Any Backhoe Dentists Out There?

   / Any Backhoe Dentists Out There? #1  

Henro

Super Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2003
Messages
5,976
Location
Few miles north of Pgh, PA
Tractor
Kubota B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini EX
In this thread plants4u reported that he broke two teeth of his new Kubota BH75 backhoe while digging out a stump.

I must admit this surprised me as I have not babied my backhoe and frankly never considered that the teeth would/should/might be such a weak part. Mine don't seem to be.

The teeth on Plants4u's bucket are obviously cast steel, and also obviously brittle. The break looks quite similar to broken cast iron in the photos.

What I am trying to do here is ask a question about backhoe bucket teeth. I am a bit blown away that something likely to take a lot of stress and beating would be made of something like a relatively cheap grade of cast steel, as compared to something stronger like a forging.

Is this pretty much standard? In that short thread 3 or 4 people reported breaking off bucket teeth on backhoes. Not all small hoes on little tractors, but some were.

Is this so common that it is rarely mentioned? My original inclination was to think that a poor grade of steel was used for plants4u's bucket teeth and that he should return the teeth/bucket to his dealer for evaluation/replacement. Now I'm not sure.

It's just that I have pried, pulled, banged, pushed so much with my bucket's teeth, never giving a second thought about what I've been doing... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I'm smart enough not to pop caps off bottles with my front teeth; I suppose I could treat my bucket teeth a little gentler...guess now I won't be shocked if I loose a tooth or two... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Is tooth loss really that common?
 
   / Any Backhoe Dentists Out There? #2  
Most teeth are mounted on a shank. The shanks on smaller one are usually some type of machined bar stock. The shanks on the larger ones are forged. The teeth are usually forged or fabricated from quality steel.
 
   / Any Backhoe Dentists Out There? #3  
I read that thread also and have come to the conclusion that either something is wrong with the bucket or that because of steel prices rising, Kubota has outsourced the bucket teeth to China and what they are shipping back isn't the quality of what was original equipment when we purchased our machines. I watched the excavator operator beat the bucket on the rocks and ledge for 10 days last summer and not once did he break a tooth off. He did wear them down some, but never even a loose one. I hope that we are not going to be seeing the type of steel products coming from China like the poor quality steel products that came from Japan in the 1960's. I remember some of those cars. They had rust on them before they even left the dealers lot. If I remember correctly, the Chevrolet Chevette was another that would rust through before being sold.
 
   / Any Backhoe Dentists Out There? #4  
I too read that entire thread and looked real close to the photo(s) he posted. For as beefy as those teeth look and for what they do they shouldn't have broke. Working in a machine shop we get alot of castings, normally something that size will take an act of congress to break if at all. Looks to me like they got the metal way to hot when they cast it, thus making it to brittle.
 
   / Any Backhoe Dentists Out There? #5  
As you guys may recall a couple of months back I had some BH bucket dental issues. I've found it kind of interesting that the outer backhoe teeth that I have replaced (and not broken) are rusty as can be and the one remaining in the middle is shiny as a nickel.

C.M.
 

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