4 in 1 bucket use

   / 4 in 1 bucket use #1  
hrcarver

hrcarver

Gold Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2010
Messages
446
Location
NC
Tractor
jd 6120, 7200, 7700 - ford 2910, 3000, 7610, 7740 - IH 140(2), Super A - kubota m6040
I'm looking at a used m6040 with a 4n1 bucket. Seems like it would be useful for picking up logs or brush. Also seen people use them as a mini dozer blade. Is that advisable?

What's it worth (used), and what can I really do with it?
 
   / 4 in 1 bucket use #2  
Mine has proven to be well work the premium cost (about 3x the price of a conventional bucket). But I can't really go along with the bulldozer comparison. As far as pushing dirt, I'd be more inclined to consider it a light duty scraper - but one that is pushed rather than pulled. For example, I have teeth on my bucket edge, which make for a rather sloppy scraping edge. So I open the 4in1 and scrape with the inner edge. The forward motion pushes the dirt rearward. So when I can see from the cab that the back half of the bucket is full of dirt, I close the clamshell on in.

It got a good workout on a pile of rip-rap yesterday. I used the bucket teeth to break into the pile, something that's hard to do with a scraping edge. But by the time the pile was gone, the earth beneath it was pretty torn up. I then opened the clamshell, and cleaned it up by scraping the high spots and back-dragging the fill back into the low spots. In the past, I'd have had to do that with my box blade and landscape rake.

As far as picking up logs, it takes practice. I'm lucky the John Deere has a sloping nose, cuz it's hard to see what the clamshell is doing so close to the front tires. Assuming your 6040 has the same or more slope to the nose, it shouldn't take you too long to become proficient. I also use it to grab broken but dangling limbs off trees (ice damage) and pull them down. Before I had to get up and down off the tractor several times with a chain while pulling them down and dragging them off.

One shortcoming (compared to a regular bucket) is that they can't carry water. Nevertheless, I still wouldn't be without mine

//greg//
 
   / 4 in 1 bucket use #3  
I lusted over a 4in1 for years. I finally got one early this year. I've found it quite useful. I also have grapple so I really haven't used it for logs or brush. I find it works real well in clam shelling pile of spoils. I run my harley rake I end up with small piles, I used to get off the tractor and hand shovel them into the standard bucket. Now I just scoop them up with the 4in1. Can't beat it IMHO. They are $2000+ for a decent one.

Matt
 
   / 4 in 1 bucket use #4  
I have a 4n1 on my Kubota L35, and LOVE IT! I have a lot of clearing to do on my property and the ability to pickup logs, stumps, brush saves me tremendous time. I do use it as a little dozer blade to push the dirt back into the hole once I dig out a stump. If I'm having a large fire, it works great to just keep putting large logs on with and when the fire finally burns down, I open the bucket and push the ashes into a pile.

I also have a grapple on my Kioti, that is getting a great deal of work. In my opinion, if you can afford the cost, and need to move a lot of logs or debrie, it's worth it.
 
   / 4 in 1 bucket use #5  
We have 4 in 1 buckets on all our backhoes at work. (Local utility Co., lots of work in the road...) Absolutely could not live without them. It's nice to actually pick up a pile of dirt or sand, rather than just pushing it all over the road. I wish i had built one when i built my loader, but simply did not have time for the extra fab work. Takes some practice to get it right, but once you get good at it, you will wonder how you got by without it. ALL loaders should be 4 in 1's. Not much of a dozer, though. They are just not made for that. You can, however, open up the 4 in 1, set the front of the blade at the far end of a pile of material, and backdrag it into a neat pile, close the bucket, and leave a strip of dirt no bigger than 1/2" wide. Sweet.

Dan
 
   / 4 in 1 bucket use #6  
my 4n1 is on 90% of the time because it does so many differant things maybe not the best for some things, but it will do:thumbsup:
 
   / 4 in 1 bucket use #7  
Are they as strong as a regular bucket for digging?

Ken
 
   / 4 in 1 bucket use #9  
Ken45101 said:
Are they as strong as a regular bucket for digging?
Click to expand...
Well in the first place, front buckets are not intended for digging. Scraping, yes. Digging, no. But are they as strong? I'd say mine is stronger. I had a conventional Koyker 5 foot bucket prior to this Frontier 4in1, and I've done much heavier duty work with the latter. And for good reason, it costs >3 times as much as a conventional bucket. Part of that cost is in strengthening and reinforcing. Plus, it came with a very good warranty. One day - if/when the 4in1 sustains damage that John Deere can't prove was due to abuse - perhaps I'll learn the limitations. But for now, it's totally out-performed the conventional bucket it replaced.

//greg//
 
   / 4 in 1 bucket use #10  
I have one on my b26 kubota and it is priceless. Once you get good with it you will never need a shovel to pick up that last bit of rock sand dirt or whatever. Mine is used commercially and have had no issuies with it. Only time I dont use it is when I have lots of brush and trees then I use my grapple. If I had only one bucket it would be a 4n1
 
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