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Quick Couplers/Quickhitches

DGODGR

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
1,062
Location
S/W CO
I would like to open a discussion about couplers. I am talking about tool/bucket couplers NOT hydraulic hose couplers (maybe another thread for those later on). I would like to know what brand coupler/s you have, pros & cons (obviously in your own opinion), how they are holding up, and of course pictures will help us all to see why they might, or might not, be good products. I have a Bobcat 435 mini. Right now it has the manual coupler on it. This is only because the hydraulic one I have is in need of a rebuild. I like the ease and convienience of the hydraulic unit. The fact that I don't even have to get out, to change buckets, is fantastic. It makes bucket swaps quick and easy, and I never even think twice about wether or not to change out buckets. On the downside is that I don't think it holds up very well (the hydraulic one). As I said it is in need of a rebuild. This will be the third time in 2,500 machine hours, and the coupler has not been installed since the beginning. The front side has tabs (coupler) and engagement hooks (bucket) and the back has pins that extend out of the side of the coupler into the bucket ears (bushing lined holes like a pin on bucket). The manual one (also a Bobcat unit) works the same except that you have to manually drive the rear pin in or out. The pin is a dual taper design that has a smaller diameter over the middle of the pin (so that the full pin thickness is only where it needs to be). I think I prefer a standard pin on design over the manual coupler as the alignment demands are on the back of the bucket where you can't see from the machine. The old addage "A picture is worth a thousand words" definately applies here so I will try to get a picture, of both, today so you can see what I'm talking about. I would even welcome other experiences with the same coupler.
Lets see, and hear about yours.
 

WV earth mover

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
110
Location
WV
Mine is a geith on our mini its manual and works good as far as taking abuse but its not perfect first off when i installed it i realized they made it 1/4'' wider opening than needed so i had to put 1/8'' thick washer on each side of the boom which is a real pain because my auger only takes 1 pin and the coupler has to be removed every time and the washers add some hassle to reconnect, then theres the fact that it takes an 1 1/2'' socket and breaker bar to tighten and loosen the front claw that good because you never get slop bettween the coupler and bucket pins but the location of the 1 1/2'' bolt head sticks out to far and prevents you from digging a ditch from the side like a half pipe and glazing the bottom when you do the that big nut cuts into the sides and bottom of the trench packs full and you then have to claw it out with a screwdriver to uncouple. I guess its built good strenght wise but poor design on everything else . I didnt pick it i just told the dealer i needed a coulpler when i bought the machine and thats what they put on it but would not recommend geith at least for case/kobelco minis when i called and ask about all the side slop at the end of the stick they said 1/4 '' was quote (it meets our tolerances so if you dont want to hear it slam back and forth put shims in it).
 
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OOOSQ

Active Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Messages
33
Location
here
In the Australian market, we are blessed with a huge assortment of local manufacturers who provide our aftermarket solutions from quick hitches, to specialty buckets, to specialty loader attachments.

To give you an example, here's a 20th of the suppliers readily avaliable within 100km of our dealership alone.

http://www.jaws.com.au/

http://www.turnerseng.com.au/

http://gtat.com.au/GTA/Home.html

http://www.earthmaster.com.au/

http://ahe1.com.au/

In our market, there isn't an excavator sold without a quick hitch on it - even those buying used equipment often base thier decision around the machine having a hitch on it. As a result of this, in all my travelling over the world - I'd have to say our suppliers really set a benchmark in term of innovation and quality - simply because it's been this way for 30+ years. Safety is a huge barrier in the Australian construction industry, and these manufacturers have stepped it up by producing quick hitches with automatic safety pins which lock and unlock via the quick hitch button inside the cabins of the excavators. Essentially, you can change buckets without jumping out of the cab to remove the safety pin. Thus limiting activity around your stick. This has been a very popular innovation among the larger contractors, specifically those on pipelines where changing buckets is as frequent as blinking. I had one customer with his 45ton excavator changing buckets 1.8million times over 4,500hrs alone. The time saved on jumping in and out of the cab to remove and reinsert the safety pin alone justifies the expense of this type of hitch.

