Tooth bar

[dragoneggs]

I have a DIY piranha tooth bar which has done a lot of landscaping. It definitely enhances what the bucket can do and stiffens the edge to keep the smiley face away.

I have been singing its praises more than I should... but you make a great point about a super functional way even just to preserve your bucket! I should shut up now, someone is going to think I have a vested interest in the company!

 

[check]

CMV: Just my .02 cents. Maybe this will help. I have two Kubotas, but let's talk about the BX25D. 23HP with a 48" bucket. I installed this (Titan 48" Bucket 23TF Tooth Bar Universal Size Skid Steer Tractor USA Made) tooth bar last spring when I had to level out a hillside to put a 20x40 shed down. I thought about doing the whole thing with the backhoe but by dumb luck I gave it a go early spring when the ground was still a bit wet. Buy letting the 4FT bucket slam those teeth perpendicular into the ground (which was mostly sod), I was able to drag the bucket, in that perpendicular position backwards and loosen about 4" deep, 10' long each time. I went easy and made a few passes before I turned the bucket up to scoop up the loose soil. I had to go from 10" to zero and then in 20 feet deep, 40 feet across. It took me about an hour-and-a-half to finish. I have a bit of shale here in Pennsylvania to contend with but the tooth bar made short work of it. Also, if you ever have to move buckets of gravel about the size of a quarter, the tooth bar allow you to scoop it better than just the raw edge, which has a tendency to push it around. PLUS (and finally) the tooth bar helps keep the lip of your loader bucket from bowing. Hope this helps. Good luck and Godspeed!.......... BotaTrac Out!

Isn't that supposed to be really hard on your cylinder?

 

[PILOON]

CMV:

Just my .02 cents. Maybe this will help. I have two Kubotas, but let's talk about the BX25D. 23HP with a 48" bucket. I installed this (Titan 48" Bucket 23TF Tooth Bar Universal Size Skid Steer Tractor USA Made) tooth bar last spring when I had to level out a hillside to put a 20x40 shed down. I thought about doing the whole thing with the backhoe but by dumb luck I gave it a go early spring when the ground was still a bit wet.

Buy letting the 4FT bucket slam those teeth perpendicular into the ground (which was mostly sod), I was able to drag the bucket, in that perpendicular position backwards and loosen about 4" deep, 10' long each time. I went easy and made a few passes before I turned the bucket up to scoop up the loose soil. I had to go from 10" to zero and then in 20 feet deep, 40 feet across. It took me about an hour-and-a-half to finish. I have a bit of shale here in Pennsylvania to contend with but the tooth bar made short work of it. Also, if you ever have to move buckets of gravel about the size of a quarter, the tooth bar allow you to scoop it better than just the raw edge, which has a tendency to push it around. PLUS (and finally) the tooth bar helps keep the lip of your loader bucket from bowing. Hope this helps. Good luck and Godspeed!.......... BotaTrac Out!

This post echo's my experience exactly.

Our sub soil here is heavy on clay and has stones anywhere from pebbles on to 6-10" running about30% of volume.
Using the toothed bucket (48") on my manual geared 20 HP CUT* I can handle, spread a 16 yard load in less than an hour.
Every attempt results in a full bucket load now.

Without I needed a helper to manually remove rocks bigger than grapefruit as they constantly deflected the bucket.
And those rocks made traction near impossible as well, again needing manual removal.

As to hydraulics the only damage I have ever had was a badly scored shaft from a piece of blasted quartz that got wedged between shaft and loader arm. Leaked a lot and the seals were getting chewed up some.
This CUT is an '80's with all original hoses and 1600 hrs of hard work.
I probably moved 100 loads of fill, stone sand etc and graded 100's of dirt/gravel roads. Other than that it pushes and or blows snow the rest of the time.

* Mitsubishi MT180D

 

[mopardude318]

I'm sure the Piranha bar is a good one, but I went with the Construction Attachments tooth bar available from EA. It helps out immensely!

 

[CMV]

^^^

I think that is the style I'm getting based on the dealer's description.

 

[Oldoak]

Exactly what I will be ordering when my new Kubota L5060 arrives, which I ordered just today. The bucket will also have the bolt-on cutting edge. Have to wait until I can get the exact inside bucket measurement.

The L5060 will be replacing my 21 year old L4200 which has been "bullet proof". Hope I can say the same about the new one in years to come.

 

[dragoneggs]

I'm sure the Piranha bar is a good one, but I went with the Construction Attachments tooth bar available from EA. It helps out immensely!

I think this style might make more sense on bigger tractors/buckets than a PTB.

 

[CMV]

This is what I ended up with. Worked really well. As pointed out earlier, it was exceptional cutting into a small hill for digging. Once that was done and I was trying to dig down a little, was a lot more difficult. But some thick roots, decent size rocks, it handled it. Not nearly like what a big machine could do, but was able to do it. I think without the teeth I would have just been stuck taking an ax to roots or not digging down once I cut into the bank. Only 2 bolts to remove...haven't done that yet, but looks very simple on/off. Only disadvantage I noted was back dragging...left lines where the teeth are. From looking at pics of the Piranha one, it looks like it would back drag better with a level bucket.

 

[Oldoak]

Apparently you learned pretty quick, the pros and cons of a tooth bar. And there are couple of advantages of Piranha over a regular tooth bar. But still I would be without one.

Tree roots are the toughest things to dig out, even for a small tractor mounted backhoe. Stones and large rocks are easier than tree roots.

When I have a need to remove my tooth bar, I use a 115v impact wrench on those two bolts. It makes very short work it.

 

[lostcreekranch]

project is digging into a hillside to create a fire pit area. I think I can do it with some teeth. Small bites at a time, but think I can get it done.

Tractor is at dealer anyway for some repair work. They said they can order one and install for $400. Since already there and they can have it ready to go by Saturday think I'll just go that route

BXpanded Piranha Toothbar

Installation is drilling a 1/2” hole in each end of your bucket. 15 minute job at most. $400 seems excessive to me to install a $240 Tooth Bar but, it’s your money.

My PTB has never been off my bucket in three years I’ve had it.