Are all buckets created equal?

   / Are all buckets created equal? #1  

HCJ

Silver Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
208
Location
upstate South Carolina
Tractor
Kubota M6800 4WD
After reading many posts, I have begun to decide an a FEL for my Kubota M-6800. I will stick with the Kubota brand (LA 1002) since I have the standard transmission. And since my next purchase will be a grapple (probably a Markham 60" standard duty or perhaps a light duty, or maybe a W. R. Long), I am sold on buying a FEL without a bucket and adding a Tach-All skid steer quick attach rather than a Uni-hitch. Therefore I need a skid steer style attachment bucket. My choices seem to be an ATI 72" utility bucket Model 572 (18.4 cu.ft. heaped) or a W.R. Long, either the larger 72" 3.017 1 cu.yd. or the smaller 2.327 22.4 cu.ft. I'm not sure what Kubota bucket would have come with this FEL, but of course it would not have been a skid steer type. Am I overthinking this? Does the bucket brand or size really matter? Any thoughts or advice on my selections?
 
   / Are all buckets created equal? #2  
If you go the skid steer type q/a route (Tach-All) it opens up a lot of possibilities. ATI (who makes the Tach-All) have some nice skid steer mount type buckets that are designed for tractors. Look at the 100, 200 and 300 series buckets. As you mentioned, WR Long also offers buckets designed for use on a tractor with the skid steer type q/a.

ATI Corporation - Bucket Images

Generally you want the bucket to be wider than the tractor so size does matter to some degree. If you go to large, your loader may not be able to lift a full bucket of say wet topsoil or stone. Some of the pure skid steer buckets are very heavy as they are built to take the abuse of a skid steer and not very practical for use on a tractor FEL either.
 
   / Are all buckets created equal? #3  
they are not! Look at the weight and size and type of back pan as to if it's curved or square. They do have different purposes as well as reinforcement.

As stated before to much bucket does lower the amount you can lift.
ATI does build an adapter so you can add the Qtach skid steer buckets to your loader.
 
   / Are all buckets created equal? #4  
If you add the skidsteer adapter to your loader, you can buy almost any skidsteer bucket from any dealer. Even the NH dealer would be happy to sell you a bucket that will fit just fine. All you have to do is find a bucket you like and buy it.
 
   / Are all buckets created equal? #5  
Just my thoughts. But since you're looking at a grapple and a bucket. You might want to consider getting them from the same place. You could get a nice discount or free shipping.
I guess if it were me I'd look at the weight (heavier=better), the shape and the top edge of the bucket. This is where you will be welding your hooks. You might not do this, but most people end up adding them at some point.

Wedge
 
   / Are all buckets created equal? #6  
Both the WRLong bucket and the ATI are heavy duty buckets. Unfortunately, I can only look at the basic information as to capacity and dimensions on the manufacturers web sites, and cannot actually see the buckets directly to evaluate them. So I was hoping some one knew something about these specific buckets or at least could recommend general advice about bucket capacity. I'll use it for general purpose, light grading, but very little actual loading (such as mulch). So increasing capacity may be a disadvantage. Yet the ATI with a capacity of .68 cu.yd. could be a little small. All are 72". I cannot see how they are shaped except on a vague diagram. The ones my dealer sugest range from 1 cu. yd. to .68.
 
   / Are all buckets created equal? #7  
Just my thoughts. But since you're looking at a grapple and a bucket. You might want to consider getting them from the same place. You could get a nice discount or free shipping.
I guess if it were me I'd look at the weight (heavier=better), the shape and the top edge of the bucket. This is where you will be welding your hooks. You might not do this, but most people end up adding them at some point.

Wedge

Good points... They shipped my bucket and grapple nestled together with the bucket clamped securely in the jaws of the grapple.

I could swear that I saw some very nice SS QA Kubota buckets mounted on a number of Kubota tractors. And they weren't the really heavy Skid-Steer ones, either.

Like the ones on the B26, L39, L48...

AKfish
 
   / Are all buckets created equal? #8  
I am sold on buying a FEL without a bucket and adding a Tach-All skid steer quick attach rather than a Uni-hitch.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesnt Kubota offer Skid Steer QA's for their loaders? If so, it would probably be WAY cheaper to get the loader side straight from Kub...then get your bucket/grapple from wherever you want
 
   / Are all buckets created equal? #9  
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesnt Kubota offer Skid Steer QA's for their loaders? If so, it would probably be WAY cheaper to get the loader side straight from Kub...then get your bucket/grapple from wherever you want

The Kubota loader for the M6800 is the LA1162. The quick attach coupler is a $650 option according to this information.

STATE OF MINNESOTA

I am surprised it can't be just ordered with the quick coupler rather than the standard pin on.
 
   / Are all buckets created equal? #10  
The Kubota loader for the M6800 is the LA1162. The quick attach coupler is a $650 option according to this information.

STATE OF MINNESOTA

I am surprised it can't be just ordered with the quick coupler rather than the standard pin on.

Wow...the JD attachment for my 300cx was in the $300.00 ballpark...they also credited me $500 for not taking the standard bucket. Being in the right place at the right time helped me on that, Dealer had a brand new 2 year old 60" Foundry bucket sitting on the yard they were itching to get rid of (its small for skid steers) so I got the HD Skid Steer Bucket & Skid Steer QA setup for no charge.
 
 
 
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