Bucket hook location

[steveo3000]

Hello all, I am looking for some feedback on the most logical placement for my bucket hook. I bought one off Kens bolt ons, and my question is do I go bucket center or favor the cylinder. I only have one, and will stay that way for a while. Thank you in advance. I plan to lift logs with this.

Going center only, it would even the load on each pin, but cause more stress on the cylinder side? Favor the cylinder and it’s uneven on the other lower pin. Seems like a double edged sword almost.

This post was edited by steveo3000 on 08/11/2023 at 02:12 pm.

 

[Hemmjo]

Every hook I have ever seen is in the center, outside the bucket. Like your first photo. If there are multiple hooks, 2 would be out on the edges on top as you have in the top photo. If there is a 3rd, it is centered.

I have never seen them mounted inside the bucket.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

Yep. Dead center outside. I see you have a nice roll edge on the bucket, otherwise if it was a flat edge you would need a thick flat plate about 18 inches long to distribute the load across the edge of the bucket to the cylinder arms. Experience talking here.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

...and I would add that it should be welded.

 

[steveo3000]

My gut feeling at first was centered. And the fact that I have that rolled top edge really helped drive that. I will have my father in law help me weld it on there, probably fill in the small gap too from up next to the top roll

 

[Hemmjo]

A lot of people never think about how the hydraulics on equipment is plumbed and how that affects the forces on the bucket. When the load is relatively evenly distributed, scooping up a load of gravel is good for the hydraulics. BUT when you lift a load that is concentrated in one spot, that spot needs to spread the load between the cylinders.

The is because the cylinders are plumbed in parallel. the pressure in applied to the cylinder through a Tee fitting. Imagine picking up a 1000 pound load attached to the left side of the bucket. ALL of that force is applied to the left cylinder. So the left cylinder applies enough force to that cylinder to lift the load. Even if the right cylinder was disconnected from the bucket, the single left cylinder would lift, or try to lift, the load. The un restricted right cylinder would fully extend before the left cylinder began to lift the load.

The bucket would try to twist, due to the uneven load. The structure of the lift arms would resist that twist.

NOW, reconnect that right cylinder. Now, in addition to the unbalanced load twisting the lift structure, the now connected right cylinder is also adding to the twisting moment.

 

[showcrop]

Looks like no one has looked at your second pic. I would want it near the cylinder. Maybe half way between center and the cylinder. With that big roll on the top you would be better off with it inside. I have seen plenty mounted inside and one variation is to mount a cross-ways rod on the outside over a hole cut in the bucket near the top. The hook hangs from the rod.

 

[sweetskillsrk]

I'm with showcrop, halfway between the center and the cylinder, I think that's your best bet. I would suggest to though, do most of your lifting with the lift cylinders, I wouldn't use the tilt function to lift much one you have it loaded down, just a suggestion. I have seen plenty of hooks mounted inside buckets as well, but I think on the top back makes the most sense usually.

 

[Hemmjo]

I have to admit, I missed the fact you have a single cylinder. Your hook belongs in line with the cylinder.

My apologies for missing that detail.

 

[steveo3000]

(quoted from post at 21:15:09 08/11/23)
I have to admit, I missed the fact you have a single cylinder. Your hook belongs in line with the cylinder.

My apologies for missing that detail.

Yup this is one of those farm special models with only a single cylinder for the curl. I was told these mostly scooped up manure and etc

Also, this hook I have will be mounted to the top, but bolted thru and on the inside is a clevis mount. I think the picture may not show that detail.

So to recap so farbest bet is somewhere online with the cylinder or between that and center.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

Ah, I missed that single cylinder too. You're gonna need a bigger loader.

 

[Hemmjo]

After giving this some more careful consideration, You still have two lift cylinders. Those cylinders, working together, raise the whole lift arm assembly. When the load is unequal, that lift arm assembly tries to twist. The unequal load also affects balance on the whole tractor. This will be exaggerated with the bucket raised to lift a load.

The single tilt cylinder only affects the bucket. I hate to be a flip-flopper, but I believe centered is best.

TEST the location with your desired load before you decide on the hook location. Hook a chain over the cutting edge leading under the bottom, up the back and over the top edge of the bucket. Try various lifts with the chain in different locations. SEE how the location affects how it works for your intended use.

Remember when you have your bucket raised with a load in it, your tractor becomes more unstable. Even if the log is low, the tractor thinks it is up there IN the bucket. The only good thing is when the tractor starts to tip, hopefully the log hits the ground before the tractor rolls over.

Good Luck,

 

[steveo3000]

(quoted from post at 07:38:53 08/12/23)
After giving this some more careful consideration, You still have two lift cylinders. Those cylinders, working together, raise the whole lift arm assembly. When the load is unequal, that lift arm assembly tries to twist. The unequal load also affects balance on the whole tractor. This will be exaggerated with the bucket raised to lift a load.

The single tilt cylinder only affects the bucket. I hate to be a flip-flopper, but I believe centered is best.

TEST the location with your desired load before you decide on the hook location. Hook a chain over the cutting edge leading under the bottom, up the back and over the top edge of the bucket. Try various lifts with the chain in different locations. SEE how the location affects how it works for your intended use.

Remember when you have your bucket raised with a load in it, your tractor becomes more unstable. Even if the log is low, the tractor thinks it is up there IN the bucket. The only good thing is when the tractor starts to tip, hopefully the log hits the ground before the tractor rolls over.

Good Luck,

I have hooked a chain on the lower lip in both of those scenarios. I was dragging dead trees home and tested out which felt more stable. Definitely having it hooked in the middle made the tractor feel less tippy or making me believe it would. This testing is what led me down the thought of having a hook centered

 

[Jim.ME]

Put the hook in line with the tilt cylinder. Without the second tilt cylinder a twisting force will be applied to the bucket, regardless of the fact that it has two lift cylinders for the boom. Be aware that lifting off center could make the tractor more prone to tipping in that direction, especially if out of level.

 

[Hemmjo]

I think you have your answer. Better to twist the bucket than the lift arms. Better to keep the tractor on it wheels than on its side!!

 

[Eman85]

I have a D ring type hook welded in the center top edge of my bucket and hooks welded on either side on the top. To lift logs I've run it through the D, under the log and hooked in each hook on either side. My bucket has a flat spot at the top which is where they are welded.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I like 3 hooks. One in the Middle and one at each
end of the bucket

 

[steveo3000]

(quoted from post at 16:04:58 08/12/23) I like 3 hooks. One in the Middle and one at each
end of the bucket

Depending on how much I like this one, I might put two more on there!!

 

[Jim.ME]

I would do some research and searching to see about adding the second bucket cylinder, before adding more hooks.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

I'm saying this with experience loading logs. Your manure loader is not designed to load logs. It's gonna twist and crack. I've had cracks welded on my 550 TLB which is three times the loader.