Removing and fitting a front loader is easy, provided you know the correct procedure. Here we have tips on how to do just that with Stoll and Quicke loaders.

KEEPING IT BRIEF

  • Park on level ground, preferably a hard surface, so the parking stands do not sink into the ground and the boom remains horizontal.
  • An attachment with a flat bottom, ideally a bucket, should be attached to the loader.
  • The contact surfaces should always be free of rust, dirt and paint.

Some loaders spend most of their active lives attached to the tractors, whereas others are removed several times a week. If you don’t need the loader, then you may as well remove it, as you’ll enjoy a much better view, reduce the tractor weight and ultimately wear on the front axle and also on the loader itself. After all, this is why loader makers have put so much effort into making fitting and removal a relative doddle. 

We spoke to Heinz-Georg Meyers from Stoll and to Sönke Lohse from Quicke and asked them to demonstrate how their respective front loader coupling systems are properly attached and removed. So we could, in turn,  provide you with this handy step-by-step guide.

Since the end of the 1990s, manufacturers have had to comply with the DIN EN 12525 safety standard in the design of their front loaders. This includes, for example, that the stands must lock home firmly and that they must not be held by a clamping device when extended. It also requires that the parked loader must withstand an external force of at least an additional 400N, which equates to approximately 40kg.

On top of this, the manufacturers state that for stability an implement/bucket with a flat bottom must be attached when removing the loader from the tractor. Furthermore, a front loader must always be parked on level, paved ground. This not only prevents the stands from sinking in, but also makes the attachment and removal jobs much easier. 

Two coupling systems

We look at the ProfiLine FZ43-30 from Stoll and the Q6M with Lock & Go locking from Quicke. The Stoll loader has a double locking system. 

Attachment and removal depends on the type of coupling system present. The contact elements on the Stoll coupling frame are arranged horizontally, which makes the overall design of the bracket a bit wider.  It also tends to make attachment/removal somewhat easier, because it’s not necessary to tilt the bucket before you can place the coupling frames into the mounting cups on the brackets (more on this on the following pages). 

Instead, the tractor drives into the brackets until the rear shaft nestles in the coupling frames (which are the matching parts on the booms that connect to the brackets) and contacts the backs of the forward-opening hooks. The front shaft rests in a mounting cup. The combination is then secured by a locking wedge, which is pushed under the rear shaft by operating a lever. This prevents the coupling frames from working loose. You can adjust it to ensure a tight fit. If the loader hasn’t been used for a while, it might be worth cleaning the angled contact faces and applying a little grease and oil to the locking mechanism for smoother attachment as you drive into the loader. This prevents the mechanism from jamming. 

Vertical system

Quicke has a vertical coupling system. Here, the two main contact points are arranged more or less vertically to each other. This design makes the brackets relatively narrow. Like Stoll, most of the load is carried by a shaft that runs between the two coupling frames and lowers into the mounting cups on top of the brackets. 

Further down, there is an angular plate that sits on the front of the bracket in a recess for centring. On the sides, the position is centred by a tapering gap between the two parts of the coupling frame. The loader is secured by the ‘Lock & Go’ pins that lock into place automatically during attachment. 

According to the manufacturer, the vertical system is virtually maintenance-free. Yet, you should make sure the contact faces are clean and free of traces of paint and rust.

Modern loaders often have stands with pivoting feet. The bucket should be placed flat on the ground.

Summary

If you follow these steps properly, attaching and removing the front loader is no problem. It is important that the locking mechanisms are in place and that the loader is parked on tarmac ground with a bucket attached. Make sure that the stands are straight and engage correctly.

FRONT LOADER REMOVAL
1 ALIGN
Stoll: Attachment is level

The attachment is lowered to the ground and levelled. Then briefly press the lifting function to release the locking wedges.

Quicke: Attachment slightly tipped

Raise the Quicke loader a small bit and dump the bucket slightly so that there is a 20-30cm gap under the rear (arrow). The front bucket edge is just above the ground but does not yet rest on the ground.

2 FOLD OUT THE STANDS
Stoll: Place stands on the ground

Next, fold down the stands until they are on the ground. As they are lowered, they automatically slide into the next possible notch.

Quicke: Level with the bucket edge

In this case, the bucket edge is still slightly raised. Fold down the stands as far as possible and fix them in the appropriate notch. Use the position of the bucket edge for guidance, because the ends of the stands should not be lower to the ground than the tipped-out bucket. Follow this procedure to achieve maximum stability.

3 RELEASE THE LOCKING MECHANISM
Stoll: Locking with a lever 

The next step is to release the locking mechanism. When the boom is raised, the coupling frames move upwards into the hooks from the rear, taking weight off the locking wedges so these can be released by operating the levers.

Quicke: Lock & Go … or pin

All Quicke booms have the Lock & Go system. Pull out these pins and turn them left to secure them. The X-models have one pin that needs removing.

4 Lowering
Stoll: Lift rams only

Now retract the lifting rams all the way. As you do this, the bucket is placed on the ground. Next, the rear shaft is pulled out of the hooks and the tractor can back up and out of the loader. It’s important to ensure the hoses are not under tension.

Quicke: Lift rams, then crowd

To lift the loader out of the mounting cup, the lifting rams must be fully retracted until the loader rests on the bucket tip and the lower ends coupling frames move forward. Then the loader can be raised out of the mounting cup (arrow) by crowding the attachment until this tool is flat on the ground. The tractor may have to drive forward a little if the hydraulic lines are under tension.

5 Uncoupling the oil supply lines
Stoll/Quicke: First depressurise, then uncouple

When the loader is resting securely on the stands, the rams can be depressurised using the float position. Finally, uncouple the hydraulics and disconnect the electrical lines of the extra services.

FRONT LOADER ATTACHMENT
1 Drive up to the loader and connect the lines
Stoll: Slide the coupling frames into the booms

Drive the tractor into the loader until the coupling frames slide up and into the brackets and the rear shaft rests in the hooks. Then couple the lines and lift the loader slightly, which pulls the shafts into the hooks and brings the coupling frames into the cups. You can vary the attachment height, such as when swapping tractors, by tipping the attachment in and out. The same applies for Quicke.

Quicke: Dump, then lift

Drive up to the loader so that you can connect the lines. Then lower the top shafts in the coupling frames into the mounting cups on the brackets by dumping the bucket. You can watch this from the cab. It is important that the tractor can move slightly (e.g. as you press the clutch) and that the boom does not seize up. Only when the coupling frames are in the cups, raise the loader. This causes the frames to make contact with the brackets.

2 Lock and check
Stoll: Press the lever down

With the loader slightly raised, it is now possible to push in the locking wedges. The front loader is securely locked when the levers are down at the bottom of the slotted hole. Only then fold up the stands. The loader is now ready to work.

Quicke: Green indicator 

The Quicke with Lock & Go locks automatically after the bottom stop on the coupling frames is in contact with the brackets. The operator can see from the cab the green buttons on the inside of the left and right coupling frames. These buttons indicate that the loader is fully locked.

Alexander Bertling

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