Bucket Skids for B2620

[zbhover]

We have 2 large gravel drives that I have to clear snow on so I decided to make some clamp on bucket skids to help keep from digging into the gravel.

I've been keeping the bucket tilted back just a touch and then putting it in float to leave behind the gravel and get most of the snow. If I tilt forward a tad to much I start scrapping the gravel up, If I tilt back too much I'm just packing the snow down. Plus there are several uneven spots so I end up catching here and there. I've thought about using the pipe trick but thought I'd give the skids a shot and I thought I'd share some pictures.


I started with some 1.5" x 1/4" steel and cut 3 pieces 8" long, these will be the clamp part of the skids.

Then I got the torch out and bent them so that they will loosely fit over the leading edge of the bucket. I made the bottom leg about 1/2' longer than the wear strip on the leading edge of the bucket.

Then I cut some 2" x 3/8" steel to 8" long for the skids.

And then welded the 1.5" pieces to the 2" pieces.

Then back to the torch to bend the leading and trailing edges of the skids.

Then I cut some 1" x 1/4" steel with the angle of the leading edge of the skid on them. These will stiffen the clamp part of the skids so they don't bend when you tighten the clamp bolts.

And then a little more welding.

Then I drilled and tapped the holes for the clamp bolts and ground the leading and trailing edges.

 

[zbhover]

I then pulled up the tractor and gave them a test fit. They slip over the leading edge of the bucket nicely and clamp on with the bolt.

And finally a little primer and paint. I'll let them dry over night, and I should be able to test them out in the morning, were supposed to get 4-8" of snow over night.

 

[ShaunBlake]

We have 2 large gravel drives that I have to clear snow on so I decided to make some clamp on bucket skids to help keep from digging into the gravel... thought I'd give the skids a shot and I thought I'd share some pictures.

welded the 1.5" pieces to the 2" pieces.

...

And then a little more welding...

Oh, my! What beautiful welds! I'm guessing you've got a nice MIG rig -- if you're stick-welding, I'm going to be raising knots on my forehead bowing to your skill.

 

[85Hokie]

Nice work - after building - have you tested them? What are the results? Does the gravel still ride up into the bucket a bit or has this allowed the gravel to stay on the drive? I have a very short gravel drive - hate to touch it with the bucket! Find gravel in the yard in the spring/summer!

 

[zbhover]

Oh, my! What beautiful welds! I'm guessing you've got a nice MIG rig -- if you're stick-welding, I'm going to be raising knots on my forehead bowing to your skill.

Thanks ShaunBlake, yeah I got a MIG welder, nothing special, just a cheap 220v 180amp Clarke MIG, but it works pretty good. If I need to do any real heavy welding we have a couple Millers and an ESAB at work. I work in industrial Maintenance so I get plenty of practice MIGing, hardly stick weld anymore unless I need to tack a couple piece of stainless sheet metal together inside an oven or something like that.

 

[zbhover]

Nice work - after building - have you tested them? What are the results? Does the gravel still ride up into the bucket a bit or has this allowed the gravel to stay on the drive? I have a very short gravel drive - hate to touch it with the bucket! Find gravel in the yard in the spring/summer!

Thanks, we got about 3" last night and also had some drifting so I got to test them out today. They worked great and I picked up very little if any gravel. I think having 3 skids really helps since our drive is really uneven, and I don't end up scraping the center of the bucket on high spots. With my rear blade and 2 gauge wheels I have to set the blade about 1" above the ground to keep from digging up much gravel. With the skids I'm only about 5/8" off the ground, leaving less snow behind.

Check out the video of Edge Tamers at:
http://r2manufacturing.com/edge-tamer-2

 

[ShaunBlake]

...
hardly stick weld anymore unless I need to tack a couple piece of stainless sheet metal together inside an oven ...

<bowing deeply> "He stick-welds sheet stainless!"

 

[Camera Man]

Thanks for posting your design I have been looking at "Edge Tamers" but my brother is a pretty good welder and we have lots of scrap metal from projects. I look forward to trying these. On larger buckets they say 4-6 in wide plate and up to I think 6 skids on the biggest buckets.