4 IN 1 BUCKET OR NOT

[LEVI09]

Hello everyone! First time Poster(?) Test drove the new 4035 last Thursday. It is quite a tractor! I am waiting until March to purchase. Waiting them out for a possible rebate along with 0% financing for 60 mo. (0% ends in March)

Was wondering if anyone has installed a 4n1 bucket on their tractor? The bucket is kinda pricey but if it performs like my grapple rake on the skid steer it might be worth it.
I was going to have the dealer install 1 rear remote and thought about putting a tee in line and bring it up to the front. I like the idea of having a toggle switch on the loader lever like WR Long offers using an electric over hydraulic valve.

If you have any experience with this, please let me know. Thanks

 

[EddieWalker]

I have only a very small amount of experience with a 4 in 1 bucket. Before actually trying it out, I thought it was the greatest idea ever. Load and haul dirt with it, then open it up and pick up trees or branches with never having to leave the seat. Unfortunately, it's only OK at hauling trees and branches. It's just about impossible to see what you are doing with it and the only way to know how far open the bucket is, is by a gauge on the top of the bucket. You can't actually see it from the seat of the tractor.

If I was buying brand new, I would consider it only for the plumbing aspect. Then I would want to be able to switch it out with a grapple. The grapple is ten times easier and better and moving debris. You can see exactly what you are doing and it holds materail better. My neighbor has bent his bucket twice now that I know of trying to handle trees with his.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[IslandTractor]

4N1 buckets are like Swiss Army Knives. Decent at a lot of things but great at none. The only real reason I could see buying one (again) is if I could not have either a switchable grapple or at least a grapple bucket. A grapple bucket would be much more useful most of the time.

Downside of the 4n1 is that the clamshell grip means you can really only hold a single log at a time. Anything else will slip out. A grapple will hold 10 times what a 4n1 will hold and a grapple bucket will probably hold 5 times the logs/brush that you can get into a 4n1.

The buckets are much heavier than standard buckets so they cut your load capacity too.

Tractor FELs are not engineered/built to take the stresses of bulldozing so while the 4n1 dozer function can be very useful (my favorite part), you do need to be careful about the stresses on the loader.

Finally, 4n1 buckets are expensive. I'd just get a QA system for the loader then use a standard bucket and a separate grapple or just a grapple bucket.

 

[jpm1]

I have run a JCB backhoe with a 4-in-1 bucket and visibility was a big issue. Mind you this is a older machine, big and awkard in todays standards but it does a great job. If you have a second person as a spotter in front , my personal opinion is you are good to go. But, if your a 1 man band such as I am its really tough, my opinion is go with the grapple option. But there is always the second hand rake and shovel option, this is a much cheaper way to go and almost instantly up and running.
Consider what your primary use will be for it. If you move fire wood, slabs and brush a grapple would be much more benificial. It all comes down to "who pays" - "says" what you get. Your looking at the right tractor manufacturer at least! good luck.

 

[CurlyDave]

I have a 4-n-1 bucket and really like it. I also have a grapple, and for brush clearing, the grapple is much better. But there are jobs where the 4-n-1 beats the grapple.

The 4-n-1 can uproot small trees, say up to 4-5" by getting the tree caught between the two halves, closing the bucket and just pulling it up. Same with picking up a post.

My 4-n1 can be used as a 1/2 @$$ed bulldozer just by opening it all the way. Not nearly as good a a real dozer, but handy sometimes. And, I can dump a load of rock much more gently than a plain bucket by opening and dumping from the slot.

Oh yes, open it up all the way and you can back drag and it sort of acts like a box blade. Again not as good as a real one, but when I have wheel ruts to clean up, or a couple hundred square feet to smooth out, it is a lot faster than taking the hoe off and putting th real box blade on.

All in all, I don't regret getting the 4-n-1, but it isn't a substitute for a grapple. Lots of times though, when I have the 4-n-1 on I can get the job done in a lot less time than changing out the bucket for the grapple.


About the only job a regular bucket can do that a 4-n-1 can't is carrying water or wet concrete.

 

[IslandTractor]

All in all, I don't regret getting the 4-n-1, but it isn't a substitute for a grapple. Lots of times though, when I have the 4-n-1 on I can get the job done in a lot less time than changing out the bucket for the grapple.

I agree with that. The situation I find my 4n1 most useful is when I have the BH mounted and I am needing to both carry away a stump and also clean up the hole afterwards. The clamp, bucket and dozer functions are nice to have in one tool. It is however a pretty expensive device considering I could do the same things using a standard bucket and a chain. I got mine used as a bargain otherwise I probably would be annoyed I'd spent so much on it.

 

[Eagleview]

4in1's are a clever idea and i used mine a lot when i first got my tractor . It was however , hopeless at picking up logs and branches as these things are tapered and bulky . The bucket would grab the large end and allow the other end to drop out . Since buying my grapple rake , the 4in1 just sits outside . I hardly use it now , a standard bucket would be fine along with the rake . The third function on the loader is a must tho , get it fitted from new . You can buy an adaptor so that you can use your skid steer rake on the tractor .

 

[indiana]

I build a few fences and with the 12" auger attached on the back and the 4-1. I'm able to pick up the 2.4m round posts at the thick end hold them vertical and drop them into the hole and press them down. A doddle compared to all the wrestling I did before! Also I'm using it a lot to pull out woody weed bushes, moving gravel - love to try the grapple though, haven't seen one out in Oz.

Darren

 

[jpm]

i have a 4n1 and use it all the time.i also use a grapple,forks,snow plow,hyd blade so the most important part is the q/a on the fel so that you can use multi attachments

 

[dfkrug]

I have been lifting and moving dozens of oak logs with my new 4-in1, and
clearly its grapple capability is less than that of a grapple-bucket. I cut
my logs into about 57-58" lengths so they fit inside the 60-in wide jaws.
I am limited to logs of about 26" diameter with this light-duty Long unit as the
jaws don't open much wider.

I REALLY like the 4-in-1s abilities when it comes to grabbing dirt and rocks
off a level surface. I know of no other implement that can do this job this
well. It also cleans my driveway (in reverse) better than the box blade did.