Choosing a new GP bucket? Read this first.
Your GP bucket (sometimes known as a trenching bucket) will be used for all types of pipe and cable trenching, so it needs to be robust, strong and durable. And, of course, you also want it to have a long lifespan in order to get the best bang for your buck.
Bucket width
It is important for your customer that you do not over excavate. An unnecessary wide trench will cost more to backfill. Chose the minimum required width GP bucket for your next trenching project and save on unnecessary backfill. You specify the width and we will manufacture it.
Some quick thoughts about side cutters…
General purpose buckets can often get stuck in trenches, so for extra ground-breaking ability make sure you go for a bucket that comes with side cutters.
Large GP buckets usually come with easily replaced bolt-on side cutters. On smaller buckets that don’t encounter high wear, side cutters are welded on.
Heavy duty option
Do you regularly carry out tough trenching work? Ask our team about the heavy-duty option of our regular GP bucket with beefed-up wear strips, hard face welding and extended side-cutter toes.
GP buckets — with teeth or without?
We supply GP buckets with teeth and adaptors or without — it all depends on your application. If you work in sandy conditions, a GP bucket with no teeth — also known as a gummy bucket — will produce the best results.
At Oz Excavator Buckets, we can manufacture your GP Bucket to any specification. To talk to us about your custom-made general purpose bucket, call today on 1300 246 009.
3 design considerations when choosing a mud bucket
Mud buckets (also known as sand buckets, gummy buckets or batter buckets) are a vital piece of earthmoving equipment. When choosing your new sand bucket, it’s important to go for a high quality, well-designed, suitably robust product that will last you for many years to come.
So what are the key considerations when choosing a new mud bucket for your excavator or backhoe? We’ve outlined them below…
1) The mud bucket must have the capacity to move large volumes of material.
When mud buckets are used to load material from large stockpiles, it must be done in the most economical way. When it comes to this type of operation, capacity is the key. Not only does your mud bucket need to be large and deep, but it also needs to be extremely strong and durable in order to withstand the stress and strain it will regularly undergo. This is why the overall design and engineering must be of the very highest quality.
2) The ENTIRE sand bucket should be well-engineered, including the pickup and head plate.
When the mud bucket is loading and transporting a heavy load, the stresses from this operation travel up to the head plate and through to the pickup. Your piece of equipment is only as strong as its weakest link — so if there is any fault with the design or welding in this area, your sand bucket won’t last very long.
3) The mud bucket should come with a bolt-on edge blade.
Even if your mud bucket has been made from high quality steel, the blade of your bucket will naturally wear down over time. To extend the life of your mud bucket, choose one that comes with a bolt-on edge attached to its blade — as this can be replaced whenever the bolt-on edge starts to wear close to the bucket blade.
For long-lasting materials and quality workmanship, visit www.ozbuckets.com.au. We have a wide range of mud bucket sizes that can be available within a 7-day turnaround — and our friendly team is always happy to help. Give us a call today on 1300 246 009.
3 key considerations when buying a compaction wheel
When choosing a compaction wheel, you need a rugged piece of equipment that will work hard and require very little maintenance.
It may be tempting to go for a self contained, engine driven unit, but the complex nature of these means they can often break down. You also need to consider the significant extra cost of buying this type of standalone compaction machine, whereas with a compaction wheel you can simply attach it to your existing excavator —providing you with a much lower-cost solution.
When deciding which type of compaction wheel attachment is best for you, it’s important to consider the following factors…
1. Does the compaction wheel incorporate a sealed axle bearing?
A sealed bearing is vital for the smooth running of your compaction wheel. This prevents dirt, dust and mud getting in and causing unnecessary wear and tear, and also means there’s no need to grease the bearing. If your compaction wheel doesn’t have a sealed bearing axle then it can get clogged with debris, leading to increased maintenance time and related costs.
