Noticing my bucket wear bars are getting pretty thin. Mostly just a couple areas on the edges. Mostly affecting 2 bars really but they are all worn. I'm curious what you guys prefer as a repair? I've seen plate added over the tops but always wondered if they would then rust out? Or I have seen fat weld beads added to slow the wear down. I just don't want to go added beads and screw myself for a proper repair later. I would assume those bars are AR plate? I'm probably not the nicest to the bucket as I do drag the bottom hard to pack slopes like in ditching or pond work.
I would source some strips of QT 400 . If you want to save a buck find some used grader cutting edge. When you install it hang it over the side of the bucket about an inch.Get some good quality single pass hard surface and run passes along the edge,maybe some cross pattern in 6" from the edge. That will help the edge wear the same as the rest of the wear bar and keep your bucket edges in good shape. Look at the corner bits on that bucket ,might need a touch of hard surface on the worst wear points to. If you have time and money to burn you can do X s and O s all over the bucket,wont hurt anything but youll notice a lot of it dosent even wear. If you want to be thrifty just look at the shiny spots after you dig for a bit and hardsurface there. My 2 Canadian cents worth
Our 210 was an ex city machine that was primarily used with a “vee” bucket Some sketchy patching…wear strips extending an inch out past the sides (as Tugger2 describes) could have prevented this significant damage. I had to put a new bottom on a Hitachi 120 dig bucket (previous owners had wore it completely out…) We had a local Machine shop bend some heavy ar plate based on a cardboard template; also extended an inch out past the sides. Good on you for fixing before major damage! Vee bucket damage/wear:
I got plate of AR400, ripped some strips. Then I removed the old wear plates with a scarfing tip and did any structural repairs. Put on the new strips. The 2' and 3' only needed the longitudinal corner strips. The cross ones were OK. The cleanup 4' bucket needed all of it and straightening. you can either torch off the old strips, or a cutoff wheel on a grinder as shown here. I would not add to old worn stuff, Get down to the structural metal and then fix it.
I agree with stripping the bottom when you have actual structural damage to the shell especially on a lightly built bucket. Years ago when they ran the natural gas pipeline up Vancouver Island we did a lot of bucket repair for the pipeline contractor. They were running 235 Cats and wanted as quick a turnaround on bucket repairs as possible. I laid out a package that involved building the whole bucket bottom complete with new teeth, shanks ,side bits ,cutting edge bottom shell and wear bars .We could prefab a bunch of these and have them in stock . when a bucket came in we would start cutting just below the lifting lug and cut around to the front. A bit of fitting and cleanup then weld on the new bottom . In one day and out the next with all wear parts new . They seemed to like our work and kept sending us buckets, id swear we could have reused some of the bottoms we cut off .
It was your turnaround. Why fix/patch it when you guys refreshed the whole thing in the same timeframe? it was a good deal for them.
I did poke around youtube last night and I guess the weld and rod used is called "hard facing".... I might look to use that on the cut edge/ shank plate that is wearing a bit. I can tell you though, every single video I found had more to do with welders trying to show off their prowess, their fancy jacket, Miller rig, etc. What I do see is a massive amount of time with very little material being added. I'd rather hear from owners how well it works. Anyway, when adding new plate, is 7018 rod good enough? I don't run my equipment in rock other than shale, which is rather soft. I try to stick to clays doing pond type work. Also, has a guy even wasted the time to add simple mild steel plate rather than AR? I think what I am leaning towards is adding bars on top of the old ones. I realize no one likes that idea but I see them as removable and will stop wear in it's tracks for now. The bucket is a CAT GP, bars are 100% welded, not tacked. Let new bars hang over the sides a good bit to protect the corner.