backhoe quick coupler

11074 Views 18 Replies 5 Participants Last post by hammerdwn20, Jan 18, 2011

hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · Jan 8, 2011

4

I have two buckets for the backhoe and would like to build a third so i thought a quick coupler would be nice to have. Ive been working on it off and on for a few weekends.
It started out as a wood mock-up trying to figure out how i wanted it to work. The first design i threw out and now this is the second one that made it to steel.

the first 2 pictures are some of the parts. most of it is 3/8 flat stock.
The large pins will stay in each one of the buckets.

picture 3 shows how the plate hooks onto the front pin

Picture 4 is the latch being welded together. this part has a grease zerk to keep it from seizing

Metalworking hand tool Tool

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hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jan 8, 2011 (Edited)

This last picture shows the spring to keep the latch closed. To release the latch a bar in inserted into a hole at the rear of the spring and pryed up. This lets the rear bucket pin drop out and the bucket will still be held by the front pin.

I still need to make the plates to attach to the backhoe stick and linkage. drill all the bucket pins for locks and see if it really works.

Edit: looking at this picture i think ill weld a piece of pipe around the grease zerk so it doesnt break off

Any suggestions?

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hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 9, 2011

just an update. Trying it out on the machine and figuring out where i want the mounting plates
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo2XYDUucSI

CP7

· #4 · Jan 9, 2011

That's sweet hammer. Nice work. I really like your videos too.

RestMyCase

· #5 · Jan 9, 2011

Very clever .... That works real nice ...

:trink40:

hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 9, 2011

4

here where i got to this afternoon. fully welded. bushings installed. grease zerk protector welded on. mounting plates moved down 1/2". just need to drill holes for the pin retainers and im going to add a safety pin behind the latch in case the spring ever fails.
ill clean it up with the grinder prime and paint it and that should be it

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RestMyCase

· #7 · Jan 9, 2011

You better put a patent on that or someone else will get rich on your idea..

:trink40:

CP7

· #8 · Jan 10, 2011

One thing I see is when you curl the bucket the pipe for your zerk might fill up and even have enough pressure to push the ball in. You might use a pipe cap as the guard so that you could cap it with a pipe plug.
Still that is awesome.

hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 10, 2011

CP7 said:
One thing I see is when you curl the bucket the pipe for your zerk might fill up and even have enough pressure to push the ball in. You might use a pipe cap as the guard so that you could cap it with a pipe plug.
Still that is awesome.

Ill try it out and see what happens first. The equipment at work is like this and while it does get filled with dirt its never been a problem. Thanks for the suggestion.

hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 11, 2011

The coupler has a coat of primer on it now. I Drilled the pins today and made the keepers. When i made the coupler i forgot about the bolts for the keepers so i ended up putting roll pins in there instead. I wasted almost 2 hours making the keepers that i didnt even use. i also welded on 2 more reinforcements.
I should have it painted by the weekend and ill make another video.

NYRedneck

· #11 · Jan 11, 2011

Great vid man, thanks

Magnum RT

· #12 · Jan 12, 2011

I think it looks great! The only question or suggestion I would have, is does it have groves inside to take the grease around the pin from the zert? If not, the grease will not flow.

JM2C

hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 12, 2011

no groove. i had no problem shooting grease in it. Its not a very tight tolerance so i hope it will be ok

hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jan 15, 2011

finished! Final video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcxmirx9Jio

Magnum RT

· #15 · Jan 15, 2011

Looks like a job well done! Congrats!

CP7

· #16 · Jan 16, 2011

Nice job. I'm wondering if you couldn't rig a power release mechanism. Something along the line of a power trunk lock. It's such a shame that you have to give up having all that fun to get off the seat to change buckets.
Another great video hammer.

hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 18, 2011

CP7 said:
Nice job. I'm wondering if you couldn't rig a power release mechanism. Something along the line of a power trunk lock. It's such a shame that you have to give up having all that fun to get off the seat to change buckets.
Another great video hammer.

Thats a great idea CP7. i dont know how it would handle being in the dirt and getting wet though.

CP7

· #18 · Jan 18, 2011

Use a common one so you can swap it out easily. You should be able to get them out of junk cars cheap. You could use some heat shrink tubing to try and waterproof it.
I'm just a lazy ******* and love to find an easier way. No matter what you've simplified it greatly and my hat is off to you.
My other thought is to get the wife to hang out with the punch to hit the lever. :fing32:

hammerdwn20

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 18, 2011

Maybe in the summer ill mess around with the idea. No wife yet so that wont work.
I just picked up another toy that needs a lot of work.

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