Welding reinforcement for chain hooks on tractor bucket

Teikas Dad · Feb 24, 2013

I've recently purchased a small Kubota tractor with a front end loader on it. I want to stiffen up the top lip of the loader bucket so I can weld on some chain hooks and clevis shackle mounts.

Below is a photo of the back of the bucket with a piece of 2X2 angle. I've got a piece of 3X3 angle that I picked up after I took the photo that's actually going in place there. The bucket is 3/16" thick and so is the 3X3 angle.

The top leg of the angle (horizontal) will lay flat on top of the bucket lip. I'm going to stitch weld the angle to the lip along the front. Then I'm going to stitch weld the lower leg of the angle (vertical) to the back of the bucket.

It's a small tractor so the front loader is only listed to lift 800 lbs. so I'm not going to be lifting any cars, trucks, cows, horses or any other heavy items. I'm going to mount the hooks and shackles so I can chain or strap things like mower decks and things like that to move around.

My question for all of you is this. Will just welding the the angle at the top of the lip and the base of the angle leg on the back be enough to stiffen the bucket lip, considering the weight capacity? Or, should I drill a few holes through the angle so the top (horizontal) surface of the bucket lip is exposed and essentially spot weld those locations to lock the back edge of the lip to angle? I can't get under it to weld the underside of the joint between the angle and the bucket lip so I thought this might work. Here's a Sketch Up cross section of what I'm talking about.

Or....am I being too OCD about it and overdoing it?

I'm sure there's people out there that just weld the hooks to the bucket without reinforcement!

farmshop · Feb 24, 2013

Plug welds would help but are not necessary 800 lbs is not too much although I would be careful not to overload one corner as to twist the loader. A vertical flat strap to box the c would do the same thing.

Teikas Dad · Feb 24, 2013

I'm going to line up the chain hooks with the loader arms so that way they won't be putting weight on the outside of the bucket and twist the loader frame or bucket mount.

Thanks for the input!

BD1 · Feb 24, 2013

''The top leg of the angle (horizontal) will lay flat on top of the bucket lip. I'm going to stitch weld the angle to the lip along the front. Then I'm going to stitch weld the lower leg of the angle (vertical) to the back of the bucket.''

That will work for me. On my bucket I welded each hook to a piece of plate and bolted to bucket with matching plate below sandwiching bucket top lip. My bucket is larger and rated for more.

MinnesotaDave · Feb 24, 2013

Your idea is going to work just fine without plug welds.

Post some pics when you finish

Dave J.

farmshop · Feb 24, 2013

A large load on one hook could buckle the loader as long as it is centered it will be fine

Teikas Dad · Feb 24, 2013

I'm figuring one hook in line with each loader arm that way it will spread the load evenly at the strongest points. The loader is only rated for 800 lbs so I don't think I'll be lifting anything heavy enough to buckle it...I hope!

GWD · Feb 24, 2013

When I did mine a piece of 3/4" scrap water pipe was stitch welded under the lip of the bucket. The lip is thin metal and will collapse or bend if not supported. The amount of force a chained heavy load can put on a small area is quite a bit.

The angle iron idea should work but consider sliding a piece of pipe under there to stiffen up the top of the bucket. A "heavy duty" bucket has a 2", or so, piece of pipe as the bucket top edge.

Teikas Dad · Feb 24, 2013

Sounds like a good idea. I'll have to take a good measurement to see what diameter pipe I can fit in there.

DanD78 · Feb 24, 2013

I would run the angle iron the entire legnth of the bucked not just past the arms. That will save bending up the top edge. Put the hooks out on the ends and one in the middle. Skip the plug welds. Orange paint and you will be good to go.

Dan

GWD · Feb 24, 2013

Actually, putting the hooks on the ends of the bucket is not a very good idea.
>It puts a torque on the booms and pins enough to tweak the frame. (photo)
>It makes the tractor quite tippy when lifting from just a single end hook (the voice of experience).

My recommendation is to line up the hooks with the boom, or slightly to the inside of the boom. And one in the middle, of course.

Another good place for a hook is on the rear of the bucket. Then you can lift from closer to the tractor frame for really heavy stuff. It maximizes the FEL's capacity. Use a backing plate to spread the load over a larger area of the bucket. (Not the best welds in the photo to say the least.

)

cd19 · Feb 24, 2013

Depending on the material you have, weld a flat bar the full length of the bucket in one of the positions I drew in red or pink. 3/16" thick would be plenty. 1/4" would be fine too, whatever you have. then you will have a nice solid tube across the top to hook whatever you want to I can maybe get a photo of one I have that was done like this If you don't get it.

AMC724 · Feb 24, 2013

The angle is the way to go.
It give the "tube" effect that cd19 mentioned, and the backing plate to spread the weight out that gwd said.

But also as gwd said, the hooks on the rear of the bucket would give more lifting capacity.

And as Dand78 stated, run the angle the full length.

To answer the question, plug welds are not nessisary.

weldermike · Feb 24, 2013

You should be good to go bud! What model kubota did you get?

Teikas Dad · Feb 24, 2013

B3200 with front loader and backhoe. Took the hoe of for the winter and put a ballast box on the rear for snow removal. Good thing too....we got 24" a couple weeks ago. If it wasn't for the loader on the tractor I'd still be trying to dig out the driveway.

Teikas Dad · Feb 24, 2013

I've got the quarter inching valve on mine so I don't have that issue. I think the L series is the one everybody complains about.

The quarter inch system is not a favorite of those who have used a position control because it doesn't reset to the same position every time you move your TPH. I've never run a tractor with a position control so for me ignorance is bliss. When I move the lever the TPH comes up...when I push the lever the TPH goes down, so it works for me!

DanD78 · Feb 24, 2013

Actually, putting the hooks on the ends of the bucket is not a very good idea.
>It puts a torque on the booms and pins enough to tweak the frame. (photo)
>It makes the tractor quite tippy when lifting from just a single end hook (the voice of experience).

GWD is correct on what he is saying above. It takes some comon sense/experience to lift with a bucket. You need to use the hooks on the ends of the bucket, both at the same time or you are asking for the above issues. It sounds like GWD has the expirence now. Use the center hook for single chain lifting.

Also not all buckets and loaders are created equal. The Kubota bucket you have is a light duty. You are doing the right thing by adding the angle iron but I would use 1/4". I think the last one I did I used 3x2x1/4 angle and had to modify the level indicator. You should have went Green and got the heavy duty bucket (Sorry, I couldn't resist)

Dan

Teikas Dad · Feb 24, 2013

My wife wanted green but I couldn't pass up the deal I got!

Welding reinforcement for chain hooks on tractor bucket

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