Kubota Light Materials Bucket - Too Light?

[RidgeHiker]

I can buy a new 60" Kubota Light Materials bucket that will fit on my 30.5 hp Kioti LK3054 at a reasonable price. My concern is the "Light" part. The dealer said it weighs 125 lbs. As a comparison Everything Attachments has a general purpose bucket that weighs 225 lbs. Obviously there is a lot less metal in the Kubota one.

The dealer said that some of the Kubotas up to 30+ hp come in with these buckets standard so it does not seem like a big issue. The main use of the tractor is snow removal but we use the loader here and there for other things. The tractor does not get heavy usage. The advantage would be a greater lift load.

Should I be concerned about the light construction and why?
Anyone use Kubota's Light Materials bucket on a tractor around 30 hp?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Tomtint]

My l3700 came with a light duty bucket. It is small and not very rugged looking. I will typically switch over to a 72" skid steer bucket or a 84" bucket if I need to move snow or mulch.

 

[SanDucerro]

I have the stock bucket on my LA723 FEL which is attached to an L3130 HST. Frankly, I've beat the **** out of that thing and it still looks great. I've used it to push over trees, dig holes, carry tools, move concrete - you name it. Everyone's experience will be different, but I've had zero issues with the bucket. I did blow the seals on the bucket shocks - but that was my fault. That last tree was a bit to big to up root!

 

[sdkubota]

I have a stock bucket on my LA463 FEL and have done some serious digging and it shows zero damage. Cutting edges are all pretty beefy so don't know about the term "light".

 

[94BULLITT]

That sounds like a real light bucket just for snow since it only weighs 125lbs.

 

[schmism]

i was always under the impression that a "light materials bucket" was oversized because you were moving "light materials" so in order to move material that came close to the loader capacity, you could double or tripple the volume of the bucket. (for wood chips, sawdust, snow, etc)

the weight listed seems like a missprint to me.

 

[trktrman]

Sounds extremely light to me.

 

[4shorts]

I got a light material bucket for my tractor and its not light. It's called light material because its recommended that you use it only for light material so you don't over load the FEL.

 

[RidgeHiker]

From talking to the Kubota dealer sounded like there light and regular stock material buckets but the light ones say Light on them.

 

[sdkubota]

D'oh...finally understand. We used to have a 9 CY snow bucket for our 3 CY loader. As I recall it was 12' wide and you could physically drive a small compact car into it. Great for snow but nothing else. That would have been a light bucket.

 

[GS1100GK]

I got a light material bucket for my tractor and its not light. It's called light material because its recommended that you use it only for light material so you don't over load the FEL.

So, any issues with digging with it? Is it durable enough? I know it comes with reinforced steel at different places on the bucket to help strengthen it.

I am having a hard time deciding which one to choose. I do move snow and mulch with my current BX2370 with standard 4 foot bucket but I also dig with it. I am going to buy a B2601 tractor and need to make a decision which bucket to get. The light materials or the standard.

Doug

 

[Bronco82]

I have used my 60" light material bucket on my B2650 for a few hours now and no complaints or concerns. Had at least 80 yards of fill delivered and it dug in to the piles no problem and moved it around the yard. The paint has been scratched on the bottom of it, but I'm pretty sure any bucket is going to see that. The top of the bucket where the quick attach connects does have reinforcing on it, and I did get my hooks and D-ring welded right to it, and so far no bends/warps.

 

[mfosterbedford]

I recently bought a 2601 and chose the quick attach light material bucket. The dealer also had a regular bucket so I was able to do a side-by-side comparison between the buckets with them sitting on pallets. The construction methods and materials used seemed almost identical (every piece of steel I could measure was the same thickness), but the light material bucket was wider (60 vs 54 inches), had a little more depth and height, and was shaped so that the interior had more volume. It does appear to be just a sturdy as the regular 54 inch bucket. I don't know the weights but the "light" bucket has to weigh more than the standard bucket.

 

[GS1100GK]

I recently bought a 2601 and chose the quick attach light material bucket. The dealer also had a regular bucket so I was able to do a side-by-side comparison between the buckets with them sitting on pallets. The construction methods and materials used seemed almost identical (every piece of steel I could measure was the same thickness), but the light material bucket was wider (60 vs 54 inches), had a little more depth and height, and was shaped so that the interior had more volume. It does appear to be just a sturdy as the regular 54 inch bucket. I don't know the weights but the "light" bucket has to weigh more than the standard bucket.

So, I guess the "Light Materials" description means it can move more quantity then. I ended up getting the 60" standard bucket...see here...http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/381917-new-kubota-b2601.html and will be getting my new B2601 on 7/5.