Advice on buying a skeleton/rock buck for kubotaL4701

[northernsierras]

I have a kubota l4701 and it does a great job with everything ive used it for, however, after ripping out all the manzanita/bushes from my front yard and the soil washing away, ive been left with a rocky mess. As you can see from the picture, i dug into the ground with the front loader and put in a large makeshift garden bed out of cinder block. I wanted the plant roots to be below the frost level. Anyway, my front loader does great moving the rock, but too much good dirt goes with it so figured a skeleton bucket would be ideal to move just the rock so the dirt is left behind where I want it. Does anyone have any experience doing this type of thing? Im curious also if any of you would deem this bucket to worthy of the job. 72″ Rock Bucket | Express Steel Inc Its by far the most reasonably priced one I have found.

Thanks for any input.

 

[jyoutz]

That seems like it would do what you are wanting to accomplish. Loggers use similar blades on dozers to pile slash without scraping up the soil.

 

[northernsierras]

Would the quick attach style also work with that type of bucket? Ive never taken off the bucket before so have no clue how it works. And my bucket measures 72" so assuming thats the right size. Thanks

 

[scootr]

I recently purchased a skeleton rock bucket 72 in Titan made. It works great on my 773 bobcat. I have 2 complaints about it.
1. It has rock teeth that extend below the bucket and keep the unit off the ground in a hard pack soil situation where rocks are on top and need collecting.
2. it has 3 inch spacing. 3 inch is bigger than you want. 3 x 4 rocks fall through and are definitely bigger than you want left behind.

 

[mikester]

The skeleton bucket still picks up soil. Choose your spine spacing based on your rock sizes you are trying to sort through. The finer the spacing the harder it is to sift.

From your photo it looks like you are trying to sift a gravel pit. Level what you got, buy screened topsoil and spread a 4 inch layer over top. Use the money you'd spend on the skeleton bucket on screen topsoil delivery.

 

[saint18z]

I own one of these:

https://www.palletforks.com/skid-steers/bucket-and-accessories/rock-buckets/fine-grade-skeleton-rock-bucket-w-teeth/ROCKFG.html

And I will say it has some limitations running it on a tractor....mainly due to the angle the quick attach plate is mounted at, it is difficult to dump it all the way out. I did not like it at all on my tractor, but I mostly use it for loading fire wood into a trailer not grading.

That being said when I ran it on a skid steer, it was a whole different animal, it worked very well. Keep in mind, small rocks still fall out of it as the tines are spaced 3" apart (3" rocks are too big for a lawn), but you can go back with a harley rake and clean them up.

Bottom line, if you could rent one with a skid steer for a day, it would probably get you 80% of the way there...i would not recommend buying one for one time use




Nice crop btw ;-)

 

[mwayne]

This guy did something similar to what you are contemplating:

 

[oosik]

I have a Land Pride rock & root grapple. Land Pride SGC 1560. Tine spacing is 6". Wet or damp soil WILL NOT drop thru the tines. Ripped up sod WILL NOT drop thru the tines. Dry soil WILL drop thru the tines and can be helped by "shaking" the grapple. Obviously my grapple will retain rocks 6" or bigger. This grapple does exactly what I want. Move large rocks and chunks of pine tree trunk.

How well any grapple or rock bucket does at separating rocks & dirt will have a lot to do with your soil type. Don't be disappointed if it doesn't do exactly as you expect.