I have a pavement bucket that I'd like to convert to fit a new machine. The top of the bucket is flat so it's a pretty easy ear to make. The new machine is a Komatsu pc 78 with a 50 mm or 1.97 pin diameter. I have the other dimensions for the ears as center to center and distance in between ears. Anyone know of a place that can fabricate a set of ears and pins? Been looking online and haven't had much luck. A new bucket is in the area of $2500 and I would really like to convert this one. I've done it before but it's a lot of running around to the machine shop and plate cutting place. Was wondering if someone offers a turn key solution where I just weld the ears on?
Try Werk-Brau...look at this link: https://www.werk-brau.com/attachment-products/84
Problem with them is they don't sell direct and have to go through a dealer. The price that I got from a dealer was more than what I could buy a brand new 12 inch digging bucket from Aim attachments.
I would look for someone that can line bore or look on iron planet or other equipment sites for a good used bucket, or a great welder can help a lot.
By the time you convert the existing bucket will have enough in it to buy a separate designed to fit unit out of stock supplies.
Do you have a bucket for the new machine already? If so just make a template out of the ears and have a steel shop cut them out for you.
I'm with welder Dave. We get a machine shop to make them, then weld them on ourselves. If you plan on changing buckets very often, a quick attach coupler is well worth it. It doesn't have to be a power attach, even a manual lock is a time saver. Anything we have 14 ton and under has a ditching bucket and a tooth bucket with them at all times. The 2 14.5 Linkbelts share a vibratory compactor as well. Even our 485 kobelco had one before the little bastards burnt it.
We build quick changes/lugging and all sorts of custom stuff. Usually for the larger shovels. I agree with cuttin edge, if you're going through the expense of converting a bucket, might be worth looking into a manual quick change...
Any amateur machinist/fabricator worth salt can do this. It isn't difficult to cut bores, press bushings, and tack ears in perfect alignment for pins. In the final welding there might be slight misalignment due to distortion. If a die grinder fit up is good enough for you, there are plenty who can do your work. if you need good line boring for perfect pin alignment, your list gets shorter, the price goes up, and you are likely to wait.