Dirt Moving Tooth bar manufacturers for dirt bucket

[PTWannaHave]

Hello all,

Any recommendations for manufacturers of aggressive/digging toothbars that can be bolted to PT's dirt bucket? (Not looking for the Piranha brand/style that goes on a LMB, but the concept is the same.)

I wouldn't want to bolt/unbolt individual teeth on a dirt bucket...

Thank-you in advance,

 

[PTWannaHave]

Well... This is one of the most unpopular topics...!!

 

[cqaigy2]

Tell us what you find out. :laughing:

 

[woodlandfarms]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Well, here is what I did. I had Lackender Fabrication make a number of my implements. He made me a killer tooth bar that fit his killer bucket. It bolts on to either side and is pretty easy to get on and off.


Lackender Inc.: Your Source for Skid Loader Attachments

In the end, The teeth are manufactured by some general source, and guys buy the teeth, weld it to flat bar, and put wings on the ends.

Tooth Bars and Teeth | Skid Steer, Bobcat, Tractor Attachment | Quality Welding Service

 

[KentT]

Let's back up a minute. I own three T-8 class buckets, so I'll start first with my personal experience.

1. HD dirt/rock bucket with bolt-on teeth
2. Grapple bucket with bolt-on teeth that are much longer and aggressive than the dirt/rock bucket, and the bucket is the same size
3. Larger, light material (LM) bucket with no teeth

I haven't used the rock/dirt bucket in years now, it seems. The grapple bucket will do everything the rock/dirt bucket will do, and much, much more - including digging better in hard soil. The longer, slimmer teeth penetrate hard soil better than the short, wide teeth on the HD rock/dirt bucket.

The larger LM bucket is used frequently for hauling AND spreading loose dirt, gravel and mulch. You can back-drag with much better than with either bucket that has teeth. Being able to put down-pressure on the cutting edge instead of the rear of the bucket (as you must do if the bucket has teeth) allows you to smooth and even scrape much better going in reverse...

Be aware that bolt-on toothbars fit on and BELOW the cutting edge of the bucket, so it makes it even harder to backdrag smoothly than even a bucket with bolt-on teeth. (I've had both -- I had a bolt-on toothbar on my Kubota.) But, their long, aggressive teeth can come in handy when you want to scratch or rake off an area. I've raked the growth off my garden in the fall with my PT, for example, by back-dragging with the long, skinny teeth of grapple bucket -- then pick up a large pile of the stalks and carry them to the compost pile. When trying to do something like this with bolt-on toothbar, it is fairly easy to lose a tooth -- if they are the replaceable style. They're only held on with a small diameter pin (or bolt) and back-dragging is pulling against that pin. You need to be aware of that, and either carry a spare tooth, or to limit back-dragging.... (Done that too!)

So, my recommendation would be to not even bother buying the HD rock/dirt bucket. Instead, buy the grapple bucket (my most used attachment) or buy the larger LM bucket and put a bolt-on toothbar on it.

My two cents... YMMV

 

[SpringHollow]

I also have the Lackender bucket and tooth bar as well as the grapple bucket. Both work nice. My Lackender bucket is so wide that it is useless digging in my hard clay without the tooth bar. I have not had any problems using the back of the bucket to grade with. The only time I would not want the tooth bar on the bucket is when I want to use it to unload large items off of a truck etc.

Ken

 

[MossRoad]

Let's back up a minute. I own three T-8 class buckets, so I'll start first with my personal experience.

1. HD dirt/rock bucket with bolt-on teeth
2. Grapple bucket with bolt-on teeth that are much longer and aggressive than the dirt/rock bucket, and the bucket is the same size
3. Larger, light material (LM) bucket with no teeth

I haven't used the rock/dirt bucket in years now, it seems. The grapple bucket will do everything the rock/dirt bucket will do, and much, much more - including digging better in hard soil. The longer, slimmer teeth penetrate hard soil better than the short, wide teeth on the HD rock/dirt bucket.

The larger LM bucket is used frequently for hauling AND spreading loose dirt, gravel and mulch. You can back-drag with much better than with either bucket that has teeth. Being able to put down-pressure on the cutting edge instead of the rear of the bucket (as you must do if the bucket has teeth) allows you to smooth and even scrape much better going in reverse...

Be aware that bolt-on toothbars fit on and BELOW the cutting edge of the bucket, so it makes it even harder to backdrag smoothly than even a bucket with bolt-on teeth. (I've had both -- I had a bolt-on toothbar on my Kubota.) But, their long, aggressive teeth can come in handy when you want to scratch or rake off an area. I've raked the growth off my garden in the fall with my PT, for example, by back-dragging with the long, skinny teeth of grapple bucket -- then pick up a large pile of the stalks and carry them to the compost pile. When trying to do something like this with bolt-on toothbar, it is fairly easy to lose a tooth -- if they are the replaceable style. They're only held on with a small diameter pin (or bolt) and back-dragging is pulling against that pin. You need to be aware of that, and either carry a spare tooth, or to limit back-dragging.... (Done that too!)

So, my recommendation would be to not even bother buying the HD rock/dirt bucket. Instead, buy the grapple bucket (my most used attachment) or buy the larger LM bucket and put a bolt-on toothbar on it.

My two cents... YMMV

Knowning now after 13 years of PT425 ownership, I'd also skip the small rock bucket w/teeth and get the grapple bucket if I were to purchase again.

 

[PTWannaHave]

Thanks for the insight!!

 

[PTWannaHave]

Hmmm... The argument for the grapple bucket is good. However, it is $1800. vs. $540. for the std bucket.

Since I am planning on a grapple on a non-PT minihoe, the PT grapple bucket is not too important to me. I'm sure I can get a removable tooth bar for far less than the $1260. difference.

Ciao,

 

[KentT]

If you're going to be moving much, if any brush, you'll find the minihoe approach to be VERY slow. I have a thumb on mine, but it can't do anything like this... Compare how much you can get in one "bite"...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/power-trac/309368-pt425-good-option-dragging-brush-2.html

Your needs may be different, but the grapple bucket is by far my most used attachment. I don't use it just for brush. I just spent most of two days hauling wet, rock-filled, fill to build a service road and a place to park my RV...