Why don’t you own a toothbar?

[Michiganguy]

This may sound awfully picky, but all the tooth bars I've noticed for sale mount with little tabs on the ends, which looks very flimsy to me. My (straight) bucket edge is nice and sturdy and has 5 bolt holes, and it just looks to me like those would be the only decent way of mounting a tooth bar.

If I knew of one with matching holes, or one where you specify hole locations (like my urethane bucket edge), or even one where I was sure I could drill the holes myself (meaning the backbone of the tooth bar covered the hole areas properly), I'd probably spring for it.

Not sure if this is the style of tooth bar you would want, and not cheap by any means, but you can order this to fit your existing holes.

BXpanded Piranha Pro Reversible Bolt-On Toothbar

www.bxpanded.com

 

[js5020]

When you have a backhoe you don't have to dig with the loader bucket. Also have a box blade with teeth. No need for a tooth bar here.

 

[murphy1244]

I have a nice tooth bar it sleeps in the barn. Not much use for it.

 

[chim]

Don't need one. I'm best served with a simple add-on wear edge. On the few occasions when I needed to loosen up some hard-packed dirt, I put the subsoiler on and gave 'er a few rips.

When I had the first loader-equipped tractor, it seemed like a great idea to have a tooth bar, so I made one (see below). It did see some use, but it was often detrimental. First time was when I had a triaxle load of ballast to move. After a couple attempts to get a bucket full it came off. Rocks got stuck between the teeth and prevented scooping them. Before mounting the snow plow on the L4240, I used the FEL for snow removal. No tooth bar for that

For any loose material it wasn't really useful. It spent most of the time NOT on the bucket. The next two tractors have been with a smooth add-on wear edge. The transition between them (L3200 & L4240) came while harvesting 70-some tons of the front yard for use as fill for around the 1,000 gallon LP tank. The straight edge was good enough to peel topsoil off with both tractors. The L4240 was better at the task. Been tempted to get a local waterjet guy to squirt me out a homebrew Piranha but it probably wouldn't get used much anyway.

Couple pics - homebrew ratchet rake and tooth bar. The two bolts holding the tooth bar only kept it pulled back onto the bucket edge. The strength came from the bucket edge being stuffed into the V-shaped tooth mount.

 

[big bubba]

to me the difference of having a TB vs not, is like the difference between a round nosed & square nosed shovel

 

[EddieWalker]

I put teeth on the bucket for my backhoe, but haven't really noticed a difference. It's 80HP and 2WD. The rear tires still spin, and I still have to "work it" to get a full bucket.

My 70HP 4WD tractor doesn't have any teeth on the bucket and it's a lot easier to get a full bucket, or even dig with the bucket.

I don't see any harm in adding teeth, but I don't really see any benefit either. What I should of done was buy a 4WD backhoe!!!!!!

 

[murphy1244]

I find the replaceable edge much easier to load with than a TB.

 

[wawajake]

Most of the summer, my toothbar is on the bucket, for digging clay or anything for that matter . And when back blading gravel, when redoing or making a driveway, it helps spread gravel equal depth, then drive over or rake to pack. Last week I welded from scrap steel a mini blade with sharp teeth that I hope to use to cut the hawthorn roots and remove shrubs. Again the thing fits on the teeth ( in pipes) and hopefully will concentrate the force to cut into ground/roots. And toothbar will spread the stresses. We will see after snow gone....May not work but free except for weld rod.

 

[camshawn]

I made a tooth bar from some railroad spikes ( or whatever scrap rebar/square stock was around) welded to some 2” flat bar and bolted to the bottom of the bucket on my 15 hp yanmar tractor. It made digging much easier. Never added one on the new 36 hp tractor.

 

[vagem55]

I bought my Kubota B3030 with a bolt on tooth bar and a Woods backhoe. The tooth bar slides over the bucket edge and mounts with 1" bolts on each side.
I feel the tooth bar gives me one the best returns on investment I've made.
I have installed 1600 90-pound blocks in eight retaining walls, created and filled several terraces, dug a 1/10-acre pond, removed over 50 trees, and cleared several lots.
Big Bubba is spot on with the round vs. square shovel comparison. A tooth bar makes an incredible difference anywhere, though it's most pronounced working with vegetation, rocks, or hard packed soil.
A backhoe is good for digging holes, stumps, and trenches. However, you can only move the dirt as far and your boom allows.
To move a lot of dirt in a hurry or any distance, you need a loader.
I can still smooth backwards with the back of the bucket.
I can remove it in a minute to work on pavement or remove snow.
An added benefit is the tooth bar provides and extended edge to the bucket, allowing me to carry large items rested on it before strapping.