Best Mini Excavator buckets

[PeterG]

Looking to buy some buckets for my Takeuchi TB153FR. Although the TAG buckets are just fine, what else is out there? I also have a Paladin built Bucket which seems fine. Anyone use Aim Attachments? I'm looking for durable buckets and prefer with a lifting loop, good price, and in stock! Need Q27 wain roy, 1 1/4 pin size. Looking for 12" digging, 24" digging and 36-48" grade. Most places don't stock them and need 4-6 weeks build time plus add a week and a half of shipping time.

 

[Tags]

I have had GREAT luck with Werk Brau and Geith buckets. I have had crap luck with the garbage Hensley top pin or side pin teeth though. Any bucket I had with them I torched em off and put Esco or Kingmet shanks and teeth on and any new buckets I have purchased have the Esco teeth and shanks and have NEVER knocked one off or broke a pin. A good friend of mine has Tag buckets set up for a wain Roy and specs them with Esco teeth and high capacity, heavy duty and they have held up well. I have also had a ripper from USA attachments and that seemed like good quality as well.

 

[PeterG]

What type of machine are you using, and what size buckets? I also don't like bucket teeth with top pins.

 

[Tags]

I had a Kubota 161-3 that had all Werk-Brau buckets that lasted me about 4500 hours, I did re-plate the bottom of the 30" digging and 16" trenching one at about 3000 hours or so just so it wouldn't wear the bottom out. I currently have all Werk-Brau buckets on a Tak 260. I have all Geith buckets on a Kobelco 115SR and the Tag and Wain Roy buckets are on a Kobelco 75.

 

[PeterG]

How do you like your TB260? I have a TB240, TB016, and just bought a TB153FR with 1300 hours on it. I have Joe at Phoenix equipment sales giving me a quote for some TAG buckets as his price was much better than my local dealer.

 

[Tags]

I like the 260 a lot, the cab is roomy and they have done a nice job adding creature comforts to the unit that previous models were lacking,it's my first Tak machine as I've only previously had Kubota minis. I have it set up with a hydraulic pin grabber coupler and a hydraulic thumb and have about 400 hours or so on it after getting it last spring.

I've used Joe at Phoenix equipment for lots of excavator buckets and skid steer buckets too, he's almost always got the best pricing. Make sure you spec the Esco teeth or they'll just send the buckets with the top pin style teeth.

 

[heymccall]

That's funny. Joe @ Phoenix sells me buckets, too. AIM & TAG, so far.

 

[PeterG]

I did order the buckets from Joe. This is the second time I have ordered from him. Best prices with drop shipping for sure. This was for quick coupler TAG buckets. Ordered the 12", 24". and 48" sizes for my Tak Tb153FR 290 size and 27 coupler with 1.25" pin. Joe is an interesting guy. Doesn't like to do paper work, so hard to even get an order number from him, written quote, or receipt. But they know him well at TAG, and his reputation is good. I will have to confirm with TAG if they are doing the Esco Teeth

 

[KSSS]

The TB153FR is an amazing excavator. A lot of zerks and you want to keep it wet with grease, but there simply isn't anything else that can do what it does. Especially if you have one of the later models with the higher aux. flows. I am replacing the pivot pins under the machine now at 2600 hours. I wish they still made this machine.

 

[PeterG]

The one I bought is a 2012 with 1400 hours on it. Is that new enough to have the higher Aux flow? The only hydraulic attachment I might uses is a breaker. But I'm scared it will be too damaging on the machine. I have a bought new Tak TB240 (8500lb mini excavator) which I'm very happy with. I think the next size up 6 ton machine is going to make a lot of difference when I need a bit more lifting power.

 

[KSSS]

Mine is a 2012 as well so assuming there was not a serial number break you should have the high flow version as well. It runs a hoe pac much better than the previous models. This is my third TR53/153 and the latest is has been the best version of the model. I like it because it works great in tight spaces, the lifting capacity is excellent, and loading trucks is a breeze, due to being able to bring the boom up along side the cab like a conventional excavator.

 

[PeterG]

Tell more about your hoe pac. I tend to think of those as only for 9 ton mini excavators or bigger, or backhoes. What size and model of hoe pac, and what do you use it for. We have a 700lb Mikasa reversible plate compactor for our compacting needs which is primarily for retainer wall footings, hardscape work, and gravel parking areas.

 

[KSSS]

I have a Kent hoe pac on that machine. It had come off a backhoe and I repined it. I cant remember the model I think it is a 65. It a 2'X2' pad or so. Works great. I use a Husky II hammer on the Taki as well (750 pound). We typically use it for hoe packing the over dig in home and commercial foundations.

 

[heymccall]

Did any of your TB53FRs run hot? Mine did since new. Around 7k hours, finally undersized the water pump pulley, and never ran over hot again.

 

[KSSS]

They did run warm. My current machine does not. If I recall they made some changes to the cooling systems in the later models

 

[PeterG]

So I received two new TAG buckets for my 12,500 lb Takeuchi TB153FR. The quick coupler is the Q27 wain roy size, and the TAG bucket size is 290. The Q27 size is the same size quick Coupler that will fit my quick coupler on my Takeuchi TB240. So the question is, why wouldn't I use my two new bigger buckets on my 8,500lb Takeuchi TB240. The 12" is a bit taller, and perhaps the weight is 60lbs more, so what is the problem? A heaped load is not going to tip me over, and even digging in hard soil I would think the machine could still handle it. We are currently using the 24" larger bucket on the TB240, and it seems to dig fine at 60 percent power trenching pretty soft soil around a house. Is this more of a liability thing, or something else? I have a 48" bucket coming for the TB153 which I'm sure will be bigger than my 48" TB240 bucket, but I plan to use that bigger bucket to spread light topsoil etc. Obviously it's not going to work well to swing around heaped gravel or wet muck or something or loading trucks. By the book, the TB240 will lift 2000lb off to the side, so backfilling behind 4' tall walls, and spreading material around on the ground will be ok I think. Lastly, the 24"digging bucket that came with the machine seems much taller. So what is the difference in tear out leverage or other concerns using a taller bucket, or deeper bucket? The TAG digging buckets are deeper and not so tall I think. Opinions?

 

[Tags]

All the buckets I got for my 260 are high capacity buckets,the machine handles em just fine. If you're the only one using the smaller machine with larger buckets and you know the machines limits you should be fine. If someone else hops on and is a cowboy it could be problem, especially when swinging over the side heaped up....