I have a Geith bucket and the 3 of the teeth came off this weekend. Believe it or not I recovered all 3 of them. I had the thumb on and were clearing trees and handling logs. I try to grab the logs with the bucket lined up with the logs but don't always. The 2 outside teeth came off first and then a middle one. Do you think if you don't grab the log just right (straight so the log doesn't twist when you grab it) that it stresses the teeth or do you think my keepers are not right. some of the teeth wiggle a little. I might just weld the teeth on. thanks in advance for your input.
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bucket teeth coming off
- Thread starter Jim Dandy
- Start date
stumpjumper83
Senior Member
I've had simular problems with hensley x156 teeth on my takeuchi tb53. What I concluded was teeth were made to dig thru things not pick up things. when lifting all the weight is transfered to the keeper and in my case thats a lot of weight for a 7/16th spiral pin. I think the proper solution is a graple or some other toothless attachment instead of a digging bucket.
245dlc
Senior Member
If those are the vertical tooth retainer pins, I'd replace the shanks with the old style horizontal ones, then you won't have as much problem until the shanks start getting really worn out. I have found that the Cat vertical tooth retainer system isn't bad but it's like anything tooth system once the shank get's worn out you need to replace it, but personally I still prefer the old horizontal system.
yea i have to agree with 245. the vertical pin system is crap. we have a machine at work with that style and in a 1 month time period i lost a dozen teeth. it got so bad i had to keep a box of teeth and pins in the machine. finally the mechanic came out and replaced the shanks and the same set of teeth are staying on long enough to show wear. switch shanks if you have the means .its cheaper
Mud duck
Member
I too am having this problem recently. I talked to a local mechanic about it & he had the same thing to say as stump jumper, that they are designed for digging, not lifting. But I got a problem with that, it may indeed be true, but I have never had this problem before. My current problem is on a 5500 hr 160. Until now I've done numerous clearing jobs with this machine, & my 120 with the top drive pins. The 120 has over 10,000 hrs on it. I do agree that the top drive pins are more prone to this problem, but now my issue is with the side drive cat style (on the 160). A couple of these keepers just keep working there way out, and it really sucks when one side works out allowing the tooth to sag on that side then one little piece of stone gets in there & forget it, it takes the smoke wrench to fix that. My dealer who sells me teeth thinks the hole in the shank is worn & that is my problem. I really don't want to remove & replace it. It just doesn't seem that it should be worn out already. I'll bet that bucket doesn't have 2000 hrs on it. I'll be following this thread to see if anyone has a good idea.
Losing teeth is a fact of life with that kind of work and demolition as the shanks wear. Hensley IIRC makes a vertical pin that you put a wrench on each end once its in the tooth and tighten it down causing it to expand in the center so it doesn't come out as easy, but its only a band aid really. I have teeth fall off weekly sometimes daily you got to be good about keeping an eye on them so you know where they fall out.
245dlc
Senior Member
That's why I like the horizontal tooth retainment system you can see that little pin starting to move out long before it falls off and you loose your pin and washer. It's not the best system but at least it's somewhat predictable. Oh by the way if you ever have to run a Bobcrap mini excavator they must have the worst tooth retainment system I've encountered yet. A couple years I go I was doing a lot of trenching in frost and kept losing teeth and even after the thaw was over I kept losing teeth and told the boss he needed new shanks and should just go with the old horizontal system to which he replied it's only got 600hrs those tooth shanks are fine. I lost two more teeth that day and lost the pins so ended up doing a garage demolition missing two teeth.
teeth
The reason you lose teeth more during tree work is because the soil pack keeping the teeth tight on the shank falls out. Your shanks are worn and need to be replaced. Like everyone is saying, not all designs are created equal, and not all replacements are of equal quality. There are a lot of manufacturers copying Cat style teeth with much less quality in the steel itself, causing them to wear faster. All styles will lose teeth when the shanks are worn. I recommend contacting someone who specializes in selling wear parts. They know who is using what and how it is working out. I switched to one specific brand and could not be happier. Every machine I have has been converted as needed.
If you are in a jam, weld a new set of teeth on the shanks and run em till they are worn out, you need shanks anyways, and you can get a lot of hours out of one set if they stay on.
The reason you lose teeth more during tree work is because the soil pack keeping the teeth tight on the shank falls out. Your shanks are worn and need to be replaced. Like everyone is saying, not all designs are created equal, and not all replacements are of equal quality. There are a lot of manufacturers copying Cat style teeth with much less quality in the steel itself, causing them to wear faster. All styles will lose teeth when the shanks are worn. I recommend contacting someone who specializes in selling wear parts. They know who is using what and how it is working out. I switched to one specific brand and could not be happier. Every machine I have has been converted as needed.
If you are in a jam, weld a new set of teeth on the shanks and run em till they are worn out, you need shanks anyways, and you can get a lot of hours out of one set if they stay on.
S.R.E.
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2010
- Messages
- 61
- Location
- Bellingham, WA
- Occupation
- Heavy Equipment Operator/Business Owner
Are you replacing the pins and retainers when you replace the teeth? You can usually buy new pins and retainers for a set of teeth for less then replacing a tooth when you lose it.
Thank you all for your help. I talked to a welder who said you can weld little squares of metal over the keepers top and bottom and that will buy some time. It sounds like my shanks are worn and need replacing. I am going try and put that off awhile to "save" some money. I have found that alot of times the cheap fixes that buy time don't really save money in the long run.
Mud duck
Member
Absolutly I'm putting in new pins & retainers. Always have. The last time I did this within one hour a pin was working its way out.
joispoi
Senior Member
Shim the shanks with sheet metal. Put enough in there so that you have to drive it in with a sledge hammer. If the teeth move, the shanks are wearing.
A bucket fabricator recommended that I do this when I bought replacement teeth for my PC 300. It worked. Just wear safety glasses when driving the teeth in.
A bucket fabricator recommended that I do this when I bought replacement teeth for my PC 300. It worked. Just wear safety glasses when driving the teeth in.
Mud duck
Member
I want to be sure I understand this joispoi, I'm assuming weld some thin metal to the shank, maybe top & bottom, or both sides. Then a guy might have to do a little grinding, whatever it takes to make a tight fit again. You made mention of driving the teeth on, I think you mean driving the pins, or am I missing something. This sounds like a good fix to me, & I appreciate the input.
joispoi
Senior Member
There´s no welding involved. Use tin snips to cut strips of sheet metal the width of the shank or slightly narrower. Insert your sheet metal shim when you fit the tooth. If you can slide the tooth on by hand, it´s too loose. It should be tight enough so that you have to put some effort into driving the tooth onto the bucket with a sledge hammer. Again, be careful when you drive the teeth on. Wear safety glasses. Hardened steel is brittle and can send chips flying.
Mud duck
Member
Thanks for the clarification. I'll try it ASAP.