Comparing Bucket Tooth Attachments

[Gene Blister]

Hi All! The spring bug has bitten me (probably because the worst of our winter is just over the horizon…) and Im making plans for a garden.

Top of the equipment list is a toothed bucket attachment to help me dig and level, as well as start pulling brush.

Im looking at the much vaunted Piranha, and another, the Ratchet Rake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F-RSXtW60s

This contraption has horizontal serrations similar to the Piranah, as well as some 90 deg. tines that would be useful for grading, roughing up ice in the winter, etc. Im not at all comfortable with the cable and strap connection system, though. Seems kind of exposed and vulnerable...

Which will be better for general, overall leveling, digging trenches, and remaining on the bucket for other FEL use, like moving gravel. The downward tines on the Ratchet Rake seem like theyd get in the way of a level bucket to scoop, where the Piranhas horizontal teeth might actually help scoop and curl.

Anyone have experience with these attachments?

 

[tiktock]

All i can say is that I've simply never taken the Pirhana bar off since installed. I agree I can't imagine doing any digging/scooping with the rake as I think its bit more geared around grading gravel and pulling up brush and such?

 

[rokhunter]

I was looking at the ratchet rake as well and had many of the same concerns about the exposed straps and limitations of the bucket when it's on. I too chose the pirhana bar and it has revolutionized my tractor in many ways, and there are zero limitations I need to think of when it's installed. Like the previous poster mine hasn't been removed since the day it was bolted on, and there's literally no fathomable reason I would take it off. If I was up north it MIGHT come off for scooping snow off the driveway, but that's literally the only possible reason I can think of.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[tiktock]

I was looking at the ratchet rake as well and had many of the same concerns about the exposed straps and limitations of the bucket when it's on. I too chose the pirhana bar and it has revolutionized my tractor in many ways, and there are zero limitations I need to think of when it's installed. Like the previous poster mine hasn't been removed since the day it was bolted on, and there's literally no fathomable reason I would take it off. If I was up north it MIGHT come off for scooping snow off the driveway, but that's literally the only possible reason I can think of.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

One things that interesting is that you can actually install the Pirhana bar at the same time the factor replaceable bucket blade/extension is on. That way if it even ever had to pop off you wouldnt have to re-install any flat edge.

 

[dirtydeed]

I don't have a ratchet rake, but do have a piranha and an ATI tooth bar. They both work well.

I can't see the ratchet rake being helpful at all when digging, or going in to a pile...it looks like it would surely impede progress for those two tasks.

 

[bcp]

Which manual tool would you choose for your job?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I made my own 'pirhana bar' cause I'm cheap( $20 NOT $300+) and it suits me fine. I toss 200 cuyds of ponypoop/compost with it as well as grading chores.

If you're starting a garden, I suggest old skool using plow,discs,harrows.You'll get far better result a LOT quicker than using just a 'toothed bucket'. I've done gardens from 1/4ac to 2 acres .
With less than 70 days until Spring, NOW is the time to plan !!

 

[gssixgun]

Has anyone used the Piranha for snow on a gravel drive ???

I don't use my Bucket that often for snow but I just happened to use it today and had to be careful on the angle when on the float to keep from lifting too much gravel

Would I have to remove it for winter ???


TIA

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yes, has to be removed ! Well, unless you LIKE spending all Spring repairing your driveway AFTER you find the 'missing gravel'....
I don't think anyone has enough talent to NOT grab gravel using bucket/bar.

 

[boz1989]

Tooth bar, or regular bucket edge, what's the difference? If you keep the bucket level, or tilted back slightly, there's no difference. I know I've used mine on my gravel drive, and the rear blade dragged more gravel. I also use my bucket and ptb to clean concrete.

I have yet to remove it. I have also used it to ruff up the ice after a storm.

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

 

[GreensvilleJay]

over frozen gravel a bucket should float, 'pointy things' tend to dig in...

 

[gssixgun]

Thanks, guys

Not that big of a deal I rarely have to use the bucket, normal is the Blower in the Winter and Back Blade come Spring to move the slush

This Winter has been very mild and we have been getting snow followed immediately by rain so far

Only three snow storms so far maybe 18 inches total but it has been double the work keeping the road open

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Hi All! The spring bug has bitten me (probably because the worst of our winter is just over the horizon…)

Gene,
Oh my good sir, winter has yet to start, this is by far the weirdest and mildest winter I've ever seen up here, looks like next week we'll be in the teens and snow galore.

