# Welding hooks to inside of bucket?



## Owner of GC1723EB (Jun 7, 2021)

It seems useful to have a couple of hooks on the inside of the bucket, in each back/bottom corner. I could then use those hooks to keep a debris fork chained tight, rather than running a chain all the way around the bucket, or up to a hook on top. Having the chain pull straight back seems ideal, and it would leave the bucket space less obstructed for material loading.

Are there some reasons for why this is not such a good idea? I don't think I care about the minuscule reduction of bucket capacity, but I do see how those hooks would probably keep dirt packed in there so I'd have to clean it out more often than otherwise. Any other reasons not to do this?


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## HarveyW (Sep 15, 2014)

Grab hooks are a necessity for chain work. Most guys put them on the top of the bucket. See attached video:


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## Owner of GC1723EB (Jun 7, 2021)

HarveyW said:


> Grab hooks are a necessity for chain work. Most guys put them on the top of the bucket.


Nice video, thanks.
I will also add hooks to the top and maybe the back of the bucket. The more the merrier, right?

But, I'm looking for advice on whether or not to add a pair of hook to the inside of the bucket. I haven't seen anyone do this, so perhaps there is a good reason to not do this?


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## Bart1080 (Jun 1, 2021)

I didn't add hooks, but another suggestion is I added 2 x 10mm plates with a hole so I can attach a 3PL hay forks to the bucket. Picking up round bales is very handy and never bother with using them on the back of the tractor. So easy to attach and remove as it sits inside the bucket pinned on the 2 bottom attachment and therefore you don't need a 3rd top attachment.

I'II add a photo in the next couple of days. Pouring rain ATM.


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## Owner of GC1723EB (Jun 7, 2021)

Bart1080 said:


> I didn't add hooks, but another suggestion is I added 2 x 10mm plates with a hole so I can attach a 3PL hay forks to the bucket. Picking up round bales is very handy and never bother with using them on the back of the tractor. So easy to attach and remove as it sits inside the bucket pinned on the 2 bottom attachment and therefore you don't need a 3rd top attachment.


I'm also considering drilling a couple of holes near each inside back/bottom corner, and attaching a couple of these hook/clevis combos:









This would leave me with minimal regret, since nothing is welded to the inside. A few small-ish holes should not present a big problem, I think.


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## TX MX5200 (May 12, 2020)

I can’t picture the bucket attachment you are needing to chain up. I welded 3 on top along the support frame but understand that doesn’t solve the connect issue your going for.

I would imagine the support within the bucket wouldn’t be greatest if under much strain. Maybe if you weld them along where the framing is on back of bucket so you have more support...hook inside bucket where framing is on back of bucket if that makes sense. Would be higher in the bucket if that would work. I would weld over drilling and bolting though. Especially if bolts extend to bottom as they will be scraping ground often when using bucket as it was designed.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Back in the day we used to cut keyhole slots low in the side of the bucket in the bucket to slip a chain into. Need a decent bucket thickness to prevent the chain pulling through, or weld some re-inforcement. If you keep is low, water will drain out as well. Just a thought.


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## Mrsig (Jun 6, 2021)

Thanks for posting the video.


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## macdoesit (May 4, 2021)

I have bucket forks and the chain wrapped around the bucket keeps bucket bottom from getting bent downward from the weight of whatever you are lifting.
Been using my forks every day for a couple months and if they are not tight as hell they will not stay straight, I had to use a 3' pipe on the load binders to get tight enough.
If you use only a top chain bucket will bend and you will be adjusting forks all day long.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

I would either add them to the top or the outside of the sides......Seems to me like installing them inside the bucket would have the following problems/issues.......

1. Unless you hook the chain before you load the bucked it will be hard to get to the hooks once the bucket is loaded and if you hook the chains before you load the bucket then the chains will probably get in the way or just get scooped up when you load the bucket.

2. Hooks are going to get bent up, corroded, caked in mud and everything else you can think of, or broken when you use the bucket for rock, dirt, sand, gravel or other types of loose material.

3. If you haul any type of bagger material in the bucket I could see the hooks tearing holes in the bags.

Just the first three things that come to mind of why I would not install hooks on the inside of a bucket on one of my tractors....


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

pogobill said:


> Back in the day we used to cut keyhole slots low in the side of the bucket in the bucket to slip a chain into. Need a decent bucket thickness to prevent the chain pulling through, or weld some re-inforcement. If you keep is low, water will drain out as well. Just a thought.
> View attachment 73019


Most likely it's a material bucket, not an excavation bucket so the floor will be a single sheet where as an excavation bucket will have a 2 layer floor with parallel ribs welded to the bottom.

When someone buys a tractor they most times get a material (light duty) bucket because they don't know the difference and most dealers don't know either. I have 4 buckets for my 2 Kubota's. 2 material buckets and 2 excavation buckets and I run a double hay spear in the excavation buckets, through bolted to the floor, centered on the center rib with NOTHING else securing them except a pair of 1.5 inch grade 8 capscrews and nylock nuts and with 2 1200 pound bales on the front, there is no lip flex on the bucket at all.

If I tried that with one of the material buckets, it would put a smile in the cutting edge instantly and removing a smile is almost impossible, even with a rosebud because when it smiles, it pulls the side sheets inward too.

Never welded or bolted a hook in any of mine, I use the eye like you have pictured, welded to the floor sheet inside, one on each side about 6" in from the side sheets and every couple years I hard rod the bottoms. The eyes are just as strong as hooks (if welded in properly) and collect no spoil if I'm digging in the dirt. If I absolutely have to use a chain (like when pulling posts), I put the SSQA forks on and use the fork mounts for chain placement.

Weld on eyelets are much cleaner looking in my view and from 30+ years of hauling heavy equipment, that is all we ever used.

Just got done rebuilding a bucket off a Cat articulated loader the owner tried in vain to pop a huge stump with and put a nice smile in the lip and cracked the welds on both side sheets and broke the center roll back ear on the of the bucket. Got most of the smile out after some serious rosebud heating and shrink cooling, rewelded the side sheets (4 passes with 0.030 wire at 190 amps spray) with 75-25 and a new top lug from Cat (not cheap), 6 passes on it plus I hard rodded the lower side sheets and floor on the outside with Lincoln Wearshield EM rod. Wearshield is my favorite high deposition rod. Not cheap at 16 bucks a pound but very durable. 175 amps reverse polarity on my engine drive.

Like I said, no hooks on my buckets. In my view they are just an excuse to overload a bucket anyway and bolt on hooks are only as strong as the bolts that secure them.

Have fun, just my experience. Your mileage may vary.


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