KL 155 loader

farmboy238 · Dec 29, 2012

Having trouble with the pivot pieces on my quick attach bucket, that's those half-moon looking things. They keep bending, I replaced them and got local welder to add side support but they bent again (dealer says voided warranty by adding supports. Local welder and adviser says they should be 1/2" thick instead of 3/8". Also the dealer put 72" bucket on the loader, I think that it maybe too much. The tractor is strong (DK55) but the loader seems to be weak. This is a early 2011 model. I guess what I'm asking have there been any upgrades to this loader, and is anyone else having similar problems. I haven't seen any newer loaders for this model yet.:mur:

seacap04 · Dec 29, 2012

I bent the ones on my DK45 into pretzels. Since the bushing for the pins is about 3/4" thick, I had new ones made out of 3/4" plate. Cost was just about the same as new ones from my local dealer. I am still being very watchful that I did not create a "weak link" somewhere else.

farmboy238 · Dec 31, 2012

seacap04; sent you an email but I will also reply here. Were you able to reuse your pins to hold the new plates on. I haven't measured but it doesn't seem to me that 3/4 steel plat will work to me. Your picture looks good though.

seacap04 · Dec 31, 2012

farmboy; I will post here so that it is searchable for anyone else with similar problems.

I reused pins, cir-clips and keeper bolts. My orginal curl brackets were 3/8" thick with each end built up to 3/4" to provide bushing area for the pins. The pin bushing welded to lower loader arm and curl cylinder rod end assembly are wider than lower loader arm. This allowed for clearance so new curl brackets do not rub on lower loader arm. I went with 3/4" only because steel is cheaper than fabrication time. I was going to have to keep 3/4" at each end to provide bushing area for pins. So instead of going with say 1/2" steel and then having to weld on an additional 1/8" on each side of each end of the bracket for bushing area, all I had to do with 3/4" steel is bore for pins and drill and tap for keeper bolts.

I also have the 401 loader. It may be a little different than the 155. I know this is a bit "wordy" If this is confusing I can try to take some pics.

Coyote machine · Jan 2, 2013

farmboy238 said:
Having trouble with the pivot pieces on my quick attach bucket, that's those half-moon looking things. They keep bending, I replaced them and got local welder to add side support but they bent again (dealer says voided warranty by adding supports. Local welder and adviser says they should be 1/2" thick instead of 3/8". Also the dealer put 72" bucket on the loader, I think that it maybe too much. The tractor is strong (DK55) but the loader seems to be weak. This is a early 2011 model. I guess what I'm asking have there been any upgrades to this loader, and is anyone else having similar problems. I haven't seen any newer loaders for this model yet.:mur:

I had the exact same problem on my 2008 DK-35se/hst and had dealer replace them with new ones, which I paid cost for. Then the new ones bent and we welded supports to side of brackets to strengthen them. I bent those too. Then I decided to trade it in on a new DK-40se/hst with KL-401 which had about 1750# additional capacity and works great! So far no bending!!!
BUT I noticed in Seascapeｴs post that his DK-45 1/2 moon brackets, the original ones look to be about the same thickness of my original Dk-35 brackets and his new custom ones seem closer to the thickness of the factory brackets on my DK-40?!

You actually have a KL-551 loader, NOT a 155. And a 72 inch bucket is what came on my Dk-35 and my DK-40, if Iｴm not mistaken. I donｴt believe it it too big for your tractor, but check out the exact specs on Kiotiｴs web site. It will tell you what loader fits what model tractor.
Also, what are you lifting/pushing with your current loader? You may be going at it too hard if youｴre bending the 1/2 moons. The KL-551 should do whatever you need it to without things bending, (I have a friend who has that tractor.)

farmboy238 · Jan 2, 2013

My original problem with the first set by back dragging some gravel to smooth it out. All four of the half-moon brackets bent and twisted. My mistake was not going back to the dealer, he's 40 miles and $200.00 away cause I have to hire transportation. So I purchased new ones and had local welder to weld some extra metal on them. That worked great for a while. Then one day I had what I thought was a dead tree I wanted to push out of the way. When I did I made the mistake of pushing it with the left side of my bucket. I didn't realize until it was too late the side pressure was too much and it bent the half-moon pieces again. By the way I had to return it anyway for another warranty problem and the dealer said that I had voided the warranty on the loader anyway. So here I am now I want to make some for my self. I have measured and remeasured and the thickest metal I can go with is 5/8 to be able to use the same pins. I think and hope that will be enough. I went to a local salvage yard and found a plate 5/8 thick and about 20" wide X about 30" long. Local welder says he can get them cut for me, but I will have to order one more for a pattern cause all I now have are all bent and twisted. Hope this works this time !!!
PS; While they are cutting I'm going to get as many pieces out of the plate as I can.:mur:

seacap04 · Jan 2, 2013

I would think 5/8 should be fine. We have different loaders, but one of mine was only tweeked and I used that as the pattern. I haven't thought of a way yet due to size. But tomorrow I will trace it and try to send it to you in a message.

Coyote machine · Jan 4, 2013

One thing to keep in mind is if you beef up the 1/2 moon brackets something else will take the strain and eventually break. For instance on my DK-35 I also had my curl cylinders housings bottoming out on the loader arms as well as the actual cylinders beginning to bend inside the housings. One thing leads to another and if weakest link is strengthened then something replaces that link as weakest.