Normally by now we have a couple feet of snow on the ground and January and all of February are the heavy snow falls.
Who knows how it will all stack up.

Spring doesn't normally start coming around here till late March to mid April, I've also seen it stay cold till the july.

 

[RCW]

Gene,
Oh my good sir, winter has yet to start

I was going to joke that it's probably almost time to take the snowblower off.

A few February's ago, I was chastised for the thought here on OTT. I didn't do it....but I did ask the question "is it too early?"....

After that, we got hammered for a couple weeks, but everybody else did until mid-April. I was blamed for that big time... I would've done the same.

March 14, 2017, we got 3 feet in 12-16 hours....

Spring isn't even on the radar......

 

[chim]

............................Im not at all comfortable with the cable and strap connection system, though. Seems kind of exposed and vulnerable.......................

The Piranha bar looks like e really useful tool for skimming off growth at ground level and some mild digging.

The Ratchet Rake looks to be named for what it would do best - rake stuff. The downward-facing teeth would make scooping most material very difficult.
I'd think the forward-facing teeth have limited utility. The one I built only has the bottom teeth for that reason.

I understand your concern with the attachment method. Like Jay, I tend to make things in lieu of buying. While I don't have experience with those products I have used a similar method to attach my brush forks and homebrew rake on the L3200. Both have been just fine.

My method uses a clip on the forks that goes over the bucket edge and is pulled toward the bucket edge by a chain loop tightened with a large ratchet binder. I chose to wrap it around the back because the straps in front look like they would catch the material being scooped / handled.

Rake attachment is similar but with two individual chains with bolt ends that pass through holes drilled in the bucket.

 

[SMKK]

My method uses a clip on the forks that goes over the bucket edge and is pulled toward the bucket edge by a chain loop tightened with a large ratchet binder. I chose to wrap it around the back because the straps in front look like they would catch the material being scooped / handled.

Rake attachment is similar but with two individual chains with bolt ends that pass through holes drilled in the bucket.

That is some nice work chim! I like the chain slots on the top! The bolts we see in the photos are holding on a replaceable blade edge or are they part of the assembly? The chains pulling on the bottom dont have a tendency to force the attached item to tilt down?

 

[tiktock]

That is some nice work chim! I like the chain slots on the top! The bolts we see in the photos are holding on a replaceable blade edge or are they part of the assembly? The chains pulling on the bottom dont have a tendency to force the attached item to tilt down?

The bolts hold the factory replaceable blade edge. If you get the pirahna you can mount it without taking off the edge without any real modification:

 

[kskomro]

Piranha bar all the way. I've had 2 Machines, Piranha tooth bar on both. Excellent add-on. I take it off when not needed because it reduces bucket weight. Excellent for digging, stone, or ice. If I bought a another machine, I would install the Piranha bar.

 

[chim]

That is some nice work chim! I like the chain slots on the top! The bolts we see in the photos are holding on a replaceable blade edge or are they part of the assembly? The chains pulling on the bottom dont have a tendency to force the attached item to tilt down?

Thanks. What appear to be bolts are really nuts. They hold the replaceable edge on the bucket. I drilled the factory edge and plug welded short pieces of stainless threaded rod into the replaceable edge so the bottom is flat and clean.

The chains pull the attachments back into the edge of the bucket and that's what keeps them on solid. The rake has angles that wrap back into the bucket and can be seen easily.

The fork mounting is harder to see. There's an angle iron that has one leg that rides on top of the bucket edge. The other leg swallows the fork tines (which run about a foot back under the bucket). Here's a more recent picture of the forks.

The chains that run in front of the bucket and the two flat bar extensions were added after the original fab. Their sole purpose is to make the forks almost self-installing. When the forks are attached they don't support or hold anything. With the forks on the ground I can drive up to them with the bucket dumped, drop the two front chains into slots and curl the bucket. That mounts the forks and all I need to do is put the ratchet strap on the back of the bucket.

 

[Blztrees]

We have used the Pirhana Bar for a year. Very good with brush removal, and loose dirt. Not much bite with hard compacted dirt. In fact if anybody has an idea on how to dig in compacted, dry, hard dirt I'd like to hear suggestions. I have thought about putting 3-4 bolt-on teeth so I can go back to the regular Pirhana edge but they look like they would come loose.