Quick attach system

[jdtuttle]

Are there any fabricators out there willing to share thoughts on building a quick attach system for my tractor. I'm tired of it taking 30 minutes to change from the bucket to the forks everytime I need to change. I have a Kubota L3000 with an LB 402 bucket. I looked online at all the systems & the cheapest one was about $700. I'm thinking about fabricating a metal connector to the tractor that will slide in behind the top pin on the bucket, then have a pin I attach to the bottom part of the bucket.
Any plans or ideas would be appreciated.
Jim

[york]

Jim,just for the heck of it-what was you looking at for 700.00????website-would like to look...thanks,Bert

[Dakota]

Jim,
There's a lot of discussion and pictures about this on tractorbynet.com.  Do a search on the site for quick attach and you'll find a wealth of info.

[Tom]

Or, we could have a lot of information on The Forestry Forum with a little effort. I know some is here, but I offer some more.

http://www.jiffyhitchsystems.com/

Jiffyhitch is a pretty neat little gadget and this  link has a video attached.  You're probaby better off with Broad Band or a some kind of fast connection to see it, but it shows, in a lot of detail, what the hitch is about, almost to the point of being able to build one yourself.   

Jiffyhitch was invented by a customer of mine who remains with the company only as a silent partner.  The last I heard, the company was located toward Baldwin, just outside of Jacksonville, at US-301 and I-10.   They have built many innovatiove pieces of farm equipment.

[beenthere]

.................... I'm thinking about fabricating a metal connector to the tractor that will slide in behind the top pin on the bucket, then have a pin I attach to the bottom part of the bucket.
Any plans or ideas would be appreciated.
Jim

(have to redo my post....first time I've had a problem with one going through)

Your thinking is quite like my Deere loader attachment for bucket and forks.

There are top cross pins on the loader that engage under hooks on the bucket. Pick up the bucket and then two stub pins on the bucket slide through the holes on the lower brackets on the loader. Then have to get off and drop two link pins into those stub pins to secure it. As fast as one can get on and off the tractor, which will vary by day... ;D

I'll look for a pic (loader off now and under the snow) but a look at the Deere loaders should help, and it shouldn't be too hard to make.
I also noticed someone recently posted some forks that looked like a home-made attachment for the Deere loader. Maybe in the recent discussion on pallet forks..??

[jdtuttle]

Hi Bert, Here is that site. It's about $400 for the quick attach & $170 for the mounting plates. Not sure of shipping costs.
Lots of good info so far. I have read most of the posts on tractornet & will be looking at that jiffyhitch system right now. Beenthere, your on the right track of what I am looking for too. 
Thanks
Jim

http://www.tractor-canopies.com/Kubota-skidsteerQ/kubota-skidsteer-QA-adapters_skidsteer-attachments_hayforks-palletforks.html

[beenthere]

jd
I found a pic of my forks that show the attachment points.






This was taken when I converted the forks over to be picked up by the 3pt quick hitch (Deere iMatch), so I can use it either on the loader or the rear 3pt.

The significant points are the hooks on each side top, and the stub pins below that the hitch pins drop into.