Backhoe What size backhoe bucket?

[MarcusCarr]

If given the option of a 12" or 18" bucket for a 7' backhoe, which would you choose?

Plans are to use for general farm use. We will be building a home soon, so I will be excavating footings, digging the water lines, drainfield, etc.

 

[petegoud]

I opted for a 12" bucket for my 6' backhoe. I felt that an 18" might put a little too much stress on my little backhoe. Also, when digging water lines, etc. there's not much need for a wider trench. One problem I do have is that I have a lot of clay in my dirt and a 12" bucket is sometimes a little hard to empty. Doug

 

[CurlyDave]

...I have a lot of clay in my dirt and a 12" bucket is sometimes a little hard to empty.

I have had exactly the same experience. I don't have much clay, but the 12" bucket is just plain hard to empty. If you have the power to handle it, an 18" bucket keeps you in the seat instead of constantly dismounting to clean out the bucket.

 

[charlz]

Mine came with a 16" and I made a 9" for it. The larger bucket seems to be perfect for general purpose use. The smaller bucket is nice for water lines as it helps minimize backfill and how much dirt you tear up.

Since it sounds like you are putting in a new place you will likely be doing all the 'finish work' after you trench in lines etc. How much damage you do with wide trenches won't be as much of a factor if this is the case. The 12" is 2/3 that of the 18" so for every two swings of the 18" you will have to make 3 swings with the 12" (roughly). Swinging in and out of the hole is what takes the most time.

What part of Idaho are you in? Around here we have a pretty good hardpan that can be quite a pain in the butt with these small hoes. It seems to 'roll' under my place, sometimes you hit it at 3' and others at 1'. Good bucket teeth are essential.

Digging trenches with a hoe is fairly slow. If you are thinking of putting in irrigation lines it might be easier to rent a ride on trencher for those parts and get the large bucket for the 'big' work like footings etc.

 

[mrutkaus]

I must admit I don't do a whole lot of work with my 8' Woods on Kioti CK30hst, but I got the 9" bucket and am glad I did. Digging tree roots, lifting rocks, digging in rockes and shale I wouldn't want anything bigger. Again, I do not move al ot of dirt around.

Mike

 

[8934]

I have a 12" and a 18" and mostly dig in sandy soil. If I am just digging a hole the larger bucket is fine, if I am doing anything else I like the 12". It is great for digging up trees, digging in packed limerock, or digging a trench for irrigation pipe.

If I had hardpan, I would want a 12" or perhaps a 9"... Assuming clay would not stick into the bucket.

 

[Knight]

I had an 8 or 10" bucket for years and just bought a 18" bucket off ebay.
I would rather have the 18" any day.
The 18" seems to cut better, because of the newer teeth. I thought I would lose digging force on my woods 7500, but the 18" was a surprise. It cut better.
It's a matter of the teeth, I would guess.

You making a trench, your making a mess, either ways clean up is involved, no matter which bucket you use.
I dug a 1000 gallon septic tank with that little bucket, 5 hours. I wish I had that 18", but next time I would rent an excavator for a large job like that.

I know you have different opinions here, but I vote for 18". I just put my small bucket for a drainage job. When I was backfilled, it would have matter how wide I went, But I had more playing around with the little bucket, cleaning the sides of the trench so the straight pipe could go through it. I can't wait to get my bigger bucket back on. It seems to be more useful to me. After having both, it's a no brainer for me. 18"

 

[3RRL]

My 8' Nardi backhoe came with an 18" bucket.
I bought a 12" bucket a couple years ago because my ground is very hard. The 12" digs into the hard ground much better than the 18" bucket did. It also lets me tear up roots easier. Seems to have less resistance going in than the 18" bucket. I dig up a lot of Oak tree stumps and do trenching mostly, so I use 12" more than the 18" bucket. The 12" allows me a little more maneuverability when digging out stumps. I can get between roots easier and tear them off one by one. I've had no problems with stuff sticking in the 12", even when the ground is wet.

 

[newbury]

Well I'm getting forced into a 16" bucket for my Woods BH70-X.
I wanted a thumb, the dealer had a decent price on a thumb, but said it only came with the 16" bucket.
One of my primary uses will be digging stumps. Does the collective wisdom recommend I get another, smaller bucket also?

 

[Gizmo2]

IMO, 18" hands down. 12" is pretty small.