Front loader mounting arrangement for a work vehicle

A work vehicle, comprising:

• a mounting frame having a load point and first and second connection points;
• a removable front loader having a mast;
• and
• a mast coupling arrangement, including:
• a mounting bracket mounted at a proximal end of the mast of the front loader;
• a first mast connector removably coupling the mounting bracket and the first connection point of the mounting frame when the front loader is attached to the work vehicle;
• a load element mounted to the mast and, when the front loader is attached to the work vehicle, being in load transferring contact with the load point of the mounting frame;
• and
• a second mast connector removably coupling the mounting bracket and the second connection point of the mounting frame when the front loader is attached to the work vehicle;
• wherein the first mast connector and the load element contact the mounting frame before the second mast connector when the front loader is attached to the work vehicle.

A method for coupling a front loader having a mast to a work vehicle having a mounting frame, the mounting frame including a first mounting frame connection point spaced apart from a second mounting frame connection point and a mounting frame load point between the first mounting frame connection point and the second mounting frame connection point, the method comprising:

• hooking the first mounting frame connection point on a first mast connector that extends from a mounting bracket mounted to the mast of the front loader;
• rotating the mast such that a mast load element contacts the mounting frame load point to align an opening in the bracket with the second mounting frame connection point;
• and
• inserting a removable second mast connector through the opening in the mounting bracket to engage the second mounting frame connection point of the mounting frame after the first mounting frame connection point is hooked on the first mast connector and the mast load element contacts the mounting frame load point.