Total new guy here. I recently acquired my Dad's 1947 B that he restored a little while ago and I'm interested in adding hydraulics and a loader to it to do some light yard work.

I've done some searching and haven't seen a lot of information out there on what loaders are best suited for the B. Any information that might point me in the right direction of what to look for would be greatly appreciated. I'd prefer to have a power tilt rather than trip bucket. I do have welding and metal fab tools and abilities.

Regarding hydraulics - I've seen front-mounted pumps running off the fan belt as well as the rear-mounted pumps that run off the PTO. Is there an advantage or disadvantage to using either with a loader? Not sure of the capacity of the PTO-driven unit.

Thanks so much in advance for any direction or advice you guys can share with a rookie on what to look for and where to look for it.

Take care,

John

If you do find one or fabricate one keep in mind they have been known to brake the engine or torque tube where they bolt together if over loaded, that is what had happened to the B with loader I bought for parts.

A pto driven pump is a pia to use as it does not work when you push the clutch in.

A front mount works as long as the engine is running.

Good Luck.

Bill B

Bill B

heck I scrapped TWO nice loaders from my D-14s cause they were a bear to steer... I can't fathom the stress of a 'full power' loader on an itty bitty B !  Don't know if anyone made power steering for a B, it's a frail system overall I believe. You'll need a front ( engine) driven pump to get 100% power all the time. Anything 'out the back' will stop running when you push in the clutch.

Maybe, maybe an 'industial B' makes an OK loader ?? the B lovers will KNOW, there's 100s of years of knowledge on this forum, so heed what they say.

Take good care of my favorite

Good Luck!

Bill Long

ps:  If you do get a loader please be VERY CAREFUL.  I have lost too many friends to fatal loader accidents.  They seem to forget that the center of gravity goes up with the loader.

Take care,

John

Jonas-

Being an owner of TWO B's, several WDs, WCs, and  D17... and a Kubota BX, and a homemade loader based on the 'wide frame' IH Cub Cadet, I'll make the following recommendations:

The B is a wonderful little chore tractor, but NOT for a loader... exactly for the reasons above.

The WC, WD, and WD45 would be better, the D17 is best... but...

If you want a serious tool, you'll want the following:

Full hydraulic in both directions (Meaning, no 'trip bucket', and no 'single acting' cylinders... you want to be able to curl the bucket to any angle, and to be able to apply downforce, as well as lift).

Full 'live' hydraulics... meaning... if the engine is running, you've got hydraulic power that is NOT interrupted by shifting and clutching

Hydrostatic drive, from a foot treadle.  Operating a loader means constant direction changes... and gear slinging and clutching take up a foot, and a hand, and lots of energy and repetetive motion.  A foot treadle that controls speed and direction RULES!

Full hydraulic power steering, with the steering ram attached to the AXLE, not the frame, and no funky linkages between the frame and a steering knuckle.  When the steering cylinders act directly on the knuckles, slop between the frame and axle pivot, and any other linkages, does not exist, so steering is MUCH more responsive.

Lots of rearend ballast.  Figure out how much you'll need, and add more, and leave capacity for more.

Driven front axle.  ONLY engage it when you're in DIRE straits, because you would otherwise find yourself doing things that HIDE from you the warning signs of impending danger... like driving around with too heavy a load, way up high.

NO DIFFERENTIAL LOCK.  Get independant right-left brakes INSTEAD.  Diff lock, particularly with lots of counterweight, puts the differential under massive stress when you're making a turn... and the mechanisms (when mechanical) will frequently stay stuck in 'lock'.  In the case of the BX-series, the locking pins (hardened steel) fracture, and send chunks into the bottom of the transaxle, which are then shoved through the aluminum casting, and joined on the ground, with all your hydrostatic fluid.    In contrast, separate right-left brakes will allow you to 'manage' wheelslip AND improve steering, without putting expensive hard-parts at risk.

A weight box that hangs on the 3 point, has lots of weight in the bottom, and a covered tray for tools in the top, and hooks on the sides for chains.  You'll need long and short chains.

ROPS, with forward and rear-facing LED floodlights.  A removable canopy, and removable clear curtains that hang down to waist level, is great in winter wind...

Tire chains, that easily attach even with wheel weights in place.  Yes, you'll have wheel weights.  Probably Beet Juice in the tires, too.  Did I mention weight?

Foam fill the front tires.  You don't have to initially, but eventually, you'll want to.  Flat steer tires on a loader, particularly in the winter, or in mud... really suck...

Don't drill or torch holes in the bucket, but DO weld three chain-hooks to the top edge stiffening-brace... one on each end, and one on the middle.  If you don't know why, you'll learn fast!  ;-)

If you get one that is small enough to be trailerable, get a dump trailer big enough to drive it in, and curl the bucket around the front (to hold it in place), and still close and lock the gate.  Make sure the trailer, and tow vehicle have capacity to handle it.

Once you have a good utility tractor with loader, and a dump trailer and truck, you will be able to accomplish things you couldn't DREAM of, and you'll be able to do it FAST...  and you won't regret it for a minute!!!

I think everyone else is right about a B not being a good choice as a loader tractor but depending on what you need it to do it could still do the job quite well.  Right now I am using my B to load logs onto a saw mill.

I have an A frame hanging out the back with a hand crank winch that I have to get off the tractor to operate in order to raise the logs.  Due to the angle I  have the A frame in order to lift the logs to the height I need the logs are about 6 feet behind the center of the axle.  Due to that much leverage that far away I can only lift about 300 pounds before the front wheels don't want to stay on the ground.  Even with all that hassle it is still much easier to load the logs with the tractor than to do it by  hand.  Imagine how much easier it would be to have a hydraulic loader to do the work.

I am intending to put 3 point on the back and either a homemade or cut down from a larger loader on the front.  I intend to drive a for power steering pump from a Triton V8 of the fan belt for the hydraulic pump  it only puts out 2.4 gpm and 1300 psi but I have several on hand and they have a remote tank that makes them good for this use.   If my math is correct it will take about 20 seconds to go from the ground to all the way up. As long as I am well aware of the weakness of the front axle and steering it will be better than no loader at all.