4-in-1 I need 4-in-1 Feedback

[bobsphotos]

I have a JD 3320 CUT and had made the decision to purchase a Long 4-in-1 bucket in the spring and now it appears that I am having second thoughts. I will try to outline what my tractor / land goals are and I will appreciate any and all opinions.
I own 30 acres of wooded property in Central Maine and my plans areas follows:

1. 
   Harvest 4 cords of firewood per year
   Maintain and improve 1 mile of woodroads
   Build another 1/2 mile of road
   Clear approximately 3 acres
   I anticipate using the new bucket for tasks such as:
   1. 
      Moving small tree stumps
      moving rocks
      picking up piles of debris that cannot be scooped up with a regular bucket
      Part of my dilemma is that, unless I am mistaken, once I put the new bucket on, I cannot ever imagine needing or using the original bucket. That leaves me with a useless attatchment. The new bucket will be about $2100, so I need some advice. So, all that being said, any and all, please chime in.

 

[leonz]

You will have to decide if its something you really need.

Most of what you want to do can be done with a small
tracked excavator by renting it on occasion and determining
how much work you have to do the lobs you want to do.

You can use the excavator faster and more efficiently than
you can the tractor for the stumps and rocks and youy can
easily bury the brush with it easily.

An dont forget you need to dig ditches for the roads for
drainage otherwise the road building is a waste of time.


You will make better use of the original bucket following
the excavator.

 

[bobsphotos]

You will make better use of the original bucket following
the excavator.[/QUOTE]

I did forget to add that I have an 8' backhoe on my 3320.

 

[Glen Watkins]

I never thought much of a 4n1 bucket. Think about a grapple.

 

[Ductape]

I would use the search function here for plenty of reading on 4 in 1 buckets. Some love em........ some, not so much (considering the price).

 

[CurlyDave]

The 4-n-1 is not a good substitute for a grapple. Picking up and carrying large rocks is really a job for a grapple. It is fairly easy to ding up the mating edges on the 4-n-1 if you clamp down too hard on a rock.

I have a 4-n-1, and I think it is a lot more useful than a standard bucket, but I don't have a standard bucket.

The only task where a standard bucket is better is carrying water or concrete.

If you have the cash, consider having teeth welded on your standard bucket. That way you can use it for digging as a complement to the backhoe.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Are you planning on using any 3pt implements to work and build your roads?

 

[bobsphotos]

After cutting the roads and chipping all the brush I then dig out and bury any large stumps. I use a bush hog to keep things tidy.

 

[jpm]

i have a 4n1 and grapple also. the 4n1 does things the grapple can't ,the grapple picks up trees and brush better.the 4n1 picks up only 1 tree at a time but you can feather out sand or small stone better than a std bucket.also if you have to sand your drive in the winter the 4n1 work very good.if you think the blade part of the 4n1 will work like a dozer it won't but it will push/flatting loose stuff ok gook luck with your decison

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

I've been wanting a 4in1 for my 3320 for several years. The Long version is as good as any I looked at. I feel the same way about the standard bucket hanging around. My idea was to buy a slightly larger 4in1. Some manufactures make 66" buckets. I have a grapple and find plenty of situations where the 4in1 would be a huge asset.

Matt

 

[dangerdoc]

I have a JD 3320 CUT and had made the decision to purchase a Long 4-in-1 bucket in the spring and now it appears that I am having second thoughts. I will try to outline what my tractor / land goals are and I will appreciate any and all opinions.
I own 30 acres of wooded property in Central Maine and my plans areas follows:

1. 
   Harvest 4 cords of firewood per year
   Maintain and improve 1 mile of woodroads
   Build another 1/2 mile of road
   Clear approximately 3 acres
   I anticipate using the new bucket for tasks such as:
   1. 
      Moving small tree stumps
      moving rocks
      picking up piles of debris that cannot be scooped up with a regular bucket
      Part of my dilemma is that, unless I am mistaken, once I put the new bucket on, I cannot ever imagine needing or using the original bucket. That leaves me with a useless attatchment. The new bucket will be about $2100, so I need some advice. So, all that being said, any and all, please chime in.

1. 1. 
      
      
      I have a 4n1 and grapple, the grapple gets much more use.
      
      For the uses you mention, a grapple will be easier to use. Picking up rocks is pretty hard because you cant see the rock through the 4n1. 4n1 doesn't work that well for grabbing brush. I've moved a lot of logs with a 4n1 but the grapple is lighter so you can carry a bigger load and with the grapple you can grab a pile of logs, with the 4n1, they tended to pop out if I tried to carry more than one at a time.
      
