Do 4 in 1 buckets hold up?

[sqdqo]

I am curious if 4 in 1 loader buckets hold up as well as standard buckets when using breakout force prying etc. Obviously they are more capable but are they worth having or are they trouble?

 

[Lostalot]

I reckon the4 in one s are great, however I have spent numerous occasions
repairing them because I have been too ham fisted,they can distort easily with incorrect usage particulary carrying items clamped in the jaws on one side then snagging that load on say a truck body side or such. Also carying items such as posts vertically through the jaws at the mid point needs great care , pulling posts ( that was my last repair)but the ease of being able to at least pick things up and the configurations available for levelling and clean ups gives so much more flexibilty over a standard bucket. Also you can clamp attachments within the jaws easily such as spreader/levellers etc, a winch (that was another disaster of mine) just to name a few...Only on one backhoe was there a breakout strength loss and that was because of the front tilt/4 in one combo assy all others have been fine, not much experience though on the smaller compact machines ...regards

 

[Lostalot]

Hello Scott
Did you get my reply?

 

[sqdqo]

yes thanks

 

[powerstroke444e]

I have a 4n1 on my B26 and use it commercially and have had no issuies. And find its very handy on almost all loader projects to keep from having to ever leave the seat. But its no grapple.

 

[dirt ditch]

4in1's are great but just like anything else they can be broken if not used properly and stressed beyond their design limitations.

 

[Ken45101]

4in1's are great but just like anything else they can be broken if not used properly and stressed beyond their design limitations.

Or poor design. The bracket should be designed to easily handle the stress created by the hydraulics. That break does not look like it was from overuse of the bucket (e.g. ramming something) but rather from weak design. Unless, of course, the machine was putting out excessively high pressure.

Just my opinion.

Ken

 

[Bob Rooks]

Appears like the relief valve has been tweaked maybe. Or maybe had a 20' log clamped endo.
And I don't see very much grease on those pins.

 

[dirt ditch]

I'd agree it was a poor design. The bottom of the cylinder mounts broke out 4 times before thick plates were fabricated and welded on to both sides of each mount on the bucket. Haven't had any problems since. Every time it broke was when the loader was being used for tree and debris removal, so there was lots of pressure being put on those lower mounts.

 

[Bob Rooks]

Actually, the design is good, and a popular one. However, I believe the flaw lies in the selection of steel used for the pin bosses and cylinder cradle. I speculate that it is the same steel used for the construction of the bucket whereas it should be a low alloy high tensile steel (70,000 to 100,000 psi). I will further speculate that subsequent repairs were also performed with steel of relatively low yield strength - mild steel, and thus propagates the myth of bad design.
Not to mention the apparent total lack of lubrication (zerk fitting missing altogether) which adds to pin stress which transfers to the pin bosses. In this case, it was the pin that failed that caused the bosses to fail. Bottom line? Responsible ownership.