Also, you'll notice on some of those webpages, that the supplier's also have a large focus on the mining segment in Australia. It's comforting to know that if you need a 1400mm general purpose bucket for a 20 ton excavator, a manufacturing facility that makesa 60 yard shovel bucket to suit a 550 ton excavator, should be getting the basic principles right.

You'll find another reason for this is because each contractor ususally has thier own pickup which they desire on the quick hitch - meaning they may want the hitch to fit a PC200, but he has an exisitng array of ZX220 buckets where he needs the bottom of the hitch to reflect those pin, center and boss deminsions. Bringing in a factory hitch just doesn't work because of this - not to mention it's cheaper for us (as the dealer) to use locally made and supported products. My largest excavator customers all have hybrid quick hitches, I'd hazard a guess that maybe 5% use the same pickup as the brand which we offer.

May be a bit irrelvant to what your asking, but these sites can give you some good ideas for the future.
 

KSSS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,319
Location
Idaho
Occupation
excavation
I have had a Werk Brau mech. coupler on my last two TK 6 ton machines. I really like it. Its fast and secure and it was priced affordably. I have considered hyd couplers but at this point I cant justify spending that much money for the 1 minute I spend changing buckets.
 

stumpjumper83

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
1,974
Location
Port Allegany, pa
Occupation
Movin dirt
I have a cp wain-roy style #27 on my tak 53... I don't like it.

Crappy no penetration welds on the coupler. Machine doesn't have 400hrs. and the coupler is sloppy. The retention pin on the rear wain roy pin is always getting all bent up... I'm kinda lookin for a better coupler for the mini.

On top of that, I ordered side cutters for my 24" bucket and they sent a piece of flat steel that was bent outwards about 15 degrees, with the holes drilled in, not counter sunk and with standard hardware for $150 + freight. No lip that braced of the cheeks of the bucket, all the weight would have been on three 5/8" bolts, and no protection for the bolt heads. I sent them back, a teenager in metal shop could have made them and dont a better job.
 

DGODGR

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
1,062
Location
S/W CO
You'll find another reason for this is because each contractor ususally has thier own pickup which they desire on the quick hitch - meaning they may want the hitch to fit a PC200, but he has an exisitng array of ZX220 buckets where he needs the bottom of the hitch to reflect those pin, center and boss deminsions. Bringing in a factory hitch just doesn't work because of this - not to mention it's cheaper for us (as the dealer) to use locally made and supported products.

My 315CL has a Cat pin grabber and it's a great coupler. One of it's features is that it can grab multiple pin spreads (if pin diameter is same), and will allow backwards installation of the bucket (like a front shovel). Hydraulic activation (from in the cab of course), rear wedge design (stays tight at all times), and has been bullet proof for 4,600 hours.

I have had a Werk Brau mech. coupler on my last two TK 6 ton machines. I really like it. Its fast and secure and it was priced affordably. I have considered hyd couplers but at this point I cant justify spending that much money for the 1 minute I spend changing buckets.

I would think that the biggest issue on price would be from the machine set up. Retrofit would be an issue for me (the expense of the hydraulic coupler) but for a new purchase I would think the expense would be worth it over the long haul. Do you have pictures that show how they work?

I have a cp wain-roy style #27 on my tak 53... I don't like it.

Crappy no penetration welds on the coupler. Machine doesn't have 400hrs. and the coupler is sloppy. The retention pin on the rear wain roy pin is always getting all bent up... I'm kinda lookin for a better coupler for the mini.

On top of that, I ordered side cutters for my 24" bucket and they sent a piece of flat steel that was bent outwards about 15 degrees, with the holes drilled in, not counter sunk and with standard hardware for $150 + freight. No lip that braced of the cheeks of the bucket, all the weight would have been on three 5/8" bolts, and no protection for the bolt heads. I sent them back, a teenager in metal shop could have made them and dont a better job.

