Bucket too big???

[watglen]

Hello all,

I am looking for a 30" bucket for my volvo 240. I have located a 30" bucket but its for an ex400. Any thoughts on whether i can run it? Or will it be too much bucket for my machine?

Ken

 

[roadrunner81]

Its probably gonna be about 12" to tall, youll loose leverage and when you curl it in it will probably hit boom

 

[swampdog]

You did not tell us what type of bucket attachment system you have. Quick attach, or ?? One thing you need to check is whether the distances between the mounting points (both horizontally and from pin to pin) are the same on your machine and on the bucket you found. The weight of the bucket should not bother your machine, but check the mounting points and for clearances, as roadrunner already mentioned.

 

[watglen]

My unit has the volvo s2 coupler, the bucket is set up for a pin grabber. I plan on removing the ears and adding the necessary bits to make my coupler work. Worse case I can cut the beam out of the top of the bucket and flip it upside down and reinstall. My current bucket is meant for this coupler, and has the beam inside the bucket instead of on top. This will move the teeth about ~10" closer to the pivot pin, which works in my favor.

My problem is the bucket pics don't really give a sense of scale, and I don't want to go to pick it up, and find out its HUGE!

Thanks

 

[swampdog]

Hey, I guess that's where a tape measure would help. If you have something to compare it to.

Most of these buckets look huge before they are on the machine, especially if one tries to fit them in the back of a pickup truck. I hauled a 63" cleanup bucket for my 270 in the back of my 3/4 ton GMC for 500 miles. It weighed about 3000 lbs and stood higher than the truck cab. One wise fellow at the auction advised that I not hit the road until after dark. Even though the load was safe (IMO at least), no point attracting attention from the transport people. Once on the machine, the bucket shrank down to size.

 

[Bigstevex4]

A 30 inch for a 400 is a small bucket will be abot 5 ft high if a 240 is like a kom 220 or 250 youl never be able to dig with it just way to much distance from pin to tooth.

 

[watglen]

Well, i got it home (21 hours to indy and back) and it isn't as big as i thought it might be. Tooth tip to main pin centre is 64" , about the same as my current bucket. This bucket is clearly undersized for a ex400. I think it must have been a make-it-fit for the previous owner.

So by the time I cut and weld, buy the steel and gasoline to drive in indy, taxes and exchange, i'll have about $1500 into it in total. Not bad i don't think.

 

[swampdog]

Sounds good; buckets aren't cheap.

 

[roadrunner81]

Lets see some pics for comparison.

 

[watglen]

Here is the bucket

http://www.ironplanet.com/jsp/s/item/242199?h=4/6

 

[stock]

That bucket looks like a wrong order,it has nothing done (check where the base is welded to the side)and to me looks like a very small bucket for a 400.

 

[watglen]

Kinda makes you wonder eh? It has 4" pins, but only 16" between the ears. The teeth are well worn. Its not heavy enough to be a rock bucket, too small for a 400 series machine.

I took a chance purchasing it, cuz it could have been a monster. You couldn't tell from the photos.

 

[Jam]

How are things.....? We had to do this mod to our 4' digging bucket off a 16 ton to suit our 312. The bucket was too high from the teeth to the hitch point for the digger to have enough leverage in heavier going. The end result was to cut out a 6" band nd reweld the two halves Worked a treat nd while we were at it we put on two side cutters

 

[watglen]

Nice!

So is spent the afternoon cutting the ears and beam out of the bucket.

Any advice on what material i am supposed to us to make a new beam? Someone said ar400, but i thought I should ask you all.

I've been taking pics as i go. I'll get them posted as the work progresses.

 

[Jam]

Hows it going? AR400 is an abrasion resistent steel alloy which to be honest would be very unsuitable for your job We have different grade numbers to you here in eire but pick a middle of the road grade which has a degree of flexability. anywhere around 1" for the beam and 1 1/2" for the ears. What sort of welder are you using? Make sure you use 7018's if your using arc. Best of luck with it....:drinkup post a few pics as your goin

 

[watglen]

This is the project so far.

The bigger bucket is the one I got with the machine. I would be interested if someone could tell me what the name for this configuration is. Volvo calls it an S2, but i think it may be a samsung or akerman design?

I drilled all over both buckets, and there is no mild steel anywhere in either bucket.

I figure about a full day of grinding to get rid of the rest of the weldments.


Next i have to order the steel.

 

[Jam]

Nice pics you have some good quality buckets there. i dunno what your equivalent would be but we use s355 grade for any heavy fab. I think its a hot rolled non-alloy.Fairly easily worked but as tough as hell

 

[watglen]

i'll check it out, thanks

 

[watglen]

Well, after talking to my local welding shop, its mild steel all around.

Couple questions, i am looking for a good web resource for tips and tricks (and pics) to help me improve with my oxy ac torch. Anybody know any good sites.


Also, i bought a ditching bucket which is in the process of undergoing the same conversion. This one was used for pounding pilings, so the bottom is bashed in pretty good. How hard is it to fix that?

 

[tootalltimmy]

When I had my lugging changed on my rake the machine shop used an air-arc to gouge the welds out. It did a nice job. I am not a welder so I let the experts do it.