# Excavator buckets



## [email protected] (Jun 19, 2017)

We are looking at purchasing a used Takeuchi mini excavator. I would like to have a couple different size buckets.
Does anyone know if mini excavator buckets are somewhat universal or are they specific to the machine model.
I would appreciate any help.
Thank You


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## Fouthgeneration (Jan 7, 2014)

1.No, the buckets have differing holes in *General* but some different brands use the same size a location pins....
Quick attach mounts can be made that allow the use of "foreign" buckets, but reduce the working capacity of the machine by their self weight and add another joint to wear sloppy.... 
Price the size and availability of the attachments prior to machine purchase....

My 2 cents worth is to never buy the largest or the smallest size bucket, the the small bucket won't clean out with out dynamite, and the large bucket is suitable only for lightweight material movement....IMHO:whistling

I'd consider the purchase of of an smooth cutting edge bucket for footing excavation, that most likely would be the same nominal width of the toothed bucket most commonly shipped/ designed instead another random width choice.


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## [email protected] (Jun 19, 2017)

Very Helpful
Thanks for the reply.


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

Fouthgeneration said:


> Quick attach mounts can be made that allow the use of "foreign" buckets, but reduce the working capacity of the machine by their self weight and add another joint to wear sloppy....


with that, i'd disagree. a good quality coupler, i had JRB pin grabbers...take the bucket pins another foot out of the dirt/water. 

without having to beat pins in and out to change buckets, you don't touch the o-rings/seals that protect the bucket pins, keeping any foreign matter out of there. 

personally, i would NEVER own an excavator without a pin grabber. my JRB also afforded me the ability to grab attachments with different pin spacing than what came with my machine.

i had a case 210, hyundai 210, and deere 690E, didn't make a difference what bucket went with what machine.....we swapped, used them all on all the machines. was nice not having to move a machine in/out of a project because you had the wrong attachmennt, and what you needed wouldn't pin up to what's there.


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## Fouthgeneration (Jan 7, 2014)

At # 1 ".....MINI ...."?.... JD 690 weight ~ 19-20 US tons....

Any tare weight at end of boom reduces capacity of machine, any change in geometry of the bucket to cylinder changes break out force and loads on original pins--TANSTAFL.

Careful survey of the mini ex pin sizes and their interchange ability with larger/smaller same nameplate, and # of brands/ competition, might push one's size selection to a model size that has the greater/ less costly accessory buckets/attachments, IMHO


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

in our soils, i didn't feel the coupler changed the geometry enough to be noticeable. 

plus, whenever we set heavy RCP or manholes, setting/pulling trench box, we would swing over, get rid of the bucket. you eliminated the weight of the bucket...PLUS gave you a lot better view of what you are picking, where you're placing it.

not wanting a coupler is just plain old thinking. i had three foot spreaders on my trench box when we laid water/sewer main. i excavated down to within a foot of pipe elevation with a 4' bucket, swing over, throw on 30" bucket, and dig the final foot with that inside the box, leaving the bottom of the box sitting on the ledge 1' above pipe elevation. saved a LOT of money in bedding material.

without a coupler, we were replacing pins and bushings every other year, with the coupler? the 690 had 8k hrs on it when sold, and "could" have used new bucket pins/bushings. had i kept it, i probably would have run them at least another couple of years.


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## Fouthgeneration (Jan 7, 2014)

DayX, what I was circling around is a larger, Mature, design excavator has most of the "flaws" gone, while a first or second gen mini/ micro hoe doesn't.

You might be one of the rare operators that use their grease gun as directed also....:thumbsup: Or avoids Demo work and out of spec hyd. breakers. 

On larger, longer jobs does using multiple machines start to pay increased profit in spite of the greater capital outlay?

Surely, a smart Rental yard operator has the info the O.Per needs somewhere.... or a short line bucket manufacturer salesperson would know what fits what....And which are made/availiable in volume/ cheaper....


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