Repair snow bucket bottom?

[Bobcatter]

I have an old bucket I use for snow removal. 60 inches wide. The bottom is about shot, it is starting to buckle and has some corrosion pitting in it. It is probably 30 years old and looks like it sat around in the weather. The bottom is bad, but the rest looks good enough and solid. Here is what I want to do, please guide me:

1) weld some supports for the sides and backs (temporary)

2) cut out the bottom along the edges

3) cut off the wear strips from the front edge and the bottom

4) get 1/4 inch plate, cut to size, and weld back to the bottom of the bucket.

5) weld the wear strips onto the new metal - even with the old metal still attached to give it more thickness.

6) remove the temporary supports, grind and clean up - probably paint it at this point

Any one try this?

The metal I can get is "hot rolled mild steel". Is that good enough for the bottom? What about cutting edges, where do you get them/what metal?

With a new bucket about $1000, I'm willing to experiment.

 

[Danno1]

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HRS is "good enough" if that's all you can get. Cold rolled steel (CRS) is better. You can weld on a pattern w a hard facing rod to help it wear longer. There's a thread on here somewhere where a guy did just that.

Better yet is a steel with the letters "AR" (abrasion resistant) in the name. In fact, it's what you need for the cutting edge. Do a Google for AR400.

Discount Steel - AR400 Steel Plate



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[Nat]

Bobcatter, you didn't say what the bucket goes on so I'll assume from your name that it goes on a skidsteer loader. 3/16ths is plenty heavy, I've built several buckets over the years and 3/16ths holds up fine. If it is going on a smaller loader I may even go to 10 gauge as you don't want to cut down your lift capacity. Whatever you use weld some strips of cold rolled from the back edge of the cutting edge to the back of the bucket bottom that don't stick down lower than the cutting edge and it will do fine. HTH, later, Nat

 

[Bobcatter]

Yes, it is a skid steer bucket. Thanks for the info, between the two of you, you've answered everything I wasn't sure about. And I needed some reassurance I was on the right track. I'll check into the AR metal, the site looks to have good prices. I can get cold rolled locally, I'll check into that too. I won't touch my snow bucket till May, I can be pretty sure I won't need it by then

 

[Egon]

The local equipment dealers should be able to find you some cutting edge.

The bucket on my toy tractor required about the same treatment a few years ago. I just had a plate welded onto the existing bucket bottom.

 

[Soundguy]

If there is a curve tot he bucket.. use 3/16.. it will be easier to form.. otherwise 1/4 is great.. I rebuild a ford sand bucket on my 711 loader similar to how you are going to go about it.. etc.

soundguy

 

[Egon]

Mine had a curve on it. In fact that was the most worn part!

No problems as the fellows had presses/brakes that worked real good and they knew how to use them.

 

[Pennsylvania Weldor]

HR steel plate if fine for the bucket bottom. I've repaired many over the years with it. The "wear bars" should be of harder material, such as the AR stuff one poster mentioned. Cold rolled will work for the wear bars also. Wear bars are just that, THEY wear, saving the thinner bucket material.

As for the cutting edge, I have never used AR for that. I purchase heat treated blades, or, through hardened blades. For heavier equipment, they will almost always be made of maganese.

Cutting edges are available through machinery dealers. I buy mine at Valk Mfg, New Kingston, PA. They are a large manufacturer of cutting edges, plow edges, wear bars, and have been in the business for years. I have seen cutting edges available on eBay also.

AR is super expensive.

Good Luck.

 

[Soundguy]

Another good source for a strong edge is to find a used edge fro a road grader blade. They are discarded when somewhat worn.. but should still be useable.. etc..

soundguy