BX Bucket edge, Piranha tooth,pro or straight? Pros and Cons of each.

[JOE G]

I am leaning towards the regular Piranha bar, I use the bucket for different tasks and I also am trying to protect my bucket. The Pro bar I don't think I can justify the extra cost. What are your guys thoughts for all around use.
Does the Piranha improve digging? Hinder back blading ?

Thanks

Piranha® Tooth Bar - Official Site

www.bxpanded.com

BXpanded Piranha Pro Reversible Bolt-On Toothbar

www.bxpanded.com

BXpanded Piranha Straight Bar

www.bxpanded.com

 

[Panik]

So I don't have any of those tooth bars from Bxpanded, though I do have a number of their other products, inclusive of their bucket expander, forks, and bolt on hooks. I have been very well satisfied with both the service, as well as the products I've purchased.

That said, it would probably be helpful to people wanting to give you advice to give a bit better background about what type of soil you will be operating in, and what you're intended use case is for a tooth bar.

The reason I say that is that I have tooth bar on bx that is similar to, but different manufacturer from the image below:

I also have very heavy clay soils on my property, with relatively little organic matter. The bar works well enough for clearing up vines & breaking down shrubby plants. However, its effectiveness in the soil on my property varies wildly from being somewhat useful to being almost entirely useless depending on soil moisture. If it's late summer/early fall when everything is dry it can literally be impossible to get any bite. I usually have to break out the subsoiler to break up the ground before using the tooth bar.

Granted that's also using a 23hp tractor with loaded tires & additional ballast on the back. If the tooth bar is intended for something with more power and weight your experiences may be different.

 

[RjCorazza]

I have the standard Piranha Toothbar on my L4060, and really like it. IMHO, the pro version is not going to perform any different than standard, but it looks "meaner".
It doesn't really negatively affect back dragging for my use. I removed about 20 cubic yards of old demo'd concrete that was just below the surface while grading for my pole barn. The Piranha bar showed very little wear when done, and it was hard service.

 

[kenmbz]

I have the regular Piranha tooth bar.
I have Diabase, soft iron rock and regula rocky soil which stops the flat edge of the FEL from digging.

The tb cuts right through the diabase and small rocks.

I also use the tb to rip out vines and brambles and bushy invasives.

What I like is that I can remove the tb easily if I need to.

More information on what your land is like for digging would help people give advice.

 

[ruffdog]

I am leaning towards the regular Piranha bar, I use the bucket for different tasks and I also am trying to protect my bucket. The Pro bar I don't think I can justify the extra cost. What are your guys thoughts for all around use.
Does the Piranha improve digging? Hinder back blading ?

Is your bucket pre-drilled with mounting holes? I'm sure the extra cost of the pro bar includes the extra price of matching the hole spacing of your bucket.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I'm on my second Piranha tooth bar, the first was sold off with the tractor it was on. It's a great product; I found it useful enough that when I was able I picked one up for the Kioti. This was around the time the Pro was released, and I really wanted it. The ease of installation and the clean look were appealing.

In the end, however, I couldn't justify the added cost. As for back dragging, if you keep a light angle, you can do it.

 

[JOE G]

My Bucket is not drilled,
I use this tractor for things around the yard so I don't make a complete mess. I have a mixture of Rocky top soil and once down a little bit it turns into Hard Pan/Clay. There are certain parts of the yard where the dirt is decent as well. I have a fairly large yard so it does varies. I also use this tractor to move saw dust and clean op the paddock.

 

[tacticalturnip]

My Bucket is not drilled,
I use this tractor for things around the yard so I don't make a complete mess. I have a mixture of Rocky top soil and once down a little bit it turns into Hard Pan/Clay. There are certain parts of the yard where the dirt is decent as well. I have a fairly large yard so it does varies. I also use this tractor to move saw dust and clean op the paddock.

You're best off getting the standard if you don't have pre-existing holes for a bolt-on cutting edge; it's two drilled on the side versus 5 holes at the edge.

 

[JOE G]

The Regular Piranha tooth bar appears to only require 2 bolt holes on the side which I have.

 

[ruffdog]

Forget the bolt-on PRO tooth bar as your bucket doesn't have the edge holes.

The Piranha Pro Bolt On requires that your factory loader bucket have holes in the welded cutting edge. If a replaceable edge is currently installed you will need to remove it to allow installation.

 

[2manyrocks]

I first put the Piranha tooth bar on a full size tractor. It was good for ripping out briars. Traded the tractor, but put the tooth bar on the bucket on my Terramite backhoe that had a smooth edge. Now I can dig into dirt piles more easily.

You don't want to bump into that toothed edge with your ankle.

 

[oldballs]

My newbie first tractor was a 2009 BX2660. I had several mounds (dump trucks) of rock and dirt to deal with. At that time I bought a WR Long "flat tooth bar". I doubt that the Pirana Tooth Bar would have worked as well in these settled mounds of dirt/rock.

But when I moved up to a (2012) B2620 Kubota I bought the Piranha Standard Bar. And it works fine for other projects around here. And it doesn't have all the serrated teeth of the newer design. And it will back drag to my satisfaction as well.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[RjCorazza]

The Regular Piranha tooth bar appears to only require 2 bolt holes on the side which I have.

Unlikely those holes will line up with a tooth bar, unless a previous owner had a Piranha Bar on it.

 

[dadohead]

I started my engineering career at JD in '90. They put me in backhoe structures. I remember Deere was coming out with a new tooth at that time and had samples out around the country to various dealers for trials. They, in turn, would give them to their best customers. I was sent to Missouri to follow up (some guys got the cooler destinations ;<) These guys were primarily using them on hoes but some of this may apply... from memory:

• Not much difference digging soil
• Differences in digging rock!
• Tooth profile not as important as new vs worn tooth (minimize wear!)
• Forged teeth were outlasting cast teeth (cast cheaper though)

I'm sorry... that's all I remember! I'm old.

 

[JOE G]

If they Don't I'll either weld them shut or re drill.

 

[2manyrocks]

Drilling two holes to mount the piranha tooth bar was no big deal. My tractor bucket was bent because the prior owner put too much in it. It took some persuading to get the tooth bar mounted to it.

 

[5030]

Nothing beats a smiling bucket cutting edge. Not easy to fix either. I've done a few and it requires cutting the side sheets then pressing the bottom sheet back up (and then some to allow for springback) and then rewelding the side sheets back in place.

I use and have used for a long time, an ATI bolt on (side sheet mounted) tooth bar. Very well made and have replaceable pinned on teeth.

 

[chim]

I've only had a flat bar and a DIY toothbar (real teeth, replaceable teeth).

Toothbar helped a lot with digging, but was a real pain trying to scoop ballast rock. Kept getting stuck between the teeth.

Flat bar was great for snow removal and scooping most materials.

I would not hesitate to get a Piranha from all the reports I have seen.

I did drill my bucket and would do so again for sure.

 

[garry1p]

I have the standard BXpanded Piranha® Tooth Bar and don't know how I got along without it.

Clearing trails it will just slice through trees up to 3" a little thicker I push the bar slightly higher and depending on soil conditions it pulls the tree out by the roots.
Moving dirt around is a lot easier with the Piranha bar, no rocks here so I can't comment on that.
Drilling the 2 holes was no problem.

As someone said be careful it is sharp.

 

[JOE G]

I ordered the bar today, I am going to send them measurements of the holes in the bucket and they said they will set it up to fit.