Bucket Cutting Edge Wear

Wow, what are you scooping up to cause that?

You do know dragging the bucket as a brake really not ideal right? :sidelaugh


I know you do, just having fun. Really though, what are you scooping with it?

If you would keep the greasy side down,,, the blade would last longer,,, :dunno:

:sidelaugh

I put the "teeth" on my bucket,,,,
the teeth are made out of a cutting edge flame cut to create "gaps"



In less than 10 hours of use,,, the teeth were starting to round,,, significantly,,, :swow:

I added abrasion resistant weld,,,, there has been zero noticeable wear since then.

I got the rod from Amazon,,,

Blue Demon Alloy 7000 X 3/32" X 14" X 5# pack general purpose hardfacing maintenance electrode - - Amazon.com

Thanks CAD, but the primary duty for my loaders is snow removal . . . about 60% of the hours on the tractor. Bucket teeth are contra-indicated.

Add in the fact that another 10% of the hours are for working the backhoe, and that only leaves about 210 hours for dirt work and running around. (My 4 year old grandson loves helping to drive grandpa's tractor.)

I can only assume that the excess wear is from the extra 150 lb of weight from the heavier front end and the narrower cutting edge when scraping snow off of pavement. I just have a tough time swallowing that much extra wear for less than 4 lb per inch extra load compared to the wear on my GT's bucket.

When doing dirt work in the summer, the 800 lb back hoe is the counter weight and the load on the cutting edge is less than what is on the GT.

Once I get some of my other tractor projects under control, I'll have to replace that edge. I doubt that what is left will last another 7 years before it starts wearing the bucket shell. Hard surfacing and then dressing 47" of cutting edge does not appeal to me.

"scraping snow off pavement" So you are using some down force to run the blade along the surface of the pavement to push the snow before scooping? That about right?

Sounds like a slow motion version of taking steel bar-stock to a grinding wheel.


Two questions I have are: What is Hard Surfacing? When the time comes do you cut the old worn edge off or do you simply add a piece on to what is remaining?

Hard surfacing is welding the cutting edge with abrasive resistant rod like in the link that CADplans suggested. Aside from the several passes of welding (and warpage that goes with it), there is also the grinding time required to straighten and sharpen the edge afterwards.

It will be a bit quicker to scarf the old cutting edge off, clean up the old weld with a grinder, and weld a brand new cutting edge in place. Easier on the lungs as well.

I used down force with my GT the same as with the SCUT. Less than half the wear and over 3 times the hours on the GT compared to the SCUT. Wear was expected, but not at that rate!