Bent bottom of FEL bucket

[superwilly]

I'm sure this has been brought up before... My FEL (LA450s) bucket's bottom edge is bent. It looks like the previous owner tried to move a boulder or something and bowed the bottom edge out a little. It's not terrible, but I want to put on a tooth bar and it would be kind of stupid to have a straight flat tooth bar on a bucket with a bow in it. It doesn't look like anything is bent or out of shape. It's looks pretty minor really. ps. Kubota L2350DT welded cutting edge.

What is the best way to straighten the bottom lip of a FEL 5' bucket????

 

[rback33]

Is the bucket blade pre-drilled for the tooth bar? Is the bow in the blade fairly gradual? If it pre-drilled then I would bolt the tooth bar on and work you way to the middle tightening the bolts and hope it pulls up tight and straight. You can always use some down pressure of a little heat to help you along. If it's not pre-drilled.. then a little heat and some down pressure might be your only option. Others may have experience and other ideas.

 

[john_bud]

I have not tried this, but it seems that if you put a metal chunk on the ground with the bucket dent centered on it. Then pushed down with the bucket and heated the bottom of the bucket up with an Ox/Acc torch it would bend back to straight. Slow cool, then add the tooth bar.

Or just use the "heat it and beat it" method. That does work, but is loud!

 

[Danno1]

.

My toothbar came w a slight bow in it due to welding heat. It matched my bent bucket rather nicely!!!

.

 

[Egon]

If its bent and you figure on duplicating the process cut off the old cutting edge and have a much heavier one welded in it's place. It will result in a much stiffer bucket.

 

[superwilly]

thanks all. no the cutting edge or bottom edge is not predirille for a tooth bar. the sides of the bucket look to be drilled for the side wings of a tooth bar. I think the good 'ol heat the metal and press it into a hard surface to try to straighten the bend sounds like the only method I hear multiple times...

 

[skipro3]

After I bowed mine, I angled my bucket, then drove the tractor up to a utility pole, put it in low gear, 4 wheel drive, and eased it to make contact, then gave it the juice. It bent back just fine. If that hadn't worked, I would have rammed the pole at a low speed to see if I could smack it back straight. Sure would beat using a sledge. I'm afraid of weakening the temper of the metal by heating.

 

[smitty9266]

Place a log or a couple of 4x4 on top of the bucket wrap a chain around the bucket put a ratcheting chain binder across the mouth of the bucket and tighten. You MUST put the log or 4x4 on top or you will pull the top and bottom in. Depends on the bend but you may have to put a cheater pipe on the binder handle to tighten enough. I like logs the best because when you tighten it will move with the chain, you also don't ruin a good 4x4.

Jeff

 

[mikim]

I bent mine and pulled it back up using a farm jack -- just hooked it on the top of the bucket and under the lip on the bottom and jacked. Moved it back and forth a little to do an even pull ... worked great and only took a few minutes and had full control of how much I was bending. If you don't have a farm jack -- get one -- they're real handy to have.

 

[jsboening]

After I bowed mine, I angled my bucket, then drove the tractor up to a utility pole, put it in low gear, 4 wheel drive, and eased it to make contact, then gave it the juice.

With my luck, I would break the power pole and dent the top of my cab.