Need advice on welding a loader bucket

[dynasim]

One thing to keep in mind is that the lift capacity of the loader is modest, and a bunch of metal that isn't making something stronger isn't optimum. It would be easy to chew up 10% of the load capacity.

Given that, I'd either weld the cracks, or cut and replace the whole sheet.

Chris

 

[Gary Fowler]

One thing that many may not realize is that between the two cracked spots is a hollow spot between the back of the bucket and where the front crack is. The crack toward the front edge of the bucket is single thickness where the two pieced of metal join. The back of the bucket on the outside is rounded whereas the interior is flat. I think this is just a transition to keep dirt from sticking into the bucket so bad. The easiest fix would be to just cut a new piece of flat bar and lay it in the bucket overlapping the cracked edges and weld it in by skip weld working from both ends toward the middle after tacking the whole thing in. Leave the old metal in as it isnt that much weight to worry about. I recently fixed a bucket on a NH that was cracked similar but not as severe buy just welding up the cracked seam but I had a lot more metal to work with than what is apparent here, even then, I burned several holes in that that I had to fill and grind down on the outside. If you put too much weld metal on it, the likely hood of bowing the cutting edge increased incrementally since you are only welding on the top side it tends to warp the bottom to where the middle is higher than the edges. Dont ask me how I know that.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I might add that since it is worn thru, you will need to scab on some plate to the back side of the bucket also. Original thickness of this material is likely not more than 1/8" thick. You could drill a hole and check the thickness and replace with in kind material.
Your design may not imitate the NH bucket where it was flat on the inside and round on the outside. If it is round, you may have to have the replacement plate rolled or at least bent to mimick the original contour.

Unless you do all the work yourself, a welding shop might charge you more than a new bucket would cost so get some prices first rather than just telling them to fix it.

 

[easygo]

No question that you should cut the whole bottom out and replace with new material. It seems to me that the cutting edge on there is not original either. I'm curious. How many hours and what kind of use wore that bucket out to this point?

 

[OldBulldogger]

The fellow that owned the tractor before me had a backhoe on it and the front loader. The tractor was used primarily for digging footings and then he used the bucket to backfill the finished foundations. He put 1500 hours on the engine and seldom moved the tractor as it sat digging for a good portion of its life.

 

[OldBulldogger]

Thanks all for all the advice. While deciding what route to take on this, I stumbled across a party that had a 60" bucket for sale. Currently, I own a Ford 1720 with a Ford 7108 series loader on it so I was hoping to find a bucket that might fit it without me having to do many modifcations. Four pin buckets aren't as easy to come by now-a-days since everything has gone to quick-attach setups.

Well, after making a quick phone call on the bucket for sale, I found out that the bucket was brand new and originally came with a Ford 7108 Series loader (which is what I have on my tractor). Apparently the fellow that bought the loader new back in 1990 did not want the bucket and replaced it with a different one so here the dang thing was - brand new, never used, and sitting in a shed for the past 22 years. The paint was faded a bit and it had some surface rust in a few spots but otherwise it was in great shape.

So long story short, I ended up buying the bucket at a very reasonable price and now have a brand new (from 1990) Ford factory bucket back on the loader for which it was orginally made for. Go figure. Apparently timing is everything! :thumbsup:

I may still patch the other one and find a new use for it... a grapple bucket would be nice. Hmmm... I think I see a new project on the horizon! Thanks again for the advice.

 

[deereman75]

Nice find. :thumbsup:

 

[easygo]

That's the best fix by far. Have Fun. :thumbsup:

 

[dynasim]

If I had a spare, needing repair, bucket, I would make a narrow one with an extended lip for removing rocks and stumps, and digging trenches.

Just giving you an idea!

Chris

 

[Groo]

If I had a spare, needing repair, bucket, I would make a narrow one with an extended lip for removing rocks and stumps, and digging trenches.

Just giving you an idea!

Chris

isn't that what the backhoe is for?