Bucket Edge

[Anonymous Poster]

I would like to to protect the factory-new edge of my FEL bucket. A toothbar has been strongly recommended, and I intend to get one. But initially, I'll be using the FEL for relatively light landscaping and garden work, so I'm wondering if something less aggressive might be in order. And while the cost of a toothbar is not huge, a less expensive alternative wouldn't be a bad idea, given the recent outlay for the tractor etc.

So- /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
How much should I expect to pay for a straight cutting edge?
Where would be the best source for one?
Can this be a bolt on addition, allowing it to be removed and swapped for a toothbar?
Am I completely off base?

I'll take delivery in about a week and a half, so I may have an oportunity to take care of this before I even scratch the paint /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif but I would rather wait and do it right than jump in and get it wrong.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi,

It seems very fitting that tractorlessSacto would be looking for a toothlessbar... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[joecdeere]

No you are not off base, It is a very popular addition on frontend loaders. All you need is a piece of blank cutting edge stock. I doubt your Kubota Dealer will have it, but if you get in the yellow pages under heavy equipment repair, or your local heavy yellow dealers, or even a Bobcat type dealer you should be able to find a light duty(to them, not to you) piece of edge. When I worked for FNH back in the 80's we sold one that was about 85" long by 4" for about $100.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Do what I did, go to your local snow plow dealer and pick up a plow cutting edge. Easy to bolt on, and not that expensive..

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Don't most loader buckets come with an edge already welded (or bolted) on??? When it wears down, it gets cut off and a new one welded on.

You wouldn't maybe want to weld or bolt a cutting edge onto a loader bucket that already has a cutting edge on it.

Not sure what you are buying, so i don't know.

--->Paul

 

[chrisjbell]

He's picking up a Kubota, and will have to change his username /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif.

Yeah, the Kubota loaders do have a replacable cutting edge. I don't see how adding another one would hurt, but I never did on mine and it is doing just fine. On the other hand, there's no way I'd suggest that tractorless do *anything* to hurt his new baby /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif!

 

[herbenus]

Personally I wouldn't worry about edge. It will probably outlive you. I was concerned when I got my JD 3 years ago. Since I don't have a box blade, I use fel for all leveling including 500 foot of limestone drive. I friend of mine with a small business only used his fel for leveling his parking lot, which was shell and limestone and gets a lot of heavy use. Said in ten years he can't see much wear. That put me at ease. Yeah it will wear a little. Paint will definitely come off.

 

[rancar]

<font color="blue">"...Can this be a bolt on addition, allowing it to be removed and swapped for a toothbar?..."</font>

See both the bolt on cutting edge and bolt on toothbar that's on my JD bucket in the attachment. No need for swapping. Both can be installed at same time.

...Bob

 

[billfires]

If you are going to use the FEL for snow removal on paved surfaces you should definitely consider a bolt on cutting edge. This was my first winter plowing snow with a NH 1920 with 68" wide bucket and there is significant wear on the welded cutting edge. Probably 100 times more than was done in the dirt. Hope this helps, Bill C

 

[nitronut1]

Same story here; the outside edges took a real beating on the driveway this winter.

 

[Egon]

Cutting edges for compact tractor loaders may not be created from the same type of material as the large equipment uses.

Egon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi,

THere was a post here somewhere a while back that showed 2x4 or 2x6 pieces bolted on the sides of the bucket, to work as runners and keep the cutting edge slightly above the paved surface...

Seemed like a good idea. Something that would both save wear and tear on the bucket cutting edge AND the paved surface as well.

Not sure what the thread was titled though....

 

[Anonymous Poster]

rancar,

Looks like we may have the same bucket. I'd like to add the toothbar and cutting edge at the same time. Do you know suppliers and part numbers for both? Thanks.

 

[JJT]

Before I took delivery of my L3710 I had the Kubota dealer add an 8" cutting edge cut down from Bobcat stock. It significantly stiffened up the 72" bucket and is reversible if I ever wear it out. 3 years and 400 hours later it shows no wear. I've seen some stock buckets bent to heck and worn out after a few hundred hrs of rental use. It was very cheap insurance, ~$150 installed.

 

[5030]

Soon to be not tractorless:

Go to your local road commission or local highway department and ask them if you can have a worn out edge bar from one of their scraper blades. Most of the time, they will give it to you for the asking as they scrap them anyway. You will have to shorten it to fit the bucket, but the steel they use in their wear bars is of a very high abrasion resistant steel. It will outlast your new tractor and probably will outlast you. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Daryl
Forage Services, L.P.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

On my JD 70 FEL, when the edge wears down, I take my MIG welder, load it with Stainless Steel feed wire, and weave a bead across the worn edge. I then take a grinder and sharpen it up real nice. I use the SS wire because it is much harder than regular steel. I use the same trick for the teeth on my backhoe. It works great, and it looks good.
k2