Wayne Roy was the first coupler I ever saw that was available for backhoes and smaller machines. The became very popular in CA. I agree with you on their drawbacks. I never liked that the engagement area required welding to maintane. IMO this is why they are all (at least every one I have seen on a working machine) sloppy. The pin can be very stubborn to remove and the angle eliminates the use of a hammer to assist. I would rather have the conventional pin on buckets than one of these couplers, and when I bought my first (2) backhoes I bought them without couplers. BTW I have five buckets and a compaction wheel, for my backhoe, and I used to make a lot of bucket changes digging footings and keyways.

Sorry no photos yet (been very busy trying to get work done before last nights storm arrived) and I don't think I'll get them today either.
 
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mitch504

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Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
This has been a very popular innovation among the larger contractors, specifically those on pipelines where changing buckets is as frequent as blinking. I had one customer with his 45ton excavator changing buckets 1.8million times over 4,500hrs alone. The time saved on jumping in and out of the cab to remove and reinsert the safety pin alone justifies the expense of this type of hitch.

1.8 million bucket changes in 4500hrs; that's one bucket change every 9 seconds, throughout the life of the machine.
 

DGODGR

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
1,062
Location
S/W CO
1.8 million bucket changes in 4500hrs; that's one bucket change every 9 seconds, throughout the life of the machine.

Maybe they are getting paid to test couplers instead of move dirt. :)

I have the wedge style quick couplers on my machines, and they are the best couplers i have had, from my 710 to my 450d, aswell if you buy the manual you can convert it to hyd after wards

http://www.weldco-beales.com/ProductDetails/tabid/75/Default.aspx?productid=6&category=1

This looks like a good system but I can't tell how the safety lock (I assume it's equipped with one) works. I still prefer my pin grabber as I can always direct mount the bucket, and still keep working, if I ever have a failure on the coupler.


I can't navigate the site. Me no espeakie espaniol. :)
 

hammerman

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Joined
Mar 12, 2011
Messages
108
Location
Sogn og Fjordane-Norway
Occupation
excavator operator
Maybe they are getting paid to test couplers instead of move dirt. :)



This looks like a good system but I can't tell how the safety lock (I assume it's equipped with one) works. I still prefer my pin grabber as I can always direct mount the bucket, and still keep working, if I ever have a failure on the coupler.



I can't navigate the site. Me no espeakie espaniol. :)
There is english option,look at well:) it´s resistant and simple.
 
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Deeretime

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2009
Messages
344
Location
High River Alberta
Occupation
superintendent
That weldco coupler has 2 springs in it to hold the wedge in, it only uses hyd power to take the wedge out, that wat there is no failure, it also lets you keep working...
the older ones used to have a manual lock if you were concerned but they changed their spring design now so you dont have to manualy lock it.
 

Grademan

Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2011
Messages
10
Location
Pa
I have esco, jrb, and cat. They all seem to work good. BUT! Quick couplers scare me. Remember to check and double check that tool is secure. As these couplers get old. Get rid of them.
 

OOOSQ

Active Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Messages
33
Location
here
1.8 million bucket changes in 4500hrs; that's one bucket change every 9 seconds, throughout the life of the machine.

Ignore me being useless at double checking what I write - it's 180,000 , not 1.8m. Not even close right.
 

OOOSQ

Active Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Messages
33
Location
here
My 315CL has a Cat pin grabber and it's a great coupler. One of it's features is that it can grab multiple pin spreads (if pin diameter is same), and will allow backwards installation of the bucket (like a front shovel). Hydraulic activation (from in the cab of course), rear wedge design (stays tight at all times), and has been bullet proof for 4,600 hours.

Yeah the CAT coupler is what alot of manufacturers have used as a benchmark over here. In saying that, the genuine CAT coupler isnt the hitch of choice across most CAT machines here, local fit reins.
 

OOOSQ

Active Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Messages
33
Location
here
hahahaha some new offer? maybe 1,800 hahahaha:)

It's 18,000!!! I re-read the matris report.

I was typing a quotation for $1.6m and at the same time reading this forum!!

Proof reading was never my strong point!
 
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