i run a small skid steer & dump truck service...i work alone...my work would be classified as all bobcat work...grading/leveling/lite excavation im looking into buying a 4 in 1 bucket to help keep me in the skid more...im getting tired of getting in and out also i will need to add a grapple in the future but for now i think the clam feature can suffice... one other ? would be teeth or no teeth?...and how is grading with the bucket open? thanks
I can only speak for using a 4n1 bucket with a backhoe, but I'd give up my shoes before my 4n1 bucket. Obviously clamping stuff is nice, but it also gives you a nicer finish when back dragging with the bucket open. It tends to smooth and fill without just packing stuff down like a normal bucket. I also pick up rocks all the time that get in the way. It should be even easier with a skid steer, since visibility is better. It's one of the best, simple attachments that can do a lot if you ask me.
every loader bucket i buy will be 4/1 i dont see the reason why all buckets arnt 4/1
$$$$$$$ is it!
I recently bought one for my little TLB. All I really wanted to do was stop having to shovel the last yard of (CR6, sand, whatever) into the GP bucket when finishing up a job. It's been great so far. I can clam shell all but the very last little bit of material for cleanup. It works great for grabbing firewood size trees. Makes spreading wash gravel really easy, etc. etc. Like WB said, the cost is higher and it weighs more than your GP bucket but you'll like it if you get it. Mine is from W.R. Long and I think the price was very good and the bucket seems very well made.
I use my 4in1 more than any of the dozen other attachments I own. Take note the bucket will be heavier than a traditional bucket so you will loose some capacity. The nice part of grading with a 4in1 is the ability to open the pan and roll the bucket forward using it like a scraper bowl. The pan will limit the cutting edge from diving into the grade and will capture excess material. As you cover the low spots it will fill them in. The partially filled bucket also helps stablize the machine. 4in1 buckets are not popular in my area. I spent about four years down in the South East and almost every machine I saw had a 4in1. I guess we get used to what we grow up with. I was sold on them from a very practical standpoint, they effective at alot of tasks. The one thing they don't do exceptionally well is using it to grapple brush. The bite tends to push brush out. They will still grab alot but not near as much as a root or pan grapple. I was looking at putting my 4in1 in front of my Tilt-Tach so I could control slope at the same time. I would have to add a selector valve ($150 from Surplus Center) so I could control both the 4in1 and Tilt-Tach from a single aux circuit. I ended up picking up a Bobcat Grader attachment a month ago and lost some interest for the moment... There are numerous companies manufacturing these attachments. A couple of months back I found a company that makes a 6in1 bucket! Laser Cut Inc You have got to see the video of this attachment on their website! I wasn't brave enough to ask them for a price :wink2
Welcome to HEF TriHonu! :drinkup
Have one on my skidsteer, tractor, and backhoe. Would not have a piece of equipment without it. It is the most versatile of all attachments. The more you use one the more things you find you can do with it. Although more expensive than a regular bucket it quickly pays for itself with all the things you can do with it. I have teeth on the one on the skidsteer and a cutting edge on the one on the tractor and backhoe. I'd go with the teeth. If you want a smooth surface backdragging, just open the bucket and use the back of the front half. You might also look at a Rezloh cutting edge. It cuts like teeth and finishes like a smooth lip.
You won't be sorry with a 4 way. It will save you piles of labor and pay itself off in not time. Whether or not you need teeth will depend on the work you do. If you do digging in hard clay or rocky material, they will help. If you are moving stockpiled material, you shouldn't need teeth much. I don't have teeth on my machine and have never needed them. Teeth will interfere with fine grading and you won't be able to load material from pavement.
I think it would be an awesome attachment to have, it's sort of like a hydraulic thumb for your loader, and you also get the benefit of a dozer blade.
Sure is...there is no way I could afford to be without my 4 in 1. I could go on and on about 4 in 1's but just take these guys words for it. If you are a diverse "for hire" contractor and you don't have one...then you aren't doing half the things your machine is capable of. My Fav...grab a piece of 4 x 2 or the like and use it as a spreader/leveller...I could go on
Look for a bucket with a bolt on cutting edge on the dozer. There are a lot of manufactures that weld the back cutting edge in. To replace it can involve much: cutting, cursing, drinking, welding, :Banghead ...
Is there a manufacturer that is better than others? How do you determine if it is within specs of your machine? Someone told me recently that CAT had to approve any attachment I wanted to buy for our machine from a third party manufacturer.
I would check with your dealer on that Rocket. I'm running several attachments that aren't Cat and have never checked with them before purchasing. My bucket is from Cat, I bought it with the machine. I'm pretty sold on the quality of Quick Attach products, I've got 3 attachments from them that I'm very happy with. I don't know much about other manufacturers but I'd imagine like anything else some are better suited to your needs than others might be.
Thanks Steve. Which attachments did you purchase from them or find most useful? I'm tending toward a rod bucket (possibly with grapple), versa-blade, and auger.
Don check out some of these sites. http://www.aimattachments.com/ http://www.attachmentsexpress.com/AE2/UI/Default.aspx http://www.skid-steer-attachments.net/ http://www.loflinfabrication.com/ They will give you an idea on price range . I got a rear 24" bucket for my 580 and it has held up well from AIM.
Glad to hear that everyone likes them so much. I got a quote from the dealer awhlie back that one for my 453 was going to be $2300. I got kind of skeptical as to wheather it was worth it or not but now I may have to reconsider.