Snow FEL Bucket Cutting Edge Lesson's Learned

[urbandeere2520]

THE GOOD - Winter this year provided near weekly snow falls on the east coast so I had ample time to test out the snow moving capability of the 61 bucket (BW14146) on a 200CX loader mounted to the 2520 tractor. Let's just say this combination worked flawlessly on moderately steep terrain and handled up to 18 of snow with aplomb. Using only float mode, ice could be removed simply by tipping the bucket down to exert additional cutting force on the long asphalt driveway. I was extremely happy with the performance of the loader and tractor as it quickly dispatched the white snowy mess.

THE BAD - Attached are photos of the bucket's cutting edge after only one season of use since new. Basically the cutting edge is destroyed, since it's no longer straight along the front edge. Nearly ｾ inch is worn off at the bucket outside edges. Attachments, such a tooth bars, can no longer be affixed with a non-linear cutting edge. I was very surprised about the amount of wear on the cutting edge after only one winter season's use. Not happy.

THE UGLY I contacted my local John Deere dealer to inquire about the cost to replace the welded on bucket cutting edge. The estimate was about $600 parts and labor, and the bucket would have a "repaired" look to it when finished. The dealer provided the cost of a new bucket at just a shade over $800. Assuming worst case scenario, aka a heavy snow falls each year; I'll be spending $600 to $825 to move snow annually. There has to be a better way.

I'm evaluating different options before the next winter season. Below are a few options under consideration.

• Repair bucket with a factory cutting edge and install a wear bar for snow removal. I believe W.R. Long manufactures a wear bar. $600 plus $300 = $900
  
• Remove the damaged cutting edge and replace with a removable cutting edge that can be changed when worn. Cost and availability unknown.
  
• Purchase a new bucket and wear bar for snow removal. Sell damaged bucket for few hundred $. $825 plus $300 = $1,125 (less proceeds from old bucket sale).
  
• Purchase a new bucket. Sell damaged bucket for a few hundred $. Move to a snow free State currently under consideration. $825 (less proceeds from old bucket sale).
  
• Do nothing. Forget about installing a tooth bar or wear bar with the bucket and continue to use it to remove snow on asphalt as usual. When the cutting edge wears back to near the wear plates, maybe 1 to 2 years more of snow removal, then make a decision to repair cutting edge or replace bucket.

If anyone on this board has other recommendations or constructive comments, I'd love the hear them. :anyone:

 

[k0ua]

Get you stick welder out and your 7 inch grinder, and build up the edge, and grind to match.. rattle can it when done for looks. cost not much depending on which rod you use.. 2 hours of time, maybe.

They make rod just for this purpose of hardsurfaceing, but I would probably just use some 7018. it wont last as long, but it is cheap, and you can do it again!
To me this would be no big deal, and I am a novice welder. EVERY tractor owner needs a welder. Whether they know it or not.

https://weldingsupply.com/cgi-bin/einstein.pl?PNUM::1:UNDEF:X:ED021996

 

[k0ua]

John deere is famous in the USA market.I want to know how about the agricultural equipment of John deere market in Russia?As far as I know,Russia also have several big company who sell agricultural machine.

You would need to start another thread, this thread is about a guys worn bucket cutting edge and how to fix it.

 

[94BULLITT]

Ratchet rake has an attachment called the snow edge. I am not sure how well it would work.

Ratchet Rake, LLC - Rip and Dig, All Terrain Rake, Snow Edge, Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attac

 

[Happy Gilmore]

I would say go with a reversible bolt on cutting edge.

 

[stephan]

^^x2

Something like https://www.kencoengineering.com/topics/cuttingedge.php

 

[LD1]

After only one season and it looks like that

How many hours do you suppose you worked it?

I plow commercially with a truck plow. A 3/8 thick cutting edge starts at 6". And 3" is wore out. Not uncommon to get 200-300 hrs on an edge (3" wore away). And that's with the edge near vertical and not horizontal. So you either did some serious plowing, or JD used some softetal for that edge.

If it were mine, I'd drill the existing cutting edge (mag drill is your friend) and add a bolt on edge below the existing. Either that or get two more years out of it and drop the $800 for a new bucket. 3 years of snow removal for $800 ain't bad.

Either way, something has got to wear. Weather it be the factory edge, a bolt on edge, or an attachment. A bolt on edge is likely going to be the cheapest, and still pretty easy to replace.

 

[BKBoiss]

My cutting edge seemed to start wearing incredibly fast so before any real damage occurred I tried to find a replaceable cutting edge, long story short is not available any that I could get from local heavy equipment suppliers were way to heavy and costly. I finally went to the welding shop bought a 5" by 1/2" piece of mild steel flat bar sharpened on old drill bit and drilled the bucket edge and flat bar. It's drilled dead centre so when one side wears out I just unbolt it an flip it sides. I bought some small cutting edge mounting bolts and after the holes were drilled used a larger bit the size of the head to counter sink the heads into the wear bar. I forget what the steel cost but it was so cheap that if it lasts half as long as a hardened wear bar I'm still further ahead.

 

[Egon]

Find and buy cutting edge material in 1/2 in. X 4- 6 in. Width. It will be costly and usually sells by the inch. From a steel supplier. Then find a welding shop to cut off the old and weld on the new. This new one will probably outlast the tractor.

