backhoe bucket

sherpa · Dec 15, 2004

I was thinking about getting me another bucket for my B20 backhoe. It appears that my bucket teeth have been changed by welding new and larger teeth holders on. The 4 removable teeth on my 15" bucket are about 3 inches wide. It works good but someone told me it would work better with smaller teeth. I had several questions:

How expensive are buckets?

Where is a good place to buy a bucket?

How do you measure your bucket attachment holes?

Are the attachment holes universal/standard?

Would I be better off
1-keeping what I got,

2-grinding off the old teeth holders brackets and welding on new ones to hold smaller teeth,or

3-buying a bucket?

Sherpa

sherpa · Dec 15, 2004

Here is a picture of it.
Sherpa

sherpa · Dec 15, 2004

Another picture.
Sherpa

Henro · Dec 15, 2004

...It works good but someone told me it would work better with smaller teeth. I 

Sherpa,

If you are just going to end up with the same size bucket that you are starting with, I would just keep what I had, as is, if it works well.

Those teeth do look a little larger than what are on my 16" Kubota bucket, for the BL4690 hoe, but not all that much wider.

Maybe if you were digging into rock or shale, smaller teeth might be better. What type of soil do you normally dig?

My gut reaction is to let things be...Buckets were pretty expensive when I bought my backhoe a couple years ago. If I remember right, my 8" cost about $350 and a 24" was something like $700. Those may be list prices though...

I would want to be pretty sure that smaller teeth would make an improvement before I went to the trouble and expense to change anything. It would be unfortunate if you spent time and money and nothing changed, and even worse if performance in your conditions actually got worse instead of better.

Edit: I did not see your first picture before typing the above(think your forgot to attach it). Now that I see it I would say that those teeth look about standard to me...I don't think they are any larger than what I have on my 16" bucket. Would have to measure mine to be sure though...I would not change what you have if that bucket were mine... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

sherpa · Dec 15, 2004

Henro,
I forgot you had one, thanks for looking at mine. I did not have one to look at to compare it too anything. It works pretty good in the NC red clay around here. A fellow who works with timber was by here and noticed it and made the comment that the teeth were too big and it would work better if they were replaced with smaller ones. Does your bucket have 4 teeth?
Sherpa

Henro · Dec 15, 2004

Yes, my 16" bucket has four teeth.

I took a picture of it this morning and will post when I get to the computer where I can download pictures easily.

I think my bucket's teeth may be slightly narrower than yours, but I also have an extra inch width...and my memory is not calibrated well enough to compare the mental picture I had of your bucket with what I saw when I looked at mine... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Henro · Dec 15, 2004

Here is what mine looks like...

The teeth on your bucket do seem a little wider than what came on mine, but the difference is not THAT great, at least in my opinion...from what I can see in the pictures.

Edit: I just noticed the picture I took shows my bucket from the bottom side, rather than from the same angle as yours.
I think in comparison the teeth on my bucket are pretty "flat".

Looking at your picture, I wonder if what caught that guys eye, was that your teeth might be bumping up a little, in a way that might tend to trap the spoils in the bucket, rather than let them fall out easily. But again, if it works well that if more a theoretical consideration than practical one... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

nobull1 · Dec 15, 2004

Are you sure that you cannot get different teeth that fit that shank.It looks like they are a John deere type of rubber/steel pin on type.One common type of tooth is a twin tiger which looks like a snakes tongue. Another is a single tiger which is just a point.These teeth are used mainly for frost or hard clay. They wont last as long but will give good penetration and a lot cheaper than a bucket.

sherpa · Dec 16, 2004

I seen teeth in the tractor store that were a lot thiner and would not go on my shanks. I guess they may have thin teeth with a wider shank, I dont know?

