Loader Build For The 149

[Ambush]

Mast tubes coped out and ready to weld on.

All tacked up and ready to finish weld the the masts to the underbody tube.

I couldn't find any good way to incorporate the suction filter/screen inside the tank, so I'm going to have to make a remote filter housing.

[Ambush]

Other things got in the way today, so not a lot of visible progress.

Got the boom brackets made for the top of the masts and spend a lot of time getting everything lined up just right. Ideally a person would make all the holes a bit undersize, then ream while in place or better yet, line bore. if I'm not happy with the fit when everything is mounted in working position, I will ream and machine a bigger pin. But I don't think that will be necessary on this project.

This piece is all welded up and ready for final clean up and paint. I still have to put a pin boss on each top bracket, but that will be after the boom is finished. And for the curious, the complete subframe weighs 75 pounds. The tubes are 3/16" wall and all the angle iron is 1/4".

[Ambush]

I do have a question for anyone that has a factory built FEL.

With your bucket sitting flat on level ground, if you push down with the boom how far do your front wheels come off the ground?

[finsruskw]

On my DanCo, also on a 149, about 3/4"

[Ambush]

Thanks. That’s way less than I thought it would be. I thought several inches, for sure. And you have no problems getting deep enough to dig a hole?

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by Ambush

Thanks. That’s way less than I thought it would be. I thought several inches, for sure. And you have no problems getting deep enough to dig a hole?

On my Farmall 400 loader tractor, It will lift the front wheels about 10" off the ground, before the cylinders reach full retraction, but never used a little GT with a bucket, so prolly not much help to you.

[Ambush]

It does help. Just have to keep scale in mind when sending a boy ( or a Cub) to do a man's job.

[Ambush]

Spent some time watching paint dry. Not much else to do in these Covid times.

The underframe/masts/tank assembly got bolted on this afternoon. I definitely have some overkill on the side plates, so I left the top row of bolts out (didn't drill those through the frame) and I'll likely pull the plates and cut them down eventually.

A pic from underneath inside the frame. And a pic of the tube cut into angles for inside frame to strengthen the flange. Not all the holes are drilled yet in that pic.

Time to start figuring out the boom geometry.

[Ambush]

And I've got a completely intact grill. No cracks or gouges. I'd have to cut a little piece out of it for the pump, but it seems a shame to butcher a nice original piece that may be hard to find. So it's available, I'm going to make a steel grill anyway.

[ATernus]

Sorry, a couple days late for another response, but I have a 147 with a Johnson loader, and just using boom cylinders, it will pick the front tires several inches off the ground. If I roll the bucket, it easily gets the tires a foot off the ground. Hope that info helps.
And also would like to commend you on the excellent job you're doing. Fun stuff.
I have a 2 spool valve controlling the loader, with quick connect fittings, and also have a hydraulic cylinder mounted by PO that lifted the mower deck. Mower deck was long gone prior to me getting it, but I recently picked up all the goodies for a rear lift, and am going to put a splitter on the bucket controls to be able to run the hyd cylinder for the rear lift as well, instead of having to swap quick connects from bucket, to rear lift.