Excavator hardware questions

[Mobilewrench]

Trying to figure out the feasibility of replacing the base edges (to be honest, until five minutes ago I was pretty sure that the part that I welded adaptors to was called a mold board) on a couple of buckets.
First bucket is (I think) a 24 inch bucket on a pc 120. Someone tried to repair it before and just used mild steel to replicate the broken base edge. Looks like it ripped out the three center teeth and a good part of the bottom of the bucket. Shame, it is a Hensley bucket with the bolt on side guards.
The other is a 24 or 30 inch bucket for a Hitachi zx225. This one has the base edge cracking at several points between the adapters.

So, I have never replaced a base edge on a bucket before. (Obviously, because I didn't even know what it was even called.) How do I source these and what info do I need to do so? Do I give the supplier the width of the edge that I need and then the adapters that I want to use? Are there any special welding requirements involved in replacing base edges?

And, does anybody have any ballpark idea of how much just replacing the buckets would cost?
I honestly do not know how much anything costs.
I just tell clients how much it is to repair and let them decide if they are repairing or replacing.

 

[skyking1]

How is the floor of the bucket (s)?
That is the curved part behind the heavy edge you are talking about. Make sure you don't need to replace that too. It is much easier when you have it all apart.
I don't know your answer but I know this company rolls new floors and fixes buckets.
Streich Bros

They wanted 3000 or so to repair my 4' cleanup bucket for the 120.
That entailed rolling a new floor and replacing the edge.
I ended up repairing it myself. Incidentally I welded it to an old 24" hensley for a work table.
The 24" for the PC120, you can find a used one for 2~3K

 

[BC Placer gold]

We replaced the floor/bottom on a Hitachi Zx120 36” dig bucket. A local machine shop rolled us 3/4” ar plate (400?). I gave them cardboard templates for size and rounded profile. This was 10 years ago and cost was around $700.

The cutting edge and tooth adapters were in good shape so reused. It was a field repair using an older miller bobcat & arctec 223 rods.

 

[Vetech63]

What is the cost of a replacement bucket?

 

[bam1968]

About 5 years ago my 42" bucket on my PC200 was needing some attention. Initially I was going to weld on new adapters. I was at my local komatsu dealer pricing adapters and teeth and they suggested getting the new base plate with the adapters already welded on at a cost of only $200 more than buying the adapters individually. So I ordered the plate with Ultralok adapters. IIRC it cost $700 plus @ $200 for the teeth. I might be wrong on the cost of the teeth. I went to my local welding shop and told them what I was planning on doing and what I had for welders. Most things that I weld do hold together but I am far from a professional welder. They told me if I did a good job preheating I should be fine. It is still on there and has not given me any trouble. FWIW I mainly take out trees and tear out concrete with this machine so it has been put to the test. As far as the Ultralok teeth.... They have been pretty good and are very easy to change out. I had a little trouble with them falling off a couple years ago but they came out with a newer locking mechanism and have not had a problem since installing them.

 

[Zewnten]

For the part the teeth adapters weld on we used 3/4 AR plate, usually though if that piece is messed up so is the whole bucket and that requires a lot of pulling and stretching to make it like it should be.

 

[Welder Dave]

You might find cutting edges at a place that sells teeth and grader blades, etc. If not a good steel supplier could cut you one and bevel it for adaptors out of a harder more wear resistant material like AR400. They may recommend an even better material too. They should also know what filler metal to use for welding it and preheat requirements, etc. I'd guess at least 8018 and maybe even 11018 but what filler metal to use should be common knowledge for the steel supplier.