just picked up a smaller bucket for my case 590sl. When installed there is a 5/8 gap still between the bucket ears and the machine coupler. All other pins, etc. fit. Does case make thick shims or do you just build up the difference with the thin shims?
Case does have shims. But they are outrageously expensive. I have purchased machinery bushings to use on bucket and boom pins from Dale Wiess at Tractorstuff. Send him an email and he will get all of them you need. here is a link to his web-sight. http://e-backhoeparts.com/
Have local metal shop cut some from plate steel or thick wall pipe
This does not seem right. case 590sl series two, and a case 12" trenching bucket. As said above the coupler fits nice and snug on the bucket however dipper is 10" and the ears on the main link of the bucket is 10.5". Called every where and no one seems to sell any spacers other than the washers. Just doesn't seem correct.What kind of space would be acceptable from inside of bucket ears to the dipper? Of course it might not be a case bucket afterall, however it was off a 580m and unless the M had a larger width dipper. Is the 1/2 inch something to worry about? Seems like this is something that could bend a pin. Would the washers be the correct move? The only thing that stops is bucket movement. Will be using the small bucket to clip some stump roots and wanted to keep the force focused on a small area rather than the large bucket I had on it. And at the end of the day would like to use the 12" bucket from time to time.
I have been using washers for years. I have cut a couple off of a 2" pipe with the proper pipe cutter for the bucket links. I never even considered any other way to shim cylinder and bucket pins. I just keep them wet with grease. Remember you want to shim each side evenly to keep the bucket centered with the boom and link. As far as space on a bucket 1/8 to 1/4 inch would be what I would want. On cylinders I would want them a little tighter 1/16 max. You ask if washers would be the correct move --- I guess that is why everybody you contacted suggested washers.
Would leaving the little side to side slop damage anything? I have at least a 1/4" gap on both sides of mine and that's how it was when I bought it.
Grease won't stay in for long with any amount of slop. Keep it tight as possible to keep grease in and pin and bushing will last a long time.
Ok guess I need to either get a bunch of big washers or find some pipe that diameter and get some shims in there. So ill have to pull the bucket off for my first. I needed to anyway though to repair the pieces of wear bars that run around the bottom of the bucket.