ARK 550 Adjustment Locations

[wheeler 5]

I'm going over my recently acquired 18 Auto with an ARK 550 loader as I have discovered various things that were not assembled correctly when the previous owners repainted it.    I don't have any history for the machine, so I have no one to discuss this with.

 

  ARK Mounting Adjustments

 

While looking into why there was little clearance between the front wheels and loader support bracket, I realized the front brackets were installed incorrectly.  The left and right sides were swapped, necessitating the brackets to be mounted upside down as shown.   Moving each bracket to the other side corrected the clearance issue but created a need for adjustment.

 

 

 

With the mount upside down, the hole for the front support bracket hole was lower than designed thus making the uprights tilt forward.  Now that the hole is correctly in its higher position, I need to tilt the uprights back towards vertical to bring the support up to the higher position. 

 

Since I have never installed or removed an ARK loader a question emerged....   Where would I loosen the loader assembly to allow the uprights to return to vertical?

 

Here are the mounting points I see.

 

FRONT and UPRIGHT Points                                                                   Rear Mount Assembly

   

 

 

Frame and Crossmember

  

 

 

I have already loosened some points but nothing is budging.  It may be as simple as loosening everything, mounting the support and then retightening everything again.  But before pushing on something that doesn't like to be pushed I figured it would be better to ask.

 

Thanks,

Carl

 

 

[KC9KAS 4,741]

I am watching this thread, as I too have an ARK 550 for a D-200. It currently is not mounted on the GT, but someday........

 

Have you looked in the manuals section to see if a manual is there?

[wheeler 5]

The manuals I have found so far don't really detail the installation and the few pictures are such

low resolution that I can't really see much.  Maybe someone who has installed one a couple times

will chime in with how easy it is if you do "A" first, "B" second, etc.  I believe getting the forward brace

installed while the rest is "loose" may be key.  Question is; how much to I undo?

[KC9KAS 4,741]

As I look at your sub-frame, I am wondering what all I will be missing when I try to install mine,

[Dieselcowboy 210]

I think with the age and wear of your loader your best option will be to loosen everything and start there. That would relieve any unseen, undo pressure that may have been put on any mounting points. I built my own sub frame for my 520 with 550 ark. When I put it on I had to adjust just like you are doing. Everything found it's own spot while loose and then I tightened. Like I said it will re-leave any pressures that should not be there that you may not see this way. 

It won't take that much longer, just a few bolts not a whole disassemble. 

Edited February 28, 2014 by Dieselcowboy

[wheeler 5]

That's where I was going when it warms up a bit outside.  I have loosened the front and rear frame mounting bolts but I doubt they are

slots so nothing moved.  The front would have to come up or the rear drop down to bring the uprights vertical but there is no room for the

front to rise and the rear appears to be hanging on the lowest point already so it may come down to the bolts for the uprights or their

crossmember, none of which have been loosened. 

I'll post an update when I have time to work on it again.

[boovuc 1,090]

A agree with the cowboy. Unbolt it from the subframe and back it out. Go over the front mounts and basically everything in general then bolt it back on. I think this is also best from a safety standpoint. Unless you have something that has bent over the years, everything should line up and those uprights should or would go straight!

And your correct in pointing out the manuals and literature on these old Ark's don't show a whole lot.

 

The manual from our manual section on the 1971 Ark FEL is about as good as it gets in showing some pictures on setting it up. (On and off in 15 minutes you know)! Bulls#*t!!!!

Here is the link if you don't already have it.

 

 

Good Luck!

[brandonozz 168]

Carl,

I think these subframes are tilted forward in their design - right or wrong. It doesn't look like you can go up in the front as your up against the tractor frame. Your only option to get the uprights vertical is going to be go down in the rear by welding tabs (about 3") on the rear of the subframe where it mounts to the "C" channel. It looks as though my D200's PO did that as well. He cobbled some tabs on the frame to drop the rear. I would say to keep the uprights tight on the subframe and remove the rear bolts and lower the rear of the subframe until the uprights look good to you. Take some measurements and then get some new tabs welded on. Here is what mine looks like. Notice there is about a 1" to 2" gap between the top of the subframe and the "C" channel. I think yours is pretty flush.

As for the support mounts, the PO had some junk supports up front so I built some new supports out of tractor trailer landing gear support struts. Notice where they mount to the frame up front. Mine bolt to a vertical tab not horizontal like yours. Not sure why yours are different but supports like these can be turned 90 degrees and welded at whatever length you want as one slides inside the other.

[MalMac 1,328]

Well looks like the people that have D's with loaders have stepped in here. I have a Ark on a C, but the sub frame is different. I was just going to suggest like said before, basically start over mounting it. Not knowing the D's sub frame, I can tell you the one for the C's really has no adj. per say to it. Once it's on, it's there and everything falls into place unless something has been altered. In that case it will become evident what needs to be maneuvered back into place. With brackets that you found mounted wrong I am sure there probably other things, Best just to start over. With the help of the members on here who have D's with loaders can guide you through. You already have had some excellent help.

[Dieselcowboy 210]

After looking at your loader closer it is Identical mounting to mine. You should be able to put some down pressure with the loader and move it where you need. It does flex on the main mount ( with the 2 bolts ) more than what you think. Just loosen those 2 bolts at the bottom of the uprights.

[wheeler 5]

I looked at it again today and could see that if I had to lower the rear that adding a longer hanger may be the easiest way. 

Here's a close up of my rear hanger showing a horizontal slot I didn't see previously.

 

So that's plan B. 

 

Plan A is still to loosen the uprights and see how much "give" there is. 

Here's a pic showing how much the support bracket needs to move upward.

 

I'll give an update when I get a chance to use plan A.

[wallfish 15,940]

It doesn't appear from your pic that the uprights are that far off so I agree with Diesel, loosen everything up, down pressure the bucket and hopefully it should be enough to line up the supports. If those supports and mounts are original equipment, everything should fit without any modifications.

[wheeler 5]

SUCCESS!!

Loosened all the bolts associated with the front of the frame then used a jack to slowly lift the forks.

 

 

 

After lifting 4 inches, the support bracket could be attached.  Retightened everything and it seems to

be OK.  Thanks for all the advice.