Loader Hooks on JD Heavy-Duty 61” buckets

[beenthere]

Re: Hooks on JD Heavy-Duty 61 buckets

Never. But if I put a stinger and ball in it I can't backdrag with the bucket curled under.

If you mean by "curled under" and the bucket curl cylinders are fully extended, it is a quick way to bend the cyl. rods. If by curled under, you mean something else, then I see no problem.

 

[kennyd]

We cover adding Bolt-On Hooks to the JD HD buckets in the FAQ section on our website, many have done it with sleeves to keep the walls from crushing together. But of course, welding hook is a great option, we can help with those too.

 

[WinterDeere]

Re: Hooks on JD Heavy-Duty 61 buckets

Took a pic of my welded hooks..

This is where I started, beenthere. But I bent the crap out of my old bucket, having done something very similar to what you have. That's why I was discussing putting 4" x 4" x 1/4" plates under the hooks, or welding them up on those Quick-Attach tabs, where the rear end of your hooks are.

I'm pretty well set on @mike48130's crush sleeve idea, and using bolt-on hooks with that, unless something comes up with something better between now and me getting the parts. The only thing undecided at this point is how to best implement that hitch receiver.

I see the top of the bucket as a little too tall to make a practical hitch receiver. I'm considering welding one to the under-side of the top edge, essentially inside the bucket, top center.

We cover adding Bolt-On Hooks to the JD HD buckets in the FAQ section on our website, many have done it with sleeves to keep the walls from crushing together. But of course, welding hook is a great option, we can help with those too.

Thanks, Kenny! Will definitely check out your site.

 

[beenthere]

Re: Hooks on JD Heavy-Duty 61 buckets

WinterDeere
You stated in the OP.

But the construction of this 61” heavy-duty bucket is a little strange to me

Think that is the same on my HD bucket, and pretty darn sure those welded hooks will break off before "bending the crap out" will happen.
I have to assume you "bent the crap out" of a bucket without that HD reinforced "strange" top piece.
But go ahead with the plates, whatever feels good and worth it to you is the way to go.

For a trailer ball, I just drilled a hole in the bucket edge for a trailer ball and nut. Serves the purpose of moving trailers very well and is never in the way (of course, I don't leave the ball there when not needing it for a trailer )

 

[WinterDeere]

Re: Hooks on JD Heavy-Duty 61 buckets

Hooks: I could go either way. I like what guys are doing with the crush sleeves in the HD buckets with bolt-on hooks, but welding a pair of these little guys to a pair of 4" square 1/4" plates atop the bucket would be frankly easier, quicker, and stronger:



The painting, or more accurately getting a reasonable paint cure in winter, is going to be an issue. But I suppose I can rattle-can it for now, and plan to shoot real paint when it gets warmer.

Hitch: I love the idea of having a hitch on the bucket, particularly for backing the small farm wagon I use for hauling my stove wood under my porch, as snaking that thing into position on the patio is real chore on the drawbar.



I see some folks putting them inside the bucket, like this:

But that would have the hitch at the height of my pickup truck, with the bucket dragging on the ground. With the bucket 6" off the ground, it's just too tall, I suspect.

@beenthere's hole in the edge of the bucket is a great idea, but with the replaceable cutting edge on my bucket, it'd have to be way back inside:



So, I think I've got a plan for the hooks, but I'm still undecided on hitch.

 

[beenthere]

Drill the hole for the ball through both, cutting edge too.. it's just a hole until you put the ball bolt through, and a nut on the other side. I just hand tighten for the occasional use.

 

[TractorGuy]

Re: Hooks on JD Heavy-Duty 61 buckets

Hooks: I could go either way. I like what guys are doing with the crush sleeves in the HD buckets with bolt-on hooks, but welding a pair of these little guys to a pair of 4" square 1/4" plates atop the bucket would be frankly easier, quicker, and stronger:

View attachment 633307

The painting, or more accurately getting a reasonable paint cure in winter, is going to be an issue. But I suppose I can rattle-can it for now, and plan to shoot real paint when it gets warmer.

Here is how I modified the Harbor Freight Hooks to weld onto my bucket. These are 3/8" hooks rated at 5400 lbs. They come in a two pack for less than 5 bucks.

They have a bevel on the back side. I used a cutoff wheel to cut the back side ear off then used a grinding wheel to remove the plating and follow the contour of the existing bevel. Makes the other ear lay close to flat with the beveled edge in full contact with the plate. Might look better to cut both ears off? A magnetic square will hold it square with the plate so you can tack it then weld all along the back side. As far as paint goes it's just an implement. Rattle can it and put it to work.

 

[WinterDeere]

Drill the hole for the ball through both, cutting edge too.. it's just a hole until you put the ball bolt through, and a nut on the other side. I just hand tighten for the occasional use.

I definitely like this option, and it would give me a place to drop a pin for the clevis on that farm wagon I pictured earlier in this thread. However, I was under the impression that black replaceable/reversible cutting edge was hardened steel, and not so easy for drilling a 5/8” or 1” hole with a typical high speed steel bit.

I might talk with the machinist at work, and see if he could put a hole in it, assuming it is hardened. I could have him put the hole dead center of that replaceable edge, and then use that as the pilot for drilling the bucket, so it will still line up with the hole in the bucket if I ever reverse it.

 

[WinterDeere]

Prep’d for some hook welding this evening, but got interrupted by a neighbor who needed some help, so stopped short of actually doing the welds. Tomorrow.

This gives me one more evening to debate backing plates. I’m down to this:



Or none:





The spreader plate under the hook in the top photo is 1/4” thick x 1” wide, so literally twice as thick as the top of the bucket, and twice as wide as the hook. It would decrease the likelihood of deforming the top of the bucket when curling with a chain on the hook by roughly 6x.

Then again, the hook being right on the rolled edge, maybe it’s strong enough. If I use backers, which would obviously be stronger no matter their size, I have to come up with a better way to hold the weld hook square on its knife edge. If I skip the plates, then it’s real easy:

 

[WinterDeere]

Anyone? Bueller?