Here is a picture of the bottom of my bucket. It looks the same as yours.

sherpa · Dec 16, 2004

Henro
Our buckets look alike. Your shanks bolt on to your bucket and mine have been welded to the bucket. My teeth do have the pins and can be removed. Does your teeth have pins or bolts to attached to the shanks?
Sherpa

nobull1 · Dec 16, 2004

( I seen teeth in the tractor store that were a lot thiner and would not go on my shanks. I guess they may have thin teeth with a wider shank, I dont know?

Here is a picture of the bottom of my bucket. It looks the same as yours.

)
The teeth look a lot like mine but don't know if they are exactly like mine. They call mine a series 23 which is common to quite a few different bucket mfg's. I would be surprised if your local John Deere dealer didn't know exactly what they are and able to supply you with what is required. If it was me I would take the tooth and pin with me to John Deere with me and if nothing else get a couple of spare pins. The cost of the pins is small but they have a habit of disappearing at the worst time, then you have to shut down and get a replacement or risk ruining the shank. The other thing to do if the shank is not a standard size[which is hard to believe] is to buy a shank from John Deere along with the teeth required. I would be surprised if a shank and tooth would cost more than $25.00. I would think that being a worst case situation it is still a lot cheaper than a bucket. There is a guy on ebay who sells them for a reasonable price if you wanted to go that route. Here is a link for a example of one of the teeth I was talking about
teeth

nobull1 · Dec 16, 2004

Here is the best pic I have of my teeth without going out for another pic. Which I can do if you like,just ask.

sherpa · Dec 16, 2004

nobull1
You are right, they look a lot alike. Are your shanks welded on or bolted on? I dont even know if I can get the pins out of mine, the teeth are so close together. I can buy teeth at the New Holland dealer for $2.50 each but they are a lot smaller. They look to be about 1 to 1 and 1/4 inch wide and maybe 1/4 inch thick. I know they would dig in, they are very sharp. I will leave it like it is before I buy a bucket. Mine works great but the fellow told me it would do a lot better with smaller teeth. He owns a big trackhoe, I guess he would know. Mine looks about the same as Henro's bucket, teeth and all.
Sherpa

sherpa · Dec 16, 2004

nobull1
That guy on ebay is proud of that tiger tooth aint he $159.00!!
Sherpa

nobull1 · Dec 16, 2004

You do realize it's for 30 teeth /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. My shanks are welded on the same as yours. If you take a pin punch the same or slightly smaller than the retainer pin and give it a couple of taps I'm sure they will come out. I still think your local John Deere dealer when he see's the pin and tooth will be able to give you what you need. I think in your case the tiger tooth would be a good tooth for a machine that size. Unless you do a lot of digging and/or are in a lot a rock the tiger tooth will probably last at least a season. The cost of replacing all the teeth once a year or so is probably less than $30.00 on your machine. This way you get maximum penetration and will seem like a new machine.

sherpa · Dec 16, 2004

Oh, I thought it was for one tooth. There is a Deere dealer not to far from here but its all forest roads to get there. I will take a tooth out first, the pins look like they want to stay in but I will work on it.
Sherpa

nobull1 · Dec 16, 2004

Here is a pic of what I believe the pins look like. That is rubber in the middle of the pin so it compresses when driven in. A couple of hits and a pair of visegrips or side cutters should be able to get them out.
pin

sherpa · Dec 17, 2004

nobull1
The pins look like the pins on the old ford disk brake caliper.
Can you use the pins over and over if you dont knock/tear the rubber out? I suppose you have to hit down on the pin part with the lip on it to get that to pass through the teeth and shank? I did not know they had rubber in them, thats why mine looked like they dont want to come out. I got to get one out of there now just to know what it looks like!
Sherpa

nobull1 · Dec 17, 2004

You can use the pins over but for what their worth I would install new and use the old for spares. The more you use them the weaker they become. And you just know if it's going to come out it will be when you are in a pile of sloppy mud and the tooth will be at the bottom of the pile. I try to stay away from Murphy he's always ready to jump on me when I'm trying to be cheap /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif