what type of quick attach bucket mounts do RK tractors use?

[Soundguy]

I've asked this at both of the stores local to me now, as I'm trying to line up implements I want to buy when I get my tractor in a few weeks.

The most important one is a front bale spear.

I have looked at the slide on and bolt thru style where you have to drill your bucket, but frankly, they don't instill me with confidence and I forsee bending a bucket AND drilling a hole in it.. which just doesn't sound great on a brand new tractor.

I see the buckets are some sort of quick attach. a lip at the top and pin slots at the bottom on the bucket, with a corresponding ledge at the top of the loader mount, and 2 spring loaded pins at the lower left and right that are released by hand levers.

All my tractors are old, no QA.. so I'm not sure if this QA implementation is some sort of standard, or varies by manufacturer.

I talked to the tractor people at both my local stores.. got the same blank stare I get at lowes or home depot when i walk in and ask for a 1/2" solvent union... ( that doesn't instill me with confidence I must say, since one of these stores will be my 'warranty service' location I assume ). neither store could tell me anything about the standard used or the implementation of the QA on their loaders.

I called a John deer dealer.. for instance.. he said they have their own QA for JD machines, and also there is a type called 'global', and then there is the skid steer type.

One of the stores had a skid steer pallet fork, and it looked real similar to the bucket style the RK tractor used... ( lip at top, and 2 pin slots on the bottom ).

Can anyone shed some light on this? What QA do the RK loaders have? The store people don't know. I waited all yesterday for the tractor guy at the leesburg store to call me back after he would 'research' it.. never got a call. Ocala store just shrugged and suggested I order my own loader spear online from tarter gate.. ( WTF?? )

Thanks

 

[Ford850]

An RK expert should be along to confirm, but I'm 99% sure they use the SSQA (skid steer). That's what nearly every tractor manufacturer uses now other than JD, but even JD offers the SSQA style as an option.
That's pathetic support from your stores too. That's the weak point in the whole RK tractor line, when it should be the strong point. Hopefully that improves over time but I suspect support will be like staffing models are at most retail stores, a revolving door. On a positive note, you probably won't need the store for support anyway.

 

[Soundguy]

I hear ya. Yeah.. the palate fork they had that was skid steer.. and mind you I looked at it int he parking lot at night.. but by the light of my cellphone.. the attachment looks the same or close. No one in either store know. Heck, the woman at the ocala store kept trying to steer me to a 3pt model and I kept telling her that goes on the back of the tractor!!

I really, really, really wish they had a tractor savy person at each store that sold tractors. It does nothing for confidence when I walk in, and I have more tractor experience than all the staff members combined.....

I do like the fact they are selling them, and I do allow for the fact that this may be a learning experience for them.... but your comment on staffing is probably correct. It's hard to get an expert at a revolving door workplace where the week before you might have been flipping burgers, and the next week you are making coffee. Same deal when I walk into one of the home improvement stores... I love that they call them experts.. but I'm just as glad that I bring the old parts with me so that I can visually match them up when the plumbing expert can't tell me what delta rebuild pack to get for my fixture. I totally understand.. the staff member was probably working in gift wrap at target the week before and can't even do his own pluming repairs at his house.. but next week he's a plumbing expert at lowes. sheesh...

 

[Soundguy]

I just got a call back from one of the tractor people at one of the local RK stores. They are pretty sure that their QA is skid steer. They have forwarded the question up the line to get an answer. He identified a KK QA bale spear that they can get ordered, if it turns out to be skid steer.. I could probably get it in a month or so and it would come in via truck to the store so no freight charge if shipped with their regular order.

So right now am just waiting till they verify what QA setup they actually use .

 

[Btown]

It’s a skid steer quick attach. They should all have it. The RK24 did originally did not have one, but they made a change so the new ones will have one and the older ones can buy the ssqa kit.

 

[P8NTR]

I have been to Rural King a couple of times looking at tractors, I did not ask but I'm 99% sure they are SSQA. The questions I did ask the tractor sales guy seemed to be very knowledgeable about. Lake Wales, FL. Store.
I plan to buy an RK24 in a few months.

 

[Soundguy]

Good deal. I just got the call back, and yes.. it does look like they are all SSQA. If I can make it to the store after work I'll get my SSQA bale spear ordered.

 

[RK Tractor Guy]

Every RK Tractor loader from the L72 on the RK19 to the L135SL on the RK74 is Skid Steer Quick Attach Compatible. That means when you are looking for loader attachments, if it is Skid Steer QA, it fits. Don’t be confused by terms like “quick connect” or “quick coupler.” SKID STEER QUICK ATTACH is what works with our loaders, and that is the predominate “open” connection system for tractors.

 

[Soundguy]

I wish more of the staff new that information. It took a total of 3 days of telephone calls, from saturday thru monday to actually get that pinned down.

 

[fried1765]

I have been to Rural King a couple of times looking at tractors, I did not ask but I'm 99% sure they are SSQA. The questions I did ask the tractor sales guy seemed to be very knowledgeable about. Lake Wales, FL. Store.
I plan to buy an RK24 in a few months.

"Lake Wales, Fl. Store"
Guess I need to drive over there, and talk to that guy.