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"I'm a Licensed Industrial Electrician Maintenance Planner and work for a local mining company. Been with the same company for almost 20 Years. My main hobby is restoring old cars, mostly older muscle cars (60's and 70's era). The oldest car I did was a 1949, 2-door Mercury, restored to stock condition. I presently own a 1969 Ford Mustang fastback, 1970 Ford Mustang coupe, 1971 Ford Mustang Drag Pack coupe and a 1976 Chevrolet Nova.
The ATV front loader started when I was looking at getting a front end loader tractor, but I found them quite expensive. One day my wife asked me: "Is there anything you can do with that 4-wheeler you hardly use?" And that's how it started. I started taking measurements, made mock-ups with lumber, got some steel and started welding. I'm very proud of my project and it's very useful around the yard and garage."
Here's another nicely designed ATV front loader. With some careful planning, a little online research, and a few trips to Princess Auto, Alain built a front loader that looks good and works great. The world of hydraulics can be a bit intimidating at first, but that didn't stop him from turning his ATV into a practical little workhorse.
Nice project, Alain! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Q: What is it?
A: It's a 2003 Bombardier 4X4 Traxter ATV with a hydraulic front bucket loader. I'm not sure of the lifting capacity, but it will lift myself (215 lbs) and my brother (around 200 lbs) with no problem at all. With the proper ballast at back, it will lift a full bucket of gravel. I'm estimating between 500 to 700 lbs.
Q: What is it used for?
A: I use it for gravel dispensing from one area to another, move tree branches that we cut, and different jobs around the house. Very useful. I was in the market of buying a mini front end loader and I found them very pricy for the amount of time I would use it. Renting is a good idea, but you're a bit under the gun, as you have to work quickly to get job the done so that the cost is down.
Q: What is the main power source for your project? (e.g. electric motor, gas engine etc.)
A: The hydraulic system is powered by a 4-stroke electric start gas engine. The hydraulic pump is a gear pump unit. The oil reservoir is 5 gallons.
Q: How do you control your project? (e.g. hydraulic control valve(s), electric switches etc.)
A: A BM40 2-Spool Directional Control Valve that controls hydraulic cylinders.
Q: What components are used to perform the work for your project? (e.g. hydraulic cylinder(s), hydraulic motor(s), sprockets, pulleys etc.)
A: I have two 2 in. bore cylinders for the arms, and two 1-1/2 in. bore cylinders for the bucket. A 12.7 GPM Hydraulic Gear Pump. A 163 to 208cc Gas Engine Pump Mounting Bracket. A 208cc OHV Gas Engine with Electric Start, and of course hydraulic hoses and fittings. All bought at Princess-Auto.
Q: What design/build challenges were overcome?
A: It took me a little more than 2 months to fabricate the loader. I know my way around a welder and fabrication, but I was new in the hydraulic world. I had to ask a lot questions, and there was a lot of trial and error. I figured most it out with the help of the internet. The main thing was the size of the bucket and the arms. I cut down the bucket 3 times before arriving to the final product. I started with a 7 GPM pump and grade 33 oil, but found the system to be real slow. I then upgraded to a 12 GPM pump using grade 22 hydraulic oil. Much better. I wondered about using a 208cc gas engine, but it works very well in this setup. All my steel came from a local supplier, while the rest of the system (cylinders, hose, motor, hydraulic pack, fittings, etc.) came from Princess Auto in Sudbury. They know me there now. Because 95% of the weight is on the bumper, there's a 2 x 4 x 1/4 inch thick wall beam that runs underneath across the ATV, tying the 2 main uprights to the frame. The beam is bolted with four 1/2 inch bolts to the frame. I also have a U-shaped front brace that is attached to the front bumper, and laying on the front rack. The rear carrier is use to hold a round drum for counter balance purposes. The round drum is actually a lawn roller that I had. I just attached it to the carrier with ratchet straps and fill it with water as required. This way I can adjust the counter balance weight almost perfectly. The carrier nicely folds up when not in use. Another thing I had to do was to lock the front and rear suspension completely. It would nose dive too much when I had a load, and the rear would squat down too much with the counter balance loaded. It makes the ride a little rough, but I just take my time and it's very manageable. I also had to increase the air pressure in the tires.
Q: If you had to build it again, what would you do differently?
A: I would be looking at build with smaller and thinner material for the frame of the system. But it is strong.
Q: Which Princess Auto location do you visit most?
A: Sudbury, ON