      You can also pick up a grapple for about 1/2 the price of a 4n1.
      
      The downside is that if you get a grapple first, you may never have the excuse to get a 4n1, it is better than a regular bucket for smoothing dirt but most of that work can be done with a box blade.

 

[DanD78]

I have had a Frontier 5' 4in1 on my 3320 for a couple of years. I would no get a 6'. It is great for picking up that last little bit of rock or dirt and moving brush and limbs. I would not use it to pull stumps or pick up loads sticking out the front. I take great care not to do stupid things that might spring the bucket but I don't baby it. I have never owned a grapple so I can't advise on that. Everything loaded on my trailer was put on with the 4in1.

Dan

 

[bobsphotos]

Hey Dan,
Do you also have a regular bucket and would you buy the 4-in-1 bucket again?
Bob W

 

[bobsphotos]

I have had a Frontier 5' 4in1 on my 3320 for a couple of years. I would no get a 6'. It is great for picking up that last little bit of rock or dirt and moving brush and limbs. I would not use it to pull stumps or pick up loads sticking out the front. I take great care not to do stupid things that might spring the bucket but I don't baby it. I have never owned a grapple so I can't advise on that. Everything loaded on my trailer was put on with the 4in1.

Dan

Dan,
Why would you not buy a 6'?

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I have had a Frontier 5' 4in1 on my 3320 for a couple of years. I would no get a 6'. It is great for picking up that last little bit of rock or dirt and moving brush and limbs. I would not use it to pull stumps or pick up loads sticking out the front. I take great care not to do stupid things that might spring the bucket but I don't baby it. I have never owned a grapple so I can't advise on that. Everything loaded on my trailer was put on with the 4in1.

Dan

What about those forks sticking out the bottom?

 

[DanD78]

Dan,
Why would you not buy a 6'?

I guess there are a few reasons. The 5' and 6' Frontier both have the same jaw opening and the same structure. 6' is not more heavy duty snd I thought it would be easier to damage. I have seen buckets on full size back hoes sprung pretty bad. I use the machine in the yard around a lot of trees and 5' fits better. I gave a neighbor that has a 6' HD bucket on the same tractor and I think it makes it feel sluggish. He likes my 5'. My sales man recomended the 5', it was cheeper and it was in stock.

Hey Dan,
Do you also have a regular bucket and would you buy the 4-in-1 bucket again?

YES
When I bought the tractor I got the 5' HD. Another $2200 was not in the budget when I needed other impliments first. If you can afford it I would get the 4in1 as the first bucket. The HD bucket will hold a little more but for now is collecting dust. The next best front attachment is my forks but that is another topic.

Dan

 

[VTFireftr]

I put a Long 4 in 1 on my Kioti CK 30 last summer. Great Investment!

I use it to move gravel around on my road (private almost 1 mile long). I have moved some small trees and other junk around my property.

Since i have a Q/A mount on my loader arms, I can take it off and use other attachments.

I picked up a snow plow off craigslist and it uses the Long aux hydraulics.

Marc

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Which model long did you pickup? I'd love to see pics. I was at my dealer the other day and he had a 72" in stock. I just looks too big an heavy for a 3000 series machine. I believe I the long is priced abit better than the frontier. I was just quoted $2500 list, I'm sure cash in hand could lower that alittle.

Matt

 

[boggen]

for old generic front bucket....

get some bolt on pallet forks for it. vs swapping out 4in1 for an attachable pallet fork. might be a price difference enough then again maybe not.

mount a long pole on the front much like bolt on pallet forks in a way. but pole used to set trusses on a new home or shed.

toothbar for bucket for easier digging with the generic bucket.

put some teeth on the front of bucket. for easier digging perhaps.

hhmmsss. if you have other attachments such as box blade, rear blade, or other like 3pt scapper.

hhmmsss 3pt scoop. but diy the old bucket into a 3 pt scoop.

post hole digger or rather make that post stamper that might bolt onto side of old generic bucket.

grappel instead of 4in1 as others have said grabing rocks and like.

can't think of anything else. that a generic bucket might be useful for. though majorty of all of above can be done and had with some other attachment. pending on attachment better perhaps.

 

[greg_g]

I ordered my 3720 new with the Frontier five foot 4-in-1, substituted for the regular 300X bucket. I am impressed with the greatly expanded capabilities of the 4-in-1 (one of my previous tractors had a standard 5' bucket). But ordering from new, there's no "original" bucket to worry about. That said, I can't help but think there are a number of JD owners who've damaged their first buckets to an extent that they're thinkin' about repair or replacement. Why not just advertise yours for sale?

//greg//