loader bucket fix

BBQChef

Member
I recently built a new bucket for my 641 loader. 2 feet high, 2 feet deep, and 6 1/2 feet wide. I will be using it primarily for snow removal, but, I have a small problem. After welding it all up it looked fine, but after about a week sitting before I could hook it to the loader, the bottom edge has developed a frown. It's about an inch and a half off the ground in the middle.

It was made with 3/16 steel with 1/4 inch cutting edge added. I have tried thinking of a way to straighten it but haven't come up with a workable solution yet.

Any ideas? other than using a maul and swinging all day and denting it all to pieces?

Wish it had gone the other way and made a smile, could fix that rather easily, but the frown has me scratching my head.
 
Hammering probably won't fix it.

I'm guessing weld shrinkage (would not have mattered if you got it on the loader or not.)

I'm guessing you welded on the cutting edge, perhaps with a continuous weld. I think you need to try a continuous bead on the opposite side to equalize forces. Might be you can make this work for you and use hardfacing rod...

Other option is to run a beam across the inside top of the bucket and set up a hydraulic jack to push the bottom center out. But that may take a big jack...
 
Well, the cutting edge is welded on both sides already, and yes, it was a continuous weld. Top edge doesn't come out far enough for jack, already tried that, couldn't get a bite on edge due to angle.

If I can't get any way to straighten it before first snow removal, then It will just stay that way and I will use my back blade to clean up after.
 
Get a used one inch thick snow plow cutting edge and bolt it on there. That 1/4 inch edge would need to be replaced or added to after three years anyway.
 
Sounds like a bad case of not welding it correctly so the heat from the welding pulled it. One has to weld in such a way that the heat pushes and pulls in a way to keep things straight. If you have a rose bud you might heat it and get it to pull it self flat but will take a lot of time and heat
 
Do you have a hydraulic dump bucket? If so, tilt the bucket so the
bottom is vertical and push against a fixed object such as a stump.
You should deb able to bend it to where you want it without too
much trouble.
 
Thanks to all for your advice. I have been reading welding forums about metal warp and think I might have a solution. I don't have a torch so I am going to grind off the weld and then straighten the edge, clamp it together with some pieces of square tubing and do short welds. Will update next week when I get to it and let you know how it turned out.

Thanks again!
 
Ed, missed your post in replying. It is hydraulic but that is something I will be redoing next year too. Former owner had it not hooked up right for one, and when the load is too much, it slips slowly, so have to keep touching the lever every so often to keep everything up where I need it. Bad seal somewhere. But for now, it works. I will try your suggestion first though and hopefully it will work and save me a lot of time as well as a grinding wheel.
 
You need to back stich it. Run a 2 or 3 inch bead then go past where you started the first bead 2 or 3 inches and weld back to first weld stopping where the first one started keep repeating.
 
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Suggestion.......

Place a couple of 4X4's under each outside edge, front to back.

Then make a ramp with a 2X10 (or 12) on the center of the bucket
from the blade to the ground.

Drive the front wheel of your heaviest pickup up the ramp
as well as you can, making sure that the bucket can't roll forward.

This weight MAY cause it to 'snap' into a smile,
but alas, it won't stay there and may 'snap' back.

Anyway, while you have the weight on it you'll need to heat a strip
from front to back to relax the steel, and allow it to sag to (near) straight.

Heat the strip on both sides of the aforementioned 2X10.

Also, place a block under the center of the blade so that it can't "go too far"

Good luck :)

.
 
Had another thought today thanks to the advice from everyone.

I am thinking of getting a new edge 1/2 inch thick. Clamping it into place under the existing 1/4 inch. Tacking it and then do the back-stitch weld as suggested.

This would give me a 3/4 inch edge.

Thoughts on this approach?
 
You might just re-enforce the curve if you weld it on with the curve in place....You might think the 1/2" will pull the 1/4" straight, but the 1/4" has a whole bucket bottom helping it stay put.
 
I had thought of that too. I know it has been suggested to bolt it on, but I guess I just don't like the bolted on look.

I wouldn't need to have to weld the entire length would I? Maybe just a 3 inch weld a foot apart?
 

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