2. Is it the right size?
Compaction wheels are normally subjected to robust handling, and need to be specifically engineered and manufactured to handle these conditions. It’s best to choose a compact, robust wheel that will enable you to easily compact trenches or other small, hard to reach areas.
3. Does the compaction wheel have tall feet?
Tall feet enable your compaction wheel to effectively break down the structure of the soil — particularly clay material — resulting in a superior compaction effort. Well designed compaction wheels have an optimised feet layout which enhances the compaction effort — resulting in a solid foundation on which to build the required infrastructure.
To find out more about our compaction wheels for excavators, call the OZ Excavator Buckets team today on 1300 246 009 or visit the compaction wheels page on our website at www.ozbuckets.com.au
The important elements to look for in your rock grab this storm season
Australia’s storm season can be wild, causing devastating effects across the entire country. High winds, floods and fires can all result in extreme damage to buildings, transport links and communities — often putting people’s lives in serious jeopardy.
But Aussies are good at mucking in and helping to clean up the debris. And when it comes to tidying up after a storm, a rock grab attachment for your excavator will be one of your most invaluable tools.
When looking for a good quality rock grab — that will last you the entire storm season and longer — it’s useful to keep the following features in mind.
Does the rock grab have wear protection on the finger edges?
Additional hard steel protection on the finger edges of your rock grab ensures that your attachment is extremely robust, so it can work for longer without being worn down.
Does it have the popular five-finger configuration?
A five-finger rock grab is one of the most popular designs for this type of excavator attachment, as it allows you to quickly and easily get a grip of all types of debris.
Is the rock grab made from strong, robust materials?
A flimsy rock grab will bend and twist as you try and pick up oddly shaped items. But when you invest in a robust, well-designed rock grab, you trust it to grab onto even the most difficult materials without warping or twisting out of shape.
It is geometrically balanced?
If your rock grab isn’t geometrically balanced, it won’t be able to hold on to debris — causing items to slip out where the fingers don’t overlap properly. To avoid this issue, always purchase your rock grab from a trusted, knowledgeable supplier.
Does the rock grab have rugged inside edges?
Rugged inside edges can be added to rock grabs to increase their gripping ability. These jagged metal teeth help to hold on to all sorts of slippery storm debris, including logs, rocks, and other articles that may be difficult to manoeuvre.
To find out more about the types of rock grabs we have on offer, visit www.ozbuckets.com.au, or call us on 1300 246 009 and speak to Mandy, Michelle or Jason.
Half Hitches or Hydraulic Hitches – Which Quick Hitch is Best for YOUR Excavator?
The quick hitch that you select for your excavator or backhoe will be your workhorse, so it’s vital you pick the right one. When choosing which hitch is best for your machine, you have to consider the type of jobs you work on most often.
Half Hitches
If you use the same bucket for many jobs then the half hitch may be the best option for your excavator. All our half hitches are custom made, so the pickup configuration is specifically designed to suit your machine and attachments. We can build half hitches to suit any machine up to 20.0 tonne. Considerably lower in price than the hydraulic hitch, the half hitch also has an extremely fast manufacturing turnaround of 7 working days.
Hydraulic Hitches
Does your work involve frequent bucket changes? Do you find yourself wasting lots of time changing attachments manually? If so, a hydraulic hitch will make the process considerably easier. Our hydraulic hitches are made from the highest quality steel and heavy-duty rams and comply with all required safety regulations.
Our Quick Turnaround Guarantee
You need to keep your excavator working, which is why we make it our mission to get our custom-made excavator hitches to you as soon as we can. With our half hitches we can honour our usual quick manufacturing turnaround of 7 working days, however due to the complex nature of the hydraulic hitches the turnaround on these is between 6 to 8 weeks.
If you aren’t sure about which type of quick hitch is best for your excavator or backhoe, call and chat to one of our team. If you know which hitch you need and have your pickup measurements available, you can order your quick hitch over the phone, or by downloading the print order form on our website.
Please go to our website www.ozbuckets.com.au; for more information on our complete range of hitches.
