Fixing a Bent Loader

Clodbuster · Mar 7, 2009

I am buying a DU-AL loader that is sprung and the bucket is about 6 inches off from level and the lift arms are closer to the left side of the tractor than the right side. I need to measure more to see exactly where it is sprung. I will need to make new mounting brackets for my tractor.

The price is good so I can work on it or leave it bent.

My options are to make the brackets square and level and then work on cutting the loader apart to get it to set right and then welding it back together
OR
Make my brackets with a correction factor to level the bucket and let it just remain sprung
OR
Make the brackets square and level and just use it as is.

What are your opinions?

Paul Janke · Mar 7, 2009

IF IT WAS ME DOING IT, I would make the brackets nice and straight. If you make it offset, you will want it to stay bent. If the brackets are right, you can use the loader as is and work on it as you figure out what should be done. I would guess you won't need to cut it apart, you can bend it back to where it belongs. What I would do may not be what is right for you.

glennster · Mar 7, 2009

looking at it from a body shop eyeball as a wrecked car that needs fromework, from the photo it looks to me that the rt front of the loader got pushed back (rt side sitting on the seat) that is why the loader is sitting way to the right and up on the right side. before i would cut anything apart, take good measurements to see what is moved. do your straighteneing with the loader intact. if you cut it apart, its gonna be a devil to get back square. straighten it the reverse of the way it got bent.

Iowa_tire_guy · Mar 7, 2009

I had a flatbed aluminum semi trailer once that had been sprung. I took it to a trailer shop and the guy had I-beams set in the concrete floor of his shop. He just chained the trailer down where he wanted it to stay and put 20 ton bottle jacks under where he wanted it to move and went to work. After he had it past where straight was, he let it sit in the twist all night. Came out pretty good, of course he had down it many times before. You might be able to rig up a way to do the same thing with jacks and untwist it.

And by the way would you be interested in the brackets that go from the tractor axle to the frame for that loader?

fixerupper · Mar 7, 2009

That loader looks a lot like my 325 Dual. I had to weld gussets on it where the top front cross beam meets the arms that go back. I just laid them on top and welded away. It made the loader a lot more rigid. I'm guessing that area is where it's bent the most. The rear uprights are pretty well braced so they shouldn't have moved but it might be good to eyball across them to see if they line up with each other. If the bucket is twisted, tip it down and push against the edge of a cement foundation with the corner of the bucket. The bucket is kind of twisty anyway. It's nearly impossible to bend the bucket cylinders on a Du-al like that one when you're twisting on the bucket with it tipped down. It's just a half-educated idea. Jim

Anonymous-0 · Mar 7, 2009

If you wanted to get a little ambitious, after checking the measurements like glennster suggested, you could take just the loader arms off and lay them on a flat floor with the bucket off. All 4 corners should sit on the floor and it shouldn't rock up and down. Kind of like a table with one longer or shorter leg. It would at least give you an idea if the arms or the mounts are twisted. If the measurements are all equal and one side of the bucket is lower, lift up on something heavy with the high side of the bucket. It might twist it back straight. Go slow and watch closely so you don't twist it the other way though. If that doesn't work, you may need to use some heat and/or a come-a-long or something to pull it straight. If you can get it straight without heat would be better but that's not always possible. Dave

Clodbuster · Mar 7, 2009

I am putting it on a MM UB so I figured I would have to make my own or build from the old homemade ones on the JD. What do you have?

Anonymous-0 · Mar 8, 2009

Easiest first, just force it true. Then if it's too flimsy check for cracks then brace. Looks like the main arms crossmember isn't perpendicular. Probably distorting the inner metal on the arms. Not to bad.

Fixing a Bent Loader

Clodbuster

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Paul Janke

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glennster

Well-known Member

Iowa_tire_guy

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fixerupper

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Clodbuster

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

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