Help, Back Hoe Bucket Sizes?

[CJBOTA]

I am going to add the Back Hoe to my MX5100 next month. My dealer usually orders them with an 18" bucket. I am thinking about also getting a 12" bucket. I have alot of drainage lines to put in and I would think the smaller bucket would be better for digging stumps. It seems the smaller bucket would be better for tearing out the roots. I think the 12" bucket runs around $600.
What do you guys think?

 

[gwdixon]

Yep, you are correct on all accounts. If you can spring for the extra $600 the narrow bucket will likely be your "go to" bucket for trenches and tree roots.

The 18" will move a lot more dirt when you need to do that.

 

[CJBOTA]

Dixon,
Thanks, I guessed right. I've had hoes on my other Kubota's so I have a little experience. It just seemed like common sense to me,
CJ

 

[tawilson]

Yep, added a 12" bucket to my arsenal this summer. Trenches and stumps. Does it have a quick change bucket setup?

 

[CurlyDave]

I have earth with a high clay content and gave up on a 12" bucket pretty quickly. Take one scoop, spend half an hour getting the clay out of the bucket.

Not a problem with 16-18" buckets.

Plus, a hydraulic thumb will not work with a 12" bucket on my machine...

Now if ever see a good deal on a 24" bucket, I will take that in a heartbeat.

 

[CJBOTA]

The hoe I'm getting isn't quick change, but I don't think changing buckets will take that long. I know what you mean about clay though and I think mud is similiar.

 

[Lefty7]

Thanks for the topic. I'm still in the pre-purchase planning stages, (likely a 3940L), and plan to get the backhoe, probably with thumb.

CurlyDave (& others), could you explain more about why the hydraulic thumb won't work with your 12" bucket? Is the thumb too wide? Thanks.

 

[JiminGa]

as Curly Dave eluded too, I think I'd go with a 24" bucket if I was adding a second 12" bucket.

 

[Bigkrank]

I had a 12" bucket and could not wait to get rid of it. Spent more time digging clay out of it than using it. I have an 18" and 24" now.

I use a frost ripper for roots and such. You could make one out of an old subsoiler shank.

 

[CurlyDave]

...CurlyDave (& others), could you explain more about why the hydraulic thumb won't work with your 12" bucket? Is the thumb too wide? Thanks.

The thumb itself is not too wide, the thumb mount is too wide.

I have a QA backhoe bucket, and the QA assembly is pinned onto the dipperstick. The hydraulic thumb is mounted on a common pin with the QA assembly. (This allows changing the bucket, while the thumb stays attached.)

Part of the thumb install kit is a longer pin, which has room for the thumb mount. The pin is longer than 12", about 14" (from memory). If used with a 12" bucket, the ends of the pin would scrape the sides of a trench.

I don't know if Kubota thumbs are the same, but I suspect they are.

Given that the 12" bucket packs with clay and is a general PITA, I happily sent mine to Jenkinsph in exchange for fabrication he did for me to mount a hydraulic auger on my backhoe.

I have either a 16" or 18" bucket now, and it works very well.

As I see it, the only real disadvantage of the bigger bucket is that if I want to sand or gravel bed a pipe in a trench, I will need to buy more sand or gravel. To me, this is not a big deal.

Smaller hoes may need smaller buckets just because of digging force issues, but I have enough power and have never wished for the 12" bucket.