I have a Hendrix bucket and need to change the teeth out. The pin at the top measure’s 5/8 wide and about 3/4 long. Any advice on driving these out. What size punch should I use. I have a 2lb hammer so hopefully this is enough.
give it a couple of whacks. If that does not move it, apply the hot wrench to it. Once you get started you can lick that pin out of there with no harm to the shank.
Kinda looks like Esco Conical teeth. Since you're doing replacement, don't bother with the pins yet, instead, take a torch and cut the tooth material directly behind the pin, the part of the tooth that retains the pin, make a slot slightly wider than the pin, you'll have to do this on the top and bottom of the tooth. Once you do that, beat the hell out of the tooth and knock it off of the adapter, then deal with the pin.
Don’t have a cutting torch. Will a 5/8 punch be best to drive out pins?
You aren't getting those pins out without one.
Can someone show me a photo of what those pins will look like? Do they have a rubber cushion. I have a small bernzomatic torch but that’s it.
The guy that sold me this excavator said those pins have two pieces of metal with a rubber piece sandwich between them. I thinking maybe I can heat those pins up with binzomatic torch and make that rubber soft enough to beat out. If not I will have to hire it done because I don’t have a cutting torch.
I has no idea which hensley style you have. What tooth did you buy?
I haven’t bought them yet. The place I’m buying from wanted me to bring an old tooth with me.
Willie59 I don’t know much about cutting torches but I thought they cut threw all the metal. So your saying you can cut the material out behind the pin on top and bottom and not damage the adapter?
YES! A cutting torch is not a saw. You can cut away the tooth or the pin and not touch the shank at all. The cut happens when that tooth metal is heated to molten and the oxygen hits it and burns it away. The shank below will be quite a bit cooler. I know it takes a little faith but as you get used to cutting torches, you can quite literally cut a bolt out of tapped threads in solid steel, then clean it up with a tap and re-use the threads. It takes some practice to get to that level but we do it whenever needed.
As long as you don't get the parts you don't want cut cherry red hot you should be fine. It'll only cut the hot material.
If you're going to own an excavator you might as well purchase a cutting torch and a welder because at some point you're going to need both, unless you wish to continue hiring that out. I remove most all teeth first by cutting away the retaining metal of the teeth and beat them loose, then deal with the pin, Cat side pin teeth for sure. Doing so makes it much easier to remove the pin and there's still plenty of tooth for the parts guy to identify them
A buddy is going bring his torch down Sunday and we are going cut the teeth. I will post a photo tomorrow after I have power washed the area that shows an outline of where I think to cut. understanding where to cut. Thanks for the help guys.
Scarf out the tooth material shown in the X area on top and bottom of the tooth, then beat the snot out of the tooth until it says I give up.
Why would you take a sledgehammer to a hoe tooth to start with? Thats just to much like work. Cut the retainer metal as shown. Then find a rock or big piece of scrap metal and work it around with the teeth. A little time and a little experience the teeth will fall out, if not, then apply the hammer to the loosened teeth.
I honestly have never thought to cut the teeth like that. Then again I've never actually had to change bucket teeth either if you can believe that.
Let’s make sure we are on the same page. The end of tooth is to right of arrow correct? How long of a cut do I need going back to end of tooth for reference? (Parallel cuts) Maybe an inch? Looks like two cuts that parallel each other no vertical cut to right of parallel cuts? Or is that what scarf out means?
Scarf out = remove. Remove all of that tooth material in the X in between the two parallel lines. The tooth would look like this after cutting away the tooth steel.I wager your torch guy will know what to do.
Thanks Willie59.
Once you get the tooth removed you'll then find the pin protruding from the tooth adapter about 1/4 to 3/8" on top side and bottom side. You can now take a hammer to the pin and whack it to knock it loose, then simply drive it out with a steel rod or punch.
I'm guessing that torch is going to need to warm up the adapter substantially before that pin is going to move. However, after warming up the adapter, let it cool completely before hammering on the pin. You will probably end up riveting it anyway as corroded in as they look.
You don't need to use surgical precision when cutting that slot. You can blow out a good sized slot on the back of the tooth. Wear safety glasses when you are pounding on those teeth !! You will never regret wearing them but you will if you don't and suffer an eye injury. I speak from a personal experience.
A two pound hammer is not enough either. Start by getting a four pound short handled Oregon head and and longer handled eight pounder. After you make the cut, get a long piece of bar that's pretty thick. One inch or more. Situate the bucket all the way open and set it down on a block and then put the bar on the bucket side of the tooth and hit the bar with at least the four pound hammer. You need to be away from the tooth because they can flake off and make shrapnel. I have a photo somewhere showing the slice that went halfway through my leg. The teeth get tight on the shanks over time because they pack up with dirt. A lot of times you can loosen the tooth on the shank by slamming the end away from the bucket on the flat. The vibration sometimes loosens the dirt just enough the release the tooth.
You don't need full cutting pressure with the torch. For someone inexperienced the shank could be cut into when cutting the tooth. What you can do is angle the torch so it's almost parallel with the tooth and starting at the top edge slowly tilt the torch down to make a cut toward the pin. Heating the top of the tooth 1st will help. If the shank gets gouged a bit don't worry it can be welded and ground back to size. If the pins have rubber inserts try heating the pins red hot. It should melt any rubber and they'd pound out easier. A long handle sledge hammer would be an advantage.
Buddy showed up with his cutting torch. When he was getting everything ready he pulled out a big punch and hammer and said give it a whack. To my surprise the pin moved. We drove them all out. I then fixed a pot of coffee and we visited a while. I use this excavator 90% in a gravel pit so I now need to figure out what teeth to go back with? Would you guys go back with what I have or go to rock teeth. Thanks Ricky
The shanks look pretty good. That makes it easy to change the teeth.
I'm surprised the teeth were so rusty for a gravel pit machine. Is it a commercial pit or just for your own use?
It’s my own personal pit. I don’t think the teeth were too rusted. I had been digging in mud getting my nephew moved in a trailer and hadn’t cleaned them up. I think what you guys were thinking was rust was actually dried mud.
Agreed, more that once I've removed teeth and just wish I saw tooth adapters that looked like that!
Oh, that makes sense. Glad you were able to get them off without much trouble
I don't think you need hardened rock teeth. A plain ol long bucket tooth should give you plenty of service and are the most inexpensive choice.
Waiting on oil filters to get here. That’s been a circus act from the get go. While I’m waiting just wanting to make sure what I’m seeing out of these new teeth are ok, which are the same ones as the old ones. The old ones I took off were stuck on tight. I mean you couldn’t move them tight. These new teeth are loose on there. I can grab them and wiggle them. I have yet to dig with them because I’m waiting on oil filters. Do all new ones have this wiggle and tighten up with dirt and such getting into the nooks and crannies? This is all new to me.
A little movement is normal. If they're super sloppy though you probably have some wear on the shanks.