Removing and replacing teeth on a tooth bar

beowulf · Oct 16, 2019

After years of use, the teeth (8) on my tooth bar are worn down - some worn down a lot. The teeth are clearly made to be replaceable - they fasten onto the tooth bar with pins. I went out today to take one off so I could bring it in and search for a replacement on-line, but quickly learned this will not be easy.

I tried to punch the pin out of the end tooth mount - that made sense as only on the two ends will I have room to swing a hammer. The pin did not seem to budge. I am guessing that when they were put on the tooth bar the pins that attach the teeth to the tooth bar may have been compressed in with some kind of a device.

Anyway, I do not see how I am going to remove and replace those teeth with a punch and hammer - and I don't know how else I can do it - even if I could manage to get the end-teeth off, there is no room to maneuver to tackle the teeth in the middle. It might be that I will have to take the entire tooth bar into a machine shop and have them punch the old ones out and punch the new ones in - but with the cost of the new teeth (seems about $12-$16 a tooth = $100 plus, and the cost of the machine shop) maybe replacing the entire tooth bar is something to consider. I will check on the prices - the one I have is fairly heavy duty - bolts on to the FEL bucket.

But, this forum has helped me out so many times before I thought I would ask if anyone has suggestions as to how to go about this. Thanks for any advice.

laurencen · Oct 16, 2019

go to the dealer and look at the pin and tooth, they should knock out, maybe yours can only go in one way, the ones on my Cat took quite a wack to get them moving

nyone · Oct 17, 2019

I replaced some teeth on my micro excavator last fall. Your going to need a torch to get the teeth off then to torch out the pins. Hammer didnt budge mine either. What can you expect from having dirt jammed into them for many hours.

Once you get them off you have the fun of trying to find out what size and style they take.

beowulf · Oct 17, 2019

Thanks guys - I needed to hear that I wouldn't be able to punch them out with a hammer before I spent a week learning that on my own. I did manage to get one of the end ones off - the pin is a hollow cylinder like pin split down one side. I used a side drill to clean out the dirt from inside the pins, and then soaked in WD-40 yesterday. I will give it one more go today and then resign myself to the torch system. I think I have identified the kind of tooth I need, and now at least I have one pin. I am thinking of using a small bolt with lock washers to fasten the new teeth on.

mdgilbreath · Oct 17, 2019

beowulf said:
After years of use, the teeth (8) on my tooth bar are worn down - some worn down a lot. The teeth are clearly made to be replaceable - they fasten onto the tooth bar with pins. I went out today to take one off so I could bring it in and search for a replacement on-line, but quickly learned this will not be easy.

I tried to punch the pin out of the end tooth mount - that made sense as only on the two ends will I have room to swing a hammer. The pin did not seem to budge. I am guessing that when they were put on the tooth bar the pins that attach the teeth to the tooth bar may have been compressed in with some kind of a device.

Anyway, I do not see how I am going to remove and replace those teeth with a punch and hammer - and I don't know how else I can do it - even if I could manage to get the end-teeth off, there is no room to maneuver to tackle the teeth in the middle. It might be that I will have to take the entire tooth bar into a machine shop and have them punch the old ones out and punch the new ones in - but with the cost of the new teeth (seems about $12-$16 a tooth = $100 plus, and the cost of the machine shop) maybe replacing the entire tooth bar is something to consider. I will check on the prices - the one I have is fairly heavy duty - bolts on to the FEL bucket.

But, this forum has helped me out so many times before I thought I would ask if anyone has suggestions as to how to go about this. Thanks for any advice.

When I had mine put on a few years ago I bought two extra teeth for it. Dealer said I wouldn’t need them but I like having a spare on the shelf for just in case moments.

countrybumpkin · Oct 18, 2019

They make special tools to use for removing the pins.

Google search this

bucket tooth pin removal tool

nyone · Oct 18, 2019

The one that looks like a $100 punch with a handle? Arnt these tooth bars usualy around $350-400? Between the tool and new teeth i would think possibly just buying a new one would be more worth while.

However if you do find your self needing a torch often that tool removes all steel with out the use of brute force.

beowulf · Oct 18, 2019

UPDATE: I have managed to remove all but one of the teeth. I used a variety of methods and was at it for almost 3 hours. I had used WD-40 on all of them before hand.

One pin, on the very end I finally managed to punch out - because it was on the end I had room to swing a hammer and really wack at it.

The others did not budge with the punch method. So, I tried using a pipe clamp to "free" some of the others from being stuck. Basically the pins protruded a bit from each side of the tooth and I put a large nut over the protruding pin (so it had room to move out) on one side and then clamped over the top and turned the clamp screw - eventually turning it by hitting it with a hammer. This - after a whole lot of effort and doubt that it would ever work finally managed to free two more from their "locked up" situation so they could then be punched out - this was not easy - and the same tactic did not work on the other pins.

Regarding just punching them out- two problems - first there is not a lot of room between the teeth to give them a good wack with a hammer. Second, the punch is hard to keep centered on the pin. Finally, I used (and ruined) a number of small drill bits - the kind that have the hex ends - I used these because the bit would go through the hollow pins and the hex base was wide enough to hit the end of the pin while the bit kept it centered. I would wack them as I held the hex end of the bits with channel lock pliers (protecting my fingers). This worked - again after a lot of effort and doubt - to release two more. When I ran out of properly sized hex end drill bits, I used a bolt (cut down in length) that was just a hair smaller in diameter to punch out two more.

And then one was left - isn't there always? This one is still there. nothing worked. Finally I used a sawz-all to cut into the tooth (and went through 4 new metal cutting blades and another 8 used ones) and cut along one side of the tooth and through one side of the pin. Problem is that the tooth and pin are really hard and I just could not cut enough away so this did not gain me much. I will try tomorrow again to get the last tooth off. I will use a metal grinder and a better set of punches.
Quite certain I will use bolts and lock washers to put the new teeth on. If I was not a stubborn old fart I would have given up - but I hate defeat.

nyone · Oct 19, 2019

The teeth and pins are hardened steel. Thats why a saw blade wont work. A cut off wheel, torch or plasma cutter will if pressing wont.

Since your working with limited tools cut off the tooth and grind the pin flush. Then heat with a small propane torch and press it out.

Useing bolts and nuts may work but its also an easy way to loose a tooth. Bolts sticking out from the tooth will also wear more than the actual teeth.

Usualy a tooth replacment job requires a cutting torch. Much less and your really fighting things like you have seen.

beowulf · Oct 19, 2019

Thanks Nyone. Well, I am down to the last one, and today will try a cut off wheel (angle grinder) to cut it off and then try to press it out or whatever else I can come up with. I don't have a torch or plasma cutter and am far from town. I used to have a small propane torch unit but that was decades ago and doubt it is still viable.

I agree about the bolts and possibly losing teeth. I would use the strongest bolts I can get and lock washers and more, but still that may not be my best option. I am thinking that since the teeth I have taken off have lasted about 14 years, I suppose I could use pins again and not have to worry much about changing them again for a very long time. . . and I am 75.

And, well, I guess there will be some degree of satisfaction at the end of all this. . . .but never thought it would be such a difficult - almost impossible task. Thanks again.

A further question though - would not the heat expand the pin and make it tighter, of does the heat just loosen up everything, or does the heat expand the tooth mount more than it expands the pin? Just wondering, and I can likely find a way to apply some heat there.