Spade/Trencher for M59

caballero59 · Jan 25, 2021

I'm needing to dig a shallow ditch for electrical and don't want to use the 24" bucket. Does anyone know of a company that makes a ripper/ditcher/spade attachment that replaces the bucket? It appears that Bro-Tek is only building wheel spacers now...

Peter 315 · Jan 25, 2021

How deep and wide? Maybe make something with angle iron to attach to the backhoe bucket...

caballero59 · Jan 25, 2021

Just wide enough so the dipper stick clears the trench.

Peter 315 · Jan 25, 2021

Ok that's wider then I was thinking....

woody · Jan 25, 2021

are you putting in conduit or direct burial wire and what size?

caballero59 · Jan 26, 2021

woody said:
are you putting in conduit or direct burial wire and what size?

I'll put it in conduit. I see some rippers available but none that I've found for the M59. Great tractor by the way.

Smokeydog · Jan 26, 2021

Be interested in what you come up with.

Need a ripper for both the m59 and b26. Bought the qa ears for b26 for fabrication. Mainly for roots and rocks. BroTek design had a flatbar on the back of the ripper that helped open the ripper trench if I recall correctly. An option I like.

Have laid some direct burial cable with a subsoiler and J-tube. Thinking something like that. Rip the ground first, attach the J-tube and lay cable or pipe. Still on the drawing board.

Have/had 12” buckets on the Ford 4500 and b26. Still a lot of spoil to deal with and clay soils with head size rocks like to pack narrow buckets.

There is company that fabricates rippers for $1200 for backhoes I see advertising in CL. My m59 bucket is pin on. I think the bucket yoke and change to qa ears to get quick attach. The qa on the b26 is the best I have ever seen.

If not going deep maybe something that attaches to your bucket?

rScotty · Jan 26, 2021

I never did understand what a ripper tooth could do that a narrow bucket couldn't do better, but there must be some reason they are sought after...
A friend built a ripper for his M59 and was surprised to find out how much $$ he had into it when done. Here's a photo of one of the QA ears he ordered from Kubota for the project.

caballero59 · Jan 26, 2021

rScotty said:
I never did understand what a ripper tooth could do that a narrow bucket couldn't do better, but there must be some reason they are sought after...
A friend built a ripper for his M59 and was surprised to find out how much $$ he had into it when done. Here's a photo of one of the QA ears he ordered from Kubota for the project.

Nice build! The primary (and weighty) reason to steer away from a narrow bucket is the difficulty of unloading them in sticky soil.

Smokeydog · Jan 26, 2021

Kubota Backhoe BT12 Quick Attach Bucket Ears Attachment BT4581 BT4582 BT4583 | eBay

Not sure how these compare to Kubota OEM bucket ears.

Not very often see municipality special utility buckets on auction. Narrow, low sided, the highly hooked backhoe buckets for sale. Would have to install appropriate bucket ears or hangers.

fried1765 · Jan 26, 2021

Smokeydog said:
Kubota Backhoe BT12 Quick Attach Bucket Ears Attachment BT4581 BT4582 BT4583 | eBay

Not sure how these compare to Kubota OEM bucket ears.

Not very often see municipality special utility buckets on auction. Narrow, low sided, the highly hooked backhoe buckets for sale. Would have to install appropriate bucket ears or hangers.

Those ears do not look at all like the ones on my L48.
I love the ones I have.
Same as mini ex I think.

4570Man · Jan 26, 2021

fried1765 said:
Those ears do not look at all like the ones on my L48.
I love the ones I have.
Same as mini ex I think.

My M59 buckets are different from my KX-040. BTW practically every different class mini takes a different bucket.

4570Man · Jan 26, 2021

caballero59 said:
I'm needing to dig a shallow ditch for electrical and don't want to use the 24" bucket. Does anyone know of a company that makes a ripper/ditcher/spade attachment that replaces the bucket? It appears that Bro-Tek is only building wheel spacers now...

If neatness counts rent or hire a trencher.

dbutler · Jan 27, 2021

I bought a ripper/trencher for my L45 from Michigan iron and equipment. I use it for ripping out big stumps and trenching for conduit. Its works great for both. With a bit of practice, its amazing how fast you can trench for conduit.

4570Man · Jan 27, 2021

dbutler said:
I bought a ripper/trencher for my L45 from Michigan iron and equipment. I use it for ripping out big stumps and trenching for conduit. Its works great for both. With a bit of practice, its amazing how fast you can trench for conduit.

How deep can you bury pipe with a ripper?

dbutler · Jan 28, 2021

I would estimate I could bury small conduit about 14" or so pretty efficiently. Much deeper than that and I would spend too much time cleaning the bottom of the ditch out with the back side of the ripper.

caballero59 · Feb 1, 2021

What do the good forum folks think about a 12" bucket as a substitute? Do they only unload in perfect soil conditions?

Smokeydog · Feb 1, 2021

Even if only half unloads, it’s better than a shovel.
Digging trenches so much easier than around stumps.
Had so much play with 4500 Ford BH it could really shake the dirt out of the 12” bucket.

Often thought of a bucket clean out stand or tool designed to drag around to clean a bucket from the operator station.

Reverse thumb to expel bucket material instead of clamping.

Seen a few attempts to mount a trencher on a backhoe or excavator. Seen a few worn trenchers come through the scrapyard that could be donor candidates.

Vibratory plow to cut and pack the sides of a trench.

Two large disk blades mounted concave to roll a trench.

Many possibilities to ponder.

The half mile of 13.8kVA line to my house was suppose to be 4’ deep in conduit. Mostly with trencher and mini-ex at the junction boxes.