mike69440
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2005
- Messages
- 3,266
- Location
- Central NH (God's Country)
- Tractor
- 2005 L39 Kubota, 2020 Polaris 570 Sportsman, 2006 RTV 900, 2019 RTV1100C, 1997 Komatsu PC75UU2E w/ Thumb & Blade, 2013 Mahindra Max28XL Shuttle plus many attachments
That's my story and I'm sticking to it. (Until someone shows me one that is beefier.)
I've done a lot of digging with out a tooth bar, having over 1600 Hours on my L39. I beat the heck out of the poor machine driving into hard piles of rocky dirt and worse. (Snow plowing with a bucket is not good) I hope a toothbar along with a real plow will make it easier on her in her middle age.
When I first bought the L39TLB I had the bucket edges welded up with an additional 5/16" thick by 2-1/2" wide steel strips over the 5mm thick stuff Kubota uses on their HD round top bucket.
I also had welded to the bottom backside of the bucket a 2" x 2" x 3/8" angle with a 2" wide x 1/2" flat stock scraper bolted to the angle as a renewable wear strip for back dragging plus 3 lifting hooks plus a pulling ring. With my custom toothbar I also had welded a 1" wide x 1/2" thick flatstock strip to the tube running across the top of the loader. I've dropped a few large rocks into the bucket and the tube had a light bend and some dents.
For the toothbar I used my old cutting edge that at 1400 hours I had reversed to use the second edge. For teeth I went with (Qty 7) ESCO Super V 1610TV13 weld on adapters without centers, ESCO V13SLY SV Standard point Teeth and V-13-V17 SV pins. They were expensive at a bit over $40 for each set. The ESCO SV system is an excellent tooth retention system. I wish I had them on my excavator bucket instead of CAT style adapters
ESCO V13SLY is their smallest size will work with the L39-L45-M59 etc.
Texas Contractors Equipment - Ground Engaging Tool Specialists for the Construction and Crushing Markets
I also found this great resource on bucket teeth info.
http://www.plasterer.com/media/walka... Catalog.pdf
I cut back the adapters to clear the bucket cutting edge and one of the plow bolts. As can be seen looking at the tie die painted bucket photos, it seems to be a very sturdy arrangement. I will buy some orange paint!
My cost was the teeth, a new cutting edge so I have a flat straight edge for general work, have them welded, and consumables, about $750.
On another related subject:
With the hours on my machine, I have uncovered some weak points on Kubota loaders with the 4 link loaders.
The bucket 4 bar linkages and pins simple do not have enough bearing area and have no sealing barrier against dirt entering the joint.
The pins and bushing through the loader arms are replaceable, but the outer links are not bushed and must be completely replaced to restore tight joints to the loader, an expensive proposition.
The frame pivot points and the joints at the end of the hydraulic cylinders are adequate as the are not right in the dirt engaging area. All bucket joints should be better protected and have more load bearing area (Larger Pins, wider bearing surface, dirt exclusion seals, etc. like a REAL commercial machine that has extended greasing intervals.)
About the only way to extend the life of the joints at the bucket is grease every 2-3 hours of use. The other joints on the loader seem to hold the grease better and can go the Kubota recommended 10 hours or more for a greasing interval.
I've done a lot of digging with out a tooth bar, having over 1600 Hours on my L39. I beat the heck out of the poor machine driving into hard piles of rocky dirt and worse. (Snow plowing with a bucket is not good) I hope a toothbar along with a real plow will make it easier on her in her middle age.
When I first bought the L39TLB I had the bucket edges welded up with an additional 5/16" thick by 2-1/2" wide steel strips over the 5mm thick stuff Kubota uses on their HD round top bucket.
I also had welded to the bottom backside of the bucket a 2" x 2" x 3/8" angle with a 2" wide x 1/2" flat stock scraper bolted to the angle as a renewable wear strip for back dragging plus 3 lifting hooks plus a pulling ring. With my custom toothbar I also had welded a 1" wide x 1/2" thick flatstock strip to the tube running across the top of the loader. I've dropped a few large rocks into the bucket and the tube had a light bend and some dents.
For the toothbar I used my old cutting edge that at 1400 hours I had reversed to use the second edge. For teeth I went with (Qty 7) ESCO Super V 1610TV13 weld on adapters without centers, ESCO V13SLY SV Standard point Teeth and V-13-V17 SV pins. They were expensive at a bit over $40 for each set. The ESCO SV system is an excellent tooth retention system. I wish I had them on my excavator bucket instead of CAT style adapters
ESCO V13SLY is their smallest size will work with the L39-L45-M59 etc.
Texas Contractors Equipment - Ground Engaging Tool Specialists for the Construction and Crushing Markets
I also found this great resource on bucket teeth info.
http://www.plasterer.com/media/walka... Catalog.pdf
I cut back the adapters to clear the bucket cutting edge and one of the plow bolts. As can be seen looking at the tie die painted bucket photos, it seems to be a very sturdy arrangement. I will buy some orange paint!
My cost was the teeth, a new cutting edge so I have a flat straight edge for general work, have them welded, and consumables, about $750.
On another related subject:
With the hours on my machine, I have uncovered some weak points on Kubota loaders with the 4 link loaders.
The bucket 4 bar linkages and pins simple do not have enough bearing area and have no sealing barrier against dirt entering the joint.
The pins and bushing through the loader arms are replaceable, but the outer links are not bushed and must be completely replaced to restore tight joints to the loader, an expensive proposition.
The frame pivot points and the joints at the end of the hydraulic cylinders are adequate as the are not right in the dirt engaging area. All bucket joints should be better protected and have more load bearing area (Larger Pins, wider bearing surface, dirt exclusion seals, etc. like a REAL commercial machine that has extended greasing intervals.)
About the only way to extend the life of the joints at the bucket is grease every 2-3 hours of use. The other joints on the loader seem to hold the grease better and can go the Kubota recommended 10 hours or more for a greasing interval.
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