Don_Curley
Bronze Member
12\" versus 16\" Backhoe Bucket Size
I've got a question on potentially switching from a 16" backhoe bucket to a smaller 12" version. As background, back in June, I took delivery on a new Kubota B2910 with a BL4690 backhoe (my first tractor). I had previously specified a 12" bucket for the new backhoe, as the anticipated array of trenching I would need to do on my property mostly revolved around electrical conduit, water lines, and drainage lines. The other reason I chose a 12" bucket was that I felt a smaller bucket taking a "smaller bite" would put less overall stress on an admittedly light to medium duty backhoe unit that the 4690 represents. Well, for the first few months of use, I was mostly using the FEL and a box blade on my B2910. However, recently I started using the backhoe in earnest for trenching and my eyes were telling me that the trench width was greater than 12". Sure enough, when I measured the trench and bucket width, I came up with 16"!
After making my Kubota dealer aware of this belated discovery, they very reasonably offered to provide me with a new Kubota 12" bucket as a direct trade for my "used" 16" bucket. I am inclined to take them up on this offer, but before I do so, I thought I would sanity-check this move. Does anyone out there feel that the difference between the two bucket sizes is not worth the swap-out? Moreover, for those that have a 12" backhoe bucket ... do you find that width of trench is sufficient for most of your needs? (I guess I don't want to move down in bucket size, just to find that the 16" width provides more "flexibility" than a 12" width ... or that my theory that a 12" bucket would allow more digging efficiency over a 16" bucket for the relative power of my backhoe) is not that valid. I could alternatively keep my 16" bucket and purchase the new 12" bucket for $421 from my dealer ... but I am not sure why I would need two backhoe buckets that are so relatively close in size. Any thoughts or suggestions would be most welcome.
Thanks,
Don
I've got a question on potentially switching from a 16" backhoe bucket to a smaller 12" version. As background, back in June, I took delivery on a new Kubota B2910 with a BL4690 backhoe (my first tractor). I had previously specified a 12" bucket for the new backhoe, as the anticipated array of trenching I would need to do on my property mostly revolved around electrical conduit, water lines, and drainage lines. The other reason I chose a 12" bucket was that I felt a smaller bucket taking a "smaller bite" would put less overall stress on an admittedly light to medium duty backhoe unit that the 4690 represents. Well, for the first few months of use, I was mostly using the FEL and a box blade on my B2910. However, recently I started using the backhoe in earnest for trenching and my eyes were telling me that the trench width was greater than 12". Sure enough, when I measured the trench and bucket width, I came up with 16"!
After making my Kubota dealer aware of this belated discovery, they very reasonably offered to provide me with a new Kubota 12" bucket as a direct trade for my "used" 16" bucket. I am inclined to take them up on this offer, but before I do so, I thought I would sanity-check this move. Does anyone out there feel that the difference between the two bucket sizes is not worth the swap-out? Moreover, for those that have a 12" backhoe bucket ... do you find that width of trench is sufficient for most of your needs? (I guess I don't want to move down in bucket size, just to find that the 16" width provides more "flexibility" than a 12" width ... or that my theory that a 12" bucket would allow more digging efficiency over a 16" bucket for the relative power of my backhoe) is not that valid. I could alternatively keep my 16" bucket and purchase the new 12" bucket for $421 from my dealer ... but I am not sure why I would need two backhoe buckets that are so relatively close in size. Any thoughts or suggestions would be most welcome.
Thanks,
Don