IndyIan]

Back dragging with the loader in float may take a couple passes but less chance of breaking it I guess. With the bucket bottom near vertical it still moves a decent amount of material and still bumps over the imbedded rocks.

 

[4570Man]

Back dragging with the loader in float may take a couple passes but less chance of breaking it I guess. With the bucket bottom near vertical it still moves a decent amount of material and still bumps over the imbedded rocks.

You shouldn’t backdrag with the bucket past 45 degrees. Doing it with a nearly vertical bucket is almost guaranteed to bend cylinders.

 

[IndyIan]

You shouldn’t backdrag with the bucket past 45 degrees. Doing it with a nearly vertical bucket is almost guaranteed to bend cylinders.

Even in float mode? I guess if you are going fast, I try to keep the tractor from having too much speed when using the loader as its nice to take it slow and steady with the hst.

 

[4570Man]

Even in float mode? I guess if you are going fast, I try to keep the tractor from having too much speed when using the loader as its nice to take it slow and steady with the hst.

It might help but back dragging at 90 degrees is a recipe for trouble no matter what.

 

[eddieirvine]

That looks like a quality repair. Nice job.

thanks they cost to much not to fix right

 

[oosik]

I have a heavy( 820# ) grapple on my FEL. I will occasionally backdrag with it. I put the FEL/grapple in float. Very little pressure on the FEL frame or hydraulics.

If I have HEAVY grading to do - the HD Rhino rear blade comes into use. Either forward or reversed. I smooth things out with the land plane grading scraper also. Roll over box blade if I need to move material from here to there.

 

[Cycledude]

Would be nice to see pictures taken before the nice repair job was done.
Yes I believe way to many operators are unaware of how easily these loaders can be damaged, I probably wouldn’t realize it myself if it wasn’t for reading so many reports of damage.

 

[Smokeydog]

Back dragging should be done with the heel of the bucket. Stronger geometry of the FEL and better leveling results. Skidsteer and commercial tractor buckets are usually built with a heavy edge at the back of the bucket. Ag tractor buckets might need a steel flat bar or angle welded to the back bottom of the bucket to perform this task better. By changing the tilt while back dragging can easily drag and dispense, move and smooth loose materials with professional results.

Had a L3830 with OEM bucket that absolutely sucked at back dragging. Then are apt to roll the bucket and use the front cutting edge. Bad for the tractor and job results.

 

[LD1]

Surprised it broke back dragging. Cause that would tend to put the cylinder in compression.

Now bucket dumped near vertical and pushing, I could see that ripping the cylinder off the mount if you hit something hard and fast

 

[Notforhire]

That’s the first I’ve heard of breaking the arm but bending cylinders back dragging is pretty common. Tractor loaders are pretty delicate. They’re not skid steers or dozers.

Truer words were never spoken.
Ag loaders are really for "material handling".
With that in mind, it's surprising how much abuse they really can take.