JD 4300 Warped bucket on front end loader

[DaleS4300]

I purchased my JD 4300 from an individual who must have used the bucket to dig up stumps or perform unnatural feats of tractor jousting (like the knights used to do on horseback with long poles). In all other aspects the tractor was like new with 600 hours. Anyway the bucket is warped downward in the middle of the bucket; while this is a little helpful in digging deeper holes it makes it almost possible to level dirt or smooth areas out. Is it possible to replace the cutting edge and straighten the bucket during the process? Attached drawing might explain the problem a little more.

 

[BarryinMN]

Congrats on the buy & welcome.

Not a big deal find a local blacksmiths shop & let them bend it back may even save the cutting edge vs replace & ask them to reinforce the bucket top if it looks bent.

Avoid using the bucket as a battering ram & pry bar or carrying off balance wide loads that may twist the loader arms - take the whole tractor to the blacksmiths in case the arms need adjusting as well...

Search here for tooth bars it will help strengthen the lip & improve digging ability.

 

[DennisMI]

Any welding shop can fix that, and they can add some hard welding pattern to the wearing edges to make it last longer.

 

[Gizmo2]

I have bent the bottom of my FEL bucket a few times, although the other way, in, not out, and I just sledge hammer it back to shape, sort of. Sometimes I think I bend it from using the FEL to bang in fence posts but I'm sure that can't be the reason.

 

[dfkrug]

Anyway the bucket is warped downward in the middle of the bucket; while this is a little helpful in digging deeper holes it makes it almost possible to level dirt or smooth areas out. Is it possible to replace the cutting edge and straighten the bucket during the process?

I have had a bunch of rental tractors, so I have seen some pretty bent
bkts. Sometimes, I bend them back using a hyd jack, a 6-ft I-beam and
2 loops of chain wrapped around the bkt ends. (I show one photo in my
4-in-1 thread).

I also did a JD bkt that was so bad, I cut out the whole bottom of the
carcass and welded in a new floor with a new cutting edge. The result
was a bkt that was better than the original light-duty unit. The trick is
finding the beveled cutting edge for a reasonable price.

 

[pat32rf]

My bucket tends to get bent the opposite to yours by catching on rocks, stumps while backblading. I would just place center edge of the bucket on a stump and push down until it comes straighter. (bouncing a bit if necessary)