Is this bucket worth saving?

After reading old posts here, it became obvious that this bucket was used a lot without teeth. The right hand shank is really worn. The edge is also quite worn and the concave wear is even worse than this picture shows.

To add to the fun, this is my first machine and I'm not a welder.

Thoughts?

933917_10201029719679615_1160194452_n.jpg
 
Replace the shanks and install new teeth , no
biggie. You'll have many years of service from it .
Might be a good excuse to learn to weld , and this
will be a good place to practice as the bucket can
be rotated anyway you want , no overhead welds !
Pick up a used Lincoln Tombstone welder on C/l and
some rod from Home Depot or Wallyworld , you are
ready to go !
 
Learn to weld. You will spend many hours doing it, and it goes well
with beer. Beer is drank, before using it as a fire extinguisher!
 
Not a big deal to cut the old adapters off and
weld new ones on. The adapters are only about $10
to $12 and the teeth about the same price. A good
welder could fix that in a couple hours. Probably
less than $300 for everything and you're good to
go. That bucket is in good shape. It takes
thousands of hours to scallop the lip but that's
not bad at all.

If you get a welder, get one with DC current. It
will make it much easier and a lot less
frustrating. You can buy a DC inverter for less
than a new tombstone and it's a superior machine.
Wouldn't be a bad idea to weld some hardfacing on
the bucket lip between the teeth to stop it from
wearing any more.
 
It certainly is! Looks like teeth might even hold on some of those shanks.
I welded some on my previous hoe. Got some fancy rod, Eutectic I think?, from the welding supply. They recommended pre- heating. They held fine.
But even if you hire someone to weld on some shanks, it's still far better than buying another bucket. Not even close.
 
You could use build up rod to rebuild the shanks but I doubt you could do it for less than $40 for all four shanks. It's a lot of work building them up and then grinding them to fit perfect. The teeth need to be tight on the shanks.
 
(quoted from post at 17:57:38 08/10/13) Not a big deal to cut the old adapters off and
weld new ones on.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to weld some hardfacing on
the bucket lip between the teeth to stop it from
wearing any more.

Could you cut out a "U" shaped piece and take out the adapters and scalloped edges in one fell swoop. Then weld in a new piece and put the new adaptors on that?

1003057_10201033819222101_1969635801_n.jpg
 
You could replace the cutting edge as well but
really, that cutting edge isn't in bad shape at all.
The new teeth will be wider and help a lot. A couple
beads of harfacing would stop anymore wear on the
lip. New adapters and teeth and that bucket will out
last you.
 
Maybe my post wasn't clear. I wasn't advocating building up the shanks.
I assume this machine is for occasional farm use, just like mine. As you say, this bucket will last a long time as is.
I would get some points and try them on the center shanks at least, before cutting them off. But I suppose if you were set up to replace the outer two, doing the whole job wouldn't take much longer.
 
Yes the backhoe is pretty much for weekend projects - septic work, foundation drainage, dig my wife a lake. ;)

I figure if I have to replace two of the shanks, may as well do all four and switch to pins.
 
Adapters are cheap and you want to be able to replace the teeth if need be. You could take the old adapters off with an angle grinder if you really wanted to. Welding new teeth on the old adapters is a real redneck repair. You might as well just use it as is if you're not going to fix it right.
 
(quoted from post at 03:23:17 08/12/13) This just never ends. I wasn't advocating welding teeth on the shanks either.

I appreciate the input and thanks for clearing that up. Looks like:

1) Grind off old adapters
2) Weld on 4 new adapters
3) Hardfacing on the remaining edge

Last question (for now) is there a brand of teeth you reccommend or use or stay away from?
 
I just get them at the closest source. Which for me is my NH dealer. They are a farm equipment dealer but also have the backhoes. I got teeth for my old IH from them, and now have a Ford 655A.
 
Didn't realize you were that close. My dealer is 15 miles north in Auburn.
I drove to Clinton once to look at a tractor. While looking around I saw so much backhoe stuff I inquired about some regular dirt pads for my 655A, as it came with street pads. The tractor was disappointing, but at least I didn't come home empty handed!
 
When you talk about fancy Eutectic rods maybe you could be more clear what you're welding. To weld shanks on you don't need any kind of special rods. 7018 is all you need. Now if you're welding the teeth onto the shanks or building the shanks up, then you might want special $$$$ rods. That size of shank on that bucket won't need preheat other than being at room temperature.
 
Just get the cheapest forged teeth like from Black
Cat Blades or H&L. Probably 23 series H&L style with
bottom mount adaptors and the rubber insert pins.
Check the thickness of the lip and get the adaptor
that fits. There are welded teeth available but they
can break.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top