Also weld a strip of cutting edge to the front bucket sides and several strips on the bottom for wear. Be aware that drilling holes in a proper cutting edge is not easy or advisable. Torch yes.

I've done this on two small tractors. It will make a much much stiffer bucket. :thumbsup:

 

[HillStreet]

One winter of clearing snow on a residential driveway in northern Virginia, and the bucket edge is ruined? It's a quality issue with John Deere, there is no way in heck that I would spend good money to repair or replace a bucket every spring because I used it to clear snow from my driveway.

John Deere needs to look at this, a bucket should last many years.

 

[LD1]

long story short is not available any that I could get from local heavy equipment suppliers were way to heavy and costly.

Shop for a snowplow cutting edge.

Honestly, I dont even know what is out there for tractors and ehavy equip. As I have never had to replace any. But do replace snowplow ones all the time.

A 90" (7.5') x 6" x 1/2" is $70. Just trim off what you dont need. 7.5 is the most common and is actually cheaper than the 6 and 6.5' x 3/8" thick blades usually.

And if you have a 5' bucket, you can even get a 10' x 6" x 1/2" edge for $90 and cut it in half.

And plow edges are already drilled. (actually have square punched holes) made for round carriage style bolts. But they are a square piece of stock. You would have to sharpen the edge for a loader. But still, they aint expensive

 

[LD1]

One winter of clearing snow on a residential driveway in northern Virginia, and the bucket edge is ruined? It's a quality issue with John Deere, there is no way in heck that I would spend good money to repair or replace a bucket every spring because I used it to clear snow from my driveway.

John Deere needs to look at this, a bucket should last many years.

I wouldnt jump to any conclusions just yet. For 1, I wouldnt call it ruined yet. And for 2, we dont know the number of hours on it. Dont matter what steel edge you use, scraping it across concrete or asphalt is going to wear it away.

 

[prosperity]

My bucket shows a little wear from using it on a gravel driveway for 8 years or so now but not nearly as bad as your looks.

Since I can't do any welding/fabricating myself, I would bring the bucket to a good welding shop and have them cut that one off and install a bolt on replaceable cutting edge for me - done!

 

[Coyote machine]

You can buy a reversible pre-drilled bolt on cutting edge from Kioti for a 72" bucket, and possibly other sizes as well. I use it to keep my factory bucket edge from being destroyed, and it stiffens the factory bucket. You could get one and cut it if need be to fit or whatever. I wouldn't be without it. I also had my dealer cut two more holes in the edge and bucket near each outer edge to keep the bolt on edge from getting wracked away from the factory edge when it hangs up on some immovable object. Problem solved. Drilling your factory edge with a magnet drill is the ONLY way to go. The edge comes with recessed carriage bolts, flat head.
Try Michigan Iron & Equipment for the edge and pricing. You won't wear it out like the JD bucket edge.:thumbsup:

 

[tcartwri]

N/M I should read before I blab.

 

[HillStreet]

I wouldnt jump to any conclusions just yet. For 1, I wouldnt call it ruined yet. And for 2, we dont know the number of hours on it. Dont matter what steel edge you use, scraping it across concrete or asphalt is going to wear it away.

OP said the bucket cutting edge is "destroyed", and was very surprised at the amount of wear after only one season. Conclusive enough for me; something is wrong with that bucket. An owner of a new tractor should not have to do a major repair or bucket replacement after one winter of clearing snow at his house.

I know of Compact John Deere tractors that have been used in commercial landscaping for years that don't show wear like that.

 

[k0ua]

Doesn't anyone else beside me think the edge can be hardsurfaced for a few bucks to be as good as new, in fact much better than new, because I am bettin his "cutting edge" on that machine is just A36 steel? Heck bring it to me, and I will do it for free. Sure I know he is not going to bring it to Missouri, but my point is .. this is no big deal.. just build it back up, grind, and slap a little paint on it..

 

[94BULLITT]

Doesn't anyone else beside me think the edge can be hardsurfaced for a few bucks to be as good as new, in fact much better than new, because I am bettin his "cutting edge" on that machine is just A36 steel? Heck bring it to me, and I will do it for free. Sure I know he is not going to bring it to Missouri, but my point is .. this is no big deal.. just build it back up, grind, and slap a little paint on it..

No James, it would be better than new.

 

[LD1]

OP said the bucket cutting edge is "destroyed", and was very surprised at the amount of wear after only one season. Conclusive enough for me;

Did you look at the pictures? I would hardly call it destroyed. Wore down a little...yes. But we dont know if that wear was from 10hrs, or 300 hrs of grinding across the pavement do we?

Doesn't anyone else beside me think the edge can be hardsurfaced for a few bucks to be as good as new, in fact much better than new, because I am bettin his "cutting edge" on that machine is just A36 steel? Heck bring it to me, and I will do it for free. Sure I know he is not going to bring it to Missouri, but my point is .. this is no big deal.. just build it back up, grind, and slap a little paint on it..

Certainly can be hardsurfaced. But wouldnt be my method of choice. For the price of cutting edges, I think you would have as much wrapped up into welding rod to hard-face it. And would take longer than just drilling and bolting on an edge.

Now if you had the time, and already had a box of old hardface rod laying around...it would be a different story.

 

[tcartwri]

That would be a lot of rod. And a lot of grinding. Would be easier to cut off the old and buy a new hardened edge to weld in.