I Love My Comically Oversized Loader Bucket

[MarkMac]

So for a couple months now I’ve been using my oversized bucket, marketed as a “snow” bucket, but from research I think ‘light material’ bucket is the best description.

For use on the farm this bucket is amazing. I haven’t used my OEM bucket since getting the big boy. Granted, I don’t normally do dirt work anyway.

I’ve been using it this big bucket daily for moving manure. I can load it up with a few hay bales and/or feed bags as well. Also, it’s come in real handy for landscaping. I recently lost some trees in a storm and I loaded the big bucket up with branches and other debris.

It has about 3X the volume of the original bucket, yet is no wider and still allows me to maintain the maneuverability of my small CUT while moving a lot more bulky material per trip (as long as that material doesn’t exceed a safe weight limit).

I can’t justify a lot of the really cool attachments, like grapples and such, but this huge bucket is dead simple and works great. I don’t ‘dig’ with it, but I’ve filled it with all sorts of farm stuff and honestly it’s pretty much replaced the bed on my Polaris Ranger in a lot of ways.

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[tacticalturnip]

Thank you for chiming in about the bulk material bucket, I keep eyeing them for snow removal.

 

[Runner]

I have never regretted buying the large-capacity bucket with my tractor.

 

[MarkMac]

I searched a lot of brands and shapes & sizes before zeroing one that offered good volume dimensions without extending past the track width of my tractor. I was also mindful of durability versus weight, etc. I’m not here to advertise a brand, just the new utility I tapped into with the new big bucket.

For a utility tractor the big bucket really has improved it’s overall utility. My little Kioti is a fantastic little unit, but the tiny OEM bucket is really limiting for anything not dirt or gravel.

 

[JTKub]

Talk about perfect for stall cleaning. 1/3 the amount of trips to the pile!

 

[boatmoter]

So for a couple months now I’ve been using my oversized bucket, marketed as a “snow” bucket, but from research I think ‘light material’ bucket is the best description.

For use on the farm this bucket is amazing. I haven’t used my OEM bucket since getting the big boy. Granted, I don’t normally do dirt work anyway.

I’ve been using it this big bucket daily for moving manure. I can load it up with a few hay bales and/or feed bags as well. Also, it’s come in real handy for landscaping. I recently lost some trees in a storm and I loaded the big bucket up with branches and other debris.

It has about 3X the volume of the original bucket, yet is no wider and still allows me to maintain the maneuverability of my small CUT while moving a lot more bulky material per trip (as long as that material doesn’t exceed a safe weight limit).

I can’t justify a lot of the really cool attachments, like grapples and such, but this huge bucket is dead simple and works great. I don’t ‘dig’ with it, but I’ve filled it with all sorts of farm stuff and honestly it’s pretty much replaced the bed on my Polaris Ranger in a lot of ways.

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know what you mean. in the late 80's I had a articulated international loader with a 4 yard bucket on it. we used to do tractor & excavating work. we used to load our single axle dump truck with 2 scoops and it was overfilled running off the sides with fill dirt. the loader originally had a 3 yrd bucket on it

 

[Highlandr]

My little Kioti is a fantastic little unit, but the tiny OEM bucket is really limiting for anything not dirt or gravel.

I'm in the same bucket (har!) with the Solis I bought back in November.

I’m not here to advertise a brand...

Would you mind saying the brand anyway?

 

[RayIN]

Read the thread about a "dumpster bucket". https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/threads/has-anyone-used-a-‘dumpster-bucket’-on-their-loader.608183/
He doesn't say where it can be bought.

 

[Highlandr]

Read the thread about a "dumpster bucket".

After I posted I did some meandering around on the webz and found this. Also from Blue Diamond, but no front lip.

 

[34Willys]

I bought a rock bucket from Tomahawk, and they also offer the snow/mulch bucket.

Patrick

 

[MarkMac]

Mine is from Tomahawk. It’s sized for a Toro Dingo, but they were willing to weld SSQA brackets to it. It was a $20-30 up-charge for the custom job, but it was money well spent because it fits my CX2510 perfect at 54” wide.

