slight curve in tooth bar for CK20hst?

[ccdck20hst]

My tooth bar from Markhem Welding arrived today for my CK20HST. It has a slight symetrical curve in it and is not perfectly flat. Is this curve built in so to speak? Perhaps this is a stupid question. It curves up about perhaps an inch off flat on either end but symetrically. Is it bult this way on purpose by any chance? I want to install it in the next week or so but this was a surprise to me as the bucket edge that I have is perfectly flat.

 

[IslandTractor]

It should be flat. If it flattens out when you stand on it it will probably flatten out when you install it. As I recall the teeth have a lip that slips over the bucket cutting edge and so long as the bend is relatively flexible it should not be an issue once you jam it on and bolt it.

 

[ccdck20hst]

Thank you for the reply. I just flipped it over and gently stood directly on the center with a portion of my weight and it does flex. With any luck I will be able to jam it on in the correct precise location.

 

[Highbeam]

As long as you can slip the teeth over and under the bucket lip it should be fine. You might need to use a little mechanical advantage to compress the bend out as you push it in place onto the bucket. Then clamp it firmly in place before drilling the holes. Mount it completely and then remove your clamps.

Mine was flat but I've managed to bend the teeth a slight bit.

Oh and don't bang on the teeth tips with a sledge hammer directly. The hardened teeth will fracture. You need a block of wood or something between the sledge and the teeth.

 

[ccdck20hst]

Thanks Highbeam. I just installed it using clamps and directly drilling the half inch holes for the bolts without a pilot hole. I just left it clamped and drilled the holes - the whole process took less than an hour. Used a few large washers to fill the space between the tooth bar bracket and the side of the bucket. I saw your earlier post (your post as I recall) about drilling with the unit clamped in place and installed it that way. And oh yeah the front end loader is a different animal with the tooth bar. I only used it for about twenty minutes today but what a difference it really allows for filling the bucket quickly.

 

[TBDonnelly]

And oh yeah the front end loader is a different animal with the tooth bar. I only used it for about twenty minutes today but what a difference it really allows for filling the bucket quickly.

Yeah, and be careful around doorways and such. The loader sticks out a wee bit further and has a nice bite! Ankles and shins are also fair targets.

Don

 

[chelydra]

I got a tooth bar from my CK20HST dealer. Truly an important addition. Critical for breaking ground, very useful for balancing larger logs and rocks, and surprisingly helpful even for getting into piles of wood chips and gravel.

Mine came in quite a bit narrower than the loader. Aren't these all more or less custom made? I also thought it odd that the bar was mounted by drilling into the thin metal behind the loader's strong edge. Is this usual? Easier to drill, of course, but a much weaker mounting. The metal deformed considerably the first time I used the tooth bar.

They also drilled the holes in just such a way that the lower hex isn't locked by the back face of the loader's thick edge, but there isn't quite room for a socket either. Then they used an air wrench to run in the bolts; I eventually had to chisel them off the remove the tooth bar for plowing. Wish some shop people would think more about the user!

I'd still say it's the most valuable single addition to the basic TL, even with a backhoe. Just make sure the shop knows what they're doing...

-Chelydra

 

[mauistardog]

yea, mine came with one too for the my CK30 hst. It still went over the lip of the bucket with a little "help". but is nice and tight now.

aloha
joe

 

[Highbeam]

When you get the new toothbar from Markham it includes 2-1/4" thick-2x2 or so squares of steel bar to weld onto the outside of the bucket cheeks to reinforce the area around the holes. I used the bar stock on my last bucket but the new bucket is just the cheek steel and no deformation has been apparent. I could only fit one washer between the inside of the bucket and the toothbar on each side.

 

[IslandTractor]

When you get the new toothbar from Markham it includes 2-1/4" thick-2x2 or so squares of steel bar to weld onto the outside of the bucket cheeks to reinforce the area around the holes.

I could never figure out why Markham does that. There is virtually no dynamic force on the bolts that hold the toothbar in place so there really should not be any wear issue. The bolts essentially just keep the toothbar from falling off as all digging forces are transmitted to the bucket lip. I never welded the squares on my CK20 and the bolt holes never elongated.