Hey guys I'm working for a demolition company and most our work these days are wooden structures, we only have one excavator a John Deere 200D it's equipped with a manual wedge lock quick change that says "Brandt" on it but I think its actually a Weldco Beales quick change. I've noticed between the bucket pins on it that it's got a crack that redeveloped from a prior weld job. Is this pretty common with Weldco Beales or "Brandt" wedge lock couplers? I have seen all over the internet people using "pin-grabber" type couplers but they increase the length of the attachment and reduce the curl force at least I think they do. What is a more robust coupler that can withstand the rigors of demolition work?
In my humble opinion, the most reliable couplers are the pin grabber types. Most popular in my region is the brand Miller, and yes they increase the attachment lenght and the bucket tip radius. I believe you have to trade a little bit of performance in return of reliability.
The pin grabbers are far more robust than the wedge locks. People don't take care of the wedges and the lugs on the buckets. When the wedge starts to bottom out in the bucket lugs the bucket starts to slap. The slap impact loads the wedge and the lugs making things worse all the time. A quick list of coupler manufacturers that I've dealt with are Weldco Beales, PSM Corporation, Hendrix, CWS manufacturers and Highline Portofab. All make both types of couplers and I haven't really found any of them any better or worse than any others.
FYI- We have always had JRB brand and have had great luck. Just bought a new one in march. They are the most popular in our area (n. illinois)
Yeah I've used Weldco-Beales for years off and on and even used Caterpillar wedge locks. Weldco-Beales was nice as they're pretty light and you don't get a dramatic increase in bucket weight. The Cat wedge-locks I loathe as they're heavy and they add those extra hooks on the bucket as some sort of fail safe so the bucket doesn't fall off, but the truth is flimsy and can "tighten" up around the two main lug hooks making it difficult if not impossible to get the bucket or whatever tool on. I also hate how with some wedge-lock setups that even when you think you've got the bolts as tight as you can get them attachments like breakers and plate compactors will vibrate them right off. If I was able to switch my boss over from what we do have I might get him to look at Nye. Have any of you guys used these Nye systems? http://www.nyemanufacturing.com/excavator/quick_coupler.htm
It is a Brandt coupler they stole the head engineer from Weldco. But that doesn't mean they are as good as weldco. There stuff is all welded crooked and If you get a thumb it is way out of wack it doesn't line up with anything.
Lol, I've noticed. Plus its only a two tine thumb I would much rather have a four tine thumb.
I forgot about JRB couplers. When I think about it though I had only seen pin grabbers for JRB. The hooks on the Cat couplers are to enable you to carry an extra bucket with the machine on the low boy. They do get bent at times. The Cat buckets are made by PSM Corporation. I know a few of the people at Weldco and don't think anyone would have stolen any of those engineers. I would throw rocks at some of the past ones real quick if I met them again.
Yeah the company I use to work for everything we had was Cat except for our lowbed's, tandem dump truck, and our frost rippers and ditching buckets which were manufactured locally and very well built. But those extra hooks seemed to cause more trouble than they were worth, a couple of our operators got fed up and cut them off and solved any further problems. I used a pin-grabber on a brand new 210 Case last year that was fully hydraulic and it sure made it nice for switching from a ripper to a bucket and vice versa. I don't remember what the manufacturer was but it came with an extra pin that acted as a safety device against accidental droppage. The bucket and ripper were made by H&H.
I heard it from the Brandt dealer that is what happened. I do believe from the Edmonton Plant.
sorry to butt in here, I'm looking for a coupler for a Cat 324DL if anyone has one, Thanks
There is a for sale/wanted section at the bottom of the main page. We're just discussing who makes a better coupler.
so sorry and thanks for your help
My Cat is equipped with a pin grabber. It has a wedge that engages the back pin. I'm not sure of you are talking about this coupler or a different wedge design (when you are talking about Cat wedge). My coupler does not have any excess "ears" on it so I assume you are talking about a different type. My pin grabber has been a great, trouble free coupler. I also have a friend who runs specialised attachments on 330 and 345 size machines (breakers, grinding heads, etc). He says that the Cat pin grabber is, by far, the best coupler he has ever used. I think that means something when you are using them with a 10,000# hammer.
Toughest coupler I have found yet is made by Kent....... same company that makes hyd breakers. we tested their couplers while being developed.
without a doubt...JRB rotolocs
Yeah if we get another machine I'll try to persuade the boss to go with a pin grabber setup and a krypto claw bucket thumb so I don't have to have the thumb on all the time.