 

[bmaverick]

The only issue with a bigger bucket is, all the load down force on the axle to wheel joints.

Just take it slow upon loading, keep the wheels more straight to scoop going in and coming out.
Let the loader keep the bucket low so the tractor frame and sub-frame takes the grunt evenly vs. too high and wearing the front axle too soon.

A little caution when heavy loads are done helps make the machines last longer.

 

[Hay Dude]

Large cap buckets are great, just don’t use them for digging and don’t put pressure on bucket corners. You’ll bend a loader arm, twist a crossmember or bend the bucket.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I've been looking at these:

Skid Steer Bucket Dumpster Attachment | Dumpster Bucket | Blue Diamond

This extremely handy job site Blue Diamond® Dumpster Bucket is well worth its weight. Put it close to the work being done as an oversized trash bucket.

www.diamondtoolstore.com

 

[rScotty]

Here ares some of the things I like on a SSQA FEL Bucket,

1. Wider than the front tires of the tractor, - about a foot wider on each side works good.
1. A "Round Back" inside, with a outer reinforced "Heel" on the outside of the back of the bucket.
2. A bolted or fitted replaceable cutting edge for the bottom lip.
3. Reinforced cutting edges at both bottom corners
4. A reinforced top edge that is flat and has the same angle to the ground as the bucket bottom.
5. And I want that flat top wide & strong enough to mount bolt-on chain hooks with backing plates.
6. Decent capacity.

The nice thing about SSQA is that we aren't limited to the bucket that comes with the FEL...

I don't own this brand in the photos, but it shows a bucket with most of the features I like.
It has the" round back" inside and the reinforced "heel" on the outside at the back.
I'd want a flatter top edge, and prefer a replaceable cuttng edge bolted all the way across the bottom instead of just at the corners.
But those things can be changed.
The basic shape is good for the landscaping type of work we do.

 

[toxicjeeper]

I love my oversize bucket for snow and firewood..I occasionally use it for dirt but I never fill it with much dirt..baby scoops..now that I think about it..I have never used the bucket that came with the tractor

 

[nisaacs]

I love my oversize bucket for snow and firewood..I occasionally use it for dirt but I never fill it with much dirt..baby scoops..now that I think about it..I have never used the bucket that came with the tractor

I like that style bucket, not a fan of the skid steer style.

My JD 4320 came with a worn out, flimsy 1/4 yd bucket with the JD quick attach. I converted to the skid steer attach with an OEM, CNH DF 5/8 yd loader style bucket.

 

[S854]

…I converted to the skid steer attach…

Sacrilege!!! Have you been banned from the “green” forum?!?

 

[WinterDeere]

I remember someone posting on here a bucket that was basically a JDQA dumpster, which would be perfect for hauling the 40 - 60 yards of mulch I buy each spring. But I didn't save the link, and now can't find it!

The options from Deere basically amount to a 50% increase for $2k, which I guess isn't terrible, but the one I remember was like a 300% increase for $1600.

I don't need a durable or heavy bucket for carrying bark mulch. Heck, I get more carrying capacity within my loader and tractor weight limits, if the bucket is less heavy!

 

[Couv2]

Great idea, however, may I advise the following info:

1 ALWAYS think of Safety in the following order -
1 Yourself
2 The tractor & loader
3 the bucket

2 The first thing I noticed in the pictures is how narrow your tractor wheels are set. If you can widen them out, and not hurt your ability to mow, disk , chop, you should do so immediately. You could surprise yourself one day how quickly a tractor can be turned over with a loaded, raised bucket

3 Ballat is vital to tractor-loader stability. Get or make a ballast box or add water to rear tires

4 Pay much attention to that front axle. While loading or with a heavy load, tire pressure, condition, and angle away from straight on can instantly make a roll-over situation. (plus 2 above)

5 Some of the tractors shown in the picture are Kioti, and other "lesser" brands ( not knocking your purchase) . They are NOT as stout internally as the Major Brands. My neighbor is now using one the has only front drive on one side. He broke the internal gears from loader work on a 35 hp Kioti