My KX033 Excavator has the Kubota OEM 24-inch bucket and thumb. The teeth on the bucket and thumb hit each other instead of gripping between the teeth like interlocking fingers. As a result, pulling saplings and similar brush can be frustrating as they slip out in the gap between the edge of the bucket and the edge of the thumb. Its not an issue picking up larger trees or rocks, but trail clearing is a lot of newer growth removal. Thoughts? Suggestions?
KX033-4 Excavator Bucket & Thumb Issue
- Thread starter MoCo
- Start date
Is the 24” bucket the one you use most of the time? If youve ever thought you might like a different bucket i would use this as an excuse to get a new bucket that either a: doesnt need modification to fix this issue, or b: doesn’t leave you ‘bucket-less’ while you modify the 24” to fix this issue. If the 24” bucket is all you have and want then i think you will end up modifying it over the thumb, but id have to see pics of the thumb to be sure. I think most thumbs would be harder to change the ‘tooth location’ than on a bucket..
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Thanks for the response. The 24-inch bucket is all I have and all I need, except for the interference issue with the two teeth on the thumb.
I will consider buying an 18-inch bucket if the teeth on it are differently spaced.
I have no use for a "landscape" bucket with no teeth, although that would work with the thumb.
I will consider buying an 18-inch bucket if the teeth on it are differently spaced.
I have no use for a "landscape" bucket with no teeth, although that would work with the thumb.
Runs With Scissors
Well-known member
Equipment
L2501 TLB , Grappel, Brush Hog, Box Blade, Ballast box, Forks, Tiller, PH digger
Off the top of my head, I would think that a properly sized piece of U channel could be laid across the teeth of the bucket to provide a flat surface to "pinch" with. Sort of like a Landscape bucket...
Securing it might be as simple as press fitting it with the bucket then knocking it off with a hammer when done.
Or possibly weld a piece of chain on the U channel and wrap that around the backside of the bucket to secure it?
Please excuse the crappy drawing LOL
Paul
Securing it might be as simple as press fitting it with the bucket then knocking it off with a hammer when done.
Or possibly weld a piece of chain on the U channel and wrap that around the backside of the bucket to secure it?
Please excuse the crappy drawing LOL
Paul
I do a lot of brush and sapling clearing with my KX 040, I never use a bucket or waste time trying to pull saplings, I use a root rake.
These guys made me a quick attach fang rake, made sure thumb spacing did not hit the teeth. It’s super fast to remove small trees without digging bucket loads of dirt.
These guys made me a quick attach fang rake, made sure thumb spacing did not hit the teeth. It’s super fast to remove small trees without digging bucket loads of dirt.
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
I have 16" and 24" buckets.
The 24" bucket has 5 teeth with the outer teeth at a slight angle, so is not adaptable for a removable welded smooth edge.
The 16" bucket has three straight teeth.
I have mounted those three teeth upside down, to provide a flat top tooth surface.
I bought a piece of cutting edge that I will have welded across the flat surface of those 3 teeth.
I will now have a smooth edge bucket, that can be readily converted back to tooth style, by just driving out the the 3 pins on the teeth welded to the smooth edge, and using 3 spare teeth (which I have).
Extra teeth (cheap), and extra pins are needed.
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
It probably could be done with a plasma cutter, and a welder, but not a great idea IMHO.
As a follow up to my original question, I purchased the Kubota 18 inch bucket after seeing it installed on a new KX033-4 at my dealer. The teeth on the 18 inch bucket interlace perfectly with the thumb, providing an excellent grasp of anything I need to pull out. I have found that the smaller bucket is better suited for my trail building and clearing work. Obviously it has less internal capacity for moving dirt but in this application, the key is pulling bushes, saplings, etc out of the way, and secondarily digging out the dirt and stumps to make the trail. When the job involves more dirt moving, I switch to the 24 inch bucket.
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
I have a thumb, but it is not OEM, and does fit between my 24" bucket teeth.
I also have a 16" 3-tooth bucket, and my thumb works with that also.
The 16" bucket teeth are all mounted straight - no outward flare.
I have a piece of bucket cutting edge welded to the inside of the outer two teeth.
This gives me a smooth bucket edge ( your thumb would grasp it securely).
I can drive the two outer teeth pins out, swap with two other teeth, and be back to a three teeth bucket.
This will only work with the 16" bucket as the outer teeth are flared outward on other buckets.
ie: I have a smooth edge bucket, and a tooth edge bucket for one price,
Extra buckets are EXPENSIVE!
I do have the Kubota BH bucket quick connect coupler.