First off, why is this information so hard to find for a lot of models? Seems like one of the most basic specs needed for any sort of digging/loading calculations. At best they may give you a range of bucket capacities on the spec sheet, but that is of little value when you don’t know if its a trenching, HD, bellhole, graveyard, high volume bucket they are referring to. Is it so hard to just put a little chart on the specs with available bucket size/types and capacity? With that being said, hopefully some of you have access to these elusive specs and we can share them here. There are several I’ve been looking for myself and this can be an easy place for others to find them in the future. The specs I’m looking for are for 2-3’ standard digging buckets for the following machines, in SAE heaped capacity: -Case 480/580 D,E,K series (found some for much older and newer models, might be the same?) -Kubota kx040/U35 -Kubota kx057 -Kubota kx080 -Case CX80C -Case CX130C Thanks in advance, if anyone has charts for other mini/midi/full size excavators or backhoes feel free to post them too.
Not sure about the manufacturers on your list but Cat lists bucket capacity in all their bucket specs. All the Cat buckets we have list the capacity on the tag. Now one's heaped capacity may be a different interpretation of another's.
Exactly! Heaped sand is a lot different than heaped clay! Do you think the Cat capacity is heaped or water level?
I too would be interested if the Cat number on the bucket is struck or heaped. I did find a Case 580 Super K brochure with a chart for the HD trenching buckets, SAE heaped capacity in cu. ft. 12” - 2.9 16” - 3.6 18” - 4.3 24” - 6.4 30” - 8.6 36” - 10.8 Still looking for info on mini excavator buckets, any brand, it’s pretty hard to come by. Maybe they are keeping it secret because they are so small lol.
Not sure. Probably water level if I had to guess. We run the biggest bucket the machine can handle when bulk digging. The yardage absolutely varies depending on the material.
Some specs. list struck and heaped capacity. I think heaped is kind of an average based on different materials. I think I read something a long time ago about how Cat measured a heaped bucket. Backhoe buckets I'd guess we're struck/ water level.
Cat's listed bucket capacities are standard SAE 2:1 heaped. Extracts from the Performance Handbook that would apply to hydraulic excavator or backhoe buckets. Then you have to take the Fill factor into account, "heaped sand vs heaped clay" for example.
Here's the same information for a wheel loader bucket or for the loader bucket of a BHL. This applies to Cat buckets but I'm sure other manufacturers will be similar.
I have no idea about other manufacturers but in addition to what CM mentioned regarding the capacity being marked on the tag it's also mentioned in the Parts Manual for the machine.
Ok thank you, that is all very good info.
For our Deere 50d: Brandt buckets (specs from their website). Note: no tags on buckets showing capacity. 24” dig- .19 yards 36” c/u- .30 yards Our Kubota kx-040 18” dig was REALLY small capacity (can’t remember spec.) 42” c/u bucket was 7.18 cubic feet. These were Canadian built by H&H. These did have capacity’s on bucket tag. Had to call local manufacturer (Destec out of Kamloops)for specs on a 66”—22” vee bucket for our 210 as there was no capacity shown on bucket tag. 1 7/8 yards. Really seems hit or miss as to whether bucket capacity is included on the bucket tag. This info is important in our operation as a larger capacity means more pay through the plant. I typically weld on “Swedish” half arrow for side cutters to increase capacity slightly. Interesting info from Cat regarding bucket capacity’s Nige!
It’s easy enough to calculate the struck & heaped capacities of any excavator/backhoe bucket - provided it doesn’t have any holes in it that is. Put the bucket into the position shown in the above illustrations and fill it with water. 100 US gallons is the equivalent to 0.495 cubic yards. That’s the struck capacity. Measure the length and width of the “mouth” of the bucket then calculate the volume of a pyramid with the base equal to the above measurements and with the edges sloped at 45-deg. The volume of that pyramid plus the struck is the heaped volume. Simples…..
Or just put the biggest bucket the machine can handle efficiently and heap up the bucket. Seriously - The materials we excavate vary so much that bucket capacity is a guideline and nothing to really go by. However our new 325 has payload scales that should be very valuable loading trucks. We'll see how accurate they are.
And when you have scales it’s sometimes amazing to see the difference moisture level can make. More often than not the materials we handle are completely dry but when wet, can easily add another 1.5 tonnes to a 3.3 m/3 fully heaped loader bucket.
Without a doubt. Some of our heavy plastic clays can vary widely weight wise, depending on moisture content.
the thread does have me scratching my head as well. I go to work and if it takes 10 or 11 buckets it does not matter. I look at the truck and know from experience what full is. I have never counted buckets as a measure, only truckloads. If the material is wet and heavy, you calibrate your eye for that. If I wanted to know, I can load my 8 cubic yard struck truck bed without patting it down, and do that math. That is one way to get a heaped number in a given material. Pea Gravel is 2800~3000 pounds a yard. If I get 11.5 tons at the plant and raise the bed, it goes struck level. The math works out. I have 6" boards on it for legal.
I’m thinking in the opposite way, for estimating, making comparisons, and measuring in the office vs in the field. For example, if I know how many cycles I can do in a minute, what is the time it takes a 4 vs 6 vs 8 ton excavator to load my 5yd truck? Or if I’m digging multiple holes of a given dimension how long does one bucket size take vs another. I realize there are other factors, such as cycle times of different machines, but bucket size is the first and foremost part of those calculations. I do use it the other way, as in your example of weight loading a truck, but generally only with loaders. I know heaped my loader bucket on the backhoe is about a yard, and what various materials weigh, which makes for easy rough calculations of weight.
yeah, that's too fine grained details for me. Too much time pondering and deciphering, rather than doing the production itself. Less time in the office is a better fit. I shall make my exit thataway--------------------------->
We normally use a 2 yard cleanup bucket on our 210 when advancing pay/moving loose material but when cleaning out our settling ponds (1/4” minus) it is necessary to tuck the load well in before swinging! We have a bucket counter in the cab of the excavator feeding our washplant as this is the most accurate means of calculating gold grade during cleanups. It is critical to keep close tabs on grade in order to best manage the mining cuts (thickness of overburden to strip, depth/strike length of cut, amount of bedrock to run etc.). Since pay is advanced to the washplant by various means (210 excavator bailing material directly from cut, dozer push, dump truck) bucket counter in “feed” machine is most accurate. Boulders larger than 16” contained in a dump truck load have to be set aside from pay pile as too large for screen deck. No doubt in most situations it is just easiest to keep track of total dump truck loads.
We are starting operations on a new site this coming season and the logistics/geology are completely different…most if not all pay will have to be dump trucked to one central washplant/settling pond set-up. Will probably be a lot less “fussy” and just count dump truck loads!
Lol I understand. Often these calculations are actually just going on in my head as I toil away, scoop after scoop, hour after hour. Something along the lines of “if I had a machine that would swing a 1yd bucket instead of this .4yd bucket think of how much more I could get done in a day”
Instead think about how much each bucket pays - regardless of size. Sometimes small dirt jobs are the most profitable. At the end of the day we are here